Heavy Periods taking over my life

[LoveIsAllAroundUs]

Anyone suffer with extremely heavy periods can offer some advice? I just feel fobbed off by the gp. I don’t really want contraception, I want to know the cause. He more or less said it just is what it is. Suggested the mirena coil which I’ve heard awful things about ( which I told him but he said that’s misinformation.. )

I finally plucked up the courage to make this appointment and I just feel completely deflated. I can’t leave the house, I have to set alarms in the night to change. It’s taking over my life. I darent plan things or book things in advance until I know when I’m due on. If I was bleeding and clotting this much from any other part of my body then they would take me very seriously and I’m just so fed up.

When I was a teen I had heavier bleeding. I got tranexamic acid from the GP and that did cut it down.

Should be easy to get hold of.

May I ask how old you are?.

I would make a formal written complaint to the practice manager.

You are right to try and find out what the cause is. Endometriosis and fibroids to name but two can cause heavy bleeding. You need to treat the cause as well as the symptoms. In my case it was constant rises and crashes of both progesterone and estrogen from peri menopause.

If finances allow I would phone your local private based hospital and see if you can see a gynae for an initial consultation. I suggest that as waiting times to see a gynae are very long in many areas.

Were you at least not referred for further investigations? If you're unhappy with the outcome you need to complain and ask to see another GP. Does your practice have a women's health specialist. Info should be on their website.

I used to have very heavy periods that lasted 7 days. I’d have to change a menstrual cup every hour the first 2 days as would flood. Have to wear a cup and pad at night. Had awful hormonal migraines every month. As well as the cramps I had to stop and literally breathe through. I ended up trying the coil. I was desperate. It took a couple of months to settle. Periods got lighter and lighter, I barely bleed now. The migraines have got much better. Honestly don’t rule it out. You can have it removed if you don’t get on with it. It’s really not that bad.

Also suffered from this, also found medical care and advice poor. In summary I was told my body was failing as I was getting towards menopause and humans were not designed to live that long....

I didn't want to take any hormone based treatment as have always had very adverse side effects - doesn't suit everyone.

Looked into ablation, but drew the conclusion that if you're done with the womb, it's easier to have a hysterectomy and be done with it as ablation doesn't always work well.

And then my periods stopped before my op date arrived - the one time my periods actually behaved!

Argh, it's so annoying this happens

I went about 10 years ago and said I think I have endometriosis. A shrug and "well you could go on the pill but not much else, it's very common"

I ended up in a&e last year and they found I do have endometriosis and it's so bad that my ovaries are tied together in the wrong place with scar tissue. Now facing medical menopause, infertility, and a long operation with a bowel surgeon in there as it's on my bladder and bowel too

How old are you?
You should at least have a scan
Are you on any meds?
Have you had any bloods done. I'd bet that
You need iron ! Lots of iron.

I suffer with heavy periods. Each cycle days 2 and 3 are awful and I dread them. Same as you, mooncup and pad, then I'm up in the night cleaning myself up. I have had to cancel social plans because of my period and I found that very upsetting.

The worst part for me is that I keep becoming ferritin deficient. This affects everything, all month long and it takes a long time to get back to a normal level.

I've had a transvaginal ultrasound and there were no abnormalities. The GP seems to think I should just live with it but I agree with you, if this was happening to any other body part there would be all sorts of investigations and if it was happening to my male GP he sure as hell would be taking it seriously.

The last time I went to the GP I was told because I use a mooncup I can see the blood more so I probably just think they are heavy when they aren't. WTF.
I was so annoyed. I've just had a cycle and I actually decantered the contents of my mooncup in to a plastic bottle to measure the amount I'm losing. Guess what? It's not in my head, it's alot. I need to book another appointment to discuss this but I'm just putting it off. I'm fatigued with the whole thing.

Not really any advice re physical side but I've been recommended a really good podcast re women's health periods etc which informative on what to ask GP for re abnormal periods. Some of it's aimed at fertility but some that's are about cycles and periods are really good just for women's health in general. Defo don't have to be wanting to conceive to get some good advice from it. It's called don't tell me to relax by Hannah pearn. It really advocates the need for better women's health and useful tool in learning what's "normal period" and when health professionals should be offering exploration rather than just contraception

I found when I was really low on iron my periods became really heavy, which in turn didn’t help my iron levels. They have improved since taking iron tablets.

This might just be me though!

The only thing that helped with my very heavy periods when I hit my 50s was the mirena coil. it was an absolute game changer! I did have a cervical biopsy and ultrasound too just in case it was anything suspect, but they came back clear. I know quite a few women in the same situation. I dont know anyone personally who’ve had issues with the mirena.

I was so against contraception hormones due to horrific experience on the pill in my late teens. However, my periods were so heavy I was becoming anaemic and lethargic. A lovely nurse suggested I give the mini pill (progesterone only) a go for 6 months and see how I got on. 2 years later it was the absolutely best decision I made. No bleeding at all after the first few weeks! No side effects gone from heavy bleeding and lots of symptoms for 10 days a month to absolutely nothing! Worth a go?

