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  1. #11
    wendibird22's Avatar
    wendibird22 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Thank you all for the commiseration and advice! So helpful!

    A few additional things, since some of you asked about diet, weight, etc.

    1. Been doing IF for a year now. Lost about 5-7lbs and am in a healthy weight range. I do yoga 5x a week and run on the weekends. I've been gluten free since 2011.

    2. I see my OBGYN annually and have mentioned heavy periods the last 2 or 3 appointments. Other than being offered BCP, there's been no other investigation or discussion of solutions...no blood tests to see if I'm anemic or truly in peri, no US, nothing. I have to schedule my next exam and so I will mention my concerns to the scheduler and push for more discussion of options.

    3. My mom always had heavy periods from day 1. She recounts wearing two thick pads to school as a child. Just last year she was diagnosed as having a very thick uterine lining post-menopause (a finding from investigating gallbladder issues) and had that taken care of (ablation maybe?). I was lucky to escape the heavy periods all my life until these past few years.

    4. I did recently start an iron supplement because I'm always run down and given the heavy periods figured it was an iron issue. But yes, it makes me constipated.

    5. Perhaps I suck it up and try BCP again? I had an IUD (Mirena) right after having DD2 (11yrs ago) and I HATED it. I kept it for 9 months and then had it removed. I spotted the entire 9 months.

    6. Gatorsmom-good to know about upping the ibuprofen (I was only taking 1 200mg) and will try that this cycle to see if that helps. And good to know about more lax timing of taking a BCP...I had thought that not being timely would cause spotting?

    7. Latia-thank you for the book recommendation and the info about supplements. I'm definitely going to look into that. I hope you continue to see that it is effective for you.
    Mom to two amazing DDs ('07 & '09) and a fur baby.

    Gluten free since Nov '11 after non-celiac gluten sensitive diagnosis. Have had great improvement or total elimination of: migraines, bloating/distention, heartburn, cystic acne, canker sores, bleeding gums, eczema on elbows, dry skin and scalp, muscle cramps, PMS, hair loss, heart palpitations, fatigue. I'm amazed.

  2. #12
    Melaine is offline Blue Diamond level (20,000+ posts)
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    I’m only 38 but I think I am in the same boat. My mom hit menopause early. My hormones seem out of wack. My period is really heavy this cycle and I don’t remember clots like this in the past. I know I need iron but the constipation is always awful when I take it. I think I will go pick up floradix which seems a bit better.

  3. #13
    PunkyBoo is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    For those of you with constipation due to iron, maybe try the "power pudding" recipe. I have always had a very slow system, and had to take iron supplements during pregnancy, and this was the only thing that worked. It's pretty easy, and I liked that it doesn't require additional supplements.
    https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/arti...c-constipation

    Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

    Mama to DS1 Punkin (2/04) and DS2 Boo (1/09)

  4. #14
    Gracemom is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    I had horrible bleeding and was anemic so I got the ablation. I’m so happy I did. I didn’t realize how much of my time and energy were being consumed by heavy painful periods. Definitely pursue an ultrasound and blood work. I get that every 2 years.

  5. #15
    gatorsmom is offline Pink Diamond level (15,000+ posts)
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    It makes me so angry reading these posts because in so many of them it seems out doctors are not taking this seriously. Perimenopause and menopause bring HUGE changes to our bodies and lives! Why aren’t our doctor supporting us? Why do they jump to the ablation and hysterectomy as a solution?

    A friend of mine ina large metro area once told me that there is now a healthcare profession dedicated solely to helping women though peri and menopause. They can check your hormones to see if you are in perimenopause. I wish I had had access to someone like that!! My OBGYN told me that at 38 years old it was highly unlikely that I could be starting perimenopause. I’m 49yo now and I’m certain that’s when I started. They gave me an abdominal ultrasound to make sure the excessive bleeding I was having wasn’t due to a fibroid or cancer or something else. But when the ultrasound came back negative they still wouldn’t admit I could be in perimenopause. Still irks me.

    Knowing what I do now, if I were in your shoes, OP, I’d ask my doctor at your annual exam if you could talk specifically about the heavy bleeding, the possibility of testing your hormones to see if you are in PM, and a list of options for you from least invasive to most invasive. I’d also ask outright if you need to schedule a separate appointment in order to have time to not rush through the discussion and devote time to a thorough discussion. Hopefully that will bring across your point that you DO NOT want this issue to be brushed off like it usually is.

