Can't believe I didn't know this at my age-periods

[OneBlossomBee]

I feel utterly foolish to be even putting this down even on an anonymous forum at my age. I have always had horrific periods since age 11 and have only ever used pads as a personal preference as a squeamish person. No problem with the sight of blood though. My flow has always been very heavy and bled through clothes and sheets even sometimes now and did so 2 months ago. I have super heavy pads I use even in the daytime and last year found out I have cysts. My periods have had me imn agony, nearly fainting and doctors, even a woman, said it was "normal". I always thought it was the norm to feel your period as it flowed out of you, but recently read it isn't and only usually if you have a heavy flow or wear pads. To me, I can feel it every period and, sorry to get graphic, have blood clots come out and feel them slide out rather than flow out. It feels shameful to admit finding this out at my age, I shall only say I am over 30. Does anyone else regularly feel their period come out even when laying down?

Not standard, no

I feel mine coming out yes

I use tampons but I have had a miscarriage before and felt that come out of me so I guess it would be similar. I’d just use tampons

I do in the first few days but they are really heavy so I expect it

Yes I did when mine were horribly heavy and same with feeling the clots too. Eventually had a laparoscopy 5 years ago and had awful endometriosis- mirena coil has been my saviour!

It isn’t normal. I experienced the same and only realised myself, two years ago, that it isn’t normal either.

I had the Mirena fitted last year to help but had it removed recently because it made things worse for me.

I used to feel it, thankfully I am now post menopause.

This is how every period since ds has gone for me.

I have to wear incontinence pads to go out during the first 2 days. Even the maternity sanitary pads aren't enough to catch it when it decides to flood.

I think there's a difference between feeling it come out and it being painful. If my flow is heavy that I feel it come out and I can feel clots come out. But that in itself isn't painful. What's painful is the aching dragging feeling on day 1, or the period pains a week or two before my period.
OP are you saying that it's painful when it comes out?

Yes I can feel it flow.

sometimes the clots of so big that they are difficult to pass and the cramping is insanely painful.

I can feel it too and i have very light periods.
I recently tried period underwear and hated the feeling of it coming out. Swapped to a disc now, which solved the problem.

I was the same, one month it was so bad I was taken to A&E. I was diagnosed with fibroids, had surgery and it’s been life changing.

No I couldn’t feel it but my flow was always relatively light.
I never had pains either.
Your periods sound dreadful OP
I can’t believe that much blood and clots and pain is really “normal”. It might not be unusual but isn’t common
Is there anything your GP can do to lesson the clots and pain?

Where did you read the information, I'm curious?

I can feel the flow/clots passing and always thought it was normal, too. It certainly is my normal. I have endometriosis and very heavy periods.

I also have had heavy periods my whole life and could definitely feel it. The only thing that worked for me is the Mirena coil. It's amazing.

I am on tranexamic acid for this and it was life changing in my 20s. My flow is so heavy I'd go anemic and get low blood pressure and faint. If I missed a dose I'd go faint. (My periods are slightly different now since having been pregnant. I still take the TXA but it's not as bad if I forget a dose.)

Go to the GP, ask for tranexamic acid.

I had this.

GPs (including female) were useless, I would say I had very heavy periods and they would say that my periods lasted the normal length of time so everything normal. I was gradually becoming more and more anaemic.

It took a separate medical issue for the anaemia to be properly recognised. A blood transfusion would have been given except the other medical issue was blood related.

The solution for me was an endometrial ablation. Only an option if your family complete. This was 12 years ago. I haven't had a period since. Now 58 so I assume I am through menopause.

I can feel everything but my periods are great, Absolutely no trouble.

Hang on, is this not normal? Do most women really not feel the blood and clots coming out?

I've fibroids, cyst and endo. Least now I know i do, after finally getting a GP who didn't tell me what you described was normal.

I mean i knew needing to change a pad every 30 mins wasn't normal because I spoke with other woman but I needed a GP to actually listen for anything to be done. But I wasn't aware that feeling the flow wasn't normal - so much so that I didn't think to ask anyone.

I almost fell off the chair when my new GP said that's not OK after I mention heavy periods just in passing (I was in for something else) and she referred me to a gynecologist.

Two month's later I had the Mirena fitted. Best thing ever - no periods at all.

Yes, I used to feel it sometimes (I don’t have periods any more). Why do you think it’s “not normal”? Guess what, there are loads of things that people experience differently. I’m sorry about your cysts.

Tranexamic and mefanamic acid have changed my life. I thoroughly recommend you speak to your GP and find a solution that works for you.

I can feel it. I know I have heavy periods. I didn’t know other women can’t feel it though!

Mine weren’t too bad but yes had days where I’d get clots or that gush when you stand up. Certainly k ow lots of women have heavier periods and some have light ones. Normal is a range.