Tranexamic acid for heavy bleeding?

[Approaching50]

I've posted already that I've put on weight through the Mirena Coil

I've done some research and came across this.

Has anyone tried it for heavy bleeding?

It's a game changer but the times I've used it were shorter term I don't know if you can use it long term

Yes it’s been a saviour for me.
Only need to take it for the first 3 or 4 days of your period and it makes it much lighter IME.
That and iron tablets equals no more anaemia!
I’ve had no side effects and would definitely recommend to others in my situation.

It's amazing but you can't get it OTC any more for some reason

Doesn't work for me as my cycle is erratic and you need to start taking them just before your period, and I often can't tell when that is!
If you have a regular cycle I believe they are effective, my sister recommended them to me.

I got prescribed it when I was using no hormonal contraception and my periods were terrible. I'm also anaemic.

Definitely helped but my gp told me I couldn't take ibuprofen at the same time so it didn't help with the pain, but definitely helped the bleeding.

@Coffeethrowtrampbitch I’ve not heard of that? I can be irregular too, I just take her my period comes as instructed and it works great.

@JorisBonson my gp said no problem or interaction with ibuprofen and that’s backed up on net doctor. Maybe worth checking again?

Not trying to be a know it all here just want others to benefit as I have!

‘Her’ = when

Thanks everyone. I wish I had tried this before the Mirena Coil!

The GP said it would also help with the menopause symptoms later, so seemed to make sense, and a contraceptive too, but I can't put on even more weight than I have already.

Ive been using tranexmic acid every month for some time and it does help enormously with flooding etc however my gp says it cant be used as a long term solution as there are risks with it.

She has said the coil would be more suitable but im reluctant. Ive just started the combined pill & intend to take 3 packets at a time and see if that helps.

I can only get tranexmic acid on prescription as I dont live in the UK and its €50 for GP visit plus the cost of medicine, so it works out expensive as they wont prescribe it for longer than 6 months.

I found it to be of no benefit at all but I have always had irregular cycles. It is no longer an OTC medication either.

I ended up having endometrial ablation surgery and have had no problems since.

Thanks Attila. I've searched it up and apparently you can't have that procedure if you have a c-section scar (I've had two)

Speak to your gp, they might think mefanamiic acid is better for you . I take this for bleeding and pain and it does help if taken correctly

mrsbclinton did your gp say what the side effects of the acid are? I've read here that you can't take with ibuprofen, which is a shame as that works better than paracetamol for cramps.

Thanks. don'tforgetyourbrolly.

After several years of heavy periods leading to aneamia, I'm taking tranexamic acid and it's made normal life possible during my period. I also had an iron infusion and that with the tranexamic acid plus iron tablets has made life much much better. My GP or gynae consultant haven't mentioned anything about long term issues but I am waiting for a hysteroscopy.

Thanks kellymarie. Are you perimenopause or have you not got to that stage yet?

@Approaching50, my GP says it can increase the risks of clots.
I didnt know that you werent supposed to take ibuprofen with it until I read this thread, Ive done this at times when Im trying to “spare” the tranexmic acid tablets.

It’s been great for me - I take tranexamic acid and mefenamic acid together and it’s really helped the flooding. My doctors never mentioned to me that it’s a short term solution either but maybe that’s because I’ve tried Mirena and it was disastrous for me. Next option if the acids stop working is ablation for me.

I took tranexamic for about 10 years, after a life time of heavy periods and anaemia. Haven't had to take for the last couple of years as I've started perimenopause and my periods are at last pretty light.

They were a game changer for me and I was told that if they hadn't worked I'd have been looking at surgery.

I took it while waiting to get my Mirena. It made them a bit lighter but they were still very heavy. The Mirena has made them very light.

Hi Approaching50

re your comment:-
"Thanks Attila. I've searched it up and apparently you can't have that procedure if you have a c-section scar (I've had two)"

I had read this too beforehand so it was one of the many questions I put to the gynae during my appointments with him but he said it would not be an issue. I trusted him to put my problems with bleeding right; my estrogen and progesterone levels were way out of sync and causing the bleeds.

By the time I did get to see the gynae (and I referred myself to the local BUPA hospital out of sheer desperation and after not getting anywhere with the GP) I was in a right state and bleeding profusely every single day; apart from this making me anaemic it was also pulling me down emotionally. Even northisterone was not stopping the bleed or even slowing it down by much. Anyway since this surgery I have thankfully had no problems with bleeding:)

Gosh, it sounded terrible Attilathemeerkat. Poor you. Glad it is sorted. My symptoms were no way as bad as yours.

I took it about 18 months as well as having a mirena! Combined they just about brought the flooding under control but since had my fibroids treated which will hopefully put an end to needing either (the mirena has already gone). The GP never mentioned it not being able to be used long term. I used to take it for a few days each month at the start of my period when it was heaviest.

I tried it for heavy periods and flooding - thanks, peri

The thing I found was that if I kept to a strict routine of taking it at exactly the right time, it was fine. If I was even 15 minutes late taking a dose, it stopped working and I couldn't get it back on track.

For this reason, I'm now on the progesterone pill

I’ve been on it years. It does work will as long as you take it just when you get an idea that you might be coming on. Miss that and it’s doesn’t do anything. I’m having endometrial ablation next week as although it has improved things they are not that much better to stop me being enormously anaemic.