Few people look forward to their period. Even a light or moderate flow can derail your day and make you feel downright miserable. However, it becomes a greater challenge when you live with menorrhagia, or heavy menstrual bleeding.
Approximately 33% of menstruating women seek treatment for menorrhagia. But a heavier flow could affect up to 54% of people who menstruate.
Fortunately, an expert like Dr. Christopher Serrano can help. He routinely diagnoses and treats menorrhagia at Serrano OBGyn in San Antonio, Texas. He encourages patients to reach out for help if they struggle with their periods each month, especially if it involves heavy bleeding.
If you have menorrhagia, your period comes at regular intervals, but the bleeding you experience is excessive. Experts generally define menorrhagia as:
However, a menorrhagia diagnosis also considers your perception of your bleeding. For guidance, Dr. Serrano recommends reviewing the four telltale symptoms in the next section to gauge whether your bleeding seems excessive.
Unless you use a menstrual cup, it’s hard to measure the blood you lose during your period. However, these four signs can help you determine if you’re dealing with menorrhagia.
It’s normal to pass small blood clots during menstruation. However, if you consistently pass clots that are bigger than a quarter, it’s a sign of menorrhagia.
These large clots can be alarming, so don’t wait to schedule an appointment. They indicate that you have menstrual blood pooling in your uterus before getting expelled.
Do you need to change your tampon or pad every hour or more? If this lasts for more than two consecutive hours, it could be menorrhagia. Similarly, some women with heavy bleeding wear a tampon and pad at the same time — known as doubling up — to keep their bleeding under control.
While you can find sanitary products in high-absorbency options for overnight, they may not be enough when you have menorrhagia. If you have to get up at night to change your tampon or pad, it’s worth contacting Serrano OBGyn.
Losing a lot of blood each month can also lead to iron deficiency anemia. This condition means your system doesn’t have adequate healthy red blood cells to oxygenate your body.
Signs of iron deficiency anemia include:
Dr. Serrano can easily check for anemia with a quick blood test.
Menorrhagia can zap your quality of life. And, if it causes anemia, it can impact the rest of your month as well. On top of that, heavy bleeding can affect your clothing choices, reduce your interest in social activities and outings, and even negatively affect your overall physical and mental wellness.
Fortunately, there’s no need to power through a heavy period. Dr. Serrano can help.
Several things can lead to menorrhagia, from uterine fibroids or polyps to disorders related to the thyroid, liver, or kidneys. Finding the best solution for your symptoms involves determining their cause.
To start, Dr. Serrano discusses your period, changes you’ve observed, and your personal and family health history. He also performs a comprehensive exam that often includes diagnostic screening tools, such as blood work, a Pap smear, or a hysteroscopy.
Based on this assessment, Dr. Serrano can outline the most effective method to improve your symptoms.
The most important thing is that there’s help for heavy menstrual bleeding, and it’s just a call or click away. Request an appointment online or call Serrano OBGyn in San Antonio, Texas, to start exploring a future that’s menorrhagia-free.
