Best Way To Stop Heavy Periods

The Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill

This reduces bleeding by at least a third in most women. It often helps with period pain too. It is a popular treatment with women who also want contraception but who do not want to use the LNG-IUS. If required, you can take this in addition to anti-inflammatory painkillers , particularly if period pain is a problem. See the separate leaflet called The Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill for more details. Other options which work in a similar way are combined hormonal contraceptive rings or patches.

Frequently Asked Questionsexpand All

• How common is heavy menstrual bleeding?

  Heavy menstrual bleeding is very common. About one third of women seek treatment for it. Heavy menstrual bleeding is not normal. It can disrupt your life and may be a sign of a more serious health problem. If you are worried that your menstrual bleeding is too heavy, tell your obstetriciangynecologist .

• When is menstrual bleeding considered heavy?

  Any of the following can be a sign of heavy menstrual bleeding:

• Bleeding that lasts more than 7 days.

• Bleeding that soaks through one or more tampons or pads every hour for several hours in a row.

• Needing to wear more than one pad at a time to control menstrual flow.

• Needing to change pads or tampons during the night.

• Menstrual flow with blood clots that are as big as a quarter or larger.

Which Way Is Right For Me

If you want to cut down on the number of periods you have per year, then experts suggest standard birth control pills, patches, or the vaginal ring. To stop your period long-term, birth control shots, long-term pills, and the IUD typically work best. Speak with your doctor about it. Youâll work together to figure out which method is best for you.

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When Is A Heavy Period Too Heavy

It is difficult to measure blood loss accurately. Some medical definitions of blood loss during a period are:

• A normal period is a blood loss between 30 and 40 ml per month. Bleeding can last up to eight days but bleeding for five days is average.
• A heavy period is a blood loss of 80 ml or more. This is about half a teacupful or more. However, it is difficult to measure the amount of blood that you lose during a period.
• For practical purposes, a period is probably heavy if it causes one or more of the following:
• Flooding through to clothes or bedding.
• You need frequent changes of sanitary towels or tampons.
• You need double sanitary protection .
• Soaking of bedclothes.
• You pass large blood clots.
• Restriction to your normal lifestyle because of heavy bleeding.
• Menorrhagia means heavy periods that recur each month. Also, that the blood loss interferes with your quality of life. For example, if it stops you doing normal activities such as going out, working or shopping. Menorrhagia can occur alone or in combination with other symptoms.

Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures

Heavy periods can be the result of benign fibroids, polyps, or adhesions. Fibroids and polyps are non-cancerous growths that develop in the uterus. Adhesions, which are also non-cancerous, are clumps of scar tissue that can occur in women with endometriosis, a condition in which tissue from the uterine lining grows in places where it doesnt belong.

Having fibroids, polyps, or adhesions can interfere with the muscular contractions that occur each month as your uterus sheds its lining. We use several techniques to remove fibroids, polyps, or adhesions that cause heavy bleeding or other health problems.

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Reasons To Stop Your Period

During menstruation, your breast may feel tender. You may also notice bloating around your abdomen or mood swings. Other symptoms will include acne, cramping, and sleep issues.

With such symptoms, some people may choose not to have their period altogether. Medical experts say that there is no harm in skipping your period. Stopping your period, therefore, does not harm your general health or fertility.

So what are some of the reasons you would wish to stop your period? You might opt out of your monthly vaginal discharge if:

• Youre an athlete or are set to perform some strenuous activities
• You experience heavy flow
• You will need to change your gender, this is an example in cases where you are assigned a female birth, but that does not reflect your true gender identity.
• You h a ve serious condition such as endometriosis, a condition where the tissues lining your uterus grow outside. This may make your period painful.
• You are tired of buying a sanitary towel
• You would wish to stop premenstrual syndrome symptoms such as nausea, cramp and mood swings
• You simply do not want to have your periods!

How Can Hormones Help

Painkillers like ibuprofen and diclofenac both of which are non-steroidal are often used for the relief of menstrual pain and cramps, and also for heavy periods. In addition to relieving the pain, they may also help to lower the amount of blood lost. Acetylsalicylic acid is not suitable for heavy periods because it has an anti-clotting effect so it can increase the amount of blood lost during menstruation.

The most common side effects of NSAIDs are stomach problems, nausea, vomiting, headaches and drowsiness. The women who took NSAIDs for heavy periods in studies didn’t experience many more side effects than women who took a placebo for comparison.

Another medication that can help in the treatment of heavy periods is tranexamic acid. It affects blood clotting and reduces the tendency to bleed. Studies have shown it to be more effective than NSAIDs. Tranexamic acid may cause headaches, tiredness and muscle cramps. But these side effects are not more common than with NSAIDs.

There is no good-quality research on whether herbal products can relieve heavy periods.

If excessive loss of blood is causing extreme tiredness, iron deficiency anemia is probably the reason. It is normally treated by taking iron tablets. Iron supplements may have side effects such as stomach ache and constipation, and can cause your stool to turn black.

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What Is Heavy Bleeding

Heavy menstrual bleeding is excessive and/or prolonged menstrual bleeding. The amount varies from woman to woman and can change at different stages in your life for example, in teenage years or approaching menopause. It is defined as blood loss greater than 80ml per cycle, or periods lasting more than seven to eight days. Heavy menstrual bleeding affects about one in five women and is a common problem in the 30-50-year-old age group.

