best contraception for horrific periods that isn't the coil?

[bobbythejobby]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone could recommend what's the best contraception to use to calm my periods down? My periods aren't heavy but they're excruciatingly painful to the point they make me physically sick with the pain. I've just had another night of being woken up at 5am by agonising pain that made me sick and kept me awake for hours despite taking prescription-strength cocodamol.

I've had a laparoscopy and apparently don't have endometriosis (though honestly I find it hard to believe this is 'normal' pain). Everytime I see my GP they recommend contraception. I was on the combined pill all through my teens and twenties which worked wonders on my periods but when I was in my early 30s I had to come off it. I then had the mini-pill and didn't have a particularly great time with it - period every two weeks, terrible skin.

I want to avoid getting the coil so I guess what I'm asking is anyone else's experiences with taking either mini-pill (I might be tempted to give it another go) or the implant or injection for painful periods? I've not been terribly keen on going back on contraception as for the first time in my entire adult life I have clear skin (I had bad cystic acne through all my teens and twenties that only cleared up a few years ago in my early 30s) and I just cannot stomach the thought of going back to huge cyst-like spots on my face so large that they would have three heads and take months to clear.

If it's relevant I'm 34, have never been pregnant and DH has had a vasectomy so I'm not actually needing contraception to prevent pregnancy - just for my terrible periods.

Oh OP, I completely sympathise and was just about to post with the exact same problem!!

I’m coming up to 38 years old and I have had heavy periods for as long as I can remember.

When my period arrives (30 days cycle) I am basically flooding for about 48 hours and then it slows down to minimal bleeding for another 3-4 days. Those first 48 hours are horrendous, clots will just fall out of me and I’m frequently soaking through sanitary towels and clothes etc, just really horrific.

I can’t take hormonal contraception due to other medication I am taking - I last used the contraception pill 20 years ago.

10 years ago I had a Mirena coil put in (for contraception purposes, not because of my bad periods) and although it did its job well for about four years (periods almost disappeared) I had an absolute horrendous experience when it came to removing it.

I’d had that Mirena removed for the purpose of TTC and then a year after the baby was born I went back to my GP to have another one inserted where I had a really traumatic experience - I had tears in my eyes because of the pain during the procedure. I only kept that one in for 8 months because I just wouldn’t stop bleeding. It was only light bleeding but enough to have to use sanitary towels every day (I maybe had a few days respite here and there a few times a month) so after 8 months of constantly being told “things will settle down” I had it removed. Thankfully that removal was problem free.

That was about five years ago now and I have since had another child who is coming up four years old.

Over the last year my periods seem to have got even worse to the point where I have to take 3 iron tablets a day to maintain my Hb. This time last year my levels were so low I almost had to have a blood transfusion. I was sent for an USS of the womb to see if there were any obvious reasons as to why my periods were so bad but it came back clear.

Even now, a year after taking iron tablets three times a day my Hb is still only just within acceptable limits: range is 120-150 and I usually sit at 122-125 when I have my bloods checked.

Anyway, my GP said my periods are most likely the cause of my persistent anaemia and so I was put on the waiting list to have another Mirena which I’m due to have done next week.

However, I really don’t feel happy about it as my previous two experiences weren’t particularly joyful ones and it also made me gain weight and lose my sex drive a little - things I already struggle with since having the children.

So I really don’t think I want it done but at the same time I feel I have no other option.

Mine are similarly horrific - 14 day cycle, bleeding heavily with clots for 9 out of 14 days - and I use the depo vera injection. I occasionally have one day of heavy bleeding and then it disappears as quickly as it came, every 5 months or so.

I had the implant which stopped my periods completely. However, as a fellow bad skin sufferer it made my skin worse.

I’m on accutane for my skin now which will hopefully fix it for good. That could be an option of the implant causes issues.

Oh my god feenie - that sounds horrific.

What solutions have they offered you?

I am almost tempted to ask for a hysterectomy!

I had an implant which stopped my periods. I didnt have any problems withy skin luckily. The thing I liked about the implant is that if there's any bad side effects that you can't cope with, when the implant is removed the symptoms go away.

The Depo Vera injection has fixed it! I can cope with one day of heavy bleeding every five months or so.

Why don't you want a coil?
I've just posted on another thread to suggest the Kyleena, it's a hormonal coil but physically smaller and with a lower dose than the Mirena.
Worth considering maybe.

Why no coil?
I had copper coils before DC then as my periods became intolerable a mirena. It changed my life. No periods, no pain. Yes a bit uncomfortable to have fitted and removed but a very small price to pay for years of relief.

@Kyph

Why no coil? I had copper coils before DC then as my periods became intolerable a mirena. It changed my life. No periods, no pain. Yes a bit uncomfortable to have fitted and removed but a very small price to pay for years of relief.

