Any one got any solutions to heavy periods?

[Nymphadora]

Does the pill/ any hormonal stuff work?

I had the worse endemetriosis the surgeon had seen, my periods were weeks long and the clots were ridiculous.
Mirena coil now means i have no periods and it's wonderful. I found the insertion the same as a smear test.

Hi
I,ve had terrible heavy periods since my DD2 was born 6 years ago.Went to my GP last year because I was at the end of my tether....serious PMT large blood clots {sorry}periods lasting 2 weeks......
tried the tranexamic....brill but I had serious side effect of severe cramp in my right leg...
great .....no heavy periods,just a blood clot in my leg!!! {family history of stroke/anuerysm/heart problems/haemorrage}
tried mefamenic acid....no were near as effective as tranexamic.
Had all the tests,hysteroscopy,scans,smears.....no sign of polyps,lumps,cysts,endo......
so had the Mirena fitted in January this year.....
wonderful for the first 6 months....just spotting,no PMT ,no spots,pains.....thought it was the answer to my problem....
then this month......a mother of a period lasting 2 weeks....still bleeding now....bigger clots and heavier than ever....so,so tired and weepy.
chronic PMT.....I might just murder someone.....
I was literally sat on the loo all weekend.....even went to a and e {was scared it had perforated my womb} and was sent home with tablets....crappy mefamenic....
Went to see my GP.....he wont re refer me yet....told me to see what happens next month.I might have bled to death by then.
anyone else had this happen?
I dont want to end up anaemic again...{3 kids to look after} my blood count went to 8 before.....
just about had enough now....I,m thinking hysterectomy....
any advie please?
could my period go light again? is it possible the mirena has shifted a bit?

Can you feel the threads of your mirena? I'm asking because it can fall out without you realising.

If you have bled for that long, I would consider rechecking your Hb. I also think it is a reasonable management plan to wait as see for another month, as it may be a one-off (not uncommon with mirena) or a recurring pattern (which does warrant referral back to gynae).

If you were to end up going back to gynae, endometrial ablation is just as effective as hysterectomy with regards to bleeding control but without the major sugery. Just something to consider!

thanks emma1977
good- I was hoping someone would put my mind at rest and say it could be a one off....
I have finally stopped bleeding,so I can think rationally...
the threads are still there,I can feel them,though they are lower,they prickle sometimes when I sit down....
I,ve heard the Mirena can be partly expelled?
the nurse has checked the threads,but admits she's not an expert on the coil and recommended I go to family planning.
they checked my hg at the a and e and said it hadnt come down enough to be worried.I,m still going to take my iron again though.
been anaemic on and off for 15 years
if I,m just as bad next month,then the endometrial ablation sounds like my next step.Even though my family is complete,a hysterectomy sounds a bit too drastic,and the way I felt after an emergency section........I dont fancy the weariness of it all.....
thanks emma

Hi evenmoremiserable,

You have not had all the tests done.

One thing that has not been done to date is a laparoscopy. It is keyhole surgery and is also the usual way that endometriosis is detected.

Hysteroscopy only examines the inner cavity of the womb. It does not examine the ovaries and the Fallopian tubes nor the muscle and outside surface of the womb. As a result, hysteroscopy will not diagnose problems with the ovaries or tubes, endometriosis or some types of fibroids.

You GP needs to refer you pronto back to the gynaecologist.

Hi Attilathe meerkat

sorry,did I miss out the laparoscopy ?....
I did have that done whilst they did the other procedures....hysteroscopy & Mirena fitting.
Prior to this,I had scans and medication.
The laparoscopy showed a few adhesions on my womb,which were probably caused after my emergency section with my 2nd daughter.
I was very relieved I didnt have endo,as I have heard it is a very painful condition....
I did have severe pains in my right ovary....but this has mysteriously disappeared since having the Mirena1 some good news then!
I am making an appointment with the family planning to get them to check my coil....
I think it has moved.....still spotting,but at least I can leave the house now!
been a hermit for the last 2 weeks

Hi Attilathe meerkat

sorry,did I miss out the laparoscopy ?....
I did have that done whilst they did the other procedures....hysteroscopy & Mirena fitting.
Prior to this,I had scans and medication.
The laparoscopy showed a few adhesions on my womb,which were probably caused after my emergency section with my 2nd daughter.
I was very relieved I didnt have endo,as I have heard it is a very painful condition....
I did have severe pains in my right ovary....but this has mysteriously disappeared since having the Mirena1 some good news then!
I am making an appointment with the family planning to get them to check my coil....
I think it has moved.....still spotting,but at least I can leave the house now!
been a hermit for the last 2 weeks

Hello
latest with the Mirena....
Yes,it was coming out.....
after being fobbed off at A and E ,and my own doctor,I finally went to the Family Planning....
they were lovely.......very understanding,and said although they didnt really take on patients with Gynea problems,they would have a look and see what was happening with my coil...
after a long chat and account of my medical history...
the lady doctor took a look and said,"oh my word...you were right to be worried...it is half wayout of your cervix!"
I knew it wasnt all in my mind!
she took it out and put me a new one in.....
and I didnt even have any painkillers!! {my last coil was under GA}
I was so brave!
they offered to keep me on as their patient and I now go for a check up after 6 weeks and then yearly.
If in doubt,I can make an appointment any time.
Although,afterwards,I had terrible period pains,resulting in me crawling on my hands and knees,this had calmed down by the following morning and fingers crossed ,all will be well....
there is a chance that this coil may come out too.
she also said I had a slight prolaspe covering my cervix,......
I wonder wether this was why it came out?
anyone else had anything similar happen?

