I have a question about my menstrual flow. After having my second baby, my period is completely different than the first 30 years of my life and I am just seeking some advice. Here is what I'm dealing with: the first day or two of my period my flow is SUPER heavy. I soak through Super Plus tampons within an hour. I can hardly keep up with this flow - all my other symptoms (cramping, fatigue, etc) are easily managed by Midol. The rest of my period fluctuates between regular and light flow and lasts about a week total. I know there is no "normal" for periods and that every woman is different. But I'm just wondering if something could be wrong since this HEAVY bleeding started only after my last pregnancy. I thought I would return to my normal flow after a few cycles, but I have been menstruating for about 10 months and this seems to be my new normal. Before I had babies I didn't bleed nearly this much. Now I am throwing away underwear left and right. I'm on my 4th pair today and I've been wearing tampons and pads. It just seems excessive to me.
So here are my questions #1 did your period change after pregnancy? #2 do any of you bleed this much during your cycle? #3 I know that birth control can help lessen bleeding during your cycle or stop it all together. I am not on the pill now but am considering it, if it will help. The pill has wreaked havoc on my emotions in the past so I'm trying to stay away from it, but I'd do about anything to help alleviate this severe bleeding. We are finished having kids, should I get my tubes tied? Will that help? Any thoughts?
I had the same thing happen to me so after talking to the Dr I got the mirena put and now I only have to wear light days. which is good since I was just like you had to change my pad even 45 mins. good luck
My period got heavier and sometimes just weird after having a baby. I had a second baby but not much changed between having had one and having had 2 babies. I usually don't get quite as heavy flow as you describe but it is pretty heavy compared to before babies. Also, peroxide takes out blood stains. I just have a bunch of cheap or old undies I only wear during my period. I actually dyed some cheap underwear dark colors for that.
Yes my period got heavier after my first and hen even heavier after my second. Like Days one and 2 I might as well just sit over the toilet all day, it seems - sounds alot like yours, and the rest of it varies form heavy to medium, for 7-9 days total.
I have tried 3 types of Birth control pills - Yaz made it aweful - I bled every day for 2 months, ortho-tri-cyclen that I was on before kids and worked fine, then when I tried it after kids, I had 2 "periods" a month, my real one, and a week of spotting in the middle, then most recently i was on Junel, and it seemed to work the best for me, cut down to only about 4 days of very light bleeding, at least by my standards!
I recently went off the pills altogether, since I have ZERO sex drive on the pill,and DH was complaining, I told him I was done having kids after 2 hard pregnencies, 2 c-sections and one miscarriage, so if he wanted me to be a little back to my old self on that area, he had to go get snipped so I could get my hormones back to normal, and he has, now just waiting on the pills to get all the way out of my system, this is my first cycle off` them. I would say talk to your GYNO about yuour symptoms and the emotional stuff you want to avoid, and see what they say, there are different pills tailored to different symptoms. Also, there is a new non-hormonal pill out there that you take DURING the first 5 days of the period, that is supposed to help your body clot faster, and lighten/shorten periods, Lysteda, I am considering it if my periods go back to as heavy as they were without the pill after my second. Here si their website:http://offer.lighterperiod.com/lstd/unique/167837.php?key...
Oh, I also considered Mirena, but my Ins wouldn't cover it ( even though they cover tubal ligation and vasectomy and pills??) so it would've been $700, but it is proven to lighten and even eliminate periods in some women and it is last for 5 years at a time!
Another afterthought, pad and tampons can aggricvate that problem, what has made my heavy periods bearable is using a reusable menstrual cup, like Divacup, The Keeper, Moon Cup, or Lunette....there are lots of them our there, just google menstrual cups, I have been using these for 10 years ( all except RIGHT after childbirth) and I will NEVER go back to pads or tampons, made my cramps less, less leakage, less smell, less cost (overall)!
Good Luck!
Yes, mine changed after only 1.. Very heavy some days so that every 45 minutes to an hour I have to change the "Ultra" sized tampons. I also purchase the largest pad and just try to make sure I get to the potty omn time..
I cannot take birth control, because of my other medications. I have wished I could have a hysterectomy and just be done.. but that is not considered a good thing to do.. Anyway, Do mention this to your doctor.. There is not too much they can really do. I make sure I get enough rest, and eat lots of good veggies and protein during that time, since I tend to be anemic..
