Heavy Periods Deserve Attention and Care
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB), dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB), and menorrhagia can dramatically affect a woman’s comfort, confidence, and quality of life.
Worrying about leaks, waking up to change protection, or missing plans because of your period can wear you down. You deserve answers and care that fits your needs.
Dr. Yakov Levy can help you understand what may be causing your bleeding and explore your treatment options.
Is Your Period Heavier Than It Should Be
A period may be too heavy if it lasts more than seven days or interferes with your usual activities. Signs include:
- Soaking through a pad or tampon every one to two hours for several hours.
- Using a pad and tampon together to prevent leaks.
- Waking during the night to change protection.
- Passing blood clots the size of a quarter or larger.
- Bleeding for more than seven days.
- Feeling unusually tired, weak, or dizzy.
- Changing your plans because of bleeding or worry about leaks.
You do not need to measure your blood loss or have every symptom to ask for help. How your period affects your life matters.
What Happens Inside Your Body
During each menstrual cycle, a lining builds inside your uterus, also called the womb. If pregnancy does not happen, this lining sheds and leaves your body as your period. Hormones help control this process. Changes in hormones, growths in the uterus such as polyps or fibroids, or problems with blood clotting can lead to heavier bleeding. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) is a term used to describe abnormal bleeding when no structural cause, such as fibroids or polyps, is found. Hormone changes can contribute to this bleeding.
What Can Cause Heavy Bleeding
Several conditions can affect your period. Finding the cause helps the doctor choose the right care.
- Hormone changes. These may happen as you approach menopause. Thyroid problems or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can affect how regularly the ovaries release an egg, may also change your bleeding.
- Fibroids or polyps. These are usually noncancerous growths in or around the uterus that can affect bleeding.
- Adenomyosis is a condition in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows into the muscular wall of the uterus, potentially causing heavy menstrual bleeding, painful periods and pelvic discomfort.
- Bleeding disorders. Some conditions make it harder for blood to clot. Tell the doctor if you also bruise easily, have frequent nosebleeds, or have a family history of bleeding problems.
- Medicines or birth control. Blood thinners and a Copper-T IUD can increase bleeding. Do not stop prescribed medicine on your own.
- Changes in the uterine lining. Less often, abnormal changes in the lining may cause bleeding and need further evaluation.
Sometimes no single cause is found. If pregnancy is possible, unusual bleeding also needs medical attention.
Could Heavy Bleeding Be Affecting Your Energy
Heavy bleeding can lower your iron levels and lead to anemia. This means your body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen. You may feel tired, weak, dizzy, or short of breath. Anemia can affect your daily activities, your work, and how you feel overall. Blood tests can check for anemia and low iron. Treating the bleeding and replacing iron when needed can help.
What Happens at Your Consultation
The doctor will review your medical history and ask about your periods, symptoms, medicines, and plans for future pregnancy. Depending on your needs, evaluation may include a physical or pelvic exam, blood tests, and an ultrasound to examine your uterus.
Some patients may need an endometrial biopsy, which takes a small sample of the uterine lining, or a hysteroscopy, which uses a thin scope to look inside the uterus. You may not need every test. The doctor will explain what is recommended and why.
There Are Options to Help
Treatment depends on the cause of your bleeding, your health, and your goals. Options may include:
- Medicines. Hormonal or nonhormonal medicines may reduce bleeding. Some birth control methods can make periods lighter, even when preventing pregnancy is not your main goal.
- A hormonal IUD. This small device sits inside the uterus and releases medicine that can make periods lighter. It works differently from a copper IUD.
- Surgical treatment for fibroids or polyps. Removing or treating a growth may help, depending on its size and location.
- Endometrial ablation. This quick, minimally invasive procedure can be performed in the doctor’s office. It delivers targeted, controlled energy to the uterine lining to reduce or stop heavy menstrual bleeding. It may suit some women who have not reached menopause and are certain they do not want future pregnancies. It is not birth control; contraception is still needed afterward.
- Other procedures. Surgery may be an option when other treatments are not suitable or have not helped.
Iron supplements may help replace lost iron, but they do not treat the cause of heavy bleeding. The doctor can help you understand which options fit your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
My periods have always been heavy. Should I still ask for help
Yes. A long history of heavy periods does not mean you must keep living with them. Tell the doctor how your bleeding affects you.
Can periods change as I get older
Yes. During the years leading up to menopause, hormone changes can affect the timing and flow of your periods. New or heavier bleeding deserves an evaluation.
Are blood clots normal
Small clots can happen during a period. Tell the doctor if you often pass clots the size of a quarter or larger, especially with heavy bleeding.
Will I need a procedure
Not necessarily. Medicine or another approach may help. The doctor will discuss options based on your symptoms and test results.
What if I want children in the future
Tell the doctor before choosing treatment. Some options preserve your fertility and the possibility of pregnancy. Endometrial ablation is not suitable if you want a future pregnancy.
More Questions You May Have
Should I mention bleeding between periods or after sex
Yes. These changes are worth discussing, even if the amount of blood is small.
What about bleeding after menopause
Any bleeding or spotting after menopause should be checked by a doctor.
How can I prepare for my visit
Bring a list of your medicines and any previous test results. If possible, note how long your periods last, how often you change protection, and what bothers you most. You do not need complete records to schedule a visit.
When to Get Help Sooner
If you are soaking through a pad or tampon every hour for several hours, contact a healthcare professional promptly.
Seek emergency care if bleeding comes with fainting, severe dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, or sudden severe abdominal pain. If pregnancy is possible, unusual bleeding needs prompt medical attention; bleeding with severe pain or fainting needs emergency care. Do not wait for a reply to an online appointment request if you need urgent help.
Start With What Is Bothering You
You do not need to have all the answers. Tell us what has changed and how your periods affect your life. Dr. Yakov Levy can help you understand your options and decide on the next step.
Dr. Yakov Levy
