Ok, serious TMI but this period is whupping me!

[ShanaMama]

I posted last month or so about heavy clotting with my period & y'all told me to call my dr. Well, I haven't. AF is back & I've been passing grape sized + clots all day.
It's disturbing, anxiety provoking & uncomfortable. And gross.
So I'm calling tomorrow & will make my yearly appt as well. The question is, how freaked should I be? Is this a symptom of an IUD? (I never had clotting with my first IUD.) I just want to go in armed with the right questions cuz I love my mdiwives but they are very laissez faire & I want to make sure I take this seriously if I need to.

TIA & sorry for the TMI!

[sduemmler]

I haven't looked at your old post, but since I had kids, I have about a 24-36 hour long time with the same thing each period (big clots, pain until I pass each one). My Ob/Gyn says it's common, but she gave me the option of uterine ablation, which is singing the lining of your uterus (electricity or hot water--in-office procedure)--only to be done if you're done with kids. I just tolerate it, since I don't like to mess with things. I think the only risk is really anemia--my Ob said she had one woman pass out and fall down the stairs because she was so anemic, but I have tested fine.

I just tend to be kind of housebound for one day a month...

If it helps, I just turned 40, had my last child at 36, my first at 32. I think I was clotting between them also.

Hang in there!

[mikeys_mom]

I am certainly no expert on the topic but I am having similar issues with my IUD (Mirena). Not clotting, but super heavy and long periods all of a sudden. For the first 1.5 years I had my Mirena, my periods were pretty regular and kept getting lighter. When I discussed this with my Dr, her biggest concern was not the heavy periods but the fact that there was such a drastic change all of a sudden. She said that had this occured right from the begining then she would just say that is how my body responded to the IUD. She had me go for an ultrasound and then a second follow-up u/s. It turns out that there is some concern about the positioning and/or functioning of the IUD and she now wants me to see my OB to discuss it with him.

It could be that what you are experiencing is normal but I would make sure that they rule out any other issues.

[ShanaMama]

Originally Posted by sduemmler

I haven't looked at your old post, but since I had kids, I have about a 24-36 hour long time with the same thing each period (big clots, pain until I pass each one). My Ob/Gyn says it's common, but she gave me the option of uterine ablation, which is singing the lining of your uterus (electricity or hot water--in-office procedure)--only to be done if you're done with kids. I just tolerate it, since I don't like to mess with things. I think the only risk is really anemia--my Ob said she had one woman pass out and fall down the stairs because she was so anemic, but I have tested fine.

I just tend to be kind of housebound for one day a month...

If it helps, I just turned 40, had my last child at 36, my first at 32. I think I was clotting between them also.

Hang in there!

Holy cow! I _think_ my mom just had that ablation thing recently! Tell me I won't be having this until I'm middle aged! (Definitely not done with kids, so not an option for me.)
I spoke to my midwife who basically echoed what you said- the only concern is anemia, so they'll draw blood at my next appt. I scheduled a yearly for the first time since 05. (had a baby in between...)

[ShanaMama]

Originally Posted by mikeys_mom

I am certainly no expert on the topic but I am having similar issues with my IUD (Mirena). Not clotting, but super heavy and long periods all of a sudden. For the first 1.5 years I had my Mirena, my periods were pretty regular and kept getting lighter. When I discussed this with my Dr, her biggest concern was not the heavy periods but the fact that there was such a drastic change all of a sudden. She said that had this occured right from the begining then she would just say that is how my body responded to the IUD. She had me go for an ultrasound and then a second follow-up u/s. It turns out that there is some concern about the positioning and/or functioning of the IUD and she now wants me to see my OB to discuss it with him.

It could be that what you are experiencing is normal but I would make sure that they rule out any other issues.

That is a very drastic change. Everyone who's ever posted on here with Mirenas talked about the light to non-existant periods. My midwife suggested I might want to try switching but I don't really want a Mirena. I do very poorly on hormonal BCP + I would get nervous that I was pregnant if I didn't get my period regularly. I want more kids, but not yet!

[kijip]

I had some clotting on Mirena but I have experienced clotting off Mirena as well (pre-baby, pre-Mirena).

Before kids, I had very, very heavy periods with serious cramping, that came with MUCH clotting, vomiting and just a general period of ick. After kids, all of this went away. I still get some light clotting but I have no more cramping in the least. My doctor says that it is not uncommon for women's periods to change, either better or worse, after they give birth.

[LarsMal]

I had my annual today and mentioned the clotting to my doc. I have been having one day in my cycle where I have the clotting like you described. She wasn't concerned at all. She said it just means the blood isn't moving as fast and has time to collect and then comes out that way. She gave me a BCP prescription, but didn't really push it on me. She said the body post babies is "strange" and always changing- that it could get better, but the clotting doesn't mean it will get worse. Same for the long, painful ovulation and breakouts. She said it's a sign my hormones are at work, which she claims is better than the alternative of them not working properly!

Not exactly what I expected, but it made me feel a little better. Post back after you talk to your doc. I'm interested to know what he/she has to say.

[sduemmler]

[QUOTE=ShanaMama;3013804]Holy cow! I _think_ my mom just had that ablation thing recently! Tell me I won't be having this until I'm middle aged! QUOTE]


Yeah, that's not the news you want, is it? In a warped way, I guess you get used to it...

[ShanaMama]

[QUOTE=LarsMal;3014299 She said the body post babies is "strange" and always changing- that it could get better, but the clotting doesn't mean it will get worse. Same for the long, painful ovulation and breakouts. She said it's a sign my hormones are at work, which she claims is better than the alternative of them not working properly!
[/QUOTE]
That's one way of putting things in perspective! I don't know if I'd be thankful or annoyed having heard that from my doc but after the day I had today I'm leaning toward annoyed....

[lilycat88]

There is a non hormonal medication called Lysteda that was approved late in 2009 for heavy monthly bleeding. You only take it 3 times a day for the first 3 (I think) days of your period. It helped me.