The heavy curse

Very rarely there may be a cancer in the lining of the endometrium. If detected early it can be cured completely.

And not forgetting...

You may unknowingly have become pregnant and be experiencing an early miscarriage.

If you’ve been on the pill a long time, and then come off it, your periods will seem a lot heavier than before. This may be nothing unusual, simply that the pill had made them lighter and the blood flow has now returned to what it would normally have been.

What can be done?

Treatments depend on the cause of the excess bleeding. But Dr Andrew Prentice believes that at the moment, too many doctors are putting women on the pill which is not the right treatment. In the British Medical Journal he states that, ‘More than a third of general practitioners prescribe norethisterone, (a contraceptive hormonal therapy based on progestogen) arguably the least effective option as first line treatment.’ The most effective form of treatment according to Prentice is tranexamic acid, a non-hormonal drug which reduces menstrual loss by half and is prescribed by only one in 20 doctors.

Of course treatments vary according to the needs of each patient. Your doctor will take into account your age, whether you need contraception, whether your period has a regular cycle and what your preferences are about taking oral contraceptives.

Drug Therapy

Painkillers may be the first treatment you’ll be offered. Drugs like ibuprofen can be taken during menstruation to work against the local hormones produced in the uterus which cause heavy periods.

There are other drugs available which also affect the bleeding mechanism. These are known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents which, if taken during menstruation, can reduce blood flow in about 40% of cases.

You may also need to take an iron supplement to counter any anaemia.