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 didn’t flood the bed - it just falls out of me as soon as I stand up, so I guess you are right and it is because it pools. I dread getting up in the night or early morning because of this.

I am sorry to hear you went through this too - it is horrible isn’t it? I am not sleeping well because of the cramping that goes with it and the anxiety it is causing me.

We did take a long detour on our way back from the airport last night to find a pharmacy that was open late but unfortunately they didn’t have the medication in stock. I am thinking of popping into the surgery as soon as it opens this morning to ask if a doctor can prescribe me something to stop this awful bleeding as I don’t feel it is going to stop by itself. It just doesn’t seem to be calming down at all.

I feel like I must be getting anaemic with all this bleeding so will definitely ask about getting my iron levels checked. Hadn’t realised that anaemia can make the bleeding worse. This may explain why it seems to have got heavier over the last 5 days or so. I can’t see this bleeding stopping by itself. My body feels very broken right now 😩

You poor thing, that all sounds very stressful. 😞
I had thought I had been managing the perimenopause quite well until now so hadn’t thought I needed HRT. All seems to have suddenly gone very wrong

Don’t let the GP fob you off, there’s lots of stuff to try. I flooded on holiday in France, looked like I’d killed a pig. Remembered my sister telling me it had happened to her same age, she went to GP and didn’t leave till he’d given her something. The GP, as well as iron tablets, gave me qlaira as. hRT, that helped for a few years, then I went on to gel oestrogen and progesterone then the coil. I haven’t flooded again.

it was dreadful at the time, DH thought I was bleeding to death.

I walked into surgery and spoke to the receptionist - am waiting for someone to call me. I said I want to keep my appointment on Thursday but can’t wait that long with this continuous bleeding

Well done you. Not easy when you feel like a shadow!
mine got to the point where I was crawling up the stairs on my hands and knees and the gynae described it as a nuisance. It felt more than a nuisance!

I managed to pick up the Evana tablets from my local pharmacy. I also spoke to a doctor and she is going to arrange bloods and a scan

Oh my goodness, you poor thing! Yes definitely more than a nuisance 😖

Glad you managed to get the tablets and have spoken to your doctor.

Tranexamic acid can take a while to kick in for some people, but it works quicker for others. We all respond differently to meds.
Mirena was an option for me if tranexamic acid didn’t help.

I was referred to the 2ww pathway after my blood tests showed that I was anaemic. The scan found fibroids and cysts. My fluctuating hormones may have made my symptoms worse.

I have got my scan on Sunday. They said the doctor wanted it done urgently which always sounds alarming! Good that things are moving quickly now though I guess.
I was going to ask how quickly the medication takes to kick in, as they have said I might also be offered an internal scan. That won’t be nice if I am still bleeding. 😐

You do need an internal scan as it's far more accurate.
They won't care if you are bleeding.The scan takes about 5-10 mins at most so dont worry about it. It's not painful.

Seconded with the internal scan. It’s basically a wand and they can see quite a lot with it.
its far less aggro than a cervical smear.

Thank you both for the reassurance. I was just a bit worried about bleeding everywhere while it happens.

I think the bleeding might be easing a bit now but am almost scared to say that as I expect it to get heavy again any minute. Had tummy cramps last night but nowhere near as much bleeding so I hope the tablets are starting to kick in. 🤞

The other bonus of the internal scan is you need an empty bladder!
Far easier.
Honestly they won't care about blood- the couch will have a paper cover on it and it's all over in a few mins.

My last period lasted from Feb to April. I was exhausted and very grumpy.
It wasn't as heavy as yours though. I went back on the pill and I've not had one since.

I hope you feel better soon

I had all this aged 55 so your first doctor was very silly, it's not all that rare!

Definitely dont worry about bleeding during the ultrasound internal scan.. Been there done that - I let them know at the appointment i was bleeding heavily and they just got on with it. I was honestly so ill at that point, I didnt care but there was genuinely not even a murmur from them. And as PP says it's over very quickly.

I was already anaemic and on iron pills for 2 months by the. Mine turned out to be adenomyosis (worst pain of my life, out of nowhere one weekend, ended up in A&E). Had the mirena coil fitted, resolved the bleeding. Anaemia took longer to sort; even after blood tests said I was no longer anaemic it took me another couple of months before I felt like myself again.

Best of luck!

Hi op. I had a coil removed 4 days before a vaginal ultrasound. I bled everywhere. No one could have cared less.

I also had a coil inserted whilst on my period. Doctor said he preferred going them on periods as much easier.

And op, when you take iron, I recommend iron sulphate. Take 200mg with 100mg of vitamin c (tablets off amazon). Take one tablet of each, every 48hrs on an empty stomach and ideally two hours before you consume any food of coffee/tea.

I was bleeding like you and I got my ferritin from 16 to 118.

Thank you all. It helps to hear from people that have experienced similar.

After feeling hopeful that the tablets might have stopped the bleeding, it seems to have started up again. It is bright red blood but not too heavy. I was hoping the medication would have stopped it completely. Does it sometimes take a few days?

I’m 55 and still having periods. Had a few extremely heavy long periods in a row a few months ago which were debilitating and had very little time in between. GP sent me for a scan which I had within 10 days and had a large fibroid or polyp diagnosis. This was removed a few weeks later. I also had anemia and was put on iron tablets. Periods have completely settled down again. Consultant told me this is extremely common in women who are still having periods later than the norm.

So glad things have settled down for you now @kkneat. Was the procedure to remove the fibroid straightforward?

Am feeling a little anxious about today. Do they usually talk you through their findings as they do pelvic scans or do you think I will have to wait for results?

Goodness, sounds like you have really been through it. Glad to hear you are feeling better now. ♥️

When I had one privately he talked me through it as it happened plus afterwards. But the scan itself was done by a consultant. The NHS one they scanned without talking then it had to be seen by someone else - presumably the consultant? So there was a delay of a week getting the results.

Good luck!

@pinkchampagne1 they talk you through it, I am usually shown the screen.

Never had an NHS one but from reading on here, as pp says, the consultant reviews. Make sure you get a contact detail so you can chase for results.