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?

Tell your husband to get the day off and stay with you.

If you will not go to A&E (despite being told to by a GP here), call your GP the second phone lines open for an appointment.

A few weeks ago I had a post menopausal bleed about the the size of a 10p piece. I was called back by the GP before lunch, having a transvaginal scan two days later, with the ok results the following day. For a tiny show of blood.

Stop being the carer and be the person being cared for.

You. Need. Help.

If you will not go to A&E (despite being told to by a GP here), call your GP the second phone lines open for an appointment.

This. You will probably be anaemic so need blood tests to check that, and you need a referral to gynae ti scan for fibroid or whatever else.

You need to mention how often you are having to change protection. Mention the dizziness, any pain, nausea/vomiting. Also mention any clots - apparently over the size of a 50p is large. Mine filled my hand... but it was the period lasting 43 days that got me the gynae referral.

There are things like tranexamic acid which can help reduce the flow, but they need to know what's causing it to know the full treatment options.

Blood loss with dizziness is serious. I know you have decided not to go to A&E, but if you will not do that, you absolutely must follow up with your GP urgently.

I'm not going to shout at you @sprigatito , because I know what a rough time you've had recently, but given the paleness and the dizziness I think there's a pretty good chance that your GP will do what mine did when I had similar issues. Basically after commenting on how pale I was and a quick check of my pulse, sats and blood pressure, he referred me straight on to A&E - I think you might need to get your full blood count checked as a matter of urgency, especially if your resting heartrate is also elevated, as your heart needs to work a lot harder to get enough oxygen to your organs if you're very anaemic. Do you have a pulse oximeter at home that you can use to check that? Like you, I didn't want to make a fuss, but if I'd gone to A&E straight off I would have saved several hours of faffing about. I would also recommend packing a small bag just in case you need a blood transfusion and they want to admit you to do that.

I'm sorry, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but as well as stemming the bleeding and starting the process of investigating the underlying cause of it, you need to make sure that being this anaemic isn't having nasty knock on effects.

I am happy to read your dad is doing ok. Your symptoms are really concerning and you’re likely anaemic. Heavy periods aren’t usually life threatening but in rare cases, it is possible to lose enough blood to need a blood transfusion… and you were losing a lot of blood. When someone we are caring for is poorly, we often neglect ourselves. I have to remember this myself as well. My mil ignored breast cancer symptoms, fil was undergoing cancer treatment at the time. She died a few months later. So please, please, take care of yourself.

My perimenopausal periods were like this and I put up with them for far too long. It became debilitating. I couldn’t go from sitting or lying to standing without passing clots the size of my hand. I was going through 2 of the super plus extra sized tampons within 20 minutes and I also tried period pants and a mooncup (both hilariously not up to the job). I became really anaemic.

Scans revealed I had adenomyosis. So I guess that, combined with whatever hormone madness was going on, was a contributing factor.

I had a Mirena coil fitted and it has changed my life.

Another vote for A and E.

Go to A &E I had similar once due to medication they gave me transexamic acid ? Spelling. This is serious potentially to lose so much blood.

Ps I was also fast tracked at A&E and queue jumped by triage when I explained the amount of blood loss. This is not something to just ignore at least see your GP as an emergency.

Have you been diagnosed as still peri? Or has your menopause started / finished. I suddenly had a very very heavy period after being confirmed having gone through menopause - they checked me out because of the cancer risk and I was thankfully OK - my gyno described it as my body having a last hurrah! one last egg coming out sort of thing.

Definitely not something I experienced … hope you had a decent nights sleep @sprigatito & can get some advice from your doctor today.

I had a bad time like this in peri. Saw a gynae who said I had polyps or fibroids (I can't remember which) and thickening of the womb lining and adenomyosis. I had hysteroscopy and a mirena coil inserted. The coil took quite a long time to settle but then totally resolved the issue.
Hope the GP can help.

You honestly don’t need to put up with this.

