Losing too much blood during your period, known as heavy menstrual bleeding, can leave you feeling drained and weak.
The signs you’re losing too much blood during period include soaking through menstrual products quickly, passing large clots, and feeling fatigued or dizzy.
Stay connected to the end of this post to learn about the signs you’re losing too much blood during period and what to expect and how to get relief.
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
Heavy bleeding can really mess with your daily life, right? A clear indicator is needing to change your pad or tampon every hour for several hours straight.
If you’re reaching for a new one more than once every two hours you’re probably dealing with heavy periods.
Also, passing clots bigger than a quarter during your cycle is a sign your flow is heavier than normal. Using extra products like a pad and tampon at the same time means you’re bleeding heavy.
Signs of Excessive Blood Loss
During your period excessive bleeding can show up in many ways that disrupt your daily life. Feeling too tired, getting dizzy quickly, and looking pale are all signs of this. Being tired and short of breath from all the bleeding can make even the smallest jobs seem impossible.
It’s advisable to consider medical attention if you encounter any of the following:
- Fatigue or weakness that doesn’t go away
- Difficulty breathing during daily activities
- Pale skin or dizziness
- Cold hands and feet
- Too much headaches
- Trouble concentrating
- Nausea or fainting
These symptoms with heavy bleeding means your body is struggling. Heavy periods are more than 8 days or over 80ml of blood per cycle. Clots bigger than a 50-cent piece is severe bleeding.
Keeping Track of Your Flow
Tracking your cycle is key to managing heavy menstrual bleeding. Use a simple calendar to mark the start and end of your period; you’ll start to see patterns or irregularities over time.
Using mobile apps is another way to monitor physical and emotional changes during your cycle. These apps can track daily bleeding and give you a better picture of what’s going on during your period.
Keeping records over several cycles will help you see patterns in your flow. This information is super helpful when talking to your doctor and can help diagnose menorrhagia.
Common Causes of Heavy Periods
Hormonal imbalances, obesity, thyroid issues and polycystic ovary syndrome can all cause a thickened uterine lining and heavy flow.
Before we go on, check out these other causes:
- Uterine fibroids: Benign growths inside the uterus that can cause heavy bleeding.
- Polyps: Small growths on the uterine lining that can cause prolonged and heavy bleeding.
- Adenomyosis: This is when endometrial glands embed into the muscular wall of the uterus and causes heavy bleeding and discomfort during menstruation.
- Non-hormonal IUDs: These can increase your period flow.
- Certain medications like anticoagulants or hormone therapies can also cause heavier periods.
Also liver diseases, kidney problems or thyroid disorders can be linked to prolonged periods.
Menorrhagia Diagnosis
Your doctor will diagnose menorrhagia by taking your medical history and doing a physical and pelvic exam and some blood tests. They’ll consider your past pregnancies and current health conditions.
In some situations, an ultrasound may be used to examine the uterus and surrounding structures. If initial tests don’t give clear answers, hysteroscopy may be done.
Monitoring your cycles closely is key. Keeping track of your flow, length of your period and number of pads used will give you valuable information about your uterine lining which is important for diagnosis.
Treatment Options for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 13.0% of women in the United States ages 2 and up had anemia between August 2021 and August 2023.
There are many ways to treat heavy menstrual bleeding. Medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce blood loss and cramps during your period. Tranexamic acid can also work if taken during your cycle.
Here are some more:
- Birth control pills: These prevent pregnancy and can also control heavy bleeding.
- Hormonal IUDs
- Over-the-counter NSAIDs: These will give you relief from menstrual discomfort and reduce bleeding.
- Surgical interventions: In extreme cases D&C, uterine artery embolization or endometrial ablation may be done.
However, if you want a permanent solution to stop periods altogether and prevent pregnancy, a hysterectomy might be the way to go. Talk to your doctor about what’s best for you based on your situation.
When to Seek Medical Help
If your bleeding lasts more than 7 days or you pass large clots during your period, call your doctor.
Moreover, if you’re in pain and can’t do your daily activities, call for help. If you need to change your pad or tampon every hour, you may need immediate medical attention. These symptoms could be heavy bleeding and may require a specialist’s evaluation.
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding at Home
You can manage heavy menstrual bleeding at home with these simple ways. To prevent anemia, include iron rich foods like spinach and lean meat in your diet. Stay hydrated to replace the blood lost during your period.
Try this:
- Using a menstrual cup can be helpful for those with heavy periods as it has a larger capacity than regular pads or tampons.
- Wearing period pants provides extra protection. They have more absorbency and are great for overnight use to prevent leakage during heavy bleeding.
Complications from Heavy Periods
Eating vitamin C rich foods like citrus can boost iron absorption which is important for those with heavy menstrual bleeding. Adding iron rich foods like lean meat and spinach can replace the iron lost due to heavy flow.
Meanwhile, stay hydrated during heavy bleeding to maintain blood volume and blood vessel health. Anemia can result from heavy blood loss during periods so don’t take these habits for granted.
Bottom Line
Heavy menstrual bleeding is a common problem, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) says that about one-third of women who have it get care.
Heavy menstrual bleeding symptoms are a warning sign for your health. Soaking through pads or tampons every hour or passing large clots isn’t just inconvenient, it’s a warning sign.
If you’re losing too much blood during your period, you may notice certain signs that can indicate a problem.
You might notice you are passing large clots during your period. You may change your pad or tampon every hour. You could feel lightheaded or dizzy. There may be a feeling of extreme fatigue that doesn’t go away. Your periods could last longer, even up to a week or more. If you are soaking through clothes or sheets, that’s a sign. You might feel pale or tired all the time. These could all be signs you’re losing too much blood.
Now that you know these symptoms, you should seek medical help if you have prolonged bleeding, large clots, or severe pain. This way, you can manage your condition effectively and prevent complications later on.
