# Extremely Heavy Periods - Causes?



## Shelsi (Apr 4, 2005)

I've had really heavy periods ever since I had my dd 2.5 yrs ago. Before then they were pretty normal. Now they are still the same length but the first 2-3 days are so heavy I feel like I can't even leave the house. I was going through those new ultra tampons every 2-3 hours or so.

I finally decided to take the plunge and try the Diva cup. It says on the website the average monthly flow is 30-40 ml. The cup holds 30 ml.

Well I've over flowed it 3 times now in just 18 hours. I over flowed it this morning and it had only been in for 3 hours.

So what causes this type of thing? I do have long irregular cycles, this last cycle was 39 days but it's often anywhere from 36-60 days. I don't get cramps really. Sometimes I have a lower back ache but even that is very mild and only lasts a day. I get overly emotional after I ovulate and my breasts hurt really bad until my period arrives but that's about it. I don't have any other symptoms of PCOS and I know I ovulate because I chart to avoid.


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## BathrobeGoddess (Nov 19, 2001)

Moved to fertility


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## nia82 (May 6, 2008)

I'm currently using tampons, but overflow them every 2 hours, prepregnancy that size held for 6 hours... I'm worried too, but I don't have the cramps I had before.... Maybe it is a postpartum adjustment?


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## MaerynPearl (Jun 21, 2008)

May I ask... what color is the blood?

Surprisingly, that does make a difference in what it could be.


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## goldfinches (May 15, 2008)

Did you have any placental issues with your daughter's delivery?

You could have PCOS without all the typical symptoms. I know some women who don't have the typical weight issues, but do have the excess hair. (I don't know if you have any of the symptoms, just giving an example.)

I think pregnancy and birth just changes our bodies sometimes, also, it could just be a change from that...
But, no matter what it is, that's a lot of bleeding. Do you have a doctor to ask about this?


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## Shelsi (Apr 4, 2005)

The blood is just the usual dark red color. No unexplained weight gain, no excess hair, etc. While I've never had regular cycles I do ovulate at least 6-8 times a year usually and I get pregnant very easily.

No placental issues with dd during birth. She was a super fast and easy birth; she was a home birth turned surprise UC. Midwife came after the placenta was birth and everything looked fine.

My first PPAF at about 2.5 months post partum was odd in what happened between ovulation to AF. I ovulated and then the next day I was flying alone with the kids to go see my parents. The next day I felt a little dizzy but figured it was from the lack of sleep and stress airplane ride with 2 little kids. That night I suddenly had some extreme dizziness, like I was on a tilt a whirl and then my body started to shake starting at my feet and then moving up my body. I was totally coherent but everything was spinning and I couldn't keep my body from shaking. My parents called 911 but by the time I got to the hospital it was over. 2 days later I started AF (so my first luteal phase was only 4 days).

It never happened again thank goodness but I do have lingering vertigo and I've noticed that sometimes, not all the time though, I get more vertigo between ovulation and AF.

No doctor here







We just moved a few months ago and we're in a very very small backwards town. I can't even find a doc who will see my kids here since we don't vax. I'm going to have to drive 2 hours to the next town just to get them a ped. The thought of trying to find a gyno I'm comfortable with here is scary.


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## MaerynPearl (Jun 21, 2008)

as long as it is not bright red i see no reason for an emergency room trip but it is certainly something (especially mixed with a possible connection to recurrent vertigo) to see a doctor about as soon as you can as there could be problems due to your previous childbirth even with the placenta checking out fine... there could be damage there that was not spotted.


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## DoulaLMT (Feb 6, 2007)

Have your iron levels checked too. Having heavy periods (along with being pregnant, giving birth, and nursing children) can really deplete your iron. Anemia can cause dizziness, but probably not what I would call vertigo. Any other anemia symptoms?

ETA: I have heavy periods too. I fill a diva cup 6 or 7 times AT LEAST each period. My understanding is that there is a very wide range of "normal" so you might be significantly heavier than "average" and still be within "normal." Definitely worth getting checked out though.


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## Shelsi (Apr 4, 2005)

Nope no other symptoms. Over all I'm a pretty healthy person. I eat well, almost no processed foods, etc. I had wondered about anemia before as well but then it didn't make sense that I would feel dizzy before AF, kwim?

What's weird is that before I had dd I used to have a "normal" period but terrible cramps. Now I have tons more blood but no cramps.


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## CharlieToaster (Mar 10, 2008)

I had the same problem after giving birth as well. Diva cup ranneth over. I believe a lot of women do. I'd check with your doctor. It's probably the best way to get a answer specific to your case. I'm done having children so I had thermal ablasion done. Now I bleed moderately for a day or two. My friend had it done and doesn't bleed at all. It can also be treated hormonally sometimes with the pill but I haven't heard really great results.

I think the extra bleeding may come from the changed endometrial wall of the uterus. After expanding and getting smaller again, thing is, (I think,not sure) Your uterine walls expand as the baby grows but when it shrinks again it may just fold back up instead of shrinking back to the way it was. The way my OB/GYN explained it to me is when they do thermal ablasion they remove the endometrial lining. The tool is designed to take the whole thing. If it gets it all, you won't bleed. If you have more lining in the folds of your uterus the tool can't reach you will still bleed - the amount depeding on the tissue remaining.


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## pumpkin (Apr 8, 2003)

First, try not to worry. That isn't that heavy. At least not in my experience.

My heavy periods were caused by a fibroid. I could overflow the Diva cup in 10 minutes over and over again. A normal day meant changing at least every hour.

If the heaviness persists it is probably worth seeing a gyn and getting a few tests run.


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## Attila the Honey (Mar 15, 2003)

I am curious about the relation between placenta issues and AF. I had placental issues galore and I often wonder if it's somehow related to the postpartum changes in my AF.

Have you had your thyroid checked? I used to have to get up in the middle of the night to change my ultra giant maxi overnight pad but since i've started synthroid my period is much lighter and more manageable. It feels nice not to worry about leaking 3 days a month.


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