I Have Had My Period for 7 Weeks, I Am Weak and Looking for Answers

K.,

I am not a doctor but I a laboratory technologist. If you are loosing blood continuaously and now you are too tired to move you need to go to the ER and have them do a blood workup. Your hemaglobin has got to be very low. One can only bleed so much for so long before a blood transfusion becomes necessary. This doctor you are seeing doesn't seem to move fast enough.

Don't wait your body is letting you know that it needs oxygen in the form of blood cells.

A.

I have the same problem. I didn't have a period for 5 months...I was not pregnant...when it did start I bled for 6 months straight. I was tired, no energy, I kept going to the doctor, and he kept telling me not to worry about it. Well, I was worried about it since it wasn't normal. I decided to change doctors. She did u/s both internal and external, and found a very large cyst on my right ovary. She put me on bc and within 2 months of taking it my period finally stopped. I told her how tired I was and she did some bloodwork and found out I was anemic and put me on iron pills. So far as long as I stay on the bc I am regular. I am possibly looking at surgery to remove the cyst, but we are trying to shrink it first. Have you thought about getting a second opinion? THis is just my story...but I hope it helps. You can email me if you have any other questions ____@____.com

Hi K., My name is C., I experienced the same problem you
have. My dr. kept giving me different med to shrink the cyst.
Finally I was so tired of bleeding I changed dr. The new dr.
did ultra sound and every thing else he could think of. Trying
to also shrink it I told him straight out that it was crazy how
everyone just wants to load you up with med and keep charging your insurance. He finally did surgery on me well to their
findings my left ovary was covered with cysts that for some
reason they couldn't tell that on the tests. It was an in and out procedure and I was back to work in two days and back to a normal cycle the very next month. Be persistent K. You're the one feeling the pain and agony.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU

Hi, K.,

Firstly, let me say that I empathize with how frustrating your situation is. I work with women with a variety of gynecological issues and persistent bleeding is often one of the most difficult to deal with.

Now, with you history of cysts, and the presence of one on u/s, I question the usefulness of putting you on BCPs. They will only mask the symptoms, not treat the problem.

I would suggest that you make an appointment with another doctor for a second opinion and ask about three things: the possibility of a luteinizd unruptured follicle; a full thyroid panel (not just TSH, but T3, T4, and T2 as well); and the possibility of endometrial polyps and/or fibroids.

In most cases of unusual bleeding, there is an organic cause -- it is not just hormonal, though it can be.

As far as feeling less tired, increasing iron through diet is going to be much more effective than taking iron supplements. You have received a good list of foods for that in another post. Also, drinking nettles and red raspberry leaf tea will help to nourish your body and tone your uterus.

Finally, feel free to email me directly if you have other questions or need a referral for a second opinion.

Peace,
H.

I hope someone has helped you with this, but just in case they haven't, you might want to check out information on PCOS. I think it stands for "Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome" and can have symptoms that you described. Although, I would think that the bloodwork would have told them that. I thought that's what I had, but it wasn't the case. I had my period for 8 months straight. I ended up having to have a procedure done called HTA, which stands for "Hydrothermal
Ablation" not sure of the spelling on that one, but basically they put an instrument up inside you which sprays saline water in your uterus and then heats it up to around 90 degrees celcius. Basically, my doctor said it's "boiling" the lining of your uterus, therefore making it almost impossible for it to build up with tissue, which in turn causes your period. I had it done in March of this year and have yet to have an actual period. I have a few days a month where I have to wear a panytliner, but that's it. And prior to that, I was having to use a super plus tampon AND an overnight pad, and would have to change both every 2 hours. It's been heaven. I hope you get some relief, I know the hell you are going through! Good luck!!!

Did your doctor check your thyroid? An under active thyroid can cause you to have heavy periods that can last A LOT longer than normal. This is coming from someone who knows. There are many symptoms to a thyroid condition. Just to name a few... heavy, irregular periods; very tired, dry skin, brittle and peeling nails, fatigue, aches and pains almost like the flu, and short term memory problems just to name a few. If you want anymore information on this let me know - Hope your doctors figure out what is wrong - take care.

As far as your continuous period I would definitly stay on top of your doctor until they find an answer. If they stay with the wait and see attitude then I would get a second or third opinion.

As far as the weakness, you may want to ask your doctor if you may be anemic. With that much bleeding there is a very good chance that you are becoming anemic and you may need to start taking an iron supplement. Anemia can be a very serious condition and should not be ignored. You can also up your iron intake on your own just through the foods that you eat. I know for a fact that liver is high in iron and I know that there are other foods (probably more palatable to some) that are high in iron. Have you told your doctor that you are having problems with your energy level?

Good luck and my thoughts are with you. Hopefully they will find an answer.

M. N.

I'm with Michelle - I think you should seek a second opinion - the sooner the better! Your current doctor is obviously not giving you satisfactory care.

