Heavy, non-stop Menstral Bleeding

[Aquarius7]

I've been having heavy menstral bleeding for 2 months now.  I'm working with an OBGYN and I'm going in for a pelvic ultrasound in a week but still had some questions.  This began the same time I started tapering off Effexor medication.  I had a complete blood count done and everything was fine but my iron was a low normal, so they recommended iron pills.  I started taking them for a few weeks, they didn't seem to help so I stopped.  I started taking them again today.  Unfortunately I can't take any hormone medication because I've had blood clots in the past from birth control pills.  So, my question I guess is can the Effexor withdrawl tamper with my menstral cycle??  Also, in the mean time do I need to worry about this heavy bleeding??  The doctor didn't seem too concerned about the heavy bleeding, it's just a little scary for me losing this much blood.  Thanks!

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

A. Effexor is an antidepressant and it is known to have effects on menstrual cylces of some women.  But iron deficiency is a common but less appreciated cause of increased bleeding.  Try to eat foods with iron such as meat and leafy green vegetables and take iron supplements from the drugstore.  It can take 3 months or sometimes more to restore iron levels.  Begin by taking the iron 3 times daily.  If it upsets your stomach, take it twice daily or even once daily but keep taking it and ask your doctor to recheck you iron levels in a few months. It is also a good idea to take a multivitamin.

If the bleeding continues after the 3 months, sometimes it is necessary to have an ultrasound of the uterus to see if there or polyps or fibroids.  It can be necessary for your doctor to look inside the uterus called hysteroscopy to determine if there is a problem, and/or to do a D&C where the lining is scraped off to find out the cause of the problem and in some cases also to treat it. Both these procedures usually are done with anesthesia and the person goes home the same day.  Losing blood is scary and it is important to continue to search for the cause.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD

[who_is_this]

How old are you?  Has your doctor done any sort of testing such as an endometrial biopsy, or D&C?  When you say heavy bleeding, how many pads/tampons per hour are you using on average each day?

[Aquarius7]

I'm 31.  I'm using about 5-6 pads per day.  They haven't done any kind of biopsy.  I saw the OBGYN the 1st of August and my pelvic ultrasound isn't scheduled until Sept. 5.  The Dr. didn't seem overly concerned, thinking maybe it was a hormonal imbalance, but I can't take anything for that because of blood clots.  I guess I won't really know anything until the ultrasound, but in the meantime of course I'm trying to think of anything it could be.  Thanks.

[vicki48]

Hi Aquarius7,
I am having the exact problems with coming of my anti-depressants.  A non-stop period with excessive blood for 2 months now.  I am getting an ultrasound next week.  My doctor says the same as the one above.  And, mine are not particularly concerned either.  Can you tell me how your tests came out?  Like you said, it is really scary losing so much blood.

[JilliansMommy]

I saw this post and was wondering if you got any answers.  I am having similar problems.  My period started July 2 and it is now October 8th and it has not stopped.  I went to my gyn back in July and told her about my non stop period (at that time it was only going on for 3 weeks) and she put me on Ibuprofen 800mg 3x a day for 14 days.  She also did an exam and told me that the IUD (Paraguard) that i had in was fine but the thread needed shortening.  As far as the Ibuprofen, this did nothing.  So, I went back in in August and she then put me on Orthotricyclen.  I have been on this and it has done nothing.  In fact, over the past three weeks it has gotten worse....now I saturate and leak through a super tampon in 2 hours.  I have very big clots and in the morning when I stand up it gushes everywhere (down my legs and puddles on the carpet).  After this happened two days in a row, I got smart and now I hold a towel under me til I reach the bathroom.  I called the gyn and they told me to just continue taking the pill and theres nothing more they can do.  My husband got worried at seeing this so he bascially ordered me to call a different doctor.  I did and they told me to go to the ER.  I went three days ago and it is now October.  The ER doc did an exam and found that the IUD was hanging out of my cervix as my body must have been rejecting it.  The ER doc took it out completely and sent me away only telling me to see my gyn within the week.  
Well...I went to the new gyn doc and he did an exam and including a biopsy (I felt him scraping inside my uterus).  I am so worried about what this might be.  The bleeding has not let up at all.  My husband and I have one child, a daughter, and we really hoped to have two....could this put a hault on this dream?

