She thought her periods have simply gotten heavier with age. The fatigue, the clots, the 2-hourly pad changes had slowly become normal. Until her Hemoglobin revealed a different story.
This is a common story we hear in clinic. Heavy bleeding rarely occurs overnight. It creeps up over months, years sometimes, and women adapt: dark clothes, spare pads in every bag, cancelled plans on day 2. Somewhere along the way, “abnormal” becomes “normal for me”.
What counts as heavy?
Your periods are considered heavy if:
- You pass large clots, size if a coin or larger.
- Bleeding lasts more than 7 days
- You change a pad or tampon every 1-2 hours or need to double up.
- You need to wale up at night to change protection.
What you body may be telling you
Heavy bleeding is often the first sign if fibroids- benign growths in uterine wall. It can be associated with other symptoms like:
- Fatigue, breathlessness, dizziness or palpitations, signs of iron deficiency anaemia from blood loss.
- Pelvic pressure, bloating or heaviness in lower abdomen.
- Frequent urination or constipation when a large fibroid presses on bladder or bowel.
- Painful periods or pain during intercourse.
The other side of the story
Not every fibroid announces itself. Many are completely asymptomatic and are found incidentally during a scan for something else. Having no symptoms doesn't always mean there's nothing, and having symptoms doesn't always mean something serious. Only an evaluation, usually a pelvic exam, an ultrasound and a blood count, can tell the difference.
When to see a Doctor?
Dont wait to see a doctor if you are soaking through your protection, constantly feeling exhausted or noticing that your cycle has changed. The earlier fibroids are identified, more treatment options you have, including minimally invasive surgery. Heavy periods aren't something you simply have to learn to live with. Sometimes, your period is telling you that something needs to be investigated.