Period Talk: Heavy Periods the 411

I don't know about you, but I don't sit around talking about my period with my girlfriends. It's not a topic that I would want to bring up over drinks while trying to escape the daily grind and have a few moments of peace with my girlfriends. When I got the opportunity to read and share with you information about heavy periods from Healthy Women, I was happy to see a site that women with heavy periods could go to for support and information.


Have you ever wondered if you have heavy periods and if this is normal or not? There are a few key points to take into consideration when wondering if you do. Here are some factors to understand heavy monthly bleeding:

• If your period interferes with daily activities

• You soak through one or more pads/tampons an hour for several hours

• Or causes you to use a pad and tampon at the same time

• Waking up in the night to change your pad and/or tampon

•  You miss school or work due to your period

• You find that you schedule your social, leisure and physical activities around your period

If you found yourself nodding to any of the key points mentioned above, please talk to your health care provider about your period and possible treatment that you could seek. When speaking to your provider answer these questions ahead of time and take them in so you won't feel like you're making a sudden decision:

• Would you consider contraception as a form of reducing your flow?

• Would you rather take a pill every day or only during the week of your period?

• Would you prefer hormonal or non-hormonal treatment?

• Does your provider recommend hormonal therapy? Why or why not?

• Do you want to preserve your fertility?

• Are you willing to have a surgical procedure?

There are many factors that can contribute to having a heavy period. Uterine fibroids; conditions in which pieces of the lining of the uterus grow outside the uterus or into the muscle of the uterus; hormonal imbalance; certain birth control methods such as an IUD or pills; uterine, cervical or vaginal cancers; chronic liver, kidney or thyroid conditions; certain medications such as anti-inflammatory, anticoagulants and some hormones.


While at the time you may feel like there isn't anything that you can do to make your self feel a little better, there are things that can be done to help. In fact there are many treatment options for heavy monthly bleeding. Check out the list to get an idea of which ones you would be open to and discuss further with your health care provider. No woman should have to suffer from a heavy monthly period and your provider is there to help and assist you in your treatment.


I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Ferring Pharmaceuticals and received a promotional item to facilitate my review.