Understanding Heavy Periods So You Can Find Relief

What Doctors Define as a Heavy Period

Menorrhagia is the medical term that refers to periods that are either very heavy and/or last longer than seven days. Your period may also be considered heavy if:

• You lose more than 80 mL of blood (...normal blood loss is around 30 mL)


• You must get up to change your tampon or pad during the night, or every hour for several hours


• You have to double up on pads or use a pad with a tampon to prevent leaking


• You have a constant pain in your lower stomach during your period

If you're of the scientific bend, you can try to measure your flow from the number of tampons you soak in a period. A soaked maxi pad or super tampon holds about 10ml of blood, meaning that a medically defined heavy flow would soak at least eight of these during a cycle.

Anemia: A Possible Complication of Menorrhagia

The large loss of blood with a heavy period puts you at a higher risk for anemia, which is a condition where your blood is unable to carry enough oxygen to your body, thus causing your organs to not work as well.

According to the CDC, signs of anemia include:

• Fatigue with regular everyday activities
• Shortness of breath
• Irritability or depression
• Dizziness
• Tiredness

While anemia is easily remedied with the help of your doctor, long-term anemia can cause lasting damage to your body. It's important for you to make an appointment soon if you have heavy periods and signs of anemia.

Treatment of Heavy Periods

There are a variety of treatment options (prescription/drug based or surgical) your doctor may suggest depending on your situation. Continue reading for a brief description of the more common approaches.

Drug Therapies

• Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): These drugs, such as Ibuprofen, are sometimes a first attempt at managing symptoms. They can reduce inflammation and reduce bleeding, but not as much as hormone medications.
• Tranexamic Acid: This blood clotting medication can reduce bleeding better than NSAIDs.
• Hormone Treatment: Your doctor may suggest the hormone progestin to help reduce bleeding. You may take progestin in a pill (birth control) or a vaginal cream, or through the progestin-containing Mirena IUD .

Surgical Procedures

• Hysteroscopy: This procedure may be used to examine the uterus and evaluate for fibroids and polyps. Surgeons then decide how to approach treatment.
• Endometrial Ablation (brand name NovaSure). In this procedure, radio waves are used to destroy the tissue that lines the uterus, which usually ends periods all together. Pregnancy is not possible after this procedure.
• Hysterectomy: This is a major, last resort option in which your gynecological surgeon will remove your entire uterus. Robotic hysterectomies, which we perform at All About Women, offer a less invasive surgery option compared to the traditional approach.