Is It Normal To Have Longer And Heavier Periods During Perimenopause
Excessive bleeding and long periods are fairly common during perimenopause. Many women experience an increased flow and extended perimenopause periods before entering menopause.
In fact, one in four women say that their periods are heavy enough to interfere with day-to-day activities, such as going to work or attending social events. According to University of Michigan researchers, 91 percent of women aged 4252 surveyed reported heavy menstruation for 10 or more days during their transition to menopause. This phenomenon occurred one to three times within a three-year period.
There are various other health factors which come into play, including body mass index , use of hormones, and the presence of uterine fibroids.
What Are The Symptoms Of A Miscarriage
Symptoms of a miscarriage include:
- Bleeding that progresses from light to heavy.
- Cramps.
- Abdominal pain.
- Low back ache that may range from mild to severe.
If you are experiencing the symptoms listed above, contact your healthcare provider right away. They will tell you to come in to the office or go to the emergency room.
How Is Menorrhagia Diagnosed
Menorrhagia is diagnosed by your doctor through a series of questions about your medical history and menstrual cycles. Usually for women with menorrhagia bleeding lasts for more than 7 days and more blood is lost .
Your doctor may ask for information about:
- Your age when you got your first period
- Length of your menstrual cycle
- Number of days your period lasts
- Number of days your period is heavy
- Quality of life during your period
- Family members with a history of heavy menstrual bleeding
- Stress you are facing
- Blood test to check thyroid, check for anemia and how the blood clots
- Pap test to check cells from cervix for changes
- Endometrial biopsy to check uterine tissue for cancer or abnormalities
- Ultrasound to check function of blood vessels, tissues and organs
Sometimes additional tests are still required to understand the cause of bleeding, including:
- Sonohysterogram to check for problems in the lining of the uterus
- Hysteroscopy to check for polyps, fibroids or other problems
- Dilation and curettage . This test can also treat the cause of the bleeding. During this test, the lining of the uterus is scraped and examined under sedation.
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Cystic Fibrosis : : Bleeding Began Again After Shots For Cyst/bleeding/clots
I was told I had cyst in my ovaries before, but I received a shot that made the bleeding and blood clots stop and I was getting regular periods. Now I haven’t gotten a period for almost 2 months now and I’m starting to bleed again like before. Should I be worried that the cysts may have came back? What is my best option?
Vitamin And Mineral Deficiency
The deficiency in vitamins and minerals that regulate the formation of clots, such as vitamin C or K deficiency, alters blood clotting, causing the formation of clots during your period.
What to do: in these cases, it is important to increase your intake of foods like spinach, oranges, strawberries, broccoli or carrots, for example.
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How Long Are Normal Perimenopause Periods
Ordinarily, your menstrual cycle occurs every 21 to 35 days and lasts from 2 to 7 days. However, perimenopause periods can last much longer. Some months, the ovaries might not produce sufficient levels of estrogen and progesterone, preventing menstruation altogether. Other months, the imbalance might cause the uterine lining to become overly thick, which means it will take longer to be shed by your body to shed.
Excessive bleeding and long periods are fairly common during perimenopause. Many women experience an increased flow and extended perimenopause periods before entering menopause.
If youve had periods that are several days longer or more frequent or heavier than usual, its a good idea to see your doctor.
Period Blood Consistency And Texture Meaning
The texture and consistency of your period blood can be a sign of the health of your uterus lining. Period blood is also made up of endometrial tissue, so the texture varies as a result of this. Whether its thick or clumpy, or smooth and light different flow viscosity is normal throughout your period and no cause for alarm.
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When Should I Be Concerned About Blood Clots During My Period
Period clots the size of a quarter or larger actually indicate that youre officially in heavy bleeding territory, also known as menorrhagia. According to the CDC, other menorrhagia symptoms include:
The reason why all of this matters : Having heavy, drawn-out bleeding can lead to anemia, a blood issue that can leave you feeling tired or weak, the CDC says. It can also be a sign of an underlying health condition that requires treatment .
Bright Red To Dark Red Or Dark Brown
Healthy Period
A healthy blood color ranges from bright red to dark red or brown, depending on how new the blood shed from the uterus is. Some people might describe their old period blood as black, but this can be a sign for something else .