    In the last 10 years I’ve been talking about this with friends and acquaintances and for every 2 people who have had ablation and loved it there is a third who said their heavy periods started back up again. Even my doctors have said it’s not always a cure-all. That’s why I’ve always asked for other options.

    Sorry this is so long but OP, I’d also ask your doctor what is the highest dose of ibuprofen you can take to keep the bleeding controlled. I remember being surprised when my doctor told me 600mg every 6 hours for the 4-9 days I have bleeding (because the bottles warn you not to take more than 400mg) but since then I had a doctor give me a one-time dose of 800mg so I’m fairly certain you can safely take more. Oh, and I take my BCP everyday and only spot if I miss a day. Bedtime for me is anywhere from 9pm-2am and rarely do I spot but ymmv.
    Last edited by gatorsmom; 01-05-2021 at 12:54 PM.
    " I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." Mahatma Gandhi

    "This is the ultimate weakness of violence: It multiplies evil and violence in the universe. It doesn't solve any problems." Martin Luther King, Jr.

  6. #16
    Kestrel is offline Sapphire level (2000+ posts)
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    re: doctors. I think a lot of the problems we women have in our doctors taking bleeding issues seriously is insurance-based. My last GYN's PA told me that there are strict limits to what can be covered in an "annual" checkup. She told me if I had further problems to make a separate appointment specifically to deal with my fibroids/heavy bleeding, and I got to tell you - best money I spent. Maybe they think that if it's not a "problem" appointment, it's not that much of a problem? But if you make an appointment specifically to deal with it, then all of the time will be focused on that.

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by gatorsmom View Post
    It makes me so angry reading these posts because in so many of them it seems out doctors are not taking this seriously. Perimenopause and menopause bring HUGE changes to our bodies and lives! Why aren’t our doctor supporting us? Why do they jump to the ablation and hysterectomy as a solution?

    A friend of mine ina large metro area once told me that there is now a healthcare profession dedicated solely to helping women though peri and menopause. They can check your hormones to see if you are in perimenopause. I wish I had had access to someone like that!! My OBGYN told me that at 38 years old it was highly unlikely that I could be starting perimenopause. I’m 49yo now and I’m certain that’s when I started. They gave me an abdominal ultrasound to make sure the excessive bleeding I was having wasn’t due to a fibroid or cancer or something else. But when the ultrasound came back negative they still wouldn’t admit I could be in perimenopause. Still irks me.

    Knowing what I do now, if I were in your shoes, OP, I’d ask my doctor at your annual exam if you could talk specifically about the heavy bleeding, the possibility of testing your hormones to see if you are in PM, and a list of options for you from least invasive to most invasive. I’d also ask outright if you need to schedule a separate appointment in order to have time to not rush through the discussion and devote time to a thorough discussion. Hopefully that will bring across your point that you DO NOT want this issue to be brushed off like it usually is.

    In the last 10 years I’ve been talking about this with friends and acquaintances and for every 2 people who have had ablation and loved it there is a third who said their heavy periods started back up again. Even my doctors have said it’s not always a cure-all. That’s why I’ve always asked for other options.

    Sorry this is so long but OP, I’d also ask your doctor what is the highest dose of ibuprofen you can take to keep the bleeding controlled. I remember being surprised when my doctor told me 600mg every 6 hours for the 4-9 days I have bleeding (because the bottles warn you not to take more than 400mg) but since then I had a doctor give me a one-time dose of 800mg so I’m fairly certain you can safely take more. Oh, and I take my BCP everyday and only spot if I miss a day. Bedtime for me is anywhere from 9pm-2am and rarely do I spot but ymmv.
    Heavy doses of ibuprofen for regular use is subjectively "safe". It can and does cause stomach ulcers and other issues so it personally isn't something I would ever consider as a solution longterm. (When I bled last year from Oct-Feb off and on, my obgyn did have me try that while I waited for my appointment,etc.) I would absolutely try an ablation or even a hysterectomy if it failed over years of heavy ibuprofen use.
    ANY obgyn can order bloodwork to tell if someone is in perimenopause/menopause. It's just the basic fertility bloodwork that all obgyns should be able to order and understand, not anything that's super specialized or difficult. I guess it's more of a matter of having a good doctor who cares to try.
    Angie

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    DD- 9/09-9/09
    DS- 2011 DS2- 2012 DS3- 2015 DD-2019

  8. #18
    MSWR0319 is offline Diamond level (5000+ posts)
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    Quote Originally Posted by gatorsmom View Post
    It makes me so angry reading these posts because in so many of them it seems out doctors are not taking this seriously. Perimenopause and menopause bring HUGE changes to our bodies and lives! Why aren’t our doctor supporting us? Why do they jump to the ablation and hysterectomy as a solution?

