It is "normal" to have a period every 28 days for 4-5 days. Normal blood loss is from about 4 tablespoons to as much as 1 cup. Obviously this will vary a great deal from woman to woman. Here are some ways you can tell if you are having very heavy periods:
* Periods that last longer than 5 days.
* Bleeding that soaks through a pad or tampon every hour for several hours.
* Need to change your pad in the middle of the night (or waking up soaked in blood)
* Fatigue or other signs of anemia
* Large blood clots
* Needing to use a tampon and a pad at the same time to prevent leaks
Heavy bleeding can be caused by a hormone imbalance such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), thyroid problems, uterine fibroids, ovarian problems or even a miscarriage. It is possible to have an early miscarriage before you even know you are pregnant. Obviously, if your period is on time every month this is not the case, but if you have an occasional late period that is very heavy it may be an early miscarriage and is worth talking to your doctor about (a blood test can prove if you have recently been pregnant).
If you experience heavy bleeding that continues for several hours (soaking through a pad or tampon every hour for several hours) or if you feel weak or very tired it is important to talk to your doctor immediately. Keep track of how many pads or tampons you are using and how often so your doctor can estimate the amount of blood you are losing.
If you regularly have heavy periods your doctor may want to test for PCOS, thyroid problems, check for uterine fibroids, endometriosis or other underlying problems. Irregular and very heavy periods can contribute to infertility.
In addition to seeking medical advice, here are some things you can do to cope with heavy periods:
* Consider using cloth menstrual pads. You will save money and be much more comfortable. I found that the overnight cloth pads I use are the only ones big enough to contain my flow during my heavy periods or at night. I also found that wearing a plstic and paper pad, or tampon, for 7 days or more made me VERY uncomfortable. Cloth pads are more breathable and never give me a rash the way disposable pads do.
* Rest! Your body is working hard and you are losing blood. While it may be "normal" blood loss, it can still be very taxing to your body and you will feel better if you give yourself enough rest.
* Talk to an herbalist or midwife about using sheperd's purse herb to reduce bleeding.
* Take an iron supplement or multivitamin with iron to keep your iron stores up.
* Use ibuprofin (Advil, Motrin, etc.) for pain instead of aspirin. Aspirin increases bleeding. Talk to your doctor about whether it is safe to take an 600-800 milligrams instead of the normal 400 (do not do this without medical supervision).
* Use heat packs to reduce cramping. I could not live without my rice filled microwaveable heat pack during my worst periods. The heat relaxes my muscles and works as well as pain killers to treat the pain. When I get back cramps as well as uterine cramps I use two!
Cloth Menstrual Pads are easy to use, super comfortable and better for the environment. I also found that my periods went from 8 days to 5 when I started using cloth pads. Other cloth pad users tell me they have had similar responses. Even if you don't experience a reduction in bleeding, you will be much more comfortable and save a lot of money. If you use 2 boxes of pads or tampons a month you are throwing away about $14 a month. A complete set of cloth pads would cost you about $150 and will last 5-7 years. Click here to learn more about cloth menstrual pads.