Exactly my experience too. It's been amazing.

You have my sympathy and I hope you find something that works for you.

I’m on my second mirena and very happy with it (just in case you’d been put off by horror stories).

bobbythejobby

I must say my initial thought on reading your post was endometriosis even though a laparoscopy did not detect it. When was your lap operation performed?. Endometriosis can present atypically too and it can get missed. Any test done over six months ago as well should be discounted.

I would insist to your GP that you are referred to a gynaecologist and asap. Alternatively and if finances permit I would give Spire or the Nuffield hospitals a call and arrange to see a gynae for an initial consultation that way.

Thorn

Have you never been referred onto a gynae?. This is appalling really if that is the case.

It seems that all they want to do is treat the symptoms (hence another mirena) rather than work out why you are bleeding as you are. Its very bad and I would tell them you want a referral to a gynae, do not take no for an answer.

Was your ultrasound scan an internal or external one?. Again you need an up to date and internal scan. Fibroids for instance can cause such heavy bleeding to arise and you need a diagnosis first and foremost.

I take low dose Gedarel but I skip the 7 day break so I don't get periods at all. Recent research suggests the break isn't needed so you can take the pill daily.

It's working well for me so far (3 months in)

atilla -

I have seen a gynaecologist before but that was about two years ago and related to a different matter entirely.

I hadn’t even thought to request a gynae referral based on this as I just assumed that what I deal with is normal and what every woman deals with?

My womb USS was last August (ish) and was external. The gentleman doing it said he couldn’t see anything up towards but I have never actually received a report or any contact from a GP about it so I just assumed nothing was seen that was of concern.

They really are bad though. I have to wear about three sanitary towels at a time for absorption (for the first 48 hours) and generally change them every two hours. When I am walking around I can literally feel clots coming out of me and when I go to the toilet all I can hear is the splashing noises as more fall out into the bowl. When I wipe myself (when I’ve had a wee) the tissue paper will be soaked and there will be more thick, dark red clots on it too. There is usually blood droplets splattered around the bowl too. I have to put towels down when I sit on chairs or in a car etc in case I leak.

Sometimes I can be sitting on the sofa and then I just suddenly feel this huge clot/leakage escape and it soaks through the sanitary towels, my trousers and onto the towel.

The pain can be bad but nothing unmanageable - it’s just feels like someone is pushing down on my stomach, like a sensation of pressure. I don’t typically need pain relief for it though.

I just hate the whole thing - I hate going to work in case I leak. I have to take spare uniforms and spare underwear with me just for reassurance.

Like you said, the Mirena might improve things but it doesn’t answer why it’s happening.

Depo injection... Went from severe flooding despite super plus tampon and heavy towel every 40 minutes plus regular migraines... To no period and no migraines.... My life is now livable...

I have been on the depo for nearly 15 years with a break of two years on the implant where I bled almost constantly. On the depo no periods except for when I am exhausted so usually one at Christmas and one on sports day!! I have been lucky to have good skin so can't really comment on that aspect.

Thorns

I would urge you see a gynaecologist again.

An external scan in such a case was a waste of time, it should have been an internal scan. Such a scan would show the thickness of the lining and any fibroids or polyps present.

I have had similar bleeding and in my case there were a couple of fibroids along with a hormone imbalance. Both contributed to heavy and prolonged bleeding and I felt rotten because of the blood loss. I ended up having ablation surgery to remove the womb lining.

Please don’t be further fobbed off here and insist on proper answers.

My DD has the implant for her horrific periods and endometriosis and it really helps but the implant never lasts as long as it should.

Thanks for all your replies. I don't get heavy periods, in fact my periods are actually quite light but they're absolute agony. I've no problems with heavy bleeding. Just the pain.

I've been thinking about getting the implant so it's good to hear that it helped some of you though I am worried about it triggering off acne again but good to know that if it does I can get it out and symptoms will hopefully stop.

Every story I've heard about the coil falls into two camps; it was amazing or it was awful. My periods are so horrific right now that I cannot stomach the thought of taking the chance at the coil and being one of the ones who has a horrific time with it and then struggling to persuade a GP to take it out. I've went back and forth for years about the coil, tried to persuade myself to try it but I just can't bring myself round to it.

@attilathemeerkat - my lap was four years ago, I hadn't been off the pill all that long. I suspect I do have endo and it's been missed on the lap as I know it can be very small and hidden well. I've never really pushed my GP to re-refer me to gynae though after the last year where my periods are definitely getting worse I can see another lap coming at some point.

Start pushing for the referral now, being in that much pain is absolutely not normal!

As RandomMess also suggests do start pushing for a gynae referral. You should not have to put up with such heavy bleeding that impacts on day to day life.

Pain that makes you physically sick is not normal and not acceptable.