    A friend of mine ina large metro area once told me that there is now a healthcare profession dedicated solely to helping women though peri and menopause. They can check your hormones to see if you are in perimenopause. I wish I had had access to someone like that!! My OBGYN told me that at 38 years old it was highly unlikely that I could be starting perimenopause. I’m 49yo now and I’m certain that’s when I started. They gave me an abdominal ultrasound to make sure the excessive bleeding I was having wasn’t due to a fibroid or cancer or something else. But when the ultrasound came back negative they still wouldn’t admit I could be in perimenopause. Still irks me.

    Knowing what I do now, if I were in your shoes, OP, I’d ask my doctor at your annual exam if you could talk specifically about the heavy bleeding, the possibility of testing your hormones to see if you are in PM, and a list of options for you from least invasive to most invasive. I’d also ask outright if you need to schedule a separate appointment in order to have time to not rush through the discussion and devote time to a thorough discussion. Hopefully that will bring across your point that you DO NOT want this issue to be brushed off like it usually is.

    In the last 10 years I’ve been talking about this with friends and acquaintances and for every 2 people who have had ablation and loved it there is a third who said their heavy periods started back up again. Even my doctors have said it’s not always a cure-all. That’s why I’ve always asked for other options.

    Sorry this is so long but OP, I’d also ask your doctor what is the highest dose of ibuprofen you can take to keep the bleeding controlled. I remember being surprised when my doctor told me 600mg every 6 hours for the 4-9 days I have bleeding (because the bottles warn you not to take more than 400mg) but since then I had a doctor give me a one-time dose of 800mg so I’m fairly certain you can safely take more. Oh, and I take my BCP everyday and only spot if I miss a day. Bedtime for me is anywhere from 9pm-2am and rarely do I spot but ymmv.
    Yes! I am 39 and positive I'm in PM. No one will believe me or even test. I keep getting told that I'm too young. I just made an appointment with the CNM that delivered my first child. She was by far the most willing person to help figure out problems. I'm hoping she can help because I have all of the symptoms as OP, minus the heavy bleeding (but it's starting to get worse) and the mood shifts are horrible (but all clearly related to hormones).

  9. #19
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    elektra is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    I am your same age and went 1-2 years of similar symptoms, and trying various things including progesterone. I can't do hormonal birth control or IUD due to other health issues totally out of my control. I had a hysterectomy 1 year ago (almost to the day!) and I have not looked back! Obviously a weird year overall but it was the best decision for me. I feel so much better and don't have to plan my entire life around my period anymore.
    DD
    DS

  10. #20
    wendibird22's Avatar
    wendibird22 is offline Red Diamond level (10,000+ posts)
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    Call my doc office today and scheduled a "problem appointment" in addition to my annual exam. They won't schedule them at the same time (or back to back) because "it gets wonky with billing insurance." That just sounds lazy to me. Mark it down as two appointments, two billing codes, two insurance claims. But whatever. The good news is that I can get in for the problem appointment in 2 weeks and it's with one of the docs who I saw back in my pregnancy days and is of mature age and long-time practicing. Whereas with my annual it's usually an NP, PA, or brand spankin new doc who hasn't even had her own kids yet, much less dealt with menopause (the one they schedule me with graduated 4yr ago!). That will give me this current cycle (due any day now) to try increased dose of ibuprofen and to read the book Latia recommended and go armed with info.
    Mom to two amazing DDs ('07 & '09) and a fur baby.

    Gluten free since Nov '11 after non-celiac gluten sensitive diagnosis. Have had great improvement or total elimination of: migraines, bloating/distention, heartburn, cystic acne, canker sores, bleeding gums, eczema on elbows, dry skin and scalp, muscle cramps, PMS, hair loss, heart palpitations, fatigue. I'm amazed.

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