I Have the Worst Periods: What Can Help?

While getting your period can be annoying, you shouldn’t feel like you have to skip out on your regular activities for the next several days. Having heavy periods and severe cramping can cause you to call in sick to work, have to change your sheets in the morning, avoid wearing light-colored clothes, and stuff your purse full of tampons or pads. 

Doing this every single month can be exhausting, so our team at the Center for Women’s Health Richmond in Sugar Land and Richmond, Texas, wants you to know that treatment for heavy periods is available to you. In this month’s blog, we explore what qualifies as a heavy period and discuss some possible treatments for you to consider.

Do you have a heavy period?

Most women have a heavier flow the first few days of their period. However, how do you know if your menstrual bleeding is normal or excessive and needs treatment? 

Excessive menstrual bleeding, known as menorrhagia, is defined as losing more than 80 milliliters of blood throughout your period. Since it’s impractical to measure your bleeding, these are some other telltale signs, you have heavy periods:

• Bleeding through a tampon or pad every hour
• Bleeding for more than seven days
• Having large blood clots (bigger than a quarter)
• Having to get up during the night to change your pad or tampon

In addition, if you have to rearrange your daily life or double up on protection due to excessive bleeding, your periods may need medical attention. 

Treating heavy periods

It’s important to seek professional help for your heavy periods since excessive bleeding for an extensive time can lead to a condition called anemia. Anemia occurs when your red blood cells are low, leading to symptoms such as fatigue, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath. 

To treat your heavy periods, we have to determine their cause first. A few things that can cause heavy periods include: 

• Uterine fibroids or polyps 
• Certain medications or birth control methods
• A hormone imbalance 
• Kidney disease or pelvic inflammatory disease
• Cervical, ovarian, or uterine cancer 

We can utilize several testing methods such as an ultrasound, MRI, biopsy, or hysteroscopy to find the culprit. Once we’ve found the cause of your heavy periods, we can discuss a treatment plan for you. 

At the Center for Women’s Health Richmond, we offer many options for addressing heavy periods, including birth control, hormone therapy, prescription medications, and endometrial ablation. 

Surgical options might also be necessary to remove any polyps or fibroids that are causing the excessive bleeding. You may also need to take an iron supplement to prevent anemia from developing. 

Don’t wait to seek treatment for your heavy periods. Schedule an appointment with our team by calling your nearest office location or booking online today.