Please don't put up with it.

I had heavy periods for years, gradually getting worse. Filling a mooncup in an hour.

Then a routine check discovered I was anaemic and my GP discussed it all, referred me for ultrasound to check everything was OK, and prescribed tranexemic acid for normal months and norethisterone for holidays. And iron. Once I was no longer anaemic and the bleeding was under control, things were loads better. My GP said TA doesn't work for everyone but if it didn't to go back and discuss other options - but luckily it did.

I had to make a private appointment with a gynaecologist. £150. She was amazing. I’d had a horrendous, horror film style period for a year.

She referred me back into the NHS and did an ablation. Life changing. I’m so glad I did this. I was also fobbed off by gp.

Tranexamic acid made me feel really sick, nothing but the ablation helped

I’d had permanent bleeding with the mirena too, effective contraception! It does work for some though. But see a private gynae is my advice

This upsets me a lot. I had horrendously heavy periods at aged 11 -14 and was just constantly fobbed off. It robbed me of a lot of my teenage years and was utterly miserable. It’s shocking that 30 years later women are still expected to put up with it. I hear that it often happens again in menopause and that terrifies me as I’m not far off. Sounds dramatic but not sure I could cope with that again.
I’m so sorry you, and many others are experiencing this.

I had this, I was fobbed off for a long time, eventually got a scan and it was a large fibroid. They had advised me to get the mirena coil before finding the fibroid but I pushed to see someone else as it wouldn't have fixed the root cause. They said it was my age... I was 35!!

I have since had a procedure to have the fibroid removed, everything is so much better, very light periods!!

My NHS consultant even advised me to have a hysterectomy. Glad I didn't listen, I got a second opinion and different treatment and have since had another child.

I really appreciate all of your responses thanks so much. I wish I could say it made me feel better but I’m actually just gutted for you that you’ve had similar experiences! Saw another Dr today. She was of the same mind, said that given the effect it’s having on my life the coil could be life changing so I feel it’s probably the route il have to try for now. Il be getting it via a gynae clinic so they will do an ultrasound also. And having bloods checked too. I guess I have to follow their advice for now and see how it goes..

Oh and I’m 29 with 2 kids, so hopefully nothing menopausal lol but I think my age actually makes them even more reluctant to do anything major ..

@LoveIsAllAroundUs yes I think you may be right about your age. I had a couple of fibroids that could have been both causing heavy bleeding and possibly miscarriage. But their position meant surgery carried high risk for uncontrollable bleeding which could have meant an emergency hysterectomy. Once I was past child-bearing there were more options (can't remember what they were as the TA when at home and norethisterone when on hol and making sure I wasn't anaemic worked well enough for me till meno).

@MsMartini You know I’m just sat here now thinking I don’t actually really want this coil. I’m just feeling as though I’m out of options. Maybe tranexamic and norithisterone will be the road for me too. I’m gonna go ahead with the referral mostly because it’s a faster route to getting the ultrasound but I won’t be pressured into having it. I can’t help but feel skeptical. The dr thought I was mad for suggesting a hysterectomy (we have fam history of ovarian/womb cancer) as it’s 3 month recovery.. I told her that I’ve lost a lot more time than that due to heavy periods!
I almost wish there was an underlying problem so that i can fix it and move on. But if this is ‘normal’ for me I suppose I just carry on.

Could you try one of the acid’s (metfenamic)

I had the coil out today and felt relief in my mood but I accept it may help ladies with really heavy periods.

Try the tranexamic acid OP if you haven't. I had terrible periods and only 1 tiny fibroid. Made a private gynae appt and she basically gave me a right telling off for not using it. She said it was literally a drug invented for uterine bleeding and I needed to stop the hand wringing about not wanting to take regular medication and just take it.
It honestly changed my life ! I mean don't get me wrong, they didn't go to light. But I didn't have the constant flooding or fear of flooding

Aww you poor thing. I'd use whatever tools might work to reduce the bleeding, never mind what is normal.

I'd try TA now, while you are waiting for the appointment. If it works - and it really does for some women - great. I was told to take that every month unless it really clashed with holidays and then take nor, never both.

I had a similar experience. After having children my cycles were becoming shorter but my periods heavier and lasting longer. At one point I was having 2 per month every month. I did get an ultrasound as I was having some severe pain and they thought it was a ovarian cyst but that was clear.
I didn't want to go on the pill but I had a failed attempt at fitting then coil and then waited over a year for and fitted with a local. The mini pill did a great job actually and although still frequent they were much lighter and painless. I've now had the mirena since Jan and only had 1 light period. I feel like I have my life back. Previously I had no energy as was anaemic due to blood loss and constantly in pain or hormonal.