Has anyone experienced this?  What are the possible outcomes?  Any suggestions would be great.  Plus....is there anything I can do with the old doctor--how many other women are out there being told theres nothing wrong when there is???  Each time I called them I was told I was fine and let feeling really stupid.  What would have happened if I wouldn't have gone to the ER?  What do you all think?  
THanks for any comments.

[Dawnmomrn]

OH MY GOSH!!  I can't believe it!  I am not anywhere near menopause yet but I am having the exact same problem.  I am almost thirty, have four kids 9-18months, and I have a copper IUD that was inserted 6wks after the birth of my last.  I have checked it's placement by palpating the strings monthly. I have had no problems really up until now.  Spotting here and there at first but not a big deal up until now.  I also am on an anti-depressant Effexor of which I tried to wean from unsuccessfully.  This aspect intrigues me because I never would have thought of a possible link to my problem until I read these posts.  I have had my period for six weeks straight now.  I have occasional cramping, but it is not severe.  I was put on Provera 10mg after the first four week, increased to 20 after that didn't work.  Made it worse it seems.  Still didn't work.  My doc wants me to double up on birth control pills.  I am so frustrated because I don't like messing with my hormones.  They're unstable enough at times!  And, I was just on progesterone and it didn't work.  So, I have to go in for an exam on Friday.  It has taken almost three week for me to finally be seen.  They wanted me to have an ultrasound but I feel that an exam is the priority and then move on to the more expensive diagnostics.  I want to know what is causing my bleeding.  I guess I should have said that I am a registered nurse in an acute care setting with multiple experience in multiple fields.  So, I probably try to self-diagnose and think the worst but, I am really worried.  Something is wrong.  This is NOT normal.  I am not over-reacting.  Please keep in touch and let me know what your doc says so we can cross-examine with our situations.  Just when I think it's going to stop...I'm wrong and I just want answers.  Sincerely, Dawnmomrn

[fixorbefixed]

Sorry to hear I am not alone. You would think that with this many women out there with similar problems, they could fix it. I have been changing BC pills for 4 years in hopes of a fix. In June of this year, things took a bad turn. I was at times soaking a Super Plus every ten minutes. I got an blood test (50 count), ultrasound, an OBGYN visit, a D&C to lose the fibroids and an IUD to "stop" my period. Now I don't know when my period is going to start or when its stopping. I have now been bleeding or spotting (heavy spotting) for 4 months non-stop. My current cycle started 18 days ago and shows no sign of letting up. I can't get in to see my OBGYN for another 24 days, Got an appointment with my regular Dr. in 2 days. I am ready to be fixed.

[Jess1690]

Hello i am 15 coming up to 16 yrs old and i have been bleedin for 12 days now it has been a mixture of light and heavy bleeding and on the 11th day i started getting period pains. The blood started coming out thick and lumpy and is now starting and stopping again. I also feel tired and irritable and very emotional...is this normal???

[want2befixed2]

It seems that we all have the same problem, however, noone can tell us what is wrong.  I too have been a sufferer of many years of having irregular periods.  My body would go through the symptoms only to not have a full period for several months.  I would then begin a couple of months of having spotting on a daily basis...not enough to even put on a pad, this would happen only when I would go to the bathroom and wipe.  This would be followed with an abnormally heavy period with heavy clots. (I am experiencing this now). I have been light bleeding for about 2 weeks prior to this and am now experience on and off heavy but not soaking bleeding.  In my experience with this in the past, the bleeding would eventually stop, then I would be on a regular menstrual cycle for about 2 months, then the process would begin again.  I am 35, I have had a tubal.  My mother experienced the ending of her period at 42. I have been told that maybe I am going through perimenopause or that I have an hormonal imbalance.  I have had all of the ultra-sounds I am reluctant to do any invasive procedures, however, I beleive it may be time.  This is starting to affect my personal life as well as my sanity... Is there anyone out there who could tell me and the rest of us (who has been through this and treated) to give us some peace of mind?