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Menopause

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Menopause and endless bleeding

15 replies

cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 08:21

I'm 51 and since the start of this year I've been having periods that last for weeks at a time. I had one in the spring that lasted 7 weeks and I'm now on week 6 of another one. I feel utterly drained and exhausted, because I'm losing so much blood. I'm borderline anaemic anyway and my ferritin was so low last year (before all this started) that I was put on iron supplements. I'm still on them a year later, but they make me constipated and feel sick and I hate them.

I've been to the GP, who basically offered me nothing but 'There, there, you just have to ride it out'. I'm on HRT (Oestrogel and Mirena coil) and they did check me for uterine cancer, as bleeding like this is a symptom, but thank goodness that came back all clear. I'm going to go back to the GP again, but can anyone offer me any advice about what to ask for, any medications that helped them, any lifestyle changes that helped? Tranexamic acid can apparently only be taken for a few days, so it's really not going to help me with this bleeding that goes on for weeks on end and it's not that the bleeding is heavy (it isn't) it's just endless.

I take regular exercise, I've already decided that I need to increase the protein in my diet as that is definitely lower than it should be, I am otherwise healthy (AFAIK), so it's just this endless bleeding that is debilitating me.

OP posts:
Piggles43 · 04/08/2025 08:31

I’m having similar and consultant has recommended endometrial ablation (I can’t have anything hormonal due to history of breast cancer). It’s miserable isn’t it!

cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 09:04

Thanks @Piggles43 and yes, it's utterly miserable 😩

OP posts:
marshmallowfinder · 04/08/2025 09:14

It night be worth trying the iron supplement spray that you take on the inside of the cheek, as it doesn't apparently make you constipated or cause gastric upset.

YeOldeTrout · 04/08/2025 09:36

Have you had a smear in this time? I reckon that I had cervical Ectropian or whatever it's called, it's the cervix drooping basically. It causes blood loss, is not a period, though.

The cervical smear nurse spotted it, the GP & consultant didn't. I don't know if knowing that was contributing would help, but I guess for me I knew the cause wasn't hormonal. Nurse said there are procedures if it bleeds too much to sort it out but my bleeding stopped about when she identified the issue so I didn't ask for referral.

ButterCrackers · 04/08/2025 09:37

marshmallowfinder · 04/08/2025 09:14

It night be worth trying the iron supplement spray that you take on the inside of the cheek, as it doesn't apparently make you constipated or cause gastric upset.

That’s interesting. Thank you for posting this. I’ll look into getting this.

cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 10:35

YeOldeTrout · 04/08/2025 09:36

Have you had a smear in this time? I reckon that I had cervical Ectropian or whatever it's called, it's the cervix drooping basically. It causes blood loss, is not a period, though.

The cervical smear nurse spotted it, the GP & consultant didn't. I don't know if knowing that was contributing would help, but I guess for me I knew the cause wasn't hormonal. Nurse said there are procedures if it bleeds too much to sort it out but my bleeding stopped about when she identified the issue so I didn't ask for referral.

That's really interesting. I have cervical prolapse, so maybe that's what it is? I've actually wondered in the past whether it's my cervix bleeding or my uterus. I'm due a smear in Sept/Oct, but I'm going to ask to bring it forward and for this to be investigated. I just did a online search about this and it says the reasons can be hormonal, so maybe my HRT is exacerbating it? Argh!

OP posts:
Lolamorte · 04/08/2025 10:38

No help to offer, I’m afraid, but thanks for posting. My aunt bled terribly throughout her perimenopausal period and never spoke about it, just gave up all activities and slept on a bath sheet for years.

cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 10:38

marshmallowfinder · 04/08/2025 09:14

It night be worth trying the iron supplement spray that you take on the inside of the cheek, as it doesn't apparently make you constipated or cause gastric upset.

Thank you for this too. I will look into it. The tablets really don't agree with me, particularly as I also have IBS (C). God, midlife is full of niggly, annoying health issues!

OP posts:
dempsey73 · 04/08/2025 10:44

I had the endless bleeding, two hysteroscopies and a mirena coil but it didn't stop until I was given a higher dose of oestrogen.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 04/08/2025 10:51

When I had this it was fibroids.
The waiting list for NHS scans was insane so I paid privately for a well woman scan at one of those places that do baby scans. I still had to wait for NHS treatment but at least I knew what I was dealing with.

ShowOfHands · 04/08/2025 10:52

I'm having the same problem and it's fibroids. I've been bleeding for 12 weeks now.

cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 11:09

dempsey73 · 04/08/2025 10:44

I had the endless bleeding, two hysteroscopies and a mirena coil but it didn't stop until I was given a higher dose of oestrogen.

I'm already on 3 pumps a day, so I'm assuming it isn't this?

I'm going to ask for a smear test asap to rule in/out the cervical ectropion, as I've always had a very delicate cervix and I wonder if I've had this for years, but that it's now either worse or prolapse + HRT is making it worse. If it's that, then the treatment is actually very simple.

OP posts:
cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 11:10

Also, I know it isn't fibroids, because I had investigations for uterine cancer last month when they put a camera in my uterus and they didn't find any fibroids.

OP posts:
cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 11:10

Flowers to my fellow sufferers (whatever the cause). It's shit isn't it?

OP posts:
dempsey73 · 04/08/2025 11:29

cheezncrackers · 04/08/2025 11:09

I'm already on 3 pumps a day, so I'm assuming it isn't this?

I'm going to ask for a smear test asap to rule in/out the cervical ectropion, as I've always had a very delicate cervix and I wonder if I've had this for years, but that it's now either worse or prolapse + HRT is making it worse. If it's that, then the treatment is actually very simple.

Whatever the cause, I hope you get it sorted out!

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