I hate periods when out

[elliejjtiny]

Normally i try and stay at home on days 2 and 3. But ds is having an operation today and it's day 2. taking ibuprofen, changing pads and tampons every hour and praying my period pants don't leak. Wondering if a cup would be better but worried it would fall out and leak everywhere.

May I ask how old you are?.

Have you been to see the GP re your heavy periods?. It's not something you should have to put up with.

Mid 40's. I've seen the GP and the gynaecologist. Had all the tests but there isn't anything they can do apart from hysterectomy which seems a bit drastic at my age. I'm worried it would cause more problems like prolapse etc.

I'm late 40s and like you, prefer to stay in on days 2 and 3 and even 4 if possible. I have embarrassed myself multiple times in public by leaking through and with outdoor toilet access being almost nil it can be a real pain locating a place where you can change. Public transport while being heavily on is horrific.

I wear the Always Nighttime pads in the day, and I double them by partly layering one over the other so I get a wider back and front. Still have to change lots. On top of that I wear two pairs of knickers then layer up with either shorts or two petticoats/slips. Even with all that I can leak through my clothing. Night time is often messy.

I found using progesterone cream throughout the month helpful in substantially reducing the flow. But I don't always feel great using it all the way through the month.

I don't want to take the pill and my ferritin is always rubbish.

Sucks. But seeing my mum really suffer through menopause I'm not anxious for that either. Can't win.

A cup absolutely won't fall out anf leak everywhere as long as you make sure it seal properly whe you put it in (which is very easy once you get the hang of it). I have heavy periods but I haven't had a single leak in 20 years since I discovered menstrual cups. Bonus is I don't have to change/empty it nearly as often either, so it makes being out and about a whole lot easier.

Have you been checked for endometriosis? I know you've seen a gynae but I had persistent heavy periods for years which became so much worse from my mid 40's to the point that I became very iron deficient. I was housebound for the first 4 days of each period.

I had been under the same gynae department for 11 years when I pushed them for a MRI. Turns out my issues were down to undiagnosed endometriosis and adenomyosis, this was only discovered due to my pushing for a mri, I was 50 at the time. My friend has just had the same experience, she's 53!

I’m the same, OP. I have a prescription of Tranexamic acid. It usually helps for the heavier days.

Thank you. I normally use the cloth incontinence pads, because the tena lady was costing me £50 per period. Not practical in hospital though as there is nowhere to wash them and i didn't want to go home with a suitcase of dirty laundry.

I didn't realise progesterone cream could help. I will ask the gp.

Where did you get progesterone cream from? I asked for years but my GP and gynaecologist said there was no such thing available on the NHS. I need some now for my perimenopause but they are saying the same thing.

What about clots does it contain those? I need to try this🤔 what brand moon cup do you use? Roughly how before you need to empty it during the initial heavy bleed days?

I buy it. I use Natpro. Currently I take one squirt in the morning and late afternoon. To have a very significant effect on periods that needs to be doubled and I'm cash strapped right now. That said, my periods are no longer painful and my acne is much improved and it helps with fatigue.

The lady who supplies it is very knowledgeable and you can call her, though I haven't needed to call her for years.

A stronger one is Onas, but that seems to often have phases of being out of stock but great if you can buy more in advance.

Not much help in the short term but have you considered the Mirena coil. I suffered with endo through my 20s and 30s, ended up with severe anaemia as a result of heavy periods.

After DS was born I had a Mirena coil, it was like a whole new life beginning. It took a little while to settle but I enjoyed a period free life until mid 50s when after blood tests confirmed I was post menopausal I had the last one removed. I used the grand total of one pack of mini tampons in 17yrs. Like you I would get through industrial quantities of sani wear in just on month.

I actually worked out the amount of money I saved probably £5000 just on pads and tampons. As for underwear, I’m still wearing some of the knickers I bought 10yrs ago because they were never ruined by the constant soaking each month.

Although the massive bonus was no anaemia.

You can get mefenemic acid tabs over the counter now which may help with excessive flow. Possible short term solution.

Thank you. I will look into that, my dd17 could really do with something too.

Can you buy some tranexamic acid and try that? I used to feel similar, I also have a disabled son which made it much harder to spend time sorting it out in public toilets once he got too old to take into the women's with me but couldn't be left outside to wait either, and would have had a total meltdown over seeing me empty blood out of a mooncup if I'd taken him into the disabled toilet with me!

But when it became available to buy without a prescription I just started buying tranexamic acid online and take that if I know I'll be out and about on my heaviest days. Absolute game changer tbh.

I went for acupuncture. They can do amazing things when western medicine tells us nobody can help. It’s not cheap though I felt it was worth it to not feel grim and faint for three days a month.

A cup really helped for me, on my heavy days I was leaking through a super tampon in an hour but it’s more like 2-3 now

Yes it contains clots. I change mine around every 5-7 hours depending on whether it’s a heavy flow day, but it’s rarely full so could go a bit longer if I needed to.

i just use a generic one I got on Amazon now. I did used to use a Mooncup brand, but I find they’re all pretty much the same.

i know they don’t work for everyone but they really did change my life!

What tests have you had done(anything done over 6 months ago should be discounted) and secondly, do you have a diagnosis?. If not I would push for further investigation as it’s all too easy to be fobbed off. Has a laparoscopy operation been performed?.

Something is causing these heavy bleeds and it’s in your interest to find out what it is as well as treating the symptoms. And a hysterectomy should not cause a prolapse.

I second a cup and tranexamic acid. It will at the very least give you more time between changes, and it copes with clots.

I got referred to gynae and they found a fibroid through the scans. But it's been menopause which is really making the difference.

How much do the cups hold?

I've been bleeding for 6 months now and bleed through a pad, pants and tampon in 20 minutes. I lose pretty big clots regularly.

Is there any point trying a cup?

@ShowOfHands Mooncup is about 30ml, but I'm sure there are bigger ones. I loved my mooncup for years and years but the suction element doesn't suit me now (prolapse) so I'm looking at trying menstrual discs which are a different shape and don't use suction to seal. These have a much higher capacity - 70ml or so. Worth a shot? Some of these companies offer a free return if it doesn't fit you properly, so you could potentially try a few at no cost.

I feel your pain, literally! I also suffer horrendously heavy periods. I’ve had all the scans and tests but the only thing they have said could help is the coil.
I use an Always night pad with two maternity pads as well, and still leak. I am on tranexamic acid but I don’t notice much difference. I have no advice, but you’re not alone x

Thank you for your reply. I am weighing up whether to consider it. I had high hopes for period pants but they've not helped at all.