Hi all,

I have always had wacky periods....3 days here, 8 days the next time...there's just no rhyme or reason.  I've always complained to my GYN but they never seem to want to do anything about it, and I'm not certain that there even is anything that could have been done about it.  Until now.

 

I've been on my current period since November 4.  I know this for a fact, because I wrote it down on a calendar because I had a GYN appointment coming up and I knew they would want to know.  Yes, folks, I've been bleeding non-stop for probably going on 50 days now!  

Yes, I complained to my doctor after the first two weeks.  They sent me to a specialized GYN who has no bedside manners at all.  He's also a man, so  he has never had to experience bleeding for 50 days straight! He put me on the Pill, with hopes that it would stop or slow things down, but absolutely nothing has changed! I called him earlier this week and he said that I would need a D&C, which they scheduled for mid-January.  I can't believe I have to wait that long! This period is soooo unbearable!

It's not that I'm in pain, I rarely have cramps.  I guess I'm lucky, there.  BUT.  The bleeding is altogether something else.  I can completely saturate both a King sized tampon and a pad (used together) in less than one hour.  This is new to this period, I've never been bleeding this badly.  If I cough or sneeze, or even if I laugh, I not only ruin another pad, I end up with blood running down my leg and staining my pants.  The other day, I needed to go on an errand in another town that was one hour's drive away.  I went to the bathroom right before I left and changed into a fresh, huge tampon and a big old thick pad.  I drove straight there, no stops, no traffic slowdowns.  When I got there, I had blood staining my pants and the seat of the car, and of course the pad was soaked.  I have bought so many girly products lately that I should own stock in Kimberly-clark or Kotex by now.  

I'm starting college classes in early January.  Luckily, the surgery is scheduled for a day when I don't have classes, but I do have a week's or so worth of classes to take until the surgery.  On one day, I have three classes, that are each 3 hours long.  Not just 3 credits long, nope, these 3  classes actually each go for 3 hours straight in one day! I have no idea what I'm going to do to staunch the blood during the classes, because I certainly can't be running to the bathroom every 5 minutes.  And yet, my body has already demonstrated that I can saturate everything inside of an hour.  

I have started buying incontinence pads (Poise) but even those don't stand up to the flood I have going between my legs.  It's just a nightmare.

I am taking a few anti-depressant types of medications, but I've checked and none of them have period problems like this as a side effect.  I've also been taking these meds for years, and never had this problem until just this past November.  There's no chance of me being pregnant or having a miscarriage, because I had a tubal ligation over a decade ago.  I am literally at my wit's end.  I don't know what to do??!!  I've called the doctor back, but he can't fit me in until mid-January, and, as I've mentioned, he has no bedside manner.  Getting a 2nd opinion isn't an option because I'm being seen through the VA and they don't do 2nd opinions, and I don't have any other health insurance anyway.  

Any words of advice??? I'm desperate! 

Sounds like you definitely need a new doc.  Try to find a female gyno.  Bleeding that much for that long cannot be good for you.  You may be anemic now.  It certainly warrants a thorough exam like perhaps an ultrasound, which I think you should demand.  How does he know you don't have a serious problem like a tumor that is bleeding? 

When I had a miscarriage, the doc's officef said to call them if the bleeding was as heavy as you described.  If you can't get a female gyno, maybe try to find a female GP who also does gyno exams.   This is definitely abnormal.  Don't want to scare you, but people can actually die from that much blood loss. 

 

I think there may be drugs they can give you to stop the bleeding.

Hi, please see a new doctor right away! You deserve to see someone who listens to you.

Granted there is an age difference, but this happened to my mother - the nonstop bleeding (not as heavy as you). But it was caused by a growth in her uterous that ended up having it's own nerve or blood vessel going to it. That's what caused the bleeding. It wasn't malignant, but she had it removed. We jokingly called it her alien baby. But she had the same symptoms as you.

Also, definitely check out The Keeper at http://www.keeper.com. This will save you $$ with regards to feminine products. I've used one for 10 years and I don't worry about leaking anymore.

Either way, I think you need a new OBGYN. I had other issues with breast pain and wasn't taken seriously because I was just 20 years old. Even though they explained why I had sensistive breasts (caffiene products aggrivate the tissue causing tenderness), they treated me like I was a stupid 20 year old. I remember leaving in tears. Only "older" women were taken seriously. My fiance has had health problems ignored because of age discrimination as well. I think he was literally told "well, you aren't old enough for that to bother you". So find someone who listens to you!!!!! :) They do exist. I'm bummed because the OBGYN my mother and I liked retired. We haven't found anyone as nice yet. This man would literally sit you down in his office and ask if there was anything you wanted to talk about. He told me that if I wasn't comfortable going to my PCP, he could write my common prespcriptions for colds and the like. I miss him. He was a kind gentle doctor who really listened. Hard to find, but they are out there!

Best of luck. Please let us know how it goes and what you find out. If you feel it's too personal, please PM!

-Kayll

Just wondering how you are doing and whether you've been able to find a new doc?  This doc deserves to be sued for malpractice!  Complete negligence and incompetence, IMO.  Docs like that make me hopping mad!

I hate to see anyone forced into a surgery like that. I understand the difficult position you are in though, not having a choice about what doctor to go to or a second opinion. I'm just throwing this out there, but if you are open to it you should try seeing an accupuncturist. It's kind of out there, but I have talked to a lot of people who've had really good success with it. maybe you can find a practitioner that doesnt charge an arm and a leg. Whatever you decide, good luck!

I hope everything is better now!  Have you been checked for PCOS?  I have wacky periods along with other symptoms.  I also had the bleeding you described.  My doctor put be on BC but I took 5 pills in one days for 5 days then 4 pills a day for 4 days and so on until I took 1 pill for 1 day.  THat solved the problem and I have been fine ever since.  Let me know if you have any questions about PCOS.