Egg Implantation Spotting
Less likely, brown period blood could also be spotting from egg implantation light bleeding that can occur in the very early stages of pregnancy.
Ovarian Cysts and Lochia
Lochia is natural bleeding that occurs after having a baby. It is mild-to-heavy and lasts around 6-8 weeks after birth, but youll know if youve given birth recently. This colour of period blood may also be a sign of ovarian cysts. Cysts on your ovaries can often go unnoticed, but if youre worried or experiencing other symptoms, like pain during and after sex, or bloating of your abdomen, you should book in to see your doctor.
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Cancer Of The Endometrium
Cancer that affects the endometrium of the uterus can cause bleeding in women especially after 40 years. However, younger women may have prolonged heavy period, abdominal pain and vaginal pain during intercourse.
If your doctor suspects cancer as the cause of your long heavy periods, removal of the uterus or hysterectomy will be performed. Removal of the uterus with radio or chemotherapy can achieve cure if done early.
When To See A Doctor
If your period lasts longer than a week, consider calling a doctor for advice. Depending on your symptoms, they may suggest setting up an in-person appointment for a physical exam.
On the other hand, if you think youre showing symptoms of a rare cause or if youre pregnant, see a doctor immediately.
If you experience severe heavy bleeding and youre soaking through four or more pads and tampons in a 2-hour period, go to an emergency room right away.
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What Tests Will Be Done To Diagnose Anovulation
Tests for diagnosing anovulation depend on what your healthcare provider suspects are causing your anovulation. Tests that can help diagnose anovulation, include:
- Blood progesterone levels.
- Blood prolactin levels.
- An ultrasound exam of your pelvic organs.
Many of the hormone imbalances that cause anovulation have other symptoms, so your provider may have you undergo other tests if youre experiencing symptoms of a certain hormone imbalance condition.
When Should I See My Healthcare Provider
If youre experiencing irregular, heavy or excessively painful periods that are disrupting your life, be sure to see your healthcare provider for treatment.
If youre having issues conceiving, reach out to your provider. You may be experiencing anovulation.
If youve been treated for anovulation and are still having issues conceiving, contact your healthcare provider or fertility specialist.
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What Can Cause Bleeding Between Periods
There are several things that could cause bleeding between periods, such as changes to your hormones levels, use of hormonal contraception or contraceptive devices, an infection, or an injury.
Other causes of bleeding between periods may include:
Blood Clots Are Shed During The Heaviest Days Of Menstruation
Menstrual period blood clots are normally shed during the heavy days of menstruation.
This happens because the blood clots require some pressure to be moved out of the body. The need for more blood will be essential to generate more pressure.
Multiple clots in the flow makes menstrual blood seem thicker and denser than usual.
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Diagnosis Of Painful Periods And Heavy Bleeding
UT Southwesterns experienced gynecologists conduct a thorough evaluation, which includes a:
- Physical exam
- Review of personal medical history, including details of the patients menstrual cycle
- Discussion of symptoms
Patients should bring information about the dates and lengths of their last several periods. For sexually active patients, a pelvic exam will be performed to check for infections and to examine the cervix.
To diagnose heavy bleeding and painful periods, our doctors usually recommend one or more tests, such as:
- Blood tests to look for signs of iron deficiency, thyroid disorders, or blood-clotting abnormalities
- Ultrasound: Diagnostic tools that use sound waves to produce images of the pelvic organs. Used to look for any abnormalities
- Pap smear: Sample of cells from the cervix that are examined under a microscope for infection or changes that can lead to cancer or already are cancerous
- Endometrial biopsy: A test that samples a small amount of endometrial tissue for examination under a microscope
- Magnetic resonance imaging scans: Equipment that uses a large magnet and radio waves to produce detailed images of pelvic organs
Based on the results of these tests, we might recommend further testing, such as:
How Is A Miscarriage Diagnosed And Treated
Your healthcare provider will perform a pelvic exam and an ultrasound test to confirm the miscarriage. If the miscarriage is complete and the uterus is clear, then no further treatment is usually required. Occasionally, the uterus is not completely emptied, so a dilation and curettage or dilation and extraction procedure is performed. During these procedures, the cervix is dilated and any remaining fetal or placental tissue is gently scraped or suctioned out of the uterus. You will usually resume your menstrual period in about 4 to 6 weeks.
