If you need to change your pad or tampon every two hours or you pass quarter-sized blood clots, you should be concerned about your periods.
Heavy menstrual periods are common, affecting at least one-third of women during their reproductive years. However, heavy periods aren’t normal.
At Lake Mary Gynecology, our compassionate gynecologist, Dr. Sonia Enriquez, specializes in diagnosing and treating heavy periods. Abnormal menstrual bleeding may be a symptom of an underlying gynecological problem or could put you at risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia.
In either case, your heavy menstrual periods may affect your physical, emotional, or social well-being. When should you be concerned? Let us tell you.
Every woman’s menstrual cycle is different, and your cycle may vary from month-to-month. You may even have what you consider heavy bleeding, but wonder if it’s something you should be concerned about.
Heavy menstrual periods, medically known as menorrhagia, is a common gynecological condition. How do you know if you have menorrhagia? If you experience any of the following, you need to come in for a visit.
When left untreated, your prolonged heavy bleeding may lead to anemia, causing you to feel exhausted, weak, and cold all the time.
There are many conditions that may cause heavy menstrual periods. Your heavy bleeding may be due to an underlying medical or gynecological condition. You can also develop heavy menstrual bleeding from certain types of contraception.
Common causes of heavy periods include:
Though there are many potential causes that might explain your heavy periods, sometimes there’s no known cause.
Heavy menstrual bleeding is abnormal and not something you should ignore. In addition to putting you at risk of anemia, your heavy periods may be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
For our patients with heavy periods, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation to find the root cause of the symptom. We then develop a plan to improve your periods and quality of life.
We may prescribe medication to manage symptoms, such as hormonal birth control, tranexamic acid, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). When medication fails to improve your heavy periods, we may recommend various procedures like an endometrial ablation or surgery to remove fibroids or polyps.
Heavy menstrual periods are always a cause for concern. Let us help you find out what’s causing your heavier than normal periods by calling our Lake Mary, Florida, office, or booking an appointment online.
