It's a disgustingly graphic TMI one I'm afraid, period and perimenopause related - need advice

[sprigatito]

I need advice on whether I need to do something (ie try in vain to get a GP appointment!) or whether this is within the range of normal and just tough it out.

I've been peri for years, night sweats, mood swings, constant itching, perioral dermatitis etc. I had heavy, flooding periods alternating with very light or none at all for about four years, gradually transitioning towards only fairly light ones and only happening every few months.

Until yesterday, when I started flooding yesterday evening and it's been insane since - I'm wearing three nighttime pads at once and having to change them every half hour, a few times I've had to clean up the floor because I've stood up and it's just gone everywhere. I've had to change my trousers three times today, am dizzy and look like a vampire (not the youthful alluring kind!) and there have been some enormous clots as well. If it weren't physically impossible I would think it was a miscarriage, as that's the only time I can ever remember it being this bad.

Is it normal-ish?

I was on the thread a PP mentioned earlier and if she had waited until the next day she'd have died.

You're experiencing significant blood loss; if it was from any other orifice you'd seek emergency medical attention. And you should do so now.

I think you should consider phoning 999 tbh x

Please don't wait - you are in serious danger and need to be seen ASAP. More than a pad an hour is considered a medical emergency and you're tripping that. You are hemorrhaging and need to be seen urgently.

What would wait at home if you were bleeding this badly from anywhere else?

I agree, @sprigatito

You need to ring 999 now.

I had something similar recently, you have my sympathy. I’ve always had heavy periods, terrible flooding but they last only two days usually. But, perimenopause is kicking my arse and giving me all sorts of new period issues. I got one period that wouldn’t stop and the flooding got so bad I was seriously thinking about going to A & E too. Thankfully by the next morning it calmed down and eventually tailed off. I haven’t had anything like it since, but if I do I’m going to call 111. It really freaked me out and I felt shocking for weeks after, plus I’m already prone to anaemia.

Agree with calling 111 at least.

Sadly @sprigatito what you have described is what my 'normal' was until I had a hysterectomy. Mine was due to fibroids and polyps and not even large ones!

Over the past 5 or so years I had several iron infusions and one blood transfusion as I was very anaemic with ferritin at 3 at its lowest.

I never did go to a&e or call 111 for mine but if it would put your mind at ease I'd call 111. I will say taking ibuprofen did help stop the really bad cramps which in turn helped slow and stop the massive clots and blood flow. It did get to the point I dreaded standing up, turning over in bed or coughing or anything like that

I'd ring your GP first thing tomorrow

OP I had really bad periods for years due to fibroids. One period, I started with what sounds like what you are experiencing, flooding through a massive pad and super tampon every 30 minutes. I phoned 111 who advised me to go to an A&E with an emergency gynae unit, which I did. I got seen very quickly due to the blood loss, had a tranexamic acid drip and then transferred to gynae unit where I ended up having a blood transfusion. All good now after referral, fibroid resection and coil fitted. I agree with other posters that A&E is good choice, although I totally understand why you are reluctant to do so. All the best x

Poor you - good luck with 111 but I second those saying go straight to a&e. You need help to stop that bleeding asap. I was put on heavy does tranexamic acid to stop my heavy bleeding and it wasn’t as bad as what you've described. I know it can feel frivolous to go to a&e for ‘just’ a heavy period but this is a really serious volume of blood loss.

Think what you would do if that was coming from any other part of your body and how seriously you’d want it to be taken.

Bleeding of this scope isn't a GP issue. It needs acute treatment to stop it, then the GP can investigate the cause.

I'm hoping @sprigatito has rang 999 by now.

I think the random crime scene periods are probably the worse part about it all tbh

Ive had to start using tena pads, normal sanpro just doesn't do the job for a few days.

I had severe flooding for years and became anaemic. The worst time was when for some reason I took an aspirin as I had run out of painkillers and it poured out worse. So did you take any supplements that could thin your blood?

Anyway, have you got any period stopper pills from the GP or the contraceptive pill helps.

You might have fibroids or polyps.

I agree, I wouldn’t want to go to A&E.

To echo everyone else - A and E defo.

Imagine if that much blood was coming from a different orifice. The fact that it's making you dizzy means you need to be seen tonight.

We called an ambulance to work for a colleague experiencing similar. She was kept in overnight and put on a drip. Please go to A and E.

Before my hysterectomy I used to get terrible flooding periods meaning I'd need to create a t shape out of pads to contain it all. However, it never got as bad as needing to change them every half an hour. My sil had something similar and did end up in hospital. You really should be seen urgently OP.

My mum had this and ended up having a hysterectomy. My last ever period was like that, and I was staying at someone’s house for the first time!

It doesn't matter what @sprigatito wants unfortunately - they need to been seen by a doctor ASAP.

Very different situ but I had this at 12 years old when I had newly started my periods - dropping blood all over the school, literally pouring out of me. I didn’t know it wasn’t normal (!), but a kind teacher phoned my mum who got me straight to the doctor, and from there I was rushed to hospital. I can still recall the humiliation of getting up off my chair in class and realising there was blood not just on the seat but a puddle on the floor! Defo phone 111, OP.

Mines slightly different as it was due to a miscarriage last week.
I bled through multiple pads every hour for several hours.
I ended up blue lighted and had surgery.
However the blood loss meant transfusion.
You are bleeding as much as i was. Call 999

Agreed, Tena Lady is your best friend in this scenario, only product I could trust to not leak.

You definitely need medical advice and I'm the first to roll my eyes at people who say go to A and E usually. Soak a pad in an hour and that's too much loss of that's not your normal. Ring 111.

Do you have some ibuprofen? It can slow flow a little.

Following with interest as this happened to me a couple of times - nighttime pad & period pants soaked within 10-20 min, massive clots, had to sit on towels etc. Just chalked it up to perimenopause and carried on, but maybe I should get it checked. Usually happens towards end of period.