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[Armadillo]

Hello All.

I have menorrhagia (heavy periods) but the last three have been beyond that.  At first through it might be linked to vaccine as bbc ran an article saying some women had heavier periods after jab and had been talking to healthy younger cousin who was having awful time the week before mine.

some spotting but then oh my word.  I am using period knickers designed to hold 20ml / 4 tampons and yesterday had to change every 45mins to an hour at some points.. 15 sets in a day (8 hout heavy flow pants),  then overnight drugged sleep so didnt wake.. flooded through period knickers, 4 layers of bath towel and thankfully waterproof sheet... large clots and pain that resulted in me taking oromorph and diazapam and still uncomfy. 

So at just after 6am i phoned 111 to ask for some tips... they wanted me to go to Aand E for blood tests, i declined (disability, no transport, cant physically manage going out even if a taxi were willing and available for wheelchair), then said paramedic, again i declined and finally out of hours gp to ake some bloods and check me out.. was due before 8.30. 

Obviousy nhs is crazy busy .. things seem to have suddenly become manageable again.. not great but my normal level of challenge rather than the recent events.. so i've cancelled out of hours doctor.. will try speek on phone to someone at my surgery monday.

I dont have older female relatives I can chat with.. I am just wondering if this is normal, should i be concerned? At what point do I act?

I am a bit dizzy, nauseas and weaker than normal but my other health stuff has those symptms too.
Not temp or infection.. monitoring bp.. asthmatic so keep an eye on breathing.. 

background
Hospital gynae set hrt - 16 weeks estrogel, 10 days porgesterone vaginally and estrogel .. then repeat.. cycle should start.
If my body has a 'proper' cycle during 16 weeks start counting again.

We know its not a normal prescription but i have some pretty complicated other health stuff and it seems really have a challenge with progesterone in any form.

PTSD linked to health stuff but specifically local hospital and the gynae rooms,   havent managed a year without an ambulance due to other health stuff..so dont know if i am over worrying, avoiding or going barmy.

Thanks for reading

[CLKD]

Heavy periods - can be controlled with appropriate medication.  It's awful.  Mine would be heavy, clotty, flooding - no idea in those days that medication was available, it was 'normal' for me.

How much contact do U have with your Surgery, is there a Nurse that you could speak with?  Weekends and nights are always worse  and more difficult when we have anxiety etc..

How has the HRT regime helped thus far? 

[Armadillo]

Thanks for reply.

Like you I have had heay periods since the started.. had a spell with the transanamic acid (coagulent) couldnt take the other one due to lactose.. pill as a kid from 12 to regulate.. sigh.

This is just a whole other level...

Its slowed to my normal heavy .. my bp is a bit low but i am going to ride it out until monday..  i wish the nhs would let out of hours teams see my gp records in full... otherwise i end up trying to explain so much..

the hrt has been really good.. estrogel has helped with hot sweats, itching, pain, fatigue and the constant tears.. i live in fear of the progesterone as it really affects me.. pain spikes, horrid sort of visualisatio/dreams when awake of very unpleasant stuff  just a full on unpleasant experience but we have run out of options.

usually i dont bleed until aftre the progesterone phase but the last twice has been during estrogen.. spotting is normal but this was really nasty ..

i will speak with my dr's monday .. usually one of the nurses /paramedic based at surgery phones then goes off for a chat with my gp or  one that knows me and rings back.. i feel safe with my team its the hospital..

just not sure if i should be worried.. by brain is going the body has a lot of blood you've only lost a few cups full.. but thats probably not something i should ignore if the intesity turns up again..

very lost .. just need an older family person whose been there to say.. its ok it happens or get yourself to A&E ... preferably first ..

sigh .. menopause isnt much fun..

[CLKD]

It isn't much fun when symptoms take over daily living!

You may become aneamic if bleeding is heavy and often.  Something the Nurse can check with blood tests, or looking at the whites of your eyes.  Listen 2 your body, if you feel you need to rest do so. Feet up, cuppa to hand.  Get up slowly, B4 U walk forwards which will help any possibility of dizziness.

Let us know how you get on.

[sheila99]

Do you still have a cycle of your own or do you bleed once every 16 weeks? If so perhaps your lining is building up too much on this regime. I've never heard of anyone on a 16 week cycle with utro usually a long cycle is 6 weeks. You don't say what dose oestrogen you're on?
 Is a mirena a possibility? It stops most people from bleeding.

[Armadillo]

Clkd thanks. Sadly had chronic illness for over 10 years so my daily living and symptom load without the menopause was pretty gruesome.

Thus just feels too much on top. Bleeding heavily again now.