Heavy bleeding fact sheet

What Are Heavy Periods

The amount of blood lost during a period varies a lot between women. This makes it difficult to give a general description of heavy periods. The amount of blood lost can also vary at different times in your life, including if you have had surgery or take medication. However, most women have a good idea of how much bleeding is normal for them during their period and can tell when this changes.

Heavy periods can lead to a drop of iron levels and red blood cells. This means you may feel tired more easily, feel weak or dizzy or be short of breath and have chest pains.

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Top 64 Best Tips On How To Stop Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Flow

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

The first and foremost best tip on how to stop heavy menstrual bleeding flow that we want to introduce here is apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar, also known as cider or ACV, can be found easily in many kitchens. This apple must is widely used in salad and has a lot of amazing health benefits. It can benefits your health in many ways such as regulating blood sugar levels, enhancing weight loss, lowering cholesterol, improving skin health, reducing blood pressure, relieving acid refluxs symptoms, fighting fungus, soothing sunburns, treating warts, healing itchy poison ivy rash, warding off seasonal allergies, keeping hair shiny, whitening teeth, stopping colds symptoms and even heavy menstrual bleeding flow.

ACV is well known for treating symptoms associated with heavy menstrual bleeding such as headaches, fatigue, cramping, bloating, intestinal discomfort and irritability. It has the antiseptic properties that can cleanse the internal system. Moreover, the vinegar with amber color can also act as a tonic to kick toxins out of your body and balance hormones. A study found that women with irregular and heavy periods due to polycystic ovarian syndrome should consume apple cider vinegar daily because this can help them boost their fertility and make periods regular. Thanks to all these advantages, apple cider vinegar is used as an effective home remedy for heavy menstrual bleeding. All you have to do is:

2. Red Raspberry Leaf

How to use:

Note:

The Ogs Of Otc Period Relief

Dont let cramps crash your already-heavy crimson wave. Try an NSAID like aspirin, naproxen sodium , or ibuprofen .

Research shows NSAIDs can also reduce blood flow by 20 to 40 percent by reducing prostaglandins, hormone-like compounds that disrupt blood clotting.

NSAIDS can be bad for you if not used properly. High doses or long-term use can cause side effects. Its a good idea to talk to your doctor about a safe dosage.

If your flow has you in a state of increasing woe, chat with your doctor about these options:

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What Causes Heavy Period

• Uterine fibroids – These are non-cancerous growths of the uterus. The most interesting thing about these fibroids is that most women do not have any idea that they have uterine fibroids because they are asymptomatic.
• Hormonal imbalance – When there is imbalance, then there is disturbance. Your estrogen and progesterone should always be kept balance or you might experience menorrhagia.
• Pregnancy complications – Some women experience miscarriage during their early pregnancy and heavy bleeding cannot be avoided. However, if heavy bleeding occurs at the same that youre having your period, then its not a miscarriage but ectopic pregnancy which can cause menorrhagia.
• Cancer – Ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer can also be the reason why you are experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding.
• Medical conditions – Excessive menstrual bleeding can actually warn you about your health condition. Some causes of menorrhagia are thyroid problems, liver and kidney problems, pelvic inflammatory disease and others.

What Is The Prognosis For Living With Menorrhagia

If left untreated, menorrhagia can interfere with daily life. In addition, it can cause anemia and leave you feeling tired and weak. Other health problems can also arise if the bleeding problem is not resolved. With proper treatment and doctor assistance, menorrhagia can be managed and not cause a disruption to your life.

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How Can I Find The Right Solution For Me

Different women experience their periods differently, and the amount of menstrual blood they lose can vary naturally from month to month. But the amount of stress caused by heavy periods can only be determined by the woman herself: Whereas some women who have heavy periods may not think its a big problem, others already feel very uncomfortable with less heavy periods.

Its important to first have a doctor look for possible causes of the heavy periods. In most cases you can then take your time to decide whether to start treatment and consider which of the treatment options is right for you. If you’re not sure, it may be a good idea to get a second medical opinion especially if a hysterectomy has been recommended. Our decision aid may help here. It briefly summarizes the main pros and cons of the different treatments.

Do I Need Any Tests If I Have Heavy Periods

See your doctor if your periods change and become heavier than previously. For most women, the cause is unclear and there is no abnormality of the womb or hormones. However, it is very important to get it checked out properly.

A doctor may want to do an internal examination to examine your neck of the womb and also to assess the size and shape of your womb. However, an examination is not always necessary, especially in younger women who do not have any symptoms to suggest anything other than dysfunctional uterine bleeding.A blood test to check for anaemia may be performed. If you bleed heavily each month then you may not take in enough iron in your diet, needed to replace the blood that you lose. This can lead to anaemia which can cause tiredness and other symptoms. Up to 2 in 3 women with recurring heavy periods develop anaemia.If the vaginal examination is normal and there are no other associated symptoms, no further tests may be needed. The diagnosis is usually dysfunctional uterine bleeding and treatment may be started if required. Further tests may be advised for some women, especially if there is concern that there may be a cause for the heavy periods other than dysfunctional uterine bleeding. For example, if you:

If tests are advised then they may include one or more of the following:

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Iron Is Your Best Friend

Did you know that your period can cause anemia? Yes, while girls feel that having their monthly bleeding is normal, its also important to keep track of your period and be aware of whats happening with your body.

If your body continues to experience excessive bleeding for days, then maybe its time to take an iron supplement to replenish the blood youve lost. Aside from iron, try taking multivitamins everyday.

If youre having terrible headaches, dizziness and youre feeling nauseous before and during your menstruation, then iron is your bestfriends. Get enough iron and youre good to go!