Anyone coping with very heavy menstrual flow (TMI)?

Anonymous
I am younger than you OP -- you are possibly close to menopause, so if your fibroid is small (really small), ablation might just take care of it for good. For the younger ladies with ablations -- my understanding is that it will only last for a few years and then the lining grows back and you have the same problem. Ablation was not recommended for me b/c of 2.5 cm submucosal fibroid -- which is the kind known for making you bleed a LOT.

Like most people, I was freaking out at the thought of a hysterectomy -- but let me tell you -- I'm glad I did it and life is smooth sailing now that I have NO worries about accidents/bleeding! I had a laparoscopic single incision on a Friday. On Monday I walked the kids to school (slowly, but I did it). By Wed. I was o.k. for going out to the grocery store and such (small errands, no heavy bags). If I was working, I could have gone back to work after a full week off and I could have done part time work for a few days from home during the week off.

It is very scary to have surgery... but I know that I will never have to deal with it again. Which is nice. I also will never have to have a PAP! I still have ovaries, so I will go through menopause (down the road).

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that if ablation is not advised for you, make sure you find a gyn surgeon (not just your regular gyn) who does these surgeries all the time... the new way of doing them means I had an incision in my belly button and that's ALL. My regular gyn was telling me that she only does the full cut abdominal -- SO glad I sought out a surgeon who knew and practiced the modern techniques! If I had just followed reg. gyn, I would have had a huge cut, and 6 weeks of recovery for NO good reason.

Good luck OP.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Thanks for the great answers! This is the OP. I'm changing OBs and plan to discuss this in more detail. The ablation option sounds like it might be best for me, but we will see what the new doc says.

Thanks again.


I am glad you are changing obs. The one you have sounds just too nonchalant. I would want hard evidence that this is nothing to worry about, even though that is probably true.

I live my mirena.

All of us in the peri menopause period are changing.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I'm 37 (turn 38 in April) and scared I'm going into menopause. It honestly keeps me awake at night crying. I'm single, a nanny and this is my worst fear. My periods are so heavy and now they're so random, sometimes every 45 days, then this period was 2 weeks after the last one ended. I have huge clots and my house looks like a crime scene, so much bloody this weekend. I ruined my couch and mattress!!! I'm scared to go to the doctor and find out if it's menopause. I'm over weight and wonder if maybe that's the reason? My periods became irrigular when I gained weight 3 years ago, but they were never heavy like this. But I don't have hot flashes or anything, (and no facial hair or signs of PCOS)... Am I in menopause?


You need a doctor, not the Internet.

Could be menopause, could be uterine cancer, could be fibroids, could be nothing.

You have the kind of symptoms that should not be ignored. And yes, young women do get uterine cancer, it is just less common.
Anonymous
thank you for starting this thread. I am having a similar problem, and learned so much. I guess I should see my doctor!
Anonymous
This is OP. I met with my new doctor this week, and she recommends Mirena. She feels that since it lasts 5 years it will probably get me through menopause. She is running some tests to make sure I'm a candidate for it. She doesn't favor the ablation because for women my age, although I'm still not precisely sure why. I want to ask her some follow up questions about that. Anyway, I appreciate all the responses on this thread and wanted to update you all.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:This is OP. I met with my new doctor this week, and she recommends Mirena. She feels that since it lasts 5 years it will probably get me through menopause. She is running some tests to make sure I'm a candidate for it. She doesn't favor the ablation because for women my age, although I'm still not precisely sure why. I want to ask her some follow up questions about that. Anyway, I appreciate all the responses on this thread and wanted to update you all.


Thanks for the update and good luck! I would be interested in the age consideration, as I am just a little younger than you (50) and I was hoping the ablation approach would solve my problem.
Anonymous
Are you there, God? it's me, Margaret.

My periods were so heavy at age 48 that I got a biopsy for endometrial cancer. Finally things are spacing out~ I went six months between periods. you can get your blood tested to see how close you are to menopause. Good luck!
Anonymous
I'm 32 and have dealing with Menorrghia for 2 yrs now. Extremely heavy, clotting periods. Go through a pad and tampon every hour. I have an iron deficiency because of it.

I'm currently trying to pregnant and my OB swears everything is fine. I don't know what else I can do testing wise. My periods are regular, just abnormally heavy.

Any suggestions to deal with this other than birth control?
Anonymous
i had the procedure novasure.com done at Fair Oaks hospital 2 yrs ago and have not seen a drop of blood ever since, best thing i ever did.
good luck
Anonymous
Reviving this thread again, looking for some more recent experiences. Thanks!
Anonymous
Have any of you tried red raspberry leaf tea? I see s huge, positive change in my periods when I drink lots. I realize it is probably an underwhelming piece of advice but it might help someone!
Anonymous
I had an ablation in December just days before my 37th birthday. What a gift to myself it was.
I stopped using pads and tampons because I would soak through everything and I switched to the Diva cup. The cup can last up to twelve hours before emptying but I was only able to go three to four hours during the day and six at night. It was terrible. During my period I would have cravings for liver (I've never eaten it) and spinach.

Every month since the ablation my period has gotten lighter. It's so light that I spot for just a day. The other upside is that I'm much, much, nicer. I'm not sure why but I'm just not as cranky and irrational as I was before the procedure. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm not anemic anymore.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I had an ablation in December just days before my 37th birthday. What a gift to myself it was.
I stopped using pads and tampons because I would soak through everything and I switched to the Diva cup. The cup can last up to twelve hours before emptying but I was only able to go three to four hours during the day and six at night. It was terrible. During my period I would have cravings for liver (I've never eaten it) and spinach.

Every month since the ablation my period has gotten lighter. It's so light that I spot for just a day. The other upside is that I'm much, much, nicer. I'm not sure why but I'm just not as cranky and irrational as I was before the procedure. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I'm not anemic anymore.


Awesome, thanks. I'm severe anemic and I noticed that this last period had me so wiped out, much more than normal. I'm really looking forward to having this done and over with.
Anonymous
I had an ablation in February. I am 43 and was filling up a diva cup many times a day (lost count). I was anemic and spent most of the month having cramps. Since the ablation I have had no period at all-not even spotting. My cramps are gone. Even if it just gives me a year or two of relief and I end up having to get a hysterectomy one day I still think it was worth it. Not having my period has really improved my life
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Am I the only one who has her giant clots slide out next to a tampon? WTF I say? I have tried every brand (playtex works better than Kotex. Tampax is like a funnel directly to my panties/pants/workout pants.). So I do the double of tampon + diaper (pad) for two days but i don't understand it. As I get older and more clotty it is so bad.

Anyone?


Yes, this happens to me too. I'll be meeting with my GYN end of this month to discuss Novasure. It's like a crime scene. I'm sick of it.
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