Heavy menstrual cycle (TMI WARNING)

Aww VIOLETSKY....I thought maybe it was because your period was about to stop but you have a few years to go....My friend suffered the exact same issues as yourself...After yet another visit to gynaecologist he offered her a hysterectomy...She said yes and said it was life changing....She was 48....

I can sympathise. At the same age as you, I was having incredibly heavy bleeds which lasted for weeks. When I went to the doctor after a period which lasted twelve weeks, he suggested it was connected to my underactive thyroid. I see you have thyroid problems too. It was absolutely debilitating. Like you, I worked in a school and had to often leave a class to deal with the flooding. Fortunately there was a small toilet opposite and usually someone handy to help out. I was given a mirena coil which stopped all bleeding and my periods never returned. Do you have a menopausal nurse at your practice? Or a doctor who is more expert in these issues? You shouldn't be suffering like this. ?

I had similar excessively heavy frequent periods from the time I started periods at 14 (my mother also did) and spent a large part of my early life being very anaemic or on iron tablets.
After 3 children and in my early 40’s (a long time ago as I’m 71 now) my gp suggested a hysterectomy which I had. Woke up smiling afterwards and didn’t look back. Ovaries were left in so I had a normal menopause.
A bit drastic and not sure if they would do it nowadays but it worked for me.
And chain saw massacre does describe it well!

Thyroid issues are awful Grandmabatty, I'm overactive thyroid but they brought me lower than normal range with medication and just a little lower was horrible!

It goes to show how delicate our hormonal system are really

I've had an ablation. It helped for a while but I still had bleeding which apparently can be common if you have previous c section scarring. My periods were manageable though until I had bloody covid recently and now they are awful for two days at least and manageable for the rest. I sympathise

Exactly the same problems here but 30 years ago. I had a hysterectomy and never looked back. It was not until it was all over that I realised how my life had been restricted by very heavy periods. I hope you can get some help Violetsky

I hope so

But all your comments have really helped me not feel less alone with an embarrassing issue

Erm let's try

Not feel alone

Or

Feel less alone

Instead of the nonsense I typed when my brain couldn't choose

VioletSky , this is shocking and after reading these posts I can see you are not alone with this . I am not in a position to advise - hit the menopause at 46 ! My periods were always normal. I am considerably older than you but in your situation I would be demanding to see a gynecologist ASAP. This is obviously spoiling the quality of life for you and a hysterectomy may well be the solution . It must be dreadful for you!! Push and push for a referral and yes take the bl...y evidence with you when you next visit your doctor!
I wish you well - you should not be suffering like this.

Thank you, I will, I'm feeling quite empowered!

Sounds to me as if you desperately need a hysterectomy. I had the same thing at your age, flooding and uncontrollable bleeding for far too long. Unfortunately my mother who had a hospital phobia and a breakdown induced by her hysterectomy, urged me not to have the operation. I ended up having an emergency blood transfusion after collapsing.
I now look at the sanitary women’s section with horror.
Have you got fibroids?

I know I should be horrified at the thought of an operation but right now, I'd certainly up for it.

I'm going to ask for a full check up again.

I think the problem is that they do the tests, say everything look fine and I just go, OK thank you... then go away

I think I need to fight for it.

I have really been let down by my doctors. I was desperately trying to get help when my thyroid went. I could barely function. In the end I asked for them to please treat the pain in my hips... I had bursitis in the past and asked specifically for cortizone injections... that is when the doctor finally put it all together and tested my thyroid. I could have died, it was such a bad situation.

I don't know why I'm not assertive enough to have them acknowledge my symptoms still exist even if a test is clear

My friend's mother had very heavy periods that went on for weeks and had a hysterectomy. She was so anaemic that she needed blood transfusion before op. Afterwards she had a new lease of life and lived to 96!

Sometimes hysterectomy is best solution.

