Heavy menstrual cycle (TMI WARNING)

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. ?

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....

Has anyone had laser ablation? I only know 1 who did and it didn't go well and meant bleeding for months so I'm a bit wary

I'm 46 Mine

I've definitely always had heavy periods but this is absolutely insane...

This is why my thyroid issues and graves disease wasn't diagnosed for too long because my periods stopped and I thought it was menopause... that and how difficult it was to see a doctor 2 years ago

Now they are back and worse than ever

I had the same problem in my early 50’s, my white jeans didn’t see the light of day for 3 years.
It seems I had developed endometriosis, the blood test showed anaemia so further tests were done.
All stopped now and wearing white jeans again.

Tena or other incontinence pads? Ask Dr re laser ablation surgery?

I absolutely sympathise with you VioletSky. I had a couple of years of ‘flooding’. No amount of protection could stem the flow at times. I just had to wait for the menopause, and I was 10 years on HRT. Just wanted to offer my best wishes

Yes the clots re horrible. Some really big. ?

Hi VIOLETSKY... would you mind me asking what age you are..

When I was really quite ill and a previous doctor was completely useless (I changed many years ago and can't praise my current go highly enough) I happened to drop into the conversation that I worked for a firm of solicitors (I didn't). I was referred for an urgent MRI the same day.

Hithere

I'm going to try and hammer it home. I'm thinking about taking photo evidence now.

It's ridiculous.

They told me after giving birth I should tell them about blood clots bigger than 50p and I have had several of those just in 1 day of menstrual cycle

Elegran

Your idea is brilliant!

Elegran

To ram home the message graphically, how about getting an appointment, then saving up the evidence from the time you wake up to just before you set off to keep the appointment. The doctors can't ignore a poly bag full of bloody tampons, towels and 3 pairs of trousers.

My second child ws supposed to be a home birth, but I seemed to be hemorhaging, so I was sent off to hospital. She had changed the sanitary towel just before I left., but didn't send the used ones with me, so they thought it was only a light bleed. (Daughter was born naturally 20 minutes after I was admitted)

This awful, that could have been so dangerous for you!

Ladyleftfield I hope 48 for me too, that wouldnt be very long at all. I do have awful hot flushes but I just came off medication for my thyroid and I'm not allowed to test my levels till my body has had time to try and level itself so I can't tell if its my thyroid again at the moment

To ram home the message graphically, how about getting an appointment, then saving up the evidence from the time you wake up to just before you set off to keep the appointment. The doctors can't ignore a poly bag full of bloody tampons, towels and 3 pairs of trousers.

My second child ws supposed to be a home birth, but I seemed to be hemorhaging, so I was sent off to hospital. She had changed the sanitary towel just before I left., but didn't send the used ones with me, so they thought it was only a light bleed. (Daughter was born naturally 20 minutes after I was admitted)

So terrible VS

I was going to suggest pill without the sugar pill week but that's a no go for you based on your original post

I would go to obgyn that takes women seriously as while your periods, as annoying as they are, are normal for women, are very disruptive

For a whole year I bled like like a rapidly flowing river every two months. Sometimes I had to go home early from work. I saw my GP who prescribed the Pill - I told her I couldn’t take it because of migraines. She should have known. I got the worse migraine ever! So she put me on a non-hormonal tablet. She had to order them from a Pharmacy in Oxford. They did the trick but took longer to work than the Pill. My menopause ended after a year of this (apart from hot flushes, but that’s another story) and all was well. I was 48, so quite young.

Also you making me absolutely laugh my diaphragm into spasm on a different thread means I've just decided to fully camp out in the bathroom

tell her to take notes? that always seems to work

Janejudge I had a procedure to remove pre cancerous cells a few years ago and my consultant wanted me to have yearly smear tests because HPV came back negative.

They absolutely refuse to test my smears because I am still negative for HPV.

Its a running argument there too...

I might take my friend, she is quite good at not taking no for an answer

tell them you are a carer for your autistic child and are having to take time off work
changing tampons/towels and clothing every hour is menorrhagia. They will do a full sti check etc/cervical smear and blood test and then should send you for a vaginal scan (which is fine btw - don't worry about it) and if anything comes up they should send you to a gynae for further investigation. Don't take no for an answer

VioletSky You have my sympathies. I started having terribly heavy periods, as you describe, at the age of 54 - up until then, I'd had normal periods, every month. I had to wear 4 pads at a time, and every time I stood up, it was like a river. Awful. I had about 5 years of it - Iron tablets all the time, endless womb biopsies, scans, etc. Tranexamic Acid, then 2 different types of hormone tablets. I was so pleased when everything stopped for good, at the age of 59 1/2!

Thank you, texas chainsaw massacre is so apt. I shouldn't be wishing the years away for this

VS I'm not sure re the scan. They just did one of those ultrasounds where they put the jelly in your tum
on me. By the time they found fibroids, my periods were coming to an end. I hope you can get some help. It's no fun that's for sure.

Would an internal ultrasound flag up fibroids Kate? Because they have done 2 of those..

I will ask though

Working in a school I can't just run off if I am alone with 30 children so it's a nightmare. I have had to run into the classroom toilet before though and thank goodness that is there