Research studies show that Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB to your doc) disrupts family life, work life, your moods, and your eating habits. In fact you can become so anemic you turn into a “magpie” significantly overeating, figuratively that is, as magpies eat virtually anything, so the Latin derivative for this condition, completely out of hand, is called pica eating. Chewing ice, the ends of your pens, your nails, (it can get worse and progress to clay and stuff that really sounded good in pregnancy, that’s a whole different level of the problem of pica) sound like anyone you know?
Our bodies are designed to withstand some blood loss during each cycle, but significant blood loss has far reaching health concerns that need to be addressed. The moodiness, the tampon overuse, the big clots, the overuse of the cramp meds, all signs that you should consider treating your HMB.
At Women’s Health Practice we were involved in the development program for Lysteda as well as other therapies , and encourage women to discuss this option for menstrual cycle control with their gynos. This medicine is used to prevent a clot from being broken down. Thus, in order for some of the bleeding to stop, at the source, your uterus, some clotting has to occur, this drug then allows that process to happen naturally. If you are on the BC pills and you still have heavy bleeding, consult your gyno first, just adding in tranexamic acid tablets may put you at extra risk of blood clots, heart attacks or strokes.
Proper medical evaluation will reveal any polyps in a uterus with adnomyosis (like the ultrasound picture above) or other abnormality of the uterus, such as the very enlarged uterus with fibroids that may need to be treated surgically rather than with medicine (the picture below).
And PS, thank you again to all participants in our research trial. And if you would like to know more about Women’s Health Practice research trials that are enrolling: Consider Joining a Study Now or Soon! 217-356-3736
