How to stop heavy periods and spotting permanently!

[Rubyrose3]

Hello Ladies. Sorry to hear about the difficulties many are going through, I hope you are all able to find solutions and relief from your medical issues. I am 48 and currently suffering from a number of different medical problems. One of which is long heavy periods.
I have been on Microgynon30 for many years but now my GP says it is not safe for me to use the combined pill. GP recommends mini pill progesterone. However I am struggling to cope with heavy bleeding and frequent spotting that I am looking for any treatment that will stop periods and spotting permanently. I will consider all options except hysterectomy. I was considering endometrial ablation, but having seen comments of how it can worsen heavy bleeding, I am not sure now. Any ideas, suggestions, experiences, would be appreciated.

The Mirena coil stopped mine completely and permanently. I had it put in when I was 46. By the time it was taken out, when I was 54, I'd gone through the menopause.

I second the mirena coil. My periods haven’t stopped but I get 2-4 days of spotting and that’s it. I used to have really heavy periods.

The mini pill is great, you have no break in pill packs and don’t have periods
Takes about 3 months to settle though and you will get spotting /bleeding in that time but then it’s fine.

I also bled all the time on the minipill. Did the heavy bleeding only come on with the minipill? What if you don’t take any hormones at all? Have you had a scan to rule out things like polyps? Sympathies, I’m having irregular bleeding at the moment linked to HRT, I think I’m going to have to go for the Mirena, it’s tiring having to cope with it all though.

I went through the two options open to me in order - 1st Mirena. As with pp my closest friend has had 2 over 10 years and not a single issue. I turned into a weeping mess with a very fat tummy!

2nd - I ended up having an ablation, and it was the bomb. Not even spotting after surgery.

I would ask to try the Mirena with the option of having it out of necessary. I've heard of women being told it can't be taken out again, but there is NO clinical reason for this. I think it's a cost thing in the NHS. It isn't an issue in private health in other countries. I persevered for 6 months.

If that doesn't work, request an ablation with a TV ultrasound first, so that they can check your uterus is OK for the procedure (as far as they can tell). The only reasons it doesn't work are -

1 - inexperienced surgeon. Ask your consultant lots of questions. What are the most common post-op complications? Will they do the procedure, or will it be a registrar? Etc etc.
2 - you have a shape of womb that means it might not take all the lining, so bicornuate (heartshaped) etc. In 10 years of ultrasounds and pg no one ever noticed this about me, until I was post ablation. It wasn't enough to stop the procedure working.
3 - Adenomyosis, which causes pockets in the lining, which of course the process won't be able to reach.