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Women's health

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Original poster

Heavy periods

8 replies

Lucywilloe · 30/12/2023 23:58

Hi all. Apologies in advance as new mumsnetter and sure this is a common issue but looking for advice. Driven crazy by heavy periods. Currently lying in bed with super plus tampon, two night time pads, pj shorts and towel in top of sheet and still not confident I'll make it through the night without making an embarrassing mess. Husband super kind and cool about it all but I'm so stressed. 49 and thought I was in menopause but have recently come off tamoxifen after 9 years after relatively early breast cancer diagnosis and mother nature has kicked back in. Recently had scan to check for endometrial cancer which was negative so all good there but heavy bleeding now getting me down. Any advice welcomed.

OP posts:
Walkingwithdinosaurs · 31/12/2023 00:46

How long has this been going on for? Is it every period?

prettydesertflower · 31/12/2023 01:03

It’s awful isn’t it. I have suffered for years but just started tranexamic acid. It’s my second month and in the first month flow reduced by about 50%. This second month it reduced by 60% and was over 4 days as opposed to the typical 7-9. I finally have a life and can actually go out and do normal things during my period. Not all drugs suit everyone but this has changed my life during periods.

Topseyt123 · 31/12/2023 01:20

Get back to the doctor. There are medications they can give which may help, such as Tranexamic Acid, which helps the blood to clot a bit more and therefore can go some way towards reducing flow.

They often push the mirena coil, which works for some people so can be worth a try, but which didn't suit me at all.

Ask for referral to a gynaecologist.

vincettenoir · 31/12/2023 01:47

Mirena is working well for me. It's great for maintaining iron levels too if you have low iron.

poolviewthanks · 31/12/2023 01:54

Transxemic acid has been a total game changer for me. No more flooding and length of periods has reduced too. Please speak to your doctor or if you can get an appt with a obgyn as their knowledge is so much better

Original poster
Lucywilloe · 31/12/2023 06:21

Walkingwithdinosaurs · 31/12/2023 00:46

How long has this been going on for? Is it every period?

For about two years now but when I was on tamoxifen I only had a period occasionally - 10 months or so apart. Now I'm off it, I seem to have fallen back into a monthly pattern so this is my third in three months. Every one over the past two years super heavy. Prior to this I'd been the opposite and had really light and short periods. Didn't realise how lucky I had been!

OP posts:
Original poster
Lucywilloe · 31/12/2023 06:28

prettydesertflower · 31/12/2023 01:03

It’s awful isn’t it. I have suffered for years but just started tranexamic acid. It’s my second month and in the first month flow reduced by about 50%. This second month it reduced by 60% and was over 4 days as opposed to the typical 7-9. I finally have a life and can actually go out and do normal things during my period. Not all drugs suit everyone but this has changed my life during periods.

Thanks so much for sharing and I'm so glad to hear the difference its made in such a short time. This is relatively new to me and I hadn't appreciated how disabling heavy periods could be.

OP posts:
Leftoversgalore · 31/12/2023 07:03

Transexamic acid worked for me and I now have the mirena.

But downside of mirena is you still get the cramps and PMS just no bleeding. I almost miss the relief of the bleed after the PMS!

Get your iron levels checked. I had bleeding like you and my ferritin was very low and I kept almost fainting.

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