Here is the situation. I am 17 years old (almost 18) and my period came three-two weeks early. I just had my regular, on-time period from December 27-January 2: a regular seven day period. However on January 8, I started experiencing spotting. I brushed it off and just used a panty liner for about 5 days, however the bleeding continued. On January 13, I started using a pad, accepting that this was an early period.
Then on the 17th, things got really bad. My flow got terribly heavy. I was replacing tampons every 1-2 hours, and had to wear an overnight pad on top of tampons because they kept bleeding through. I went to the store and purchased Instead disposable menstrual cups, I am now using those. Still, my cup fills up and seems to leak every 1-2 hours. They say cups don't leak if you put them in right, but I believe mine are in right because I push them all the way past my pubic bone and they are in the farthest they can go. Then when I empty my cup after it has leaked or overflowed, it is so full of blood. Plus, every time there are dark red period blot clots that are tissue-like and I have to empty out.
I know it is normal to have these clots every once-in-a-while, but is it alarming that they keep coming out every 1-2 hours? It is the second day of my non-stop flow, and life is torture. I spend my life sitting in bed on my computer, and then when I feel blood coming out of my vagina, I rush to the bathroom to empty and replace my cup, and get another pad if needed. When I went to church yesterday, the cup leaked and blood was streaming down my jeans (so embarassing!). Still, I know it is sometimes normal to have heavy flow, but is my situation normal? Help!
Also, Just about an hour ago I started getting hard of breath and on the verge of lightheadedness (I wouldn't say I'm lightheaded or dizzy yet, but it feels like those are coming). I took 500 mg acetaminophen because another site said that Ibuprofen (which I don't have) helps decrease flow. It also said to drink lots of water, so I have been doing this. Plus, it said to take iron supplements, which I guess I should have been doing all along, but I don't have any in my house.
Please help me! Is this something to be concerned about? Mind you, this has never happened before. Maybe it is because the change in water. Usually my perios are pretty regular. I'm so scared for school tomorrow, do you think this will keep up or slow down? I don't think I can function in public with my cup/tampon filling up every few hours and my pad needing replaced. Really, this is a miserable existence right now.