Hi EMMTB
I too have adhesions and had severe pain in my right ovary, which has a large adhesion on it - this was found during a laparoscopy. I went on the mini pill a few months ago (to try to stem heavy periods and endless spotting before and after) and the ovary pain has stopped (still tender if I press on it, but nothing else). I'm assuming it is because I'm not ovulating, but am not sure. Am guessing that the ovary swells to some extent when the egg folicle is ripening, so it was stretching and pulling on the adhesion. Does the mirena coil stop you ovulating? That could explain why your pain has gone.
I really feel for you - hope your coil works this time.

Hi scotsgirl
thanks!
Mirena coil stops your womb lining from thickening {apparantly,mine is unusually thick...hence the heavy periods}}
Once the coil is in, over several months the lining becomes so thin that some women dont have any periods at all.This can be weird for some women especially with the added fear of pregnancy.....
I think the tiny amount of progesterone the coil releases does does you from ovulating......
but I have the coil solely to reduce the flow {my hubby has had the snip} and I really recommend it,even though my 1st one fell out.
The adhesions are usually caused by surgery .....I had an emergency cesaerean with my last daughter.....and this was when my periods went mental.
The pain in my right ovary has totally gone since having the Mirena.....maybe I was ovulating constantly??
I couldnt take the pill any longer because of my high blood pressure {the pill would have been fine otherwise......I was on it for about 10 years,on and off and never had any problems....Trinordiol}
If your mini pill doesnt lessen your period,then I recommend the Mirena coil,though I would think carefully,if you want babies.....
although,my friend was fine,she had hers removed and got pregnant straight away.

Mirena coil

The Depo injection works very well for stopping reducing periods, I only had 3 injections (every 3 months) and my periods didn't return for 17 months. That worried me slightly about the state of my fertility, as when they did return they were 6 weeks(ish) apart, but I had no problem conceiving.

Hi again Emmtb,
Mmmm, maybe I should try the coil then. Getting pregnant is not really an issue for me either, due to blocked tubes (fertility investigations showed up the adhesions ), so I'm on a mission to sort out the period thing now. Think my sister has the Mirena coil, and she doesn't get periods anymore.
Thanks!

Hi again scotsgirl
You will spot alot with the coil,but it is much better than the worry of flooding out.....I have saved a fortune on towels!
The first month I only used 3 PANTY LINERS during my 'period',which lasted a day.I still used panty liners,the rest of the month,because of spotting,some women are annoyed by this,but I was just glad to be getting over the anaemia

It reduced the flow by about 99.9 % honestly,it was brilliant....
I could play netball,sneeze,cough,laugh without that awful panic.
But the coil works differently for each woman.....
It takes 6 months to settle down,though I know more women who are happy with it than unhappy.
The insertion {I wont lie} is quite painful,take painkillers,but its just a quick sharp pain lasting only seconds.
Make sure you go to your check up afterwards to make sure the coil is in place.
My 1st one fell out {apparantly this is rare....would have to happen to me though!}
good luck

I had my Mirena coil fitted on Monday, I took pain killers an hour before I went and I did feel slight sharp pain, like EMMTB, it only lasted seconds. I have felt a few twinges in my stomach that I have put down to the coil, and I have had spotting...

I had this coil fitted because of heavy periods, I am always anaemic...
I had an ultrasound scan because it was thought that I had fibroids, I didn't apparently this was just "the way I am"

EMMTB, your coil falling out sounds a real scary experience....

I also have heavy periods, for the first 2 days I am housebound... flooding etc, and find it really difficult if I am at work. I also feel drained for a week after. But I am too chicken to have the mirena coil - I don't like the idea of it, and I am worried about any side effects - I have heard that it can increase pmt / depression. Has anyone here had the endometrial ablation?

Thanks for info EMMTB

REGULAR EXERCISE - walking, or more vigorous aerobic exercise, helps a great deal (if you're not doing it already, that is)

There's no way I can exercise when I have my period!

no, you need to exercise BEFORE you get it, for the 3 weeks leading up to it and you'll see its much less heavy and troublesome.

Thats why I said REGULAR exercise, I'm not talking about quick fixes while AF is around.

Has anyone mentioned the mooncup?? my periods were V heavy, flooding for first few days, debilitating, not being able to leave the house for any length of time etc
Been using mooncup for over a year now and not only is it saving me a fortune! but my periods are definitly lighter and shorter..no idea how or why but they are

My sister had to finally resort to ablation.

She is VERY pleased with the results!

BUT, she has long completed her family.

Frankie3
you sound very similar to how I was.....
housebound....sometimes - bedbound
people think youre eggagerating,dont they?.....but you know your body and what is a normal period
if you already have children,go for the Mirena.....
If you feel you have increased PMT you can always have the coil removed.....
but I find the benefits definitely outways the side effects.
I think heavy bleeding causes bad PMT anyway.....so if you sort the root cause,it should lift your mood.
I feel finally free.......
Put it this way,I can run round that netball court like nobodys business...and even got player of the match a few times.
Before the coil,I was missing matches due to being in such a mess with my period....and was on the verge of packing it in altogether
I am taking starflower oil as it is supposed to be better than evening primrose....
cant notice the difference yet.....I still have grouchy days...but nothing like the ..."I,m gonna murder someone today " feeling
if the coil does come out again though....I will go for the ablation...
I will not live like a recluse again
when my coil was coming out,I got severe pains in my lower back,hips and tops of my legs and began to really flood again {3 weeks},felt shivvery and tired.........so just keep an eye on yourselves ladies and dont be fobbed off

accupuncture and chinese herbs worked for me. I found TCM very effective indeed.

accupuncture and chinese herbs worked for me. I found TCM very effective indeed.