I think I must be a twin with @MartyFunkhouser !

I had the same as you describe OP, then facing two ‘beach’ holidays and dreading coping with it, I went to the dr. Bloods showed severe anaemia which then produces the viscous cycle of more heavy bleeding, then a scan showed adenomyosis and a large polyp. Polyps are very sensitive and cause heavy bleeding, prolonged periods and mid cycle bleeding too. I had a day case procedure last week and a mirena fitted.

Please talk to the GP and let them check what’s going on?

As I said earlier I was rushed through A&E to resus as my blood pressure was low, my heart rate high. I wasn't even allowed to walk through but put in a wheelchair as they thought I would 'crash'.
I was wired up and had fluids pumped into me.
Turned out I had a large polyp at the top of my cervix.
You do not have to tolerate this!

OP even if it all settles, make sure the GP checks ferritin levels as anaemia makes you feel horrific

Hi @FluffyFluffy sorry to hear you've been through this too. I'm also experiencing the same as OP. What procedure did you have please? Thank you.

Sorry to hear this. I went through the same/similar. I could not even drive to the GP appointment without sitting on a towel. She was very sympathetic when she saw how bad it was. I was sent to hospital where I had a minor procedure to look at my womb. They had considered putting something like a balloon inside me - sorry I do not know the medical terms but the thought seemed improbable. When they had a look on screen, it was because my womb had thickened so much that when it shed it was horrendous.

I was also sent to the Ward to be given medication to reduce bleeding. This was some time ago so clearly matters may be different now with ease of access at the time - not via A and E.

Not too long afterwards everything stopped but going through it was nightmarish. The reassurance of knowing what was causing this issue helped.
I hope you get things sorted.

I had excessive bleeding, Boots sold an over counter product. Subsequently got a coil fitted, all good. However you may be anemic. Keep up the ibuprofen, it helps lighten bleed

I had similar flooding in 2018, it was absolutely awful. I went to my GP, had steroids then a minor operation - about eight hours in hospital as a day case - it was called an endometrial abolation. Not bled a drop since, completely life changing, I highly recommend it.

This happened to me as well, I went to see my GP as an urgent appt, had bloods taken, was found to be anaemic due to excess blood loss, put on iron tablets, (avoided transfusion by the skin of my teeth) referred to gynae for endometrial ablation ( they basically cook the inside of your uterus) which was utterly life changing and I ve not looked back since. Start by seeing your GP and go from there, good luck

I hope we haven't frightened you into freezing at home.

I hope your husband is stepping up and staying with you.

I hope you can focus on yourself now - as airlines say, fasten your own oxygen mask before trying to fix someone else's.

I hope you're at or headed to A&E, or at least booked a call with your GP.

I have awful periods and take a cycle of 84 days contraceptive pill to manage and then when I have a break if its really heavy and awful the doctors prescribe tranexamic acid tablets which help to manage. I have some left over from other times and just take them so I can function a bit more like a human. Although not entirely. Its rubbish. I would love to never have a period again its so draining and awful and literally renders me useless for two weeks..... I am so sorry you are going through this. Maybe see if you can get some tranexamic acid as its the only thing that has helped me!

I had this while on holiday. I used lots of ibuprofen and transenamic (so) acid.

went to GP and they put me on HRT and also checked my iron levels as anaemia can make it worse.

never had it again. It’s horrible, and things can be done to make it not happen again.

Following. This happened to me two weeks ago and has started again this morning. I do have fibroids.

I had the same flooding issue ( but without all menopause side effects) but it was the last period ever. Started first day of a new job which is why I remember so clearly, lasted a couple of days then stopped dead.
I really hope you’re the same, one final hoorah and then it’s over. 🤞

Hi Fluffy, would you mind sharing which procedure/op it was? My doctor has suggested uterine/endometrial ablation for my severely heavy periods but I'm not sure about it. I am hoping there may be other options available.