dysfunctional uterine bleeding in 35 year old

[Ivy557]

In 2002 I was diagnosed with dysfunctional uterine bleeding after going to the after hours emergency care my insurance provides (not the ER at a hospital). I was passing several huge blood clots (the diameter of baseballs) and bleeding through a pad every 30 minutes. They sent me home with a course of estrogen and progesterone (separate pills) and told me to follow up with my gynecologist when I had finished the course of drugs. When I took them they immediately stopped the period I was having and the other pill started the nightmare right up again.

When I went to my gynecologist, he wanted to try the wait and see approach. I was fine with that, he said it was probably a hormonal imbalance that would work itself out on it's own. Fast forward several months later - I was still having huge blood clots (which was unnerving within itself because I could feel them pass) and bleeding anywhere from 2 weeks to a whole month before having a week break. I was by this time anemic. My gynecologist suggested that I start taking iron supplements, which I did - it helped a lot with the fatigue I was feeling. My gynecologist did a endometrial biopsy and it came back normal. I went on birth control pills, these did very little to help me. They did reduce my period down to two weeks at a time from a month, but I was still bleeding just as heavy and still having blood clots. I stayed on these for a year.

Then I had the Mirena IUD - I had the Mirena for 2 years. The IUD was effective in thinning the bleeding and eliminated the blood clots. My periods were still 2 weeks long in durati

[Machelle Seibel, MD]

A. Your question was cut off and I don’t know how it ends. However, taking the iron is a good thing as low iron from anemia can actually increase bleeding and taking iron can reduce it. Try taking a multivitamin also for the anemia.
Stay on the iron as long as you are bleeding and three months after it stops.  The Mirena IUD is also a good treatment for this type of problem.  If you are still bleeding, it would be good to have an ultrasound of your uterus to see if there are any fibroids or other abnormalities. Your doctor might also want to do a hysteroscopy which is a telescope placed inside the uterus to look at the lining directly. Sometimes an infection called endometritis, polyp or fibroid can cause the bleeding. Hysteroscopy can be done in the office but is often done in the operating room. Most women go home a few hours afterward.

Machelle M. Seibel, MD

[Ivy557]

I had the Mirena for 2 years. The IUD was effective in thinning the bleeding and eliminated the blood clots. My periods were still 2 weeks long in duration, with two weeks without a period. My gynecologist did another endometrial biopsy before inserting the Mirena, again it came back clean. He also did a pap smear and a pelvic exam - all normal.

I had the Mirena removed 17 days ago because I had a bacterial vaginosis infection. The (new - insurance change) gynecologist asked if I wanted to take it out because it wasn't doing me much good anyway. He suggested that I have a D and C if the bleeding was still a problem in a few months. Since having the IUD out, I have had one normal period which started two days after removal - I say normal because it only lasted 7 days which is "my normal". Then 6 days after that I started spotting, just enough to have to use a pantiliner. It's mainly just when I wipe that I notice the blood - it's orange and very thin - all liquid no mucus. Why would it be orange?

Also, what other tests should I have to rule out cancer or figure out just what is going on with me? My mother had cancer immediately after I was born, she was 38 years old (I'm 35). Unfortunately, she is gone now (old age, thankfully) and I cannot find out if her cancer was uterine, cervical or ovarian. She had a full hysterectomy. Any advise will be greatly appreciated.

[missers]

I had a similar experience about 10 years ago.  Long, long, heavy periods and large clots.  I too could feel the clots pass though it didn't hurt.  I also had abdominal pain.  Do you have abdominal pain?  I had one episode where I spent 2 hours in the bathroom passing clots.  Went to my GYN who immediately did an ultrasound and an MRI.  (My guess is they were thinking miscarriage but I new I wasn't pregnant.) It was determined to be large fibroids causing the symptoms.  I had a myomectomy (had the fibroids removed)rather than a hysterectomy because I wanted to have children.  My symptoms disappeared after the surgery. I got pregnant shortly thereafter, and then about about a year after my child was born I stopped getting my periods altogether.  As long as there's is nothing clinically wrong, I much prefer the no periods to the heavy ones:)

[Ivy557]

I failed to mention that I had a tubal ligation in 2001. I have two children, 14 years old and 5 years old.

I did have abdominal pain before having the Mirena IUD. It was a pain to the sides of my stomach, like it might be ovaries. Sometimes the pain was bearable other times the pain had me curled up in the fetal position almost screaming. I had both of my children w/o pain meds or an epidural so it scared me a little at how severe the pain was at times. I'll check into having an ultrasound and/or a MRI. My gynecologist has never ran any tests other than a regular pap and the two epidural biopsies. I did find out he ran a chlamydia and a ghonorrea test every time I went to see him with this problem, (when we had to change insurance I ordered my medical records) it always came back negative for the two STD's. I can relate to spending the day in the bathroom on the toilet. Thanks for your help! Congratulations on having your child.