Why Do I Bleed So Heavy On My Period

Key Points About Heavy Period Bleeding

PERIOD 101| Everything You SHOULD Know
  • Heavy periods are when you have more bleeding, or longer bleeding, over several menstrual cycles in a row, and the amount of bleeding interferes with your ability to carry out your usual activities.
  • The amount of blood lost varies a lot between women, but if yours meet the description of heavy periods, see your doctor.
  • Usually there is no underlying cause, but sometimes it may be a sign of a health condition.
  • The choice of treatment will depend on the cause of your bleeding. If a reason for the heavy bleeding is found, such as a fibroid, this will be treated.
  • Heavy periods can also lead to low blood iron, so your doctor may suggest a blood test for anaemia.
  • Living with heavy period bleeding can be challenging, so getting good support and taking care of your emotional wellbeing is important.
  • Estimating The Volume Of Your Period

    It is difficult to figure out how much menstrual fluid leaves your body every cycle. If you use a menstrual cup, these often have volume measurements indicated on the side of the menstrual cup to help you estimate how much fluid you have lost.

    In general, the amount of fluid lost can be estimated when using pads or tampons, depending on the size and soaking amount of the menstrual product. A fully saturated light tampon can hold up to 3 mL of fluid, while a fully saturated super tampon may hold up to 12 mL . A regular daytime fully soaked pad may hold around 5 ml of fluid, and fully soaked overnight pad may hold 10-15 mL .

    If you are repeatedly soaking through a tampon or pad every two hours, this is considered heavy menstrual bleeding and should be brought to your healthcare providerâs attention.

    How Do I Know Whats Causing My Heavy Periods

    Your doctor will perform an evaluation and likely ask you a variety of questions about your menstrual cycle and how it affects your quality of life. Consider keeping a period log for multiple cycles that notes how many days of bleeding you experienced, how heavy your flow was, and how many sanitary products you needed to control it, and then share this log with your doctor.

    From there, to determine the cause of your heavy menstrual bleeding, your doctor may order one or more of these tests:

    • Blood test to screen for anemia, thyroid disorders, and blood-clotting issues
    • Endometrial biopsy to assess the uterine tissue for abnormalities or growths
    • Pap test to evaluate cells from the cervix for infection, inflammation, or cancer
    • Ultrasound to evaluate the structure of the uterus, ovaries, and pelvis

    Depending on what these initial tests find, your doctor may order additional tests or procedures:

    • Sonohysterography to look for problems in the uterine lining
    • Hysteroscopy to take a closer look inside the uterus
    • Dilation and curettage to find whats causing the excessive bleeding

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    How Is Menorrhagia Managed

    To manage menorrhagia, some women stay home on days when they are bleeding heavily. Others leave the house if they know a bathroom will be nearby. Also, it is a good practice to keep pads and/or tampons in your purse or at work. Wearing dark pants or skirts can help if you are worried about stains on light-colored clothing. Additionally, you can use a waterproof sheet on your mattress to prevent stains.

    When To See Your Doctor

    Is my Period Heavy?

    If bleeding is so heavy that you must replace a pad or tampon every hour, talk with your doctor.

    Likewise, if your period prevents you from doing normal activities because of pain, cramping, and heavy bleeding, its time to see your doctor.

    During a visit, your doctor may:

    • conduct a physical exam
    • request your health history
    • request that your symptoms be recorded

    They may also order a biopsy or imaging tests to look more closely at your uterus.

    Its difficult to know if your period is considered normal or heavy without your doctors help. Theyll be your guide in the process of figuring out if an underlying issue is the reason for your heavy periods.

    Typical treatments for heavy periods focus on regulating blood flow. Some treatments can also eliminate symptoms such as pain and cramping.

    If an underlying condition is causing your heavy bleeding, treating it may eliminate your unusually heavy periods.

    Typical treatments for heavy periods include:

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    Anticoagulants, often referred to as blood thinners, are often taken to help people reduce and break up potentially dangerous blood clots. While anticoagulants like aspirin allow blood to flow through your body more easily, thus decreasing the risk of a heart attack or stroke, they also allow blood to flow more freely down there, according to research from the Royal Free Hospital in London. Your M.D. could help you figure out what meds might be best to prevent this from happening.

