Undiagnosed Bleeding Disorders
Find a Conversation
| Wed, 02-27-2008 - 3:26pm |
I would like to draw attention to the issue of bleeding disorders not being properly diagnosed in women. As a person with at least one relative with an avoidable death due to bleeding disorders, I know how dangerous it is to not simply know about your condition and how to care for yourself. Complications can be safely avoided and symptoms can be safely treated, IF YOU KNOW.
Quality of life can improve greatly too. Girls missing school, women missing work during periods, sitting on towels, painful cramps, anemia, losing sleep because of bleeding--this is avoidable for many of us! Yet we just suffer in silence, not wanting to be a "hypochondriac" or "complainer". Why?
About 3% of the population has bleeding disorders, and many don’t know it.
The American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians recommends women with excessive bleeding be screened for bleeding disorders, but few are. Women with bleeding disorders often don’t know what normal menstruation is, because they and their female relatives have never had normal bleeding. That is why they don't know they should be insisting upon diagnostics.
Some examples of heavy bleeding:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/menorrhagia/DS00394/DSECTION=2
Heavy periods or a bleeding disorder?
http://projectredflag.org/resources/heavy_periods.htm
What’s a bleeding disorder?
http://projectredflag.org/common_questions/What_is_bleeding_disorder.htm
Do I have a bleeding disorder? http://projectredflag.org/common_questions/do_i_have_bleeding_disorder.htm
If you think you have these symptoms, ask your doctor about a referral for diagnostic testing. The best place to go for this are called federally-designated Hemophilia Treatment Centers. These centers specialize in diagnosing and treating all sorts of bleeding disorders, mild to severe. Their labs and specialists have the capability to do tests that even regular hematologists cannot do.
Where to go for diagnostic testing:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hbd/htc_list.htm
Edited 2/27/2008 3:31 pm ET by purpleaa
