Period Problems

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Period Problems

To a certain extent, it is normal to have the occasional painful or heavy periods. But when it is so painful that you have to miss work or be home-bound, you should definitely seek help. Conventional text book describe period last 4-7 days every 28 days, but not every woman is the same. The first thing to consider if you have period problems is whether pregnancy could be a possibility.

If you are not pregnant, consider whether there could have been anything that could explain the change in pattern like a recent change in hormonal contraception like a new pill or a recent coil insertion. These could very often explain a change in period pattern.

Heavy Periods

Heavy periods are very common and most women will notice that some periods are heavier than others throughout the year. It is now acceptable and recommended practice that a Mirena Coil can be used as a first line treatment for heavy periods, bypassing remedies like ibuprofen and contraceptive pills.

If you see a doctor about heavy periods, you may be offered this or tablets to make periods lighter. When things are really bad, you may be referred for more advanced investigations and treatment for heavy periods including Hysteroscopy, Endometrial Ablation or Hysterectomy.

Painful Periods

When periods are always horrendously painful that you need things like hot water bottle or you need to sit at home and wait for it to pass, you may have Adenomyosis or Endometriosis. These tend to cause periods to be heavy as well but not always.

Mirena or contraceptive pills can help if simple painkillers doesn’t do it for you. If even this is not working, speak to your doctor about being referred to a gynaecologist who may consider diagnosing the problem by a Pelvic Ultrasound Scan or a Laparoscopy.

Irregular Periods

Many things can affect period regularity including diet, weight, physical and emotional stress to name a few. As well as trying to identify the causes and address them, this may be treated with a hormonal contraceptive as an initial measure. There are 2 types of irregular periods – too much or too little.

If you are bleeding too often despite initial hormonal treatment, depending on your age and history, your doctor may refer you urgently to exclude the possibility of something more serious like cancer. On the other hand, if you very rarely get a period, your doctor may consider the possibility of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). There is a complex series of criteria to determine if a person has PCOS so you should speak to a doctor if you have any concerns on this.

Spotting between Periods

Regular spotting (for example always on Day 15 of the cycle) is normal. Some bleeding or spotting after sex is usually also nothing to worry about if you attend cervical screening regularly. If in doubt, see a doctor to get an examination to check if there was any problem with the cervix or vagina.

Please be aware that each of these are a lengthy chapter in their own right so it is impossible to cover everything here. Every woman is unique and what is described here may not represent your individual case. It is important to see a doctor to discuss your individual case in addition to taking on the information from here.