Prolonged heavy period

[pinkchampagne1]

I am 53 (54 in October) and until recently I have been having quite regular periods. Last month I started spotting a week after my period stopped and continued spotting for about 3 weeks with no heavy bleeding at all. I then had spotting a month later which developed into what I thought was a regular period. This became very heavy with clots a few days in but I thought ‘ride it out, it will stop in a day or so’ but this wasn’t the case as I have continued to bleed for over 2 weeks now. 😩

I spoke to a doctor on the telephone last week and she pretty much told me that most people aren’t even having periods at my age and not to worry about it. It is now a week later and I am still bleeding. I am planning to do another e consult today but am away for a few days so can’t get to the doctors until Friday morning. It is ruining my break and this constant bleeding is really getting me down as I feel it will never stop. Has anyone had anything similar? I am not on HRT or birth control

I had a mirena coil to stop the bleeding. And I can’t believe that doctors are still thinking that women aren’t having periods at your age.
If your bleeding is ‘unusual’ she should be sending you for a scan.

I have just done another e consult and hoping to talk to another doctor today. I feel I was fobbed off last week. I going to end up anaemic at this rate.
My sister was given the coil for heavy bleeding so that might be an option

I am having the same problem but I am on hrt and hadn't had any periods for 6 years up to this year when I've had 3 bouts of heavy bleeding. Have had hysteroscopy and 2 ultrasounds with no concerning results. I've been advised by menopause specialist and GP that the mirena coil is probably the best option. I'm a bit scared of getting it but I think if it stops the worry about bleeding it might be worth a try. I had to get tranexamic acid a few weeks ago as i felt so weak with the blood loss. Wishing you luck.

Goodness, @IsItWickedNotToCare , how horrible for you to have this heavy bleeding after 6 years without periods. 😞
Did the tranexamic acid work? That is something I had read about while googling treatments for heavy periods. It just feels like I am never going to stop with the bleeding and the cramps that come with it 😩

I had this younger than you - mid 40s - and it's what started me on HRT. Which helped -you are probably already anaemic which can make the bleeding worse. So ask for a test for iron levels too as you might need more than usual OTC iron supplements. I did.

The coil sorted mine out in the end. Had to have various tests over the years too. Now in my late 50s, no longer on HRT as can't take it due to breast tissue changes. But it was great while I was on it.

Oh I didn’t realise that the bleeding can get worse if you become anaemic. I have had moments where I think it might be easing a bit and then an hour later it is once again heavy witn clots. 😞

I had been holding back from going on HRT as I had a breast cyst recently and I know HRT can make you more prone to them. I had also been coping with peri fairly well until now

Yeah, I'm off the HRT and just have a coil and haven't had any unexpected bleeding since. Unofficial advice from my pharmacist friend was that taking a safe, yet, large does of ibuprofen (if you can - I can't due to H blood pressure) stops bleeding for a bit. I found tranexamic acid sent me weird. But if it doesn't do that to you might be worth it till you get some help.

Got a message from my doctor offering me an appointment on 10th September! Seems ages away but it is with a good female doctor

Oh that’s interesting. I will get some Ibuprofen today and give it a try. Thanks for that advice 😊

tranexemic acid does work - I’ve used it and it slows bleeding within 6 hours. If i take the full dose it stops bleeding (which I didn’t want, but needed to reduce blood loss on periods)

Do I need a doctor’s appointment to get hold of it?

I’m perimenopausal, so my periods are still a bit irregular. I was prescribed tranexamic acid to help lighten the bleeding.
I think you can also get it from Boots or from registered online pharmacies.

Thank you. I will look into this when I get home on Thursday. I have just started taking ibuprofen every 4 hours to see if that helps ease the bleeding a bit. I literally feel like my body is broken at the moment. 😩

The Ibuprofen seemed to help yesterday but I woke up this morning with heavy bleeding again. 😞

Could you contact your GP surgery early tomorrow morning and tell them about your bleeding? They may be able to arrange a same day telephone appointment. Hopefully, your GP can prescribe tranexamic acid for you and send the prescription electronically to your chosen pharmacy.

I have had a bad night despite the Ibuprofen. Had soaked through at 3am with a clot and again just now. The cramps were also keeping me awake. Seems to be getting worse all of a sudden. I am travelling home today and will then go down to the hub to see a doctor as I can’t keep bleeding like this. Feel so down today - I just want to cry 😭

@pinkchampagne1 You can buy tranexamic acid over the counter at a pharmacy. It's also the main ingredient of one of the OTC period pain tablets.
Ask the pharmacist and if you feel too rough to go out, maybe you have a friend or family who can get it for you?

See your GP first thing tomorrow- tell them it's urgent as you can't stop heavy bleeding.

Oh I hadn’t realised you could buy it over the counter, I thought it would have to be prescribed by a doctor. Thanks for the info - I will pop into the pharmacy and see if I can pick some up.

I am so fed up with it all now and have had a little cry this morning. I just need to get home and get this sorted

I had the same at a similar age and tranexamic acid sorted it. I hope you get sorted very soon

Yes, I think the difference with OTC and prescribed is you can get a small packet OTC- it can also come as an ingredient in a brand of period pain tabs (not sure of the brand.)
Check online - Boots etc- and see what's available.
You might need to ask the pharmacist.

@pinkchampagne1 It's called EVANA - and comes as a packet. Boots have it but other pharmacies should too. It's tranexamic acid.

Thank you @JinglingSpringbells , that’s really helpful. I will be straight to the pharmacy when I get home. I don’t think my OTC Ibuprofen is strong enough to get on top of this

Bear in mind that you’ve been lying down so it pools and seems heavy once you are up (unless you mean you’ve flooded while in bed).
I feel for you, as I had this with peri and then when I first went on HRT (10 years after my last period !). I had a mirena in the end and it’s been trouble free so far.
I hope you find a solution and start to feel better soon.
good luck.

Echo what another poster said which is to get your iron levels checked as this sort of bleeding can leave you feeling very low, hence the crying, but it’s easily sorted out with the right treatment. Hopefully your GP appt on the 10th will be fruitful and the OTC tablets may help until then.

Sorry I missed your reply, yes it worked but I had to come off all Hrt whilst waiting for the ultrasound. Stopping the hrt works because it's the estrogen level causing the bleeding but I feel absolutely dreadful without hrt and doing stopping suddenly is like being hit by a truck, terrible anxiety, jittery, not sleeping, migraine like headache, blurry vision!!! I'm sure it's not recommended to come off cold turkey. I'm now in the position of waiting for a gynae appointment at the hospital as my GP won't accept what a private menopause specialist has suggested, even though they've sent a letter....