A Heavy Period......Do You Have These Signs?

Do you have heavy menstrual bleeding? Here is how you know.

The typical, "normal" period lasts about 5-7 days. Heavy periods can have the following symptoms:

• Periods that cause you embarrassment

• Severe cramping or pain

• Bleeding that soaks through a pad or tampon every hour

• Bleeding longer than 7 days

• Menstrual bleeding that includes large blood clots

• Periods that interfere with your lifestyle

What Causes Heavy Bleeding?

There are many things that cause excessive menstruation.

Extremely common, in fact 40% of women have them. If they grow to a large size, fibroids can cause heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, and pressure sensations. Uterine fibroids further discussed here.

Characterized by excessive bleeding, painful periods, painful bowel movements, and painful intercourse. Endometriosis discussed in depth here.

Small growths inside the uterus. Almost always benign.

More common in perimenopausal women. Also seen in PCOS (polycystic ovaries)

Being overweight can significantly increase your risk for heavy bleeding.

Your doctor must always make sure to rule out cancer. Postmenopausal bleeding may be a sign of endometrial cancer.

How Do You Treat Heavy Bleeding?

More treatments are available today than ever. The treatments listed below go from easiest to most aggressive:

This can be in the form of birth control pills or an oral progesterone.

Occasionally can be used to help control very heavy bleeding. Most commonly used a contraception.

I feel this is a fantastic way to control heavy bleeding with very little risk. Refer here. You must be done with childbearing though. And there are other considerations as well.

This is a outpatient surgery which scraps out the lining of the uterus(the endometrium) that causes the heavy bleeding.

Removing the uterus is the most aggressive option. There are multiple ways to perform a hysterectomy including laparoscopically, vaginally, and abdominally.

I will be discussing all types of hysterectomies here.

Please talk to your doctor if you feel you need help with your heavy menstrual bleeding.

As always, if I can be of service to you, feel free to call my office for an appointment.