I'm 23 and have dealt with heavy periods since I was 14. My periods used to last between eight and eleven days when I was younger, but now they're down to about six days. Still, there's a lot of bleeding and I feel exhausted every time. I can sleep for ten or twelve hours (getting up a few times to use the bathroom), wake up, and be ready to go back to bed an hour later.

There has also been some spotting--it's happened three or four times since 2006 started, and six or seven weeks passed (with spotting about three weeks in) before I had this period.

My quality of life is severely affected. I don't attend college or have a job (with the exception of petsitting and/or babysitting now and then) because I get so sick every month. I've had to miss concerts I wanted to go to, skip swimming and walks, and put several of my dreams on hold because of this. Of course, my depression and Irritable Bowel Syndrome get worse at that time of the month, too.

I dread getting my period and have done things like barely eating, over-exercising, and deliberately stressing myself in hopes of delaying it.

I can't go on living like this...Fortunately, I talked to one of my sisters last night, in tears, and she agreed to get me some medical help as soon as I feel better. (I don't have a driver's license yet.)

The problem is getting treatment. Both my sisters have used birth control pills, but my family history worries me. My father had high blood pressure, possibly a mini stroke, and died of a heart attack; my mother has had two mini strokes; one of my grandmothers died of an aneurism, and the other, I believe, had a heart attack or stroke shortly before her death. I worry that I'm at risk of developing dangerous side effects if I go on the pill. There isn't a history of any sort of female cancer in my family, though--one aunt has had breast cancer, but she's not a blood relative to me. I do know, from my mother and sisters, that heavy bleeding runs in the family.

Also, I've considered getting a pemanent procedure done, like ablation or even a hysterectomy, but, given my age and lack of children, I don't think any doctor will do a procedure like that on me. I don't want children (have felt this way since I was a little girl myself and nothing's changed). If I ever change my mind about having children, I'll foster or adopt. This isn't an issue for me, and I'd be willing to sign a waiver saying that I understand all the risks, but I still don't think a doctor will agree.

So, I'm wondering what other options are available for me? I need something that will preferably stop my periods completely, or at least reduce them to a light flow. I've heard of the IUD and Essure, but would like to get some feedback from people who have used them, as well as from people who have used other methods, including the pill. I want to have some options to discuss with my doctor when I go in. Thanks!