What do women with (very) heavy periods use

[Marriedtoafarter]

I had been on the pill since I a teenager (due to heavy periods) and have stopped taking it now a year after having DC.

I just had my 3rd period and they are so heavy for 24ish hours, they only last 3 days which is good but when it’s bad I’m going to the toilet hourly to change a tampon and pad as it’s started coming through to the pad.

At night time I have to get up twice in the night and in the morning I have to dash to the loo to change. I can’t imagine what I’d do if I wasn’t sleeping in a tampon as a pad on its own would not manage but I don’t really like the thought of sleeping in tampons.

I will probably ask a dr but honestly haven’t had time to brush my hair let alone book the dr so in the meantime does anyone have any magic products or suggestions?

I'm the same, up two or three times in the night. Orange tampon, night time pad, AND period knickers changed every hour on the worst days. Lasts 4-5 days this heavy.
Dr will prescribe Tranexamic and mefenamic acid which do work but not a long term solution. I'm 8 weeks post ablation and still bleeding reasonably heavy. Most people never bleed again.

Basically a combination of cup/period pants/maternity pads - or all three at once at times

@Marriedtoafarter you'll be suprised how much they can hold! they have a pad in them that's ultra absorbant. Honestly mine can be so heavy too so I know how awful it can be 😩 I was a bit hesitant at first so I wore mine when I knew I'd be home during a really heavy day and I just think they are fab. Really hope you find something that works for you! xx

I use a cup and period pants on my heaviest days (the first 3 days. The last 4 aren't so bad and just a cup suffices) and on the heaviest day I have to empty the cup every couple of hours.

You should see a doctor though and make sure you aren't anaemic. My periods made me very anaemic (now I'm on the mini pill to try and deal with it, bled for pretty much an entire month but nothing since then so fingers crossed I won't get anaemic again now)

Haven't RTFT but I'm like this when not on the combined pill too. Except my periods last 7-10 days and the very heavy part is around 4 days.

If you do want to try medicines that aren't hormonal contraceptives there are alternatives. I have used tranexemic acid in the past successfully. You just take it regularly for a few days on the heaviest days of each period and it does make it lighter and more manageable. Speak to the GP if interested, there are a few options.

I don't sleep in tampons since I had DC1 because I find them uncomfortable after a number of hours wear since then. Presume due to changes in my pelvic floor. So overnight I use the highest absorbency period pants that Modibodi too and usually change them once in the night on the heavy days. Daytime I wear highest absorbency tampons with medium or light absorbency period pants as backup.

Yes this is how I feel, the orange might work for 1.5 hours 😅

Do go and see a doctor and from
that obtain a gynae referral about this - you need answers as to why this is happening. Endometriosis and or fibroids can cause such heavy bleeding to arise.

Thanks so much! It’s worth a try!

Another vote for adult diapers. I wore them under skirts but actually felt confident leaving the house.

I used to have hideous periods and used the Tena lady night time pads (purple ones) for now they're not strictly for periods but they worked well for me
I've since had an ablation which was life changing for me

An incontinence pad.

Mooncup was life changing for me. Tip it out every hour. I also have to get up to empty it in the night but it keeps it in. Period pants as back up.

As someone else has said, WFH is such a game changer on period days!!

Prior to my hysterectomy, I would double up on the orange (wear 2 at a time), overnight pad and an old hand towel between my legs (particularly useful for the “gravity” effect when sitting/standing up, along with perfecting “the roll”). Then set the alarm clock for every couple of hours.

Or just sit in a hot bath all night, not the nicest clean up but would take the edge off the pain.

unfortunately a moon cup or period pants would have been as much use as a chocolate fire guard and tranexemic acid just made my already 7-10 day periods even longer. Eventually diagnosed with Adenomyosis, fibroids and prolapse and had a life changing hysterectomy at 42.

I really feel for you and hope you have some luck getting anything useful from your GP.

Maternity pads for me used in period knickers. It’s not fun is it

Post menopausal now, but I had torrential periods prior to an ablation
At the time I was unaware of menstrual cups( which I would certainly use now)
The best I could do was a lil lets ultra tampon( higher than super plus)
At the time Sainsbury's sold an own brand Super plus extra with 15-18g absorbency( see, I can still remember the hours of research!)
These combined with a night time pad gave me a couple of hours at best
I was badly anaemic hence the endometrial ablation.
Please please ask for this as mine was life changing.

Mine are horrendously heavy for 5 full days. I have been prescribed tramexamic acid tablets, some months they help , some they don't.

I use orange tampax, a pad, period pants amd sleep on a towel.

I'm still up 2 times a night at least to change. I really should make an appointment with the gp to see if there is anything else that can help.

I dread those 5/6 days of the month.

Hi, I feel you pain! Regular ibuprofen a couple of days before your period starts should help as it slows down prostaglandin production. Less prostaglandin means less uterine shedding, leading to fewer cramps and less bleeding - hope you find a way to help it's horrible isn't it

I went through this, periods were already heavy, then I had twins (babies 4&5) and they were just absolutely terrible after that. Super plus size tampon and maternity pad for day time and towel and maternity pad for nights. Also tried tranexemic acid and it just made my periods even longer.

I suffer with an autoimmune condition and slight anaemia so was referred for an ablation procedure in July and had no period at all for about 4 months and since then only light spotting which a panty liner takes care of.

Heavy absorbency Modi bodies period pants for me. Even used them postpartum.
I do have to change them regularly though. First few nights might sleep on a towel incase and I do the roll and waddle to the toilet in the morning 🙈 moon cups didn't work at all for me. I did use Tenna pants for a while but i never felt great in them.

Wfh is wonderful at period time. Mine is regular in that it happens every month but it changes when every month so I always get caught out. I've just started having to work in the "office" a few days so I am dreading the eventual being caught out. All the pills unfortunately haven't worked for me my body desperately tries to bleed and its so uncomfortable it would feel like a month long period versus a week.

Definitely try a menstrual cup.

I am prescribed this. I'm in peri. I find it does make the bleeding lighter but tends to long it out

Mooncup is life changing. Also hugely reduces cramps (which my Dr hat still doesn't know how to explain by science

I hace endometriosis and have extremely heavy periods to the point that I have to take iron tablets.
I had a problem last year where I had my period for 3 months non stop (extremely heavy) which landed me in the hospital. I was told by the doctors after many episodes of nearly passing out that I would need to have an iron infusion/blood transfusion.
Long story short during this period of time I uses these:

https://groceries.asda.com/product/pants/tena-comfort-pads-plus-46-pack/910001743988

Work amazing during nights to not stain yourself. And during the day it was those during the worst days or these:

https://groceries.asda.com/product/pads/tena-incontinence-lady-maxi-night-pads/80785037

You will obviously still need to change during the day but not too many times just depends on how heavy your periods are. Try them you won't regret it. Very comfortable.

I use super plus Tampax, a pad and period pants. I started using transexamic acid last month, but saw no real benefit. Will give it a try again next month!

TBH period pants have been my absolute saviour, I wish they'd been invented when I was young

That's interesting, my doctor said I'm fine to take it for the duration of my period (usually 8 days)

I'm pp at the moment so my period isn't back yet, but pre pregnancy I was taking it at least 7 days each month for years