Hi K. I do not know if this is the same or not but My co worker had what sounds to be the same problem. Her doctor had to put her on birth control that has a really high level of hormones and when she started she had to take 3 at a time for so many days and then 2 for so many days and then go to the normal dose. Also I had a similar problem except was not bleeding for so long but had severe pain and heavy bleeding. That went on for two years before they did exploratory surgery and found indemetriouses which is very common. You might want to ask your doctor about these things. Good Luck Becky

Dear K.,

Been there done that.

1.) First thing you need to do is start eating things that will help the blood loss. Here is a list; watermelon, apricots, raisins, cottage cheese. Another very good one is liverwurst, it has the highest iron content. Double up on lots of greens. Salads, spinach, any greens. You can take a supplement called dessicated liver. The standard iron supplements in a regular store or pharmacy are very binding.

2.) Ask some friends if they know of a good chiropractor. Sometimes a spinal adjustment helps.

3. I looked up in one of my medical books and it said vitamin E everyday, minimum 600 units daily. Go to healthfood store and purchase a really good multi vitamin and start taking twice a day along with extra vitmin C and E.

4. Get your thyroid checked out. It is a specific blood test. The thyroid can effect the menstral cycle markedly.

That is all of the information that I have. Hope it helps.

D.

K.,
If I was you I would get a second opinion. You can't keep bleeding like that. My periods had gotten so bad that when I told my doctor about it after a couple of visits to him he got to the bottom of it. I was so weak that I became anemic and that's how it sounds with you. I want to give you my doctors name maybe you can give them a call and at least tell them and they may see you but this needs to stop.
Dr. Robert Brauner
13601 Bruce B. Downs Suite 150
###-###-####
Let me know if this help and you'll be in my prayers.
B.

I know this may not be of much help, but have you gotten a second opinion? a third? That would be my course of action.

Hi K. < My daughter started her period at a young 11 1/2, She is now 13 and since she has had it, over a year and a half, she has been regular like clockwork, as a matter of fact I could time mine around hers( that thing they say when you live with other women, your cycle some how becomes the same, IS TRUE.)LOL....Well anyway in July she told me she needed more pads and I had just bought enough to last 3 months or more in June, when I asked how she went through that many pads, she had told me she hasn't stopped bleeding since MAY..She actually bled for the whole entire summer.. I was immediately worried and took her to her 1st Ob/gyn appt. They did an entire work up on her, a full Pap, breast exam, etc..The doctor(She) was so wonderful, she ended up giving her these pills to take for 10 days (it wasn't a birth control) they way she explained it to me..It was like a mini DNC...After my daughter took them, her period got really heavy for a few days then really lite, then nothing..It went totally away..And then about 20 days later she got another period, and then that one only stayed a day or two, Now this month has been totally regular again, and not as much cramping and pain..I don't know who your OB Doc is but I was so impressed with Dr.Michelle Lemay in Bradenton, I started using her as my personal OB Doctor as well(I have a history of ovarian cysts, and breast cysts.) Good Luck.. I hope this helped...P.

Could it be possible that you may have been pregnant, and had an early miscarriage? I had one at 12 weeks last summer, and continued to bleed for about 6 weeks. Turns out that a tiny bit of tissue was still connected or something, and the bleeding was my body trying to flush it out.

I had to keep going back and having tests, but once the tissue came out, I stopped bleeding in a couple of days.

I agree with most of the ladies on here. I would get very persistant with your current doctor, or find another one! I have a history of ovarian cysts which I was later diagnosed with PCOS...irregular periods, cysts, etc. Heavy bleeding for a long period of time, can cause the anemia. I would definately try the high iron foods. I had an episode about two years ago. I had delivered my twins in April...had a normal cycle after their birth. Had a few cycles like normal, every few months. I had the twins in APril. The following February, I had horrible bleeding, cramps, etc. I was soaking thru the pads every hour and thought I would die. I went to my OB/GYN, they did an exam, bloodwork, u/s, and gave me 2 RX on for Iron and the other was to stop the bleeding. He told me to go home, rest, and if by taking the RX for the bleeding hadn't stopped within 48 hours, to call him back. He called me at home several times during the 48 hours. My period had stopped. Bloodwork and everything was normal. They thought I could have been pg and was having an early m/c. Turns out that it was just because of the PCOS...which is normal. But, if the bleeding hadn't stopped they were going to do an emergency D&C. At least it would stop the issue. I've had it happen a few more times and just usually I get the RX for the bleeding. After those episodes, everything has cleared up...and I'm even now having a regular cycle after 8 years of not having them or them being irregular.
Have the Thyroid checked and check out PCOS...could be something, given your history of the cysts.
I know this may sound goofy, but you might want to call an RE (Reproductive Endocronologist), they are usually used for trying to get PG, but if you are having issues with your female parts, they might be able to stear you in the right direction. Mine found polyps along with more cysts prior to my starting to conceive with fertility drugs. It is their speciality.
Hope you find out what is going on. Keep us posted so we know what they say!
Take care,
God Bless,
J.
Pensacola, FL
Mom to Ashleigh & Austin ~ 2.5 yrs old