Heavier period and clots

[Weaselma]

Reassurance that this is normal/part of peri menopause sought please. Had a fright just now when I went to change my tampon due to heavy flood-like feeling, as there was a large blood clot in the toilet pan. Is this something that happens pre-menopause? I have had small clots each month for the past couple of years (46 now), but this was so much larger than any previously, approx 8cm long X 3cm wide. A quick Google has suggested clots are normal part of menstruation pre menopause, whilst other searches say anything larger than a 10p piece to seek advice from healthcare professional.

Seems normal to me, now I'm in my 40s. I've always had a bit of clotting, but I'm quite impressed with some of the clots my body can produce these days! I have seen the GP about it, more because of having to change protection every hour, and it starting to interrupt my life than the clots per se. I'm currently on tranexamic acid, which so far is more or less helping (if I remember to take them, unlike today, and I flooded onto the chair in the canteen, which didn't make being back at work today any more delightful.)

Thanks Ebear, I shall try to be more impressed and less worried if it happens again! The flooding is awful isn't it!?

Definitely inconvenient! I knew there was a reason other than "what's clean, dry and ironed?" for wearing black trousers today!

If you're still worried and it's new for you, you could still see your GP - particularly if it's being an inconvenience. My lovely GP said, "no woman should have to put up with periods interrupting her life in this day and age!" and went on to discuss possible treatments. Not all doctors are that good - there are still those who think it's just part of being a woman and you have to live with it, so if you have one of those, it's worth seeking a second opinion.

If you do go to the doctor, it's useful if you'very kept a menstrual diary - not just how frequently and how long they last, but how often you have to change protection, any flooding, any clots with a rough idea of size, pain patterns (a dull ache you can ignore or curled up in the corner vomiting and fainting.)

You don't have to be impressed, though! I was just the sort of child who always liked to show off impressive scabs. Part of me does think it's quite amazing that my body can chuck out all this blood and I still count as healthy. I realise I might be a bit odd in this respect, though!

I'm 44 and my last period was spectacularly clotty. I googled and found a page that said clots are caused by hormonal changes. Something like, oestrogen levels go up (in a last gasp!), progesterone goes down, and that affects the womb lining.

It also said that ibuprofen lessens the amount you bleed.

I did mention to dr a couple of weeks ago that I'd had constant period type pain since January, they suggested it was just my age so will ask at smear appointment in few weeks which GP I should ask to see if I need to!

Painful abbatoir periods with clots sound very much like adenomyosis, which is more common as you age. So it's not exactly part of the menopause, it just tends to arrive at the same time.

It's a diagnosis of exclusion, so yo need a gynae once over to check there is nothing else going on that would cause bleeding of this type, and also if your uterus has the characteristic 'bulky' appearance.

Adenomyosis is when the uterine lining is found growing in the muscle wall of the uterus so it can't escape, it bleeds into the tissues and is agony (I had some old lesions found on a scan.)
It's not something that develops with age but can be caused by pelvic surgery where the cells that line the uterus are transferred into the deep muscle tissues inside it. Or it can be something some women are born with.

This is a useful site

www.adenomyosisadviceassociation.org/Adenomyosis.html

Clots are usually uterine tissue - which is perfectly normal. It's the lining coming away in larger 'clumps'. It can happen when periods are heavier due to longer cycles or cycles that are incomplete when not enough progesterone is produced, which is the hormone that regulates the growth of the lining.