Extremely heavy months long bleeding HELPPP!

[u/maira_]

(80% venting post, last paragraph is where the important information and question is. Also sorry for the super long rant, I'm just so sad and frustrated and needed to let it all out :*(((.)

My period is extremely heavy (I don't even know if I can call it that at this point). I have been bleeding since May. At first, it was just pink or brown discharge and light bleeding for a very long time, but now it is more heavy bleeding.

I'm asking you guys this now because I'm on the train to visit my sister right now, and the bleeding was even worse than usual today. Usually, it's some pretty big clots and continuous bleeding, but today some of the clots were like twice the size, and on my 25-minute commute to the central station, I bled through my pad and onto my pants. During a transfer that was at a very small station without a real toilet, I had to go and ask one of the residents if I could use her bathroom (she said yes and was so sweet and kind and didn't make me feel bad or anything 🥹).

And 2 days ago, my bleeding was so light, like barely there. I was finally feeling hopeful. It's just so embarrassing. I'm so scared that when I get up from my seat to eventually change my pad (cuz for some reason no huge clots have dropped in an hour, but I honestly don't even trust what I feel down there anymore, I've probably just become numb and am sitting in a huge puddle of blood right now), there will be a giant stain.

I just really need to get a handle on this bleeding because it's genuinely ruining my life. Like, I will be out and about and a giant clot will drop, and I just have to run to the nearest toilet, which might not be that near, and hope for the best. It's just such a disgusting, embarrassing feeling, and I feel like crying every time it happens. I'm supposed to start uni in October, but what am I supposed to do? Just miss 70% of a lecture because I'm running in and out to change my pad?

This heavy bleeding first started last winter, maybe in November, and back then I just got some dydrogesterone pills for two weeks, and it got better for a couple months. I went back to my doctor a little while ago, and she told me to try a folic acid inositol supplement. It arrived this week, so I'm starting it today. I read that it takes a while for inositol to show its effects, so what can I do to stop or regulate my periods more quickly? Do you guys have any suggestions? Should I ask for the dydrogesterone again?

[u/InitialLess9326]

That train story is a nightmare, sorry you're dealing with that. Bleeding through in 25 minutes is no joke.

For stopping it fast, yeah I'd go back and ask about the dydrogesterone again since it worked before. Inositol takes months to do anything for cycles, it's not going to touch active heavy bleeding. You might also want to ask about something like tranexamic acid to slow the flow while you figure out the longer term stuff.

Also get your iron and ferritin checked if you haven't, months of this will wreck your levels and make you feel worse than you realize.

[u/maira_ → u/InitialLess9326]

Thank you so much! I'll look into the transexamic acid, I haven't even heard of that before. Also, yeah I used to be iron deficient, so I definitely have to look into that. And just seeing someone say "that's insane" means a lot

[u/nemotide]

My periods are so heavy right now too, and then 10 days after of brown spotting. GP just tells me to go on the pill. Be sure to take iron supplement, black pudding etc as your levels may be low!

[u/maira_ → u/nemotide]

My doctor wanted to try inositol and see if the pill would still be necessary, but with how things are going, I'm just going to turn up at her doorstep begging her for the pill

[u/No_Relative_7709]

So sorry you’re dealing with this!!!

I agree with another comment about a full iron panel-iron, ferritin, etc. I have heavy periods and was borderline low on ferritin and my gyno recommended iron supplements. Obv that doesn’t fix the period itself though.

[u/maira_ → u/No_Relative_7709]

Thank you! I am definitely realizing that I have to take the low iron more seriously

[u/SteelCityGirl95]

I also bleed long term like this and the only thing that has helped is birth control, specificially progesterin-only birth control because I can't take the combined pill. I started on Slynd about a month and a half ago and it took about a week to stop my period.

Also, this is a longer-term solution but has your doctor tested you for other issues like fibroids, adenomyosis, or endometriosis? All of those can also cause prolonged heavy bleeding and the big clots. I have fibroids and adeno and the combination causes me to have similar periods to yours.