Remember you can wash all of that blood out for your underwear so you do not have to throw them away.. I rinse them in cold water and actually keep a bottle of shout in my bathroom so I can pre-treat my clothing as needed and I sleep on a beach towel during that time..
T.,
I started taking supplements for migraines and my periods, which had been horrrible, improved greatly. Let me know if you are interested in finding out about those.
If you do have fibroids, those can get serious. So be sure to get that checked out.
Victoria
You could have fibroids, which are common, benign growths in your uterus - read more here: http://women.webmd.com/uterine-fibroids/uterine-fibroids-...
You should see your gynecologist right away. There are several different options for treatment and of course, he/she is the only one who can determine what,exactly, is causing your abnormal bleeding - that's right - this is not normal and you do not have to suffer!
One more thing: if you are finished having children, there is no need for you to go on the pill, especially if it's caused you problems in the past. Having your tubes tied will not eliminate your periods, either, and thus will not help your periods. Make an appointment with your gynecologist today. Good luck!
My periods did not change after having a baby. They've always been light, a regular tampon lasts 4-8 hours, and the period lasts 3-4 days, and they still are. This is true for me whether I'm on the pill or not. I would talk with your doctor about your heavy bleeding, and get a second opinion if necessary.
Hi T.,
Your periods sound a lot like mine have been for the last 8 months or so. When I talked to my OB/GYN, he suggested I have my tubes tied and a procedure called an endometrial ablation. I J. went in on Wednesday and had it done and I'm hoping to get good results. From the research I've done, this can result in much lighter periods to no periods at all without having to have a hysterectomy or hormone replacement.
On Wednesday after the procedure, I was miserable. Extreme cramping and pain, but I've never done well with anesthesia, so that may have been part of my misery. Yesterday, I was feeling pretty good, and today is even better. Check with your doctor to see if this might be an option. Good luck!
This happened to me after my third child and after a while I was severely affected by my periods. It turned out I had adenomyosis, which is the growth of the uterine lining into the muscle wall of the uterus. The only real solution to this problem is a hysterectomy, which I got, but I was all done with having kids, so it was no big deal for me and I am now 100% better!
You need to speak to your ob/gyn and see if they can figure out what might be causing this. If it is adenomyosis and you want to have more children, you will need to consult your doctor as to the best method of treatment for that scenario. Adenomyosis does not go away on its own and the symptoms can get very severe over time, but there are some stop-gaps you can use until you are ready to get a hysterectomy.
Good luck!
Mine totally changed after #2, same as you - way heavy in the first day or so, then much lighter later on. I talked w/my ob about it at my last annual, and she didn't see anything worrisome going on - although my entire pelvic floor is shot, and bordering on prolapse. I think what's going on (and this is also what it feels like to me) is that there's just nothing holding the blood in anymore - it used to trickle out, and now it's got an open pipeline, no tissue or anything in the way. When I stand up in the morning, there's a huge gush, you know? Total flow added up is probably roughly what it used to be, it's just all at once at the beginning, instead of a little at a time.
That said, you should talk to your OB. If you're relatively near your next annual, you can probably wait for that, or if that's more than a few months away, go ahead and make an appointment. The only way to really know what's going on is to have your exam and talk w/your doc.
Good luck, and my underwear collection feels your pain - I have also destroyed quite a few pairs!
I couldn't take the pill either it made my PMS symtoms so bad I couldn't deal with them.
Chamomile tea will regulate your period. It will also stop the bleeding in some cases. Drink a cup of tea daily for a few months and see if this helps.
Tying your tubes won't help since it doesn't change your hormones. If my suggestions don't help get checked for endodemetrious (sp?).
I could have written your question myself...this exact thing has happened to me. Since my second pregnancy, my period is really heavy for the first 24 hours - a super tampon every hour all day/night, and then light the next three days. It's been five + years now, and it's been the same ever since. My doctor said that periods can change and that this is fine. Having your tubes tied will not help...I had mine tied after my second pregnancy. I've gotten used to it...just never go far from the bathroom on that first day of my period!
My periods were that heavy and I never was pregnant. Turned out I had endometriosis and then later fibroid tumors. You might want to check with your ob/gyn and see if that could be causing your heavy periods. I had surgery to remove endometrium. I didn't have a hysterectomy until I had fibroids.
As to staining panties. I used white ones so that I could bleach them. And I found some "rubber panties" to wear during really heavy flow days. They're sold for incontinence difficulties in the section along with adult diapers. I also found that wearing two tampons and a night time pad did help.
