Should I be concerned?

I'm on my period, and I'm bleeding way more heavily than usual. I always have a heavy period, but this is so much worse! It's just about constant and I'm going through about twice as many pads as usual. Do you think I sould be concerned?

if it continues after your period would normally be up you might want to go see your ob. but periods are so off the wall, especially if youre not on the pill, that its pretty hard to say whats normal and whats not. lots of people have breakthrough bleeding every month but it usually doesnt mean anything. maybe you had some kind of ruptured ovarian cyst? usually mine dont rupture till about a week after my period stops but if that happened that could cause extra bleeding. did you have any kind of extra pain on top of what you normally get? id say what you need to pay attention to is if you get lightheaded, dizzy, or have any extra pain than normal.

I did have extra pain in the form of cramps on the first day, when I was just spotting. Usually I only get them the second day. The first day, they were so bad I had to leave work. Yesterday (second day) they were more like the usual. And today, still bleeding really heavily but cramps are mild.

I am already severely anemic (prior to my period) to the point where the doctors were considering blood transfusions. So I'm getting concerned.

I can't afford to pay my copays to go see a doc though

I have gone through two overnight pads in three hours now

What about the public health department? I used to go to their clinic when I couldn't afford to get to a doctor. They would just take what I could give them, and I got good female care. Planned Parenthood does a sliding scale too.

I will look into that? Is there a limit based on if you have insurance? A certain income? Or Anything? I am insured and make 25,000 a year

I personally would say keep on eye on it and if it seems to get more severe as the months pass them I would defiantly seek the advice of a doctor - but over all (as a female) I think this may just be the cycle of a woman - some times it is slow and short and at other time it is heavy and long...... my period changes from month to month and my doctors says that is normal for many things/events/emotions in life effects the cycle of a woman.

tis possible to have heavy bleeding if your under any ammount of stress, although it wouldn't hurt to have gyn check up

Yeah sliding fees are based on income and such. I don't know what it would mean if you have insurance. Your copays are that high for a doctor's visit?

No my copays aren't high, I just don't have any money at all for the next two weeks

I called my mom (she's a nurse). She told me to go to an instacare & she would pay for my copay. I went and the doctor told me they can't do anything for me there and said to go to an ER, because they might decide they need to do a D&C (DNC?) to stop my bleeding. No way I can afford that, so I'm back home. Still going through about a pad an hour

Angela, please with all due respect get your butt to the ER they can bill you for the procedure, even paying $5.00 per month will be accepted , child this is your health we're talkin about
Love
Angie

The bleeding has slowed down now. I think I will be ok. I'm going through a pad about every 3 or 4 hours now. Tks everyone for your advice. I just wasn't sure what to do

it isn't possible that you are miscarrying - is it?

I'm glad the bleeding has slowed down, SC.

I went through a time last year when I had about 4 or 5 periods in a row that were so heavy, I thought I was hemorrhaging. I would go through a thick pad in about 10 minutes or less. I literally couldn't leave the house because I would bleed all over everything. It came out in puddles. After a couple of months of this, I did go to the doctor and she said it was due to my being perimenopausal (I'm in my 40s). She said if the bleeding gets too bad, they just give you a shot of hormone to stop your period. I never had that though. After half a year or so of this, my periods went back to normal.

Anyway, I'm glad you are doing better now. I hope you can get to your regular doctor soon for a check-up and advice on what to do if this keeps up. Why do you think the insta-care place thought you should have a D&C?

No chance of miscarrying. You have to have been pregnant for that, and I don't meet the prerequisites for pregnancy (virgin) lol!

They didn't say they thought I should have a D&C (what's that stand for anyway?). They just said I needed to go to an ER in case the hospital thinks I should have a D&C (cause instacare can't do that, but the hospital can).

My mom had said I just needed to have them check my hematocrit and see if I needed an estrogen shot to stop my period.

Wow, sunrise, that's a LOT of bleeding! Glad you turned out to be ok. Mine has slowed down a LOT now. Usually on the 4th day (which would be today), I just have spotting. I'm still bleeding, but not heavily at all. I only went through one pad last night the whole time I was sleeping (nice to be able to sleep through the night!)

ty everyone for your support & advice. I wouldn't have been so scared about it if I wasn't already soo anemic.

I will keep up on fluids and eat well, and take my iron... and I'll follow up with my doc when I can.

dialate and cutterage. i was gonna say.... i had been reading this and came back and saw d&c and i was like "does she know she has to be pregnant for that?" i was surprised because it sounded like you knew you were supposed to get your period and that you werent pregnant.

i would honestly ask for an ultrasound to see if you have ovarian cysts. whats happening to you sounds like what happens to me every time one ruptures. or maybe a uterine polyp. i had one of those too and it hurt pretty bad when it sloughed off.

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SweetCrusader said:
They didn't say they thought I should have a D&C (what's that stand for anyway?).

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D&C stands for dilation and curettage -- the opening of the cervix is the (dilation) and scraping the inside of the uterus is the (curettage).
This procedure can be done in a doctor's office without anesthesia or in an outpatient surgery center or hospital with general anesthesia.

D&C is a common gynecologic procedure that has many uses.... it may be done to diagnose and treat abnormal bleeding, to remove polyps inside the uterus, to complete a miscarriage, or to perform an elective abortion.