bleeding for an entire month?!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2003
bleeding for an entire month?!
10
Sun, 11-02-2003 - 10:19am
I have always had irregular periods...have had some ovarian cysts that were disolved with medications, and had some abnormal paps come back. In October I started spotting around the 2nd and continued to spot (enough to need a pad) until around the 15th (when I usually start). Then for about four days I bled heavily (a tampon every two hours). Since then I have been spotting (enough to need a pad)continuously. I have not had one day without some relief! Has anyone ever heard of this before? I am so frustrated. Help?!?

Thanks jennifer
Avatar for cl_opheliabug
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Sun, 11-02-2003 - 7:10pm

eep!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2003
Mon, 11-03-2003 - 10:11am
Well, I am 26 yrs old so menopause wouldn't be it. I don't have health insurance so I am kind of stuck. I have been to the health department and they really don't have any solutions or try to figure out what is wrong...they just want to put me on the pill, which I don't want. You said it could be a number of things....what else could it be?

I am going to try to call around today and see what I can do about finding another place to be seen by a doctor...if I have any other options. Thanks for your help. Jennifer
Avatar for cl_opheliabug
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Mon, 11-03-2003 - 10:26am
I found this article on www.about.com, I don't know if it will help, it looks like there could be a lot of different causes for this, but it was the article I could find that seemed to sum a lot of it up the best.....

Abnormal Uterine Bleeding

When Bleeding Is Excessive

by Tracee Cornforth

Most women occasionally experience heavy menstruation during their menstrual cycle. This heavy bleeding typically occurs during the final two to three years before menopause, or during the first few years after the onset menstruation during puberty.

A good rule of thumb to help you determine weather your bleeding is abnormal is:

* If you are soaking through enough sanitary protection products to require changing more than every one or two hours, or having a period that lasts over seven days, you are probably experiencing heavy menstruation.

Some women are concerned by clots in their menstruation, but clots, in most cases, are a normal part of your menstrual cycle. (The lining of the uterus is shed during menstruation and any clots you see are part of the uterine lining and, most often not cause for alarm.)

What Causes Abnormal Uterine Bleeding?

Menorrhagia (excessive uterine bleeding) most commonly results from a hormonal imbalance in adolescents during the years following the onset of menstruation, and in women who are approaching menopause. Our periods tend to be irregular during these times when our ovaries may or may not release an egg.

* A common cause of abnormal uterine bleeding is fibroid tumors. Other causes of excessive bleeding that your clinician should consider include:

o cervical or endometrial polyps

o lupus

o pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

o cervical cancer

o endometrial cancer.

Women using intrauterine devices (IUDs) for birth control, may also experience excessive or prolonged periods. If you experience menorrhagia while using an IUD, the IUD should be removed and replaced with an alternative birth control method.

Usually detected soon after menstruation begins, platelet disorders are the most common blood disorder which causes excessive bleeding; the most common platelet disorder is von Willebrand's disease. Women with von Willebrand's disease commonly will experience not only heavy menstrual bleeding, but nosebleeds, easy bruising, and blood in the stool.

How is Diagnosis Made?

A pelvic exam is the first step to determine the cause of menorrhagia, including a Pap smear and blood tests to check for any underlying causes, as well as a pregnancy test when appropriate. An ultrasound is often performed to check for any abnormalities, such as fibroids and an endometrial biopsy, D & C, or hysteroscopy may also be performed to further evaluate the condition of your uterus.

How is Excessive Bleeding Treated?

Relief from menorrhagia is achieved by treating the medical or physical (as in the case of an IUD) cause. Abnormal bleeding which does not appear to be related to another underlying cause is often successfully treated with progesterone or a combination of progesterone with estrogen, many times given in the form of an oral contraceptive.

Women who experience menorrhagia on a regular basis should be monitored closely for anemia and treatment with iron supplementation may be necessary. Often, severe bleeding can be treated with non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen which sometimes help reduce the amount of blood as well as any accompanying cramps.

Endometrial ablation, once commonly used to treat excessive bleeding in women past child bearing who wanted to avoid hysterectomy, has now been replaced by a new therapy -- thermal balloon ablation -- which in most cases ends bleeding by eliminating the lining of the uterus. Only women no longer desiring to bear children are treated in this manner as most women are infertile following this procedure. However, this procedure does not guarantee infertility and it should not be considered a form of birth control. Contraceptives must still be used to avoid pregnancy.

Women who are not pregnant and who experience a single episode of heavy bleeding, usually require no medical treatment. Getting plenty of rest often reduces the amount of blood flow. However, all women who experience heavy bleeding for over 24 hours should seek the advice of their health care provider.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2003
Mon, 11-03-2003 - 8:39pm
I made an appointment to go to the health dept tomorrow. I am seeing someone different there this time so maybe they will listen. I had a lot of heavy bleeding today so I am really very worried but thanks for your help that article really helped. My mom had fibroid tumors so who knows if its hereditary or not?! Well thanks again. Jennifer
Avatar for cl_opheliabug
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Mon, 11-03-2003 - 8:48pm
It might be, I know a lot of women in my family get them. Good luck and keep us updated!

*hugs*

Cherrie

Avatar for vick_mp
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Fri, 11-07-2003 - 4:37pm
So what did the Dr. say? I have been spotting since Oct 23rd then had my regular period days late and then back to spotting. It gets heavy then light. I have been going through this for 15 days. I go to the Dr. Mon. Please let me know what the Dr. said about your issue. My e-mail is diamondvp@yahoo.com.

Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2003
Sun, 11-09-2003 - 10:39am
Hello!

Well they did a pregnancy test and it was negative. There wasn't a whole lot they could really do because I was bleeding so heavily. They gave me birth control pills which stopped the bleeding....yeah!! I go back on the 18th for a pelvic exam, pap smear, and blood work to determine what my problem is...and they are going to check me for PCOS.

I only have a couple of symptoms of PCOS...so I don't really know what to expect. Thanks so much for all your help...it really helps to have someone to talk to about all this stuff. I will let you know what I hear on the 18th. *hugs* Jennifer

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-08-2003
Sun, 11-09-2003 - 10:45am
Hello!

They think that it may be a hormonal imbalance,or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?!?

I don't know much about PCOS...there is info on ivillage about it though. I am going

to wait for my test results before I freak out though. I have had some ovarian cysts,

I have had some abnormal pap smears. If you haven't had anything abnormal in the past

I would just wait and see what your doctor says...because I have had a lot of problems

two very different issues could be making us have the same symptoms!!! I hope everything

goes well for you!!

Jennifer

Avatar for cl_opheliabug
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2003
Sun, 11-09-2003 - 2:07pm

Oh good, so the birth control pills

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-20-2003
Thu, 11-20-2003 - 7:18pm
i read your posting and I am having similar symptoms, I see on one of your postings you went to thd dr and they put you on the pill to make you stop bleeding, how long did that take. My doctor told me to double up on my pills and that was 2 days ago and I am still bleeding.

Thanks and I hope things work out postively for you.