Bright red, relentless period. When to worry?

[Mybobowler]

Background: I'm 31, healthy, normal cycles (albeit very short - 23 days) and CD7 of the second month trying to conceive second baby. My period was a little late this month but I didn't get a positive pregnancy test. Period usually lasts for 4 days and tapers off gradually after a day or two of heavy bleeding.

I'm currently on day 7 of constant, bright red blood. It's not really heavy, but it just keeps on coming. Some small clots and a bit crampy, but nothing debilitating. I'm just feeling quite ill - my head hurts and it feels like I've got a hangover. When/do I need to worry/call a doctor? Could this have been a chemical pregnancy, despite never getting a bfp?

Hmm, not sure. Any idea what your hormone levels are like, if you are ttc?

My periods were awful at your age- long, heavy and drawn out. I had fibroids. Have you tried taking ibuprofen? It reduces the flow.

In my experience, they are slow to treat period issues. I'd take ibuprofen, let it go a bit longer then seek help, particularly as you are ttc.

Have you come off the pill recently?

@picklemewalnuts I've long suspected I might have low progesterone, because I ovulate around day 14 but my period comes on day 23. That's just a hunch though. DD was a happy accident, so no trouble conceiving first time around.

Thanks so much for the tip about ibuprofen. I've just taken some. I did wonder if it could be fibroids - I'll mention it to my GP if this continues. I really hope that whatever it is doesn't interfere with ttc, but I'm prepared for this to take a while

@MissKhan1990 no, I haven't been on any hormonal contraception for years!

More than 7 days of bleeding is technically considered abnormal, so if it doesn’t stop today I’d speak to the doctor. I’ve got no personal experience of this; sorry.

Thank you @doireallyneedaname I'm on day 9 now. I think it's starting to ease off, but it's hard to say. I spoke to my GP yesterday (initially for something unrelated) and he said it sounded like an early MC. If it doesn't stop over the weekend I'm going to call again and see if I can get it investigated. I'm feeling pretty ill with it now!

It’s interesting the GP thinks that, but I’m not sure why they do. I actually had the same situation last month (although not TTC), like you period lasts 3-4 days and tapers off. Last month I was bleeding red for 6 days before I called the GP.

She simply said that she’d be investigating if it was over 7 days and happened again, but otherwise it’s totally normal to have small variations like this in your cycle and if anything I’m now “more normal” for having an abnormal period. Obviously bleeding outside of your period is a separate issue.

@doireallyneedaname yes, I was a bit surprised as well. I'm not convinced either, but it does seem a bit of an unfortunate coincidence (ttc + late period + very heavy and unusual period). Can I ask how long your bleeding lasted? I'm desperate for it to stop now!

Day 7 it was pretty much gone, just some very light iridescent pink spotting.

Honestly I feel like GP’s do fob off a lot of gyno stuff when they shouldn’t. I would give them a call again if I was on day 9! You could becoming anemic which is probably why you feel crap x

I agree - I've definitely been on the receiving end of a "put up, shut up" attitude from GPs in the past. I wish women had direct access to gynae specialists in the UK, without having to negotiate with ill-informed GPs first. Anyway, all that's to say that I'll call my surgery again in the morning and try to speak to someone. I thought it was easing off but, nope, back to full force again. I'm taking iron supplements in the meantime!

When i had this recently it was a haemorrhaging ovarian cyst which required surgery. If it continues for much longer you need to be seen - fresh red blood means a constant bleed, not the shedding of uterine lining.

PS: i also felt weak and exhausted - also a sign of haemorrhage.

@Cailleach oh crikey, you poor thing! Can I ask what your other symptoms were? It's the colour of it that's so alarming to me - it's basically like a nosebleed. Bright red, lots of small clots and a constant slow drip (sorry, a bit tmi!). I'm sure something actively bleeding. Maybe I should just call today...

Have you checked your pulse?
If you are feeling weak, dizzy, unwell you should speak to your gp again. Definitely don't leave it till the weekend when your only option will be A&E.

@Mybobowler fast heart rate, exhaustion, bloating with loads of egg white mucus earlier that month, running to the loo for a wee every half an hour, nausea, clots but not the sort you get with a period ie not chunks of womb lining but clots of coagulating blood, bright red blood that never varied in flow, bleeding for 21 days straight, dizziness...and lots of little tiny stabbing pains like ovulation, not just once though but constantly, aching pains radiating to lower left back / down front of thigh but not severe pain....think that's about it.

Result was.left ovary and fallopian tube removed due to haemorraghing endometriotic cysts, plus 10cm dermoid removed from right ovary.

Please call 111 if you feel ill...better safe than sorry.

This comment is so interesting as I had the same bleeding for ever but hemmoragic cysts don’t bleed into your uterus so why would they need to be removed they are suppose to shrink ?

@Mybobowler did you find out the reason for it? I’m on day 6 of my period which came 5 days early and still bleeding fresh blood.

@Mummyof2dc what happened with this? Period 4/5 days early and on day 6 of bleeding. Negative pregnancy test. Thank you. Appreciate this is an old thread.