If a miscarriage was not confirmed, but you had symptoms of a miscarriage, bed rest is often prescribed for several days, and you might be admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. When the bleeding stops, usually you will be able to continue with your normal activities. If the cervix is dilated, you might be diagnosed with an incompetent cervix, and a procedure to close the cervix might be performed.
Blood tests, genetic tests, or medicine might be necessary if a woman has more than two miscarriages in a row . Some diagnostic procedures used to evaluate the cause of repeated miscarriage include:
- Endometrial biopsy.
- Hysterosalpinogram .
- Hysteroscopy .
- Laparoscopy .
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What Causes Postmenopausal Bleeding
Vaginal bleeding during postmenopause isn’t a normal side effect of decreasing hormone levels. In some cases, the dryness in your vagina could cause some light bleeding or spotting after sex. In other cases, it could indicate a condition like endometrial hyperplasia or uterine fibroids, infections like endometritis, or cancer. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any vaginal bleeding so you can be evaluated.
Symptoms Of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding
Symptoms include:
- bleeding for more than eight days
- heavy blood loss during the menstrual period for example, soaking through one or more sanitary pads or tampons every hour for several hours in a row
- needing to change your pad or tampon during the night
- have to change or restrict your daily activities due to your heavy bleeding
- bleeding or spotting between periods
- cramping and pain in the lower abdomen
- fatigue
- any vaginal bleeding after menopause.
If you think you may be experiencing heavy menstrual bleeding, you may find it useful to keep a pictorial blood loss assessment chart this can help you give your doctor an idea of how heavy your period is.
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What Is Prolonged Period
Women period is due to endometrial shredding that occurs during your menstrual cycle. It occurs due to the interplay of many hormones like estrogen and progesterone.
If your period lasts between two and seven days, then its normal. Women can have periods that last for three days or longer periods that last up to six to seven days. This is normal.
However, any menstrual blood flow more than seven days is considered abnormal.
Period blood flow more than seven days is prolonged and requires urgent treatment. Long periods, in women of reproductive age, can prevent pregnancy or cause infertility.
Blood Disorders Related To Heavy Periods
The three most common blood disorders we see in young women with heavy periods are:
- Von Willebrand disease : A genetic disorder caused by a defective or missing clotting protein called the von Willebrand factor if left untreated, people can bleed heavily with monthly cycles, surgeries, and dental procedures, as well as develop anemia
- Platelet disorders: When platelets, a type of cells in the blood, do not function properly, increasing the likelihood of bleeding.
- Hemophilia carriers or problems with other clotting factors: When women have an abnormal X chromosome that carries a hemophilia gene, which can cause her to bleed longer than usual after an injury, bruise easily, experience heavy periods, and even experience microbleeding inside their joints.
To properly identify the cause of heavy bleeding, we have in-depth conversations with patients about family history, because many of the bleeding disorders have a genetic component to them. If we feel that a patient might have a bleeding disorder, we do further testing to make an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.
Over time, excessive blood loss can lead to iron-deficiency anemia, a condition in which blood lacks healthy red blood cells that carry oxygen to tissues throughout the body.
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Can I Get Pregnant After Ive Had A Miscarriage
Yes. Most people who have miscarriages have subsequent normal pregnancies and births. Having a miscarriage does not necessarily mean you have a fertility problem. About 1% of people might have repeated miscarriages . Remember that usually a miscarriage cannot be prevented and often occurs because the pregnancy is not normal. Some researchers believe this is related to an autoimmune response.
Although there is no recommended waiting period to attempt pregnancy, it may be appropriate to discuss the timing of your next pregnancy with your healthcare provider. To prevent another miscarriage, your healthcare provider might recommend treatment with progesterone, a hormone needed for implantation in the uterus. If you have an illness, treating the condition can improve the chances for a successful pregnancy.
Taking time to heal both physically and emotionally after a miscarriage is important. Above all, dont blame yourself for the miscarriage. Counseling is available to help you cope with your loss. A pregnancy loss support group might also be a valuable resource to you and your partner. Ask your healthcare provider for more information about counseling and support groups.
If youve had three miscarriages in a row, you should stop trying to conceive, use a form of birth control, and ask your healthcare provider about performing diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the miscarriages.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
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