Heavy and painful periods
Q. How long will my period should last for?
A. Between 3 and 7 days. The first day can be just a small amount of blood so that you would only need to use a regular pad or low absorbency tampon. For the next few days, the loss will be heavier so you might find that you need to use a super pad or a regular or super tampon. If you use a tampon be sure to change it every 4 hours, and change to a sanitary pad at night. For the last few days, the loss will become much less until it stops.
Q. How often will I have my period?
A. About once a month. A cycle can be as little as 21 days or as long as 35 days between bleeding and it can change month to month. Keeping a menstrual calendar will help build up a picture of your personal cycle, and after a while, you will be able to predict when you will bleed again.
Q. When Should I Contact my Doctor?
A. Although the characteristics of irregular periods may vary from woman to woman, certain warning signs may indicate a more serious condition. If experiencing any of the following, it may be a good idea to speak with a doctor who may refer you to a specialist:
Q. Is it more difficult to get pregnant if I have heavy periods?
A. No, heavy periods alone won’t usually make it more difficult for you to get pregnant. However, some causes of heavy bleeding may affect your fertility. Some conditions that cause heavy periods can make it more difficult. For example, fibroids can affect your fertility and make it more difficult for you to get pregnant.
Q. Are there any side-effects from the medicines for heavy periods?
A. Yes, some medicines for heavy periods can cause some side-effects. If you have side-effects, it's important to talk to your GP, or the healthcare professional who prescribed your medicine before you stop taking it.
If you’re taking tranexamic acid, you may feel sick or have diarrhoea. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause indigestion and heartburn. NSAIDs can also make asthma worse in people who already have the condition. If you’re taking the combined oral contraceptive pill, you may have mood or weight changes.
Q. Are there any side effect from Mirena coil?
A. If you have an intrauterine system (Mirena) fitted, you may notice that the pattern and length of your periods changes. Initially your periods may be irregular or prolonged. This usually settles in to light bleeding or no bleeding a few months (Usually 3-6 months) after the Mirena is put in. You may also have other side effects which is usually rare such as tender breasts, acne and rarely depression.
Q. When is surgery for heavy periods recommended?
A. This will depend on your own individual circumstances. Your treatment will vary depending on whether a cause can be found for your heavy periods, and if so, what this is. Your GP will usually first recommend medicins and non-surgical treatments to ease your symptoms, reduce the heavy bleeding and prevent anaemia from developing.
Surgery is usually recommended if other treatments for menorrhagia haven’t worked. The type of surgery you have will depend on your symptoms, what condition you have and whether you wish to keep your uterus and fertility.
Q. What are the surgical options for heavy periods?
A.
1. Endometrial ablation is a procedure that cauterise (ablates) the lining of the uterus in women with heavy periods It is rigorously evaluated for years. It is now well proven and reliable, however, it needs to be performed by a specialist. The actual active treatment time is usually last for 3 minutes and total operative time is short approximately 20-30 mins. It can be undertaken under general on local anaesthesia. The success rate in reduction of menstrual loss is close to 90%. Approximately 40% of women with successful results their periods will stop. The procedure's complication rate is low. Unfortunately it is not suitable for every woman, therefore each individual needs to be assessed by specialist prior to the surgery.
2. Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), the traditional surgical treatment for heavy periods is only suitable for women who have no further wish to conceive. The operation itself is not without risk. However, laparoscopic (keyhole) hysterectomy is undertaking by laparoscopic specialist has many advantages; rapid, safe, shorter hospital stay, fewer complication, less post operative pain, with faster recovery comparing to open tummy hysterectomy.
Q. How long will my period should last for?
A. Between 3 and 7 days. The first day can be just a small amount of blood so that you would only need to use a regular pad or low absorbency tampon. For the next few days, the loss will be heavier so you might find that you need to use a super pad or a regular or super tampon. If you use a tampon be sure to change it every 4 hours, and change to a sanitary pad at night. For the last few days, the loss will become much less until it stops.
Q. How often will I have my period?
A. About once a month. A cycle can be as little as 21 days or as long as 35 days between bleeding and it can change month to month. Keeping a menstrual calendar will help build up a picture of your personal cycle, and after a while, you will be able to predict when you will bleed again.
Q. When Should I Contact my Doctor?
A. Although the characteristics of irregular periods may vary from woman to woman, certain warning signs may indicate a more serious condition. If experiencing any of the following, it may be a good idea to speak with a doctor who may refer you to a specialist:
- Soaking through tampon or pad every 1-2 hours
- Bleeding that lasts longer than a week
- Passing clots or flooding
- Vaginal bleeding after intercourse
- Vaginal bleeding after menopause
- Severe abdominal pain, even when not menstruating
- Feeling tired and lethargic
Q. Is it more difficult to get pregnant if I have heavy periods?
A. No, heavy periods alone won’t usually make it more difficult for you to get pregnant. However, some causes of heavy bleeding may affect your fertility. Some conditions that cause heavy periods can make it more difficult. For example, fibroids can affect your fertility and make it more difficult for you to get pregnant.
Q. Are there any side-effects from the medicines for heavy periods?
A. Yes, some medicines for heavy periods can cause some side-effects. If you have side-effects, it's important to talk to your GP, or the healthcare professional who prescribed your medicine before you stop taking it.
If you’re taking tranexamic acid, you may feel sick or have diarrhoea. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause indigestion and heartburn. NSAIDs can also make asthma worse in people who already have the condition. If you’re taking the combined oral contraceptive pill, you may have mood or weight changes.
Q. Are there any side effect from Mirena coil?
A. If you have an intrauterine system (Mirena) fitted, you may notice that the pattern and length of your periods changes. Initially your periods may be irregular or prolonged. This usually settles in to light bleeding or no bleeding a few months (Usually 3-6 months) after the Mirena is put in. You may also have other side effects which is usually rare such as tender breasts, acne and rarely depression.
Q. When is surgery for heavy periods recommended?
A. This will depend on your own individual circumstances. Your treatment will vary depending on whether a cause can be found for your heavy periods, and if so, what this is. Your GP will usually first recommend medicins and non-surgical treatments to ease your symptoms, reduce the heavy bleeding and prevent anaemia from developing.
Surgery is usually recommended if other treatments for menorrhagia haven’t worked. The type of surgery you have will depend on your symptoms, what condition you have and whether you wish to keep your uterus and fertility.
Q. What are the surgical options for heavy periods?
A.
1. Endometrial ablation is a procedure that cauterise (ablates) the lining of the uterus in women with heavy periods It is rigorously evaluated for years. It is now well proven and reliable, however, it needs to be performed by a specialist. The actual active treatment time is usually last for 3 minutes and total operative time is short approximately 20-30 mins. It can be undertaken under general on local anaesthesia. The success rate in reduction of menstrual loss is close to 90%. Approximately 40% of women with successful results their periods will stop. The procedure's complication rate is low. Unfortunately it is not suitable for every woman, therefore each individual needs to be assessed by specialist prior to the surgery.
2. Hysterectomy (removal of the uterus), the traditional surgical treatment for heavy periods is only suitable for women who have no further wish to conceive. The operation itself is not without risk. However, laparoscopic (keyhole) hysterectomy is undertaking by laparoscopic specialist has many advantages; rapid, safe, shorter hospital stay, fewer complication, less post operative pain, with faster recovery comparing to open tummy hysterectomy.