Menstral cycle day 18 and counting

[SummerWineFan]

Hi, I'm a 46 year old female.  I have had my period now for 18 days with no signs of letting up.  I had this problem two years ago and my doctor perscribed Permarin which did the trick.  My periods,  although heavy at times have lasted from 5 to 9 days with an occassional month being skipped.  
Now I have the same problem again, but this time the Premarin is not working.  It seems that I am having a regular period ( other then the  length of time ) with occassional heavy discharge that contain clots the size of quarters. At these times I can go through about 10 pads an hour.   This may last for an hour or two then slow down.  I am not having major cramping, but I have noticed that the past two days I do experience some very minor cramping.
My doctor sent me for a thyroid and hormone check, all of which came back in the normal range.  I am concerned as to what may be causing this?  I am terrified that it may be cancer, because if not the thyroid or hormones what can it be?  
I go to my OBGYN tomorrow and I am terrified.  Can anyone ease my mind just a little?
Thanks

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

Bleeding like yours is common in this stage of life. Although one has to evaluate and be sure it isn't cancer, it is much more likely not to be cancer. Usually it is due to hormonal imbalance. There are several things that doctors often due to find the answer and stop the problem. Sometimes they do an endometrial biopsy in the office and remove a few cells from the lining of the uterus with a thin catheter. Sometimes they look inside the uterus with a thin telescope called a hysteroscope. Sometimes they do an ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries. They usually do an exam and draw hormone blood tests. After this is done and they have some results, the problem is often treated with estrogen and progesterone or progesterone alone. Often in perimenopause there is plenty of estrogen in the body already but not enough progesterone to stop the bleeding. Sometimes a D&C is done in the operating room. This uses mild anesthesia and scrapes out the lining to remove the bleeding tissue. It can both diagnose and cure the problem. Some people who bleed a lot also get anemic and have low iron which causes more bleeding. Ask your doctor to test to see if iron is low and if it is, take an iron supplement for at least 3 months along with a multivitamin to build up your blood count. Rarely, some women bleed like this because they have a blood clotting problem such as Von Willebrands disease.

Talk with your doctor. This type of bleeding is a common problem and usually can be corrected soon once the diagnosis is found.
Machelle M. Seibel, MD

[cricket51]

[cricket51]

I am 52 and I too am having a very long period.  I went 17 days and then it stopped just to start again 2 days later-today.  About every 3 to 5 days I would get heavy clots then it would start to subside but not completly stop.  I guess this is called spotting??  It seems as though it would build up and then gush out just to start the process all over again.  I am so tired of this.  I just want to know if other women go thru this?  You can't leave home without WEARING some type of protection as you never know when it will hit again.

[SummerWineFan]

Thank you both for your feedback.  I am going to the doctor's today and I am going to sit down and demand some answers.  I am concerned that the hormone tests all came back normal.  I thought I was going through menopause,  because of the hot flashes, the little hairs that have popped out on my face etc, but I guess I'm not since my hormone levels are all normal.  

Cricket, I like you am afraid to go anywhere and when I go to work, I wear 3 pads at a time because I never know when the flooding will hit.  It's draining to worry day after day and I think the emotional trauma from all this bleeding is so much worse then the bleeding itself.  

[cricket51]

I hope you let us know what your physician says about this problem.  Yes, the emotional side of it is draining.  I have lost interest in everything from the worry of it.  I read a lot of posts where a lot of women are going thru this and I know it is probably menapause approaching.  I also read where their doctor seems to just "blow it off".  I have been regular as clock work most of my life with the exception of the last couple of years. Last year I had a period about every other month and then in March I had my last one until July 22nd which lasted 14 days.  I started back up August 30 and have been fighting this ever since.  Most of the time mine is fairly light, but have those days that it seems like the clots just build up and have to come out???   I have also been under a lot of stress loosing a job, starting a new job, moving twice not to mention hurting my leg that has now healed.  I have heard emotional stress can play a part from what I have also read, but this is ridiculous.  Like I was saying earlier, I had completly stopped after 16-17 days and yesterday at work I felt strange and ran to the bathroom and clots came out with the bleeding.  Afterwards it completly stopped again and has not started back yet, but I can't relax because I don't trust it.  Men are so lucky-no maintanence what so ever!ha   Good luck to you and please keep us posted.  

[terrip]

we are not alone ...and thats  a good feeling...:)

[marymk]

I had this happen in over the past summer. In August, I never stopped bleeding from 1 period to the next, and the second one was extremely heavy. My gyn tested my hormones, I had an ultrsound and an endometrial biopsy. All tests came back good. Even thought my hormones did not show menopause, they were off a little, so chalk it up to hormonal changes. I'm currently taking Provera - this puts my cycle on a more normal schedule, and I only get it once a month now.

Mary