Transexamic Acid help.

[Chimchar]

Hi.

I've just been prescribed TA for heavy periods. The Dr was a bit vague about how many to take and for how long.

My cycle is regular as clockwork...(TMI, sorry ) day 1-4 is super light, bloody discharge. Day 5-7 is hell on earth, and day 7-10 is tailing off and manageable.

I only need it to manage the 2/3 really heavy days.

Would appreciate any advice, lived experience, or thoughts on when I should take it please.

I don’t think anyone would be able to give clear advise on here, but if you call GP or the pharmacy they are the experts with medication like this.

Did the pharmacy not put a label on the medication?

I was told to take it the day you expect your period (or as soon as you start if super irregular like me) and then for up to 4 days.

You are only supposed to take it for 3 days at a time so yes take it on your heavy days.

What I found is though when I stopped then the next day was heavier than usual. You also shouldn't take ibuprofen on the same days.

Because I was heavy for at least 7 days it didn't really help. Ended up with womb ablation once I finished my family and got my life back!

Hmmm it could be up to 4 days but that should be on the leaflet.

I would aim to take the first one several hours before the heavy bleeding would start.

I think I was told to take it just before my period started and then for a few of the heaviest days.

I found it made me feel quite unwell so I only took it at night time.

It did help a bit but not lots. I also had an ablation once I'd completed my family.

Thanks everyone.
Family DEFINITELY complete!! Am peri menopausal if that makes any difference.

The Dr told me I could take them on day 1 and they might stop the heavy days from happening. I'll be buggered though if it doesn't, so didn't want to risk that.

The label says take 2 or 3 tablets up to 3 times per day for up to 4 days.

I was just wanting some insight really from people who actually use it.

I appreciate all of your replies.

I think you need to go back to your GP and as for a different solution. You're likely to be anaemic with that amount of bleeding.

I take tranexemic acid on days 1-4. It means I'm only confined to the house for 1 day instead of 3. But I'm on a waiting list for a hysterectomy as this, along with other problems, are just unmanageable.

You only take it on your heavy days. It's not a medication in the sense it will give you lighter periods once you're on it I iyswim (I can't think how to put it better!)
It only works for 4 ish hrs at a time so if you take 2 at 8am in the morning, your heavy bleeding will be back again by lunchtime unless you have another dose.
It's a blood clotting drug so it works temporarily.
A lot of people say it doesn't work. It does it's just that they don't take it regularly so the heavy bleeding comes back again later on.

I took it for very very heavy periods.
Took it on day 1...2 tablets 3x day...until day 4.
It helped no end. My heavy days were day 1-4. If my heavy days were later, I'd have taken it day say 2-5.
It was a god send and my lifeline...I could go out on those first few days.
I didn't find my period was heavier once I stopped taking it, just normal, maybe slightly less. I still bled for 10days though, but without those dramatic first few days, it was much better!
I did that for 2 months until I decided to go on the mini pill...no periods now.

It didn't help me but the Mirena did. Changed my life - no periods at all any more! I'm on my second one, so have had it for 7 years now (I'm late 40s). It took about 6 months to get used to it but since then I've not looked back.

Thanks once again. Really helpful.

I am anaemic @Paq . Am taking iron tablets and also just started b12 injections.

What you wrote makes perfect sense @HumourReplacementTherapy .

I'm on day 3 today so will hold off for now and take them on day 5.

Thanks again. X

Chimchar

Your GP should be referring you to a gynae as these types of issue are well outside a GPs remit.

The CAUSE of the bleeding needs to be properly determined as well as treating the symptoms otherwise this will keep happening.

I was also prescribed these tablets by a GP and they did nothing for me sadly. I also underwent ablation surgery; that totally stopped the incessant and heavy bleeding (caused in part by constant rises and falls of both estrogen and progesterone).

Thanks @AttilaTheMeerkat

No mention of referring me. Or any concerns as to there being anything 'wrong'.

It's been this way for as long as I can remember. I just can't cope with it anymore.

Shocking. You should be referred. I ended up referring myself after the GP did nothing more after receiving "normal" results from a blood test (which I knew would be a waste of time doing).

If finances permit I would suggest you see a gynae as a private patient for an initial consultation. Both fibroids and endometriosis to name but two can cause heavy bleeding to arise.

Agree you should definitely be referred for further investigations.
i took this whilst waiting for hysterectomy for my fibroids.
it did work but (tmi) it did make the period very clotty. That took some getting used to.

Have you been checked for anemia? It can cause heavy periods and then it’s a viscous circle.
Usually the advice is to take it the day before the bleeding - so day 1 makes sense.
Ginger extract is also good for heavy bleeding. It reduces mine.

Dd was told to start taking it on day 1. She also took something else alongside it (imaprosol?) to stop her feeling Ill with it.

it didn’t work. She went for a mid period check up and reported it had made the blood black so was told to stop immediately.

She’s only 21

Ablation all the way. It was a day case for me and it has changed my life.

Please please do go back OP. It's absolutely ridiculous that women are expected to just cope with such pain and inconvenience. There will be a cause (mine is fibroids) and there will be a more appropriate treatment.

I agree with this.

dds problems started when she was 13 and only since she moved to a different city and changed drs was she taken seriously. Within a few months she was diagnosed with adenemyosis

I used these short term for very heavy peri menopause periods I also had a scan to check for fibroids etc. Suggested the merina Coil which I was not keen on so use mini pill which means no periods at all.

I take it for a bleeding disorder as and when, and usually start on about day 3 of my period - I'm a bit weird about stopping them completely. Works well, I'd give it a go.

I take them as well. Started getting very heavy periods after having DC. I only take them on my really heavy days, which on average Is for about 3 days. Sometimes I need all 3 doses in a day, sometimes I only need one dose.

I think the recommended limit is 3 doses a day for up to 4 days.