Why Is My Period So Heavy?

As a woman, you know to brace for the handful of days a month when you’ll be bleeding. You might wear darker pants or skip certain activities, such as those that require you to wear a swimsuit. Maybe you don’t adjust your life at all, but you’re still aware of what’s going on.

Most women report that menstrual bleeding is at least an inconvenience. For some, it can be downright problematic. If you bleed heavily on your period, the need to change out your pad, tampon, or menstrual cup so frequently gets burdensome. 

If you deal with heavy menstrual bleeding, we can help. Come see our team at Elite Gynecology in Manhattan, Forest Hills, or Rego Park, New York. We work with you to figure out what’s causing your heavy bleeding and help you take steps to move toward a lighter flow.

When to see a doctor for heavy menstrual bleeding

It’s normal to have some variation in your flow from month to month. Everything from diet to stress levels can impact how much you bleed. 

If you consistently have heavy bleeding, though, it’s worth seeing a doctor. Medical professionals call heavy menstrual bleeding menorrhagia, and it’s technically a disorder. 

Some signs you might be living with menorrhagia include:

• Bleeding for a week or more
• Doubling up your period protection (e.g., wearing a tampon with period panties)
• Feeling fatigued while you’re on your period
• Passing clots that are bigger than a quarter
• Packing a change of clothes just in case
• Soaking through a pad or tampon every hour or two for several hours in a row

If any of this sounds familiar, come see our team. We work with you to figure out what’s causing your heavy menstrual bleeding. Ideally, knowing what lies at the root of the issue helps us target that problem. This, in turn, should help to ease your bleeding.

Treating menorrhagia

To ease your bleeding, we first need to figure out what’s behind it. Our team talks with you about your symptoms, what’s typical for your menstrual cycle, and how the bleeding impacts your life. 

Then, we apply diagnostic tools to see what’s going on inside your body. We might perform a pelvic exam or use an ultrasound to see if you have fibroids or polyps, for example.

Once we figure out what’s behind your menorrhagia, we go to work trying to address the root cause to ease your bleeding. The right treatment depends on what’s affecting your body. 

If you have a hormone imbalance, for example, we might recommend hormonal birth control to help regulate the bleeding. Or, if you have a fibroid, we can perform a minimally invasive procedure called a uterine fibroid embolization to shrink the size of the fibroid and relieve your symptoms.

We also provide wrap-around care to help improve your quality of life. If you have anemia due to excessive blood loss, we may recommend iron supplements, for example. 

We aim to help you find relief from heavy bleeding and its impact on your life. For the care you need to move toward more manageable periods, call Elite Gynecology or book a consultation online today.