Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Heavy Periods

If you notice you’re bleeding heavily and having to change pads more frequently, you need to get evaluated at The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group. Heavy periods can be the first indication of an underlying medical issue.

What a heavy period may mean

Heavy periods can affect women of all ages. Any changes in a period, especially if bleeding is much heavier than normal, can indicate a potential underlying health issue, such as:

• Fibroids
• Infection
• Endometrial polyps

You may also experience changes in your period if you have a sexually transmitted disease.

For women who are getting closer to their transition to menopause ― the time when periods stop for good ― heavy bleeding may become more frequent with each remaining period. You may also notice that even though you’re bleeding heavier, your periods may be less frequent than usual.

How to evaluate period flow

Everyone has their own normal when it comes to periods. Typically, heavy menstrual bleeding describes bleeding that lasts longer than eight days. You should also call The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group if you soak two sanitary pads within an hour for several hours in a row.

Additionally, you shouldn’t ignore other warning signs that can go along with heavy menstrual flow, such as:

• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Chronic fatigue
• Heart palpitations

Losing large amounts of blood can increase your risk of developing other health complications, such as anemia.

Finding relief from heavy periods

Based on the root cause of your heavy menstrual flow, your provider at The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group can recommend treatment to lessen bleeding and resolve associated symptoms.

If your bleeding is the result of fibroids or related to menopause, you may need to take low-dose birth control pills to control it. Fibroids that can’t be treated with medications may require surgery to remove them.

If you have an infection or a sexually transmitted disease that’s triggering heavy periods, you may need to begin taking antibiotics or other medications to prevent the infection from spreading to other areas of your body or to other people.

Another important part of addressing heavy periods is to make sure you don’t develop other complications, such as anemia. Your provider may recommend that you take an iron supplement in addition to treating the heavy bleeding.

If you’re bleeding heavier than normal, get evaluated by booking an appointment online or over the phone with The Guirguis Obstetrics & Gynecology Group today.