Been there with no help from gp. Luckily I saw a young male doctor on gp training who was brilliant. “I see we have done nothing positive to help you” is what he said. Eventually I had a total hysterectomy with ovary removal. Felt amazing as soon as I woke up! Can you afford a private consult? I reluctantly did this and was put on nhs list as urgent. (I had been suffering for years) I also have under active thyroid as others above mentioned. Good luck. (By the way I put in a formal complaint about gp)

I think photos are a good way to go (and you are less likely to be investigated by the police than if you are lugging about bags of blood).

I would photo everything for, say, 24 hrs and have that ready for the next appointment.

My periods were very heavy and very long but could be stopped (mostly) with tranexamic acid which was such a relief. I bled the "chainsaw massacre" type bleed for 12 weeks once which was long enough for me so you have my sympathy.
Thinking of you. Good luck.

Violetsky, what do you want to happen? I think if you can walk into the GP and say, "This is what I want and I want you to put me on the pathway to it immediately," the GP has to explain why he is refusing to do that. In matters like this, I also take my husband along because very often I find that I get further. He tends to keep quiet until it is looking like a refusal and then he will say something about making very good notes because he intends to challenge the decision. It is amazing how quickly things get done. It fills me with rage that I need to have a man to fight my medical battles but sadly, it seems to me that it is sometimes the only way through.
Some years ago, I had a radical hysterectomy which we had to push for. I made the case on the quality of my life, my ability to care for the people around me and the burden on the NHS from the fallout if it didn't happen. It might be worth a try on those grounds.

I am the least assertive person in the world. (Think frightened, cowering mouse). Doctors know best etc. When my husband was struggling with something a few years ago and being fobbed off by GP, I went with him to an appointment and I heard this voice say 'Doctor this won't do. It's seriously affecting his life.You need to do something'. That voice came from me!! They sorted him out.

Good morning VioletSky, hope you are feeling more assertive today. Please make that appointment with your GP and insist on what you want - I agree take photograph evidence with you and very importanty take a confident person with you into the consulting room , someone who can help you fight your corner. Be determined not to leave before you feel your situation has been acknowledged and acted upon. Please keep us posted on progress, you can not continue with this !!! Good luck .

Thank you all so much

I just want to feel human again

Well done Kate1949 - how marvellous that you found that voice for the person you loved.
Now you need to find it for yourself when it's needed.

Elegran's advice is good. Take the evidence to show the doctor. I'd suggest fresh menstrual blood, on pads and clothing, say that night's output, or that day's output, depending on when the appointment is.
If you don't show the evidence to the doctor she or he will have no way of knowing how bad it is.

I too was one of the afflicted and bled more days than I didn't. Back in the late 1970s my GP actually told me that things would get better once I was married! Four pregnancies didn't make any difference either!

Eventually I got a GP who supported my having a complete hysterectomy in my 40's and I went straight onto a minimum dose of oestrogen only HRT and am still on it.

I'd inherited heavy periods and my girls both suffer. But now hysterectomy's are out of fashion and neither can persuade their doctors to refer them. Even though DD1 has had cervical cancer she still can't get one. Luckily for her the menopause is starting.

I don't know what the answer is even though there's been a lot in the media recently about women's menstrual sufferings. I agree with Elegran's advice. Proof is the only way. Good Luck!

I had an MRI done for another reason and it showed I had a large fibroid that I wasn’t aware of. I had already completed my menopause at this point, periods stopped completely at 53 but I had 3 years of how you describe keeping spare clothes in work as I would flood right through a tampon and towel. I kept going back to the GP and was more or less told Id just have to put up with it ! I would say it’s very likely you have a large fibroid, could you ask for a gynae referral?

NotSpaghetti. Yes I need to take my own advice!

I have got a real mental block on doctors and maybe its my fault I haven't been treated properly because I don't push enough.

It was always drilled into me as a lid that you don't waste doctors time. Ended up in a bad way a couple of rides from my mum withholding doctor treatment for chest and ear infections and things like that