Heavy bleeding every other week for a whole week each time!

[Ikeepontrying]

I'm having a full on heavy bleed which lasts 5/6/7 days then o stop for a week then it starts again. Been going on a few weeks now.

Dr has confirmed I'm in the menopause. Tested me for loads of different things but everything is clear.

Is this normal? I'm finding it very frustrating and annoying and every-time I google my symptoms it tells me to see my gp but every-time I see my gp they can't tell me anything.

Have you had a transvaginal / pelvic ultrasound? That should pick up anything with your womb thickness or ovaries?

I had this when I reached the menopause, in my case it lasted 3 months and then my periods stopped for good. My MIL became anaemic ,on the other hand, as it went on for ever,her GP was very unsympathetic. If it continues please return to the GP, ask if you are anaemic , as losing so much blood really is detrimental.

I’d be requesting that your GP refers you to a menopause specialist or if you can afford it then see one privately. Sounds like you have a GP like mine which isn’t very clued up on the menopause. I’d definitely be insisting on that referral though I’m pretty sure a specialist is the way forward for you.

Are you on HRT? I think that would help.

If not, some continuous contraception such as mirena or taking the pill back to back might get it under control.

There isn't really a 'normal'. Everyone is different. If your Dr has ruled out a pathological cause for the bleeding you need to discuss its management. There is no good timescale for when your periods will stop and at the moment your life is being interfered with and before long you will become anaemia and exhausted. The obvious solution would be a mirena but it is not the only thing that will lessen the bleeding. Go back to your GP to discuss.

Mirena coil can work wonders with perimenopausal heavy bleeding. Life changing for me

Tell your gp it's affecting your quality of life and you want your hormones balancing. If its an old fashioned dinosaur male gp tell him it's affecting your husband's sex life 🙄

Do this https://assets.nhs.uk/tools/self-assessments/index.mob.html?variant=54 and then take your score to the GP.

Read up on the NICE guidelines for treatment https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng88

And yes, HRT may be a good way to resolve the symptoms. Sounds like you are low in progesterone.

You do not need to have a mirena coil - but is can be hugely helpful for a lot of women;.

I'm not able to take HRT as I have the blood clotting gene.

I've had an ultrasound and they couldn't see any problems so no other reason for all the heavy bleeding.
It is interfering with life though. Just yesterday I literally gushed blood out so much that I had to change my jeans twice during the day. It's awful.

Is the Mirena coil contraindicated for you, as it's not the same as tablets (re. blood clots)?

Have you discussed this with your GP or had a referral to a specialist?
Have you read/ heard about endometrial ablation?

Also, the blood clotting gene may not rule out all types of HRT.

The NHS website has a page on heavy periods and treatments.

Why not print that off and take to your GP as a starting point for the discussion?

No woman needs puts up with periods like this nowadays.

I've not asked about the coil, it's not something I was aware of. I've seen 3 different doctors at my practise and none of them has suggested anything other than taking a trip to Holland and Barrett
I'll have a read about the coil and see what I think.
I'm frustrated and fed up.

Do the self assessment - print out the results and score.

You can get transexamic acid to help.

Your GPs do not sound great to be honest.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heavy-periods/ @Ikeepontrying Info here to discuss with your GP.

HRT is not necessarily the answer, unless you are also having menopause symptoms BUT it's possible the info you have about not being able to use it, is outdated. It's only tablet form estrogen that is a clot risk. There are many other types of estrogen that are not tablets.

Your GPs sound useless.

I would definitely ask GP whether you can have the Mirena coil with your blood clot risk. It's been a game changer for me. I've gone from heavy periods for 10 days to no periods at all. It's very liberating.

So does the coil affect hormones then?! Sorry I'm being very naive but I've never looked into it before.

Just wondering if the blood I'm loosing needs to come away eventually (is it my womb lining or something?!))

And yes I agree my GP surgery have been no help at all.

The mirena coil gradually releases progesterone, thinning your womb lining. Google how it works. There are different types of coil (also called Inter uterine device, or IUD). The mirena is the one used to ease heavy or painful bleeding. Improved my life hugely, wish I'd done it years ago.