very heavy period

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Just after a bit of advice and anyone else's experience.

I started on the depo jab late last year after Mirena started to cause problems (constant spotting etc), never stopped spotting, bleeding got worse to the point of having a 7 week light period (defeating the object of contraception somewhat!).

Doc put me on a combined pill (which at the age of 38 and quite fat seems to not be a great idea) assuming hormone imbalance and it worked- 3 glorious weeks of normality. Until the withdrawal bleed, it's been 9 days so far, horrendously heavy, to the point of my diva cup leaks in 45 mins, huge blood clots every time I went to the loo and flooding. I even resorted to Tena type pants (adult nappies) to be able to take the kids to an activity that meant we were away from a loo for 3 hours. It seems to be slowing now and I'm ok using normal pads or diva cup and changing every few hours but I feel awful, my head feels like it's full of cotton wool. I guess anaemia, but would that really be the case after just 1 hideously heavy period? If so can I deal with it myself and make a non- emergency appt for the period thing sometime in the next few weeks or is it something I need to do battle with the receptionist to get an emergency appt.

I had a pelvic scan a few weeks ago and wasn't told of anything being found so I assume no fibroids/ polyps etc.I know I'm going to be told to get to the docs, but it feels like I'm constantly ringing about my bloody periods, I envisage the doctor eye-rolling when he sees my name come up on the list of calls for that day.

Get an appointment as soon as you can, if not face to face then at least a telephone consultation. You could ask for a referral to gynaecology.

I have this problem. I've had heavy bleeding for years and the Mirena was utterly useless for me too. It made the bleeding worse. It was supposed to shrink my fibroids but in the 13 months I put up with it (far too long, IMHO) a scan showed that they had grown! I also have to use Tena pants. The large, super absorbency ones as nothing else works.

My gynaecologist has now put me on Zoladex injections for the next 6 months to try and tip me into menopause (I am almost 55 now). I had the first one last week (they are every 28 days). If they don't show signs of starting to work in the next couple of months though I will be pushing for a hysterectomy as my patience is wearing very thin now and I have had heavy, flooding periods for years.

Good luck. Don't be fobbed off with yet another Mirena coil. Insist on a referral to gynaecology, and for an ultrasound scan.