    Watch 5 women share their first period stories:

    Is It Normal To Bleed On Your Underwear While On Your Period

    When this happens, you may see just a spot or two of blood on your underwear or toilet tissue, or you may be bleeding as if you have started your period. While there are benign reasons for this symptom, it can also point to more serious problems that will need treatment. Normal menstrual bleeding lasts about five to seven days .

    Sudden and Unexplained Periods Causes and Warning Signs. On average, women have a period every 28 days this is known as the menstrual cycle. Sometimes it is shorter cycle, as short as 22 days, while at other times it is longer, up to 32 days. Even in this case it is considered to norm as long as the cycle is stable,

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    What Do You Do If You Bleed Alot On Your Period

    Were often able to manage heavy periods with treatments ranging from diet changes to prescription medication.

  • Diet changes Sometimes, food is the best medicine.
  • Try over the counter medicines Common medicines like ibuprofen or aspirin can reduce pain caused by menorrhagia and lighten your period.
  • Forgetting To Take The Pill

    Why Do I Bleed a Little When I Ovulate?

    If you accidentally forget to take the combined pill there is a sudden drop in the oestrogen level which stimulates the womb lining to shed, causing a withdrawal bleed. This may not happen to all women. When the pill is missed on on one day, you are still protected from pregnancy, and you can just take the missed pill as soon as possible, even if this means taking two pills on the same day.5 Then continue to take the rest of the pack as normal.

    However, if the pill is missed on two or more days then you may not be protected against pregnancy. Similar to missing one pill, just take the last pill that is missed or follow the guidelines on the pack, and continue with the rest of the pack as normal. You will need to use extra protection such as condoms for the following seven days to ensure that you are protected against pregnancy.6

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    Breakthrough Bleeding When The Combined Pill Is Taken Back

    Some women try to avoid getting a period on the combined pill by omitting the seven day pill break, and taking the combined pill continuously for two months. In this situation, there is continuous oestrogen exposure, which stimulates the endometrium and keeps the lining thick. When it becomes so thick, it also becomes fragile and is more likely to bleed. Many women find they are more likely to experience spotting when this happens. Taking contraceptive pills back-to-back wont affect how they work as a contraceptive, and recent guidelines note that some pills licensed to be taken for 21 days followed by a seven day break are safe for continuous use.4 Be sure to consult with your doctor before making any changes to your regime.

    How Long Do You Bleed After Mirena Is Inserted

    The manufacturer says that in the first 3 to 6 months your period may be irregular, or your period may be heavier at first and the number of bleeding days may increase, or you may have frequent spotting or light bleeding. A few women may find that their periods are heavier than normal. Some women have heavy bleeding during this time.

    Also Check: Why Am I Not Getting My Period

    Accidentally Taking Two Pills In One Day

    Taking two pills means that there will be excess oestrogen, which stimulates the womb to have a thicker lining. Because of this, on the following day when the pill is taken there is a relative drop in oestrogen levels, and bleeding may occur due to shedding of the womb lining. However, this does not necessarily happen in all women.

    Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

    Having Heavy Menstrual Flow? These can be Probable Causes ...

    This condition is associated with irregular and infrequent periods. PCOS causes growths to develop around a womans cervix or uterus the growths are either the result of high estrogen levels or are caused by infections. Because periods are irregular with PCOS, the uterine lining has a longer time to thicken, adding to the volume of a womans menstrual blood and making her flow abnormally heavy.

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    How Long Does Implantation Bleeding Last On Your Period

    Your normal period may last from three days to a week, but implantation bleeding usually occurs for less than two days. Some women may only see the spotting or light discharge on one day or for a few hours. 3. Color Implantation bleeding is normally a pinkish or brown colored discharge rather than the sharp, red color of a normal menstrual period.

    What Is Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

    Heavy menstrual bleeding, also known as menorrhagia, is a menstrual condition characterized by heavy or prolonged menstrual periods. Heavy bleeding is a common concern for adolescents still learning what a normal menstrual cycle is for them. However, most adolescents do not experience blood loss severe enough to be considered heavy menstrual bleeding. It is not uncommon for an adolescent to experience heavy menstrual bleeding if they have irregular periods.

