Heavy Period (Menorrhagia)

What?

Menorrhagia is defined when your periods interfere with your daily life, both emotionally and physically. It can be difficult to tell how much blood you’re losing each month because it often looks much more than it is. Red flag signs for menorrhagia are the need of double protection with towels and tampons; the regularly leak through your sanitary protection; the flooding of blood onto your clothes or bedding; the presence of large clots; feeling tired or anaemic and of course if you have to plan your life around your periods.

Why?

About half of women who have heavy periods don’t ever find a cause. However, some conditions can make heavy periods more likely. These include fibroids or polyps, polycystic ovary syndrome, adenomyosis, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, other medical conditions. We will explain all these conditions in detail for you and offer you the best treatment.

Who?

Menorrhagia is a common condition. Around a third of women in the UK suffer from heavy periods. Menorrhagia in adolescent girls is typically due to anovulation as they are especially prone to anovulatory cycles in the first year after their first menstrual cycle. In older reproductive-age women, it is usually due to uterine pathology, including fibroids, polyps, adenomyosis and bleeding disorders.

How?

We will ask you about your medical history and menstrual cycles or any changes to your periods and any other symptoms you have, like bleeding between your periods or period pain. We will perform a physical exam and we may recommend more tests or procedures such as: blood tests, ultrasound scan and a hysteroscopy – where a narrow telescope with a light and camera at the end is passed into the womb through the vagina to examine the inside of the womb. There are various treatment options for heavy periods. These depend on what's causing your heavy periods; depend on your general health and your preferences. They include non-hormonal medications, Mirena coil, hormonal treatments, endometrial ablation, surgical removal of fibroids and polyps and hysterectomy.