Periods driving me insane

[tacobellini]

Hi,

I've already booked a GP appointment about this, but it's not for a few weeks, thought I'd see what experiences others had, and what (if anything) helped.

I last gave birth in 2015, and my periods came back almost immediately. They were normal, regular, bit of pain, but nothing unmanageable. I haven't used any hormonal contraception for 8 years. Gradually things got worse. Cycles got longer, periods got heavier and lasted longer. I had to take time off work sometimes.

Went to the GP late 2018. She prescribed tranexamic acid and referred me for a scan. Scan showed an ovarian cyst, repeat scan a few months later showed the same cyst still there. This was surgically removed last autumn. In the meantime, I took the tranexamic acid. It sometimes helps, sometimes doesn't. I gave it a few months post-surgery in case things needed to settle a bit, but I've now concluded that my periods are still problematic. I've also been diagnosed as severely anaemic in the last year and have been on iron tablets ever since.

I'm needing to change a nighttime pad every 1.5 hrs max during the heaviest three or four days. I have taken days off work as my journey is just over an hour, and I can't get to a loo during the journey. For about four or five days, the exhaustion is just huge. I struggle to function normally. I can't take my children out as normal. I only sleep 3-4 hours at night maximum - don't go to bed until 2am so I don't leak overnight. Cycles have shortened to 26 days since my operation, but at least they are now regular, which they really weren't before the cyst was removed. We've booked a holiday of a lifetime type holiday for Easter, but as my cycles have shortened, it now looks like I'll be having a period while there.

Any experiences? Anybody else had this and found something that worked? Any questions I should ask at the GP? It's the same GP, and she was sympathetic last time, so I'm hoping there's something that can be done. Or do I just have to wait until menopause? I'm just 41, so could be anytime in the next 10 years.

They'll suggest trying a Mirena. It really does work well for about 85% of users. I don't have any periods on it. After reading the diarrhoea on your period thread and this I have no idea why women put up with all these awful periods. They'll tell you to try Mirena and if that doesn't work then you might be referred for endometrial ablation. If you want to pay privately you could probably just skip straight to ablation if you can convince a doctor. But this is no way to live .

I'm not sure about your symptoms but to help you in the mean time, I recommend using a heavy tampon and a pad at the same time for your journey into work. Works for me on the heaviest days. The pad catches the overspill if you like! Sorry if tmi!

You could be in perimenopause. - have a look at the menopause board as there are lots of threads on there and some excellent advice.
I've just seen my gp for something similar and was advised my best option was the mirena or mini pill.

Hmmm, never really got on with tampons, but I'm getting desperate so might try again.

Perimenopause did cross my mind, but everything I've read seems kind of vague about it, but maybe I should try and read more. Do doctors do anything about that? Or is it a this is normal, get on with it kind of thing?

I've also briefly read about the Mirena, but isn't it hormonal? Is that suitable at 41? I'll mention it to the GP, see what she says.

Forgot to add - surgeon "had a good look around" when she did the op. Everything looked normal and healthy, only one cyst, no sign of endometriosis. Last smear was normal.

I had same issues as yours. Heavy bleeding and persistent ovarian cyst. My surgeon inserted the Mirena the same type as surgery. I am 41 too. I still have heavy period but the bleeding has reduced by 25% and it has been 3 months. I don't get any kind of pain during my periods. Another thing I have noticed is now if I take ibuprofen during period bleeding reduced considerably while previously it had little or no effect. But hearing other women experience and my own I would still prefer ablation over mirena as the problem is sorted quite fast where as with mirena it takes like 6-9 months.

I would ask your GP to refer you back to a gynaecologist and asap. If you can possibly pay to see a gynae as a private patient for an initial consult then do so.

This is affecting your quality of life and takes a toll on you mentally as well as physically. My experiences with perimenopause to date have been problematic to say the least and menorrhagia is not something that any woman should have to put up with.

Were you told what sort of cyst it was?.

I have similar issues and am now booked in for an ablation. I pray it works. GP was well out of his depth and after receiving my "normal" results re blood tests took no further action. Upon enquiring further I was then told it was a three week wait to see him!!. I then self referred.

Tranexamic acid in my case did nothing to ease either the pain (pain in my case was due to endometriosis that I already knew about) or the level of bleeding.

The constant bleeding is a problem because there is a real possibility of iron deficiency anaemia further developing and this has likely already happened. Iron tablets are not fully effective here and I think if I had the mirena, my body would have expelled it.

Would the GP prescribe northisterone now?. The bleeding has to be brought back under control. This is something I would ask about as well as a referral.

Never had any pain and am thankful for that but no matter what I used I would bleed through my clothes every half hour for a minimum of 4 days a month.
Turned out I had a fibroid ….. as big as a cannonball!