    Heavy menstrual bleeding can interfere with an adolescents normal activities and cause anemia. If your teen has abnormally heavy periods that are causing pain or substantially affecting daily activities, your teen should be examined by a specialist in adolescent medicine or gynecology.

    Heavy menstrual bleeding may be a temporary or lifelong condition. Fortunately, there are many effective treatments for the condition.

    Read Also: What Happens If You Miss Your Period

    How Is Menorrhagia Treated

    Treatment for menorrhagia depends on how serious the bleeding is, the cause of the bleeding, your health, age, and medical history. Also, treatment depends on your response to certain medicines and your wants and needs. You may not want to have a period at all, or just want to reduce the amount of bleeding. In addition, your decision to get pregnant or not will affect what treatment you choose. If you do not have anemia, you can choose to not have treatment.

    Common treatments include:

    • Hormone therapy to reduce bleeding
    • Desmopressin nasal spray to stop bleeding for certain bleeding disorders
    • Antifibrinolytic medicines to reduce bleeding
    • Dilation and curettage to reduce bleeding by removing the top layer of uterus lining
    • Operative hysteroscopy to remove fibroids and polyps and remove lining of uterus
    • Endometrial ablation or resection to remove all or part of the lining of the uterus
    • Hysterectomy to surgically remove the uterus and you will stop having your period

    No Matter Which Period Problems Are Affecting You You Dont Have To Suffer In Silence

    How Do I Know If My Periods Are Too Heavy? | Tampax and Girlology

    You have no reason to feel embarrassed about your periodor the many period problems that can come with it. Talk of menstrual cycle problems is becoming so much more common because, hey, sometimes theyre just the lot were dealt as people with vaginas. Celebrities are out here talking about menstruation) problems, too! Some pad commercials evengaspuse red blood, these days! What a time to be alive.

    If youre having period problems, see your doctor for help. If they arent committed to relieving your symptoms, thats a sign you should try to find a more sympathetic medical professional who can help you find the best treatment.

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    Perimenopause Bleeding: Symptoms And Treatment

    Menopause occurs once youve not had a period for at least one full year. The stage prior to menopause is called perimenopause, a term meaning around menopause. So what is it that triggers perimenopausal bleeding? Major hormonal changes are largely to blame for symptoms, such as night sweats, hot flashes, sleep disturbances, and perimenopausal bleeding. This particular phase could last anywhere from a few months to 10 years.

    Can I Figure Out How Much Im Bleeding

    The easiest way, knowing that one soaked, normal-sized sanitary product holds about a teaspoon of blood loss. Keeping the Menstrual Cycle Diary or Daily Perimenopause Diary is a convenient way to assess the amount and timing of flow using either a count of soaked regular sized sanitary products or a measuring menstrual cup. . To accurately record the number of soaked sanitary products each day you need to recall the number you changed that were half full and multiply that to give the number of fully soaked ones. A maxi or super tampon or pad holds about two teaspoons or 10ml of bloodtherefore record each larger soaked sanitary product as a 2. In addition, record your best judgment about the amount of flow where a 1 is spotting, 2 means normal flow, 3 is slightly heavy and 4 is very heavy with flooding and/or clots. If the number of soaked sanitary products totals 16 or more or if you are recording 4s you have very heavy flow. To measure your flow using a menstrual cup with measurements, just add up the approximate amounts from each time you emptied it and record on the “# of pads/tampons” line.

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    How Much Is Heavy Bleeding

    It’s difficult to define exactly what a heavy period is because it varies from woman to woman. Heavy for 1 woman may be normal for another.

    Most women will lose less than 16 teaspoons of blood during their period, with the average being around 6 to 8 teaspoons.

    Heavy menstrual bleeding is defined as losing 80ml or more in each period, having periods that last longer than 7 days, or both.

    But it’s not usually necessary to measure blood loss. Most women have a good idea of how much bleeding is normal for them during their period and can tell when this changes.

    A good indication that your periods are heavy is if you:

    • are having to change your sanitary products every hour or 2
    • are passing blood clots larger than 2.5cm
    • are bleeding through to your clothes or bedding
    • need to use 2 types of sanitary product together

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