Yes watching for anaemia due to heavy periods pre perimenopause I get my blood topped up with iron drip every 12-24 months so iron is monitored. Sadly can't take the prescription  and it's not a diet thing.. but yes a bit concerned.

Really dizzy at mo and it's making wobbly mobility even less safe.. plus periods are exhausting getting up all the time.

I've got the grumps..

......

Sheila .. sadly patches no good, coil absolute agony ( my body is very poorly) and managed three days with a lot of oromorph and tears..

You are right this isn't a standard prescription.. but my other health means it's the best fit. Hospital gynae has been great, GP and him discussed things on phone and came up with plan.. it was 12 weeks but swapped to 16 weeks due to severe reaction to progesterone.

It's not perfect but best option.

..

I just want things back to their normal awful not this level.

..

I am hoping to last to Monday.. have my assistant ( carer) in so have a chance of getting somewhere if I need to be seen.

..

I am fairly sure this isn't an acceptable level of bleeding.. ok certain.. but balancing other health with this and a large serving of pretending it's not happening.

[CLKD]

Dreadful to bleed without knowing when it will stop, similar to being in pain for a long while.

What does the carer suggest?

[sheila99]

Have you and your doctors considered a hysterectomy? Any operation carries a risk but if you can't tolerate any form of progestin I wonder if might be the best solution for you.

[Armadillo]

well it was about 36 hours of hell... but now pretty much nothing.. did my sums his morning and onl about 3 weeks since the last period that was truly awful too ... but this was worse.. i wouldnt normally phone 111 and have sucha  drop in bp..

definitly going to try get an appointment with my gp..


It's qute triggering for me ..so much blood following miscarriage at 17 weeks  .. so i am really analytically of wether it my emotions or really a big deal but it was a big deal.

Carers are not medical trained .. they are brilliant.. and now trained to my needs.. but none have experienced menopause and are a bit horrified.. but then we all know my body tends to 'do its own thing'  .. its actually really hard to find info.

i hadnt realised how littleblood was counted as heavy periods.. 80 ml in a cycle and it counts as menhorragia.. I know thats a lot but its what i would call light for me..



Sheila .. yes i asked about being 'filleted' it was where this started and my gp has had long chats with gynae.. but because of my other health stuff.. and the problems with sudden onset it was decided against.. that was one of the reasons for the long 16 week estrogen phase to spread cycles out as much as possible .. as a normal period would take me a week to blee, a week to recover frm physical exertion and strain on body a nrmal week and then a few days of pms... so having a huge impact.. then when peri started an dit went bonkers.. oh my.

I think i'd like the hysterectomy if this is what its going to be like from now.

My husband is so understanding but he's been scrubbing carpets, changing the bed from multple layers of towels and waterproof sheet and listening to me sob in the shower before joining me... ive been picked up off floor from dizziness and its just too much

but then i wonder if i am being a wuss.

sadly there doesnt seem to be an option..

but with long term health that limits my life so much already then adding this on top.. i do start to think its too much to ask..

sorry all just very lost here

[CLKD]

Who would call you a wuss?

Heavy bleeding has a medical description, a very long name.  Can't remember though !

As for carpets - put towels on the floor where ever you R likely to walk, U could buy some from the charity shops, usually marked 'dog towels' or ask on your local Freecycle/Face book pages. No need to state why you require them.

I slept on double bath towels with two pads and thick knickers: sometimes 2 pairs: when my bleeds were heavy.  That was every month.  My main worry 4 U is the possibility of aneamia.

   2 the husband ;-).   (U may like to edit your thread "how little blood ..... " ) ;-)

[Armadillo]

Oh crumbs just seen typo.. will try fix now.. if not when I can get to laptop.

Towels on floor and I'd trip.. considering lino but hard and cold to fall.

I feel a wuss after years of being ill with no solution it's hard to ask for help and be told nothing to be done over and over.

I wear period pants now and wuka have a new one for super heavy flow so have bought three more pairs..will buy more as I save up.. even set alarm to change as flood on standing.

I need to get help I think.. but really can't  see an answer.

It's grim isn't it.

[CLKD]

It can be grim.  Swinging legs over the bed first B4 standing is essential for all of us, regardless.  Especially men!

Let us know how you get on.

[KarineT]

VA cannot possibly happen to every single woman, whether she's peri or post.   You're very unfortunate to get it.  I hope it resolves quickly for you.   I am 51 and already postmeno, I had my last period in January 2020  I don't have VA and I do hope that I never will get it.

[KarineT]

Sorry, I replied to the wrong post.

[CLKD]

Morning Armadillo - how R U this morning?