Tried Esmya which is supposed to shrink it (although think they have stopped that treatment due to links with liver problems) anyway 3 months of Esmya and it had grown!

Full on hysterectomy January 19. Never looked back!

I’m interested in what others would suggest. I’m nearly 50 and for the last couple of years my periods have been really close together and last about 10 days with 2-3 really heavy days where I have to use a super plus tampon and pad and have to change them every couple of hours. I’ve also got a Drs appt in a couple of weeks but not sure what I should be asking them to check. I definitely feel I need a blood test to see if I’m anaemic as been really tired and quite out of breath recently. I don’t want the Dr to just suggest the Mirena without looking into the cause of the bleeding in case it’s fibroids or cysts. Is there anything else others suggest I should be asking to be investigated? They will probably just say peri menopause but it’s really starting to make me not want to go out on the days my period is heaviest for fear of leaking everywhere!

@Turquoisesea at 50 chances are high that you are in perimenopause but you can still ask a GP for scan even if they insist it is just perimenopause. Both cyst and fibroids show on ultrasound so if you have them you will know and the GP will know. Even if it is just perimenopause and nothing else then does not mean that there is no treatment option available for you. If bleeding is too heavy and is affecting your day to day life you can still ask for gynaecologist referral and will then be offered mirena , ablation, hrt or whatever consultant thinks will suit you most. Just because you are going through perimenopause does not mean you have to live with all the uncomfortable side effects. There is help available but you need to ask for it.

I've also briefly read about the Mirena, but isn't it hormonal? Is that suitable at 41? I'll mention it to the GP, see what she says.

Yes, but it's fairly low dose. Entirely suitable at 41. It's usually first line treatment for heavy periods if the trans acid doesn't work and will usually be tried before you can be referred for ablation (unless you pay privately).

This is why I was so glad that I fought to get my hysterectomy, the health authority wanted me to jump through hoops of having Mirena coil for at least 2 years or taking mini pill before they would consider funding the op, one email to my MP & they magically found the funding. I can't for the life of me understand why they were arguing paying £5k for the op against costs that could have spiralled, having Mirena inserted in theatre would have been at least £3k & they may still have had to pay out for hysterectomy . Women are treated badly over gynaecological problems & having babies, maybe if men suffered things would change.

It's not just cost, though, Nat. Hysterectomy can have a lot unpleasant side effects such as rapid onset menopause and bladder problems. It's also far riskier than a Mirena or mini-pill, hence, it's prudent to try less radical measures to see if they work before removing organs because for a not insignificant number of users, they do work.

Mini pill- game changer. I don’t have periods on it and it’s changed my life. Worth asking GP to try it.

I had a mirena fitted at 41 to try and control heavy bleeding, mine is due to fibroids. It didn't work but that's another story. Also tried the pill but had a migraine (never had one in my life before) after 3 weeks on it so that was the end of that. I take tranexamic acid which just about enables me to function for the first couple of days but I've als had time off work or had to work from home due to pain and/or heavy bleeding. I would see your gp, they can blood test for peri-menopause and will probably refer your for an ultrasound.

Have a look at these (period pants!)

Im seriously thinking of trying them, I read about them on here.

www.modibodi.co.uk

I hope you get things sorted

Thanks for all your replies, some stuff to think about. Doc appointment is in about three weeks. I could have seen another one earlier, but thought it best to stick to the same one as I've seen her before. The anaemia does worry me, I haven't been able to get that under control despite the iron tablets and changing my diet.

You poor thing. This is no way to love so you need to push for more investigation and treatment.

Sleep wise, sounds weird but put puppy pads under you to catch and leaks. And get some rest. If you iron levels aren't improving I would ask about injections too.

ahran2k - thank you

Nothing worked for me because I had endometriosis, everything was covered in spots of bleeding or scarring, I would have ended up having to have a hysterectomy eventually no matter what treatment I had, having it keyhole got it over & done with quickly & me back on my feet which as a single parent was important.

I had the same problem at same age. The anaemia got so bad that I needed a blood transfusion at one point and that's when my gp finally took notice and referred me to gynaecologist.

Scans showed a small polyp but nothing else and I was told that would be removed and I could try the mirena coil but I was reluctant as I have had absolutely years of getting horrible side effects from all contraceptive that contains hormones.

My consultant then suggested an endometrial ablation. This would remove my womb lining and either stop or greatly reduce my periods. I jumped at the chance! I had this done with a local anaesthetic a few weeks later and it's changed my life! It took twenty mins, very uncomfortable (think one ten min moderate labour contraction ) and a good week recovery to feel normal again but now I literally get a tiny bit of brown loss that lasts a day.

Might be worth you looking into it or asking if you can get your doctor to refer you x