From your early 40s and into your 50s, during perimenopause, you may find that your periods change and become erratic as your ovaries slow down and oestrogen levels start to fluctuate. It can be very common for your cycle to become highly unpredictable and periods to be heavier and longer.
While heavy periods are a common symptom of perimenopause, they can be dangerous. Losing too much blood can lead to iron deficiency. Also, heavy periods can in rare cases be a sign of endometrial cancer or endometrial hyperplasia, where the lining of the uterus becomes unusually thick because it has too many cells.
If you need to change your tampon or pad more often than you used to, then it's heavier. You may also see blood clots, especially during the heaviest part of your cycle. As long as the clots are smaller than a quarter, no worries.
Heavy bleeding is common among women transitioning into menopause, the point when your body's reproductive system stops releasing eggs. One study found that among women ages 42 to 52, more than 90% experienced periods that lasted 10 days or more — with 78% reporting their blood flow as heavy.
Throughout the menopausal transition, some subtle — and some not-so-subtle — changes in your body may take place. You might experience: Irregular periods. As ovulation becomes more unpredictable, the length of time between periods may be longer or shorter, your flow may be light to heavy, and you may skip some periods.
You may find cyclical HRT, which involves taking estrogen every day, and adding in progesterone some of the time, helps regulate your cycle and reduces heavy bleeding.
Late Stage. The late stages of perimenopause usually occur when a woman is in her late 40s or early 50s. In the late stages of the menopausal transition, women begin missing periods until they finally stop. About 6 months before menopause, estrogen levels drop significantly.
Heavy menstrual bleeding can be related to uterus problems, hormones or illnesses. Polyps, fibroids or endometriosis can cause abnormal uterine bleeding. There can be some bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy.
It is quite common for women in perimenopause , which you probably are, to have heavier flow and with that go clots. Often menstrual cramps also increase. The only worrisome problem about clots and heavier flow is if it means that you are at risk for a low blood count ( anemia ) because of loss of iron.
Excessive bleeding and long periods are fairly common during perimenopause. Many women experience an increased flow and extended perimenopause periods before entering menopause. If you've had periods that are several days longer or more frequent or heavier than usual, it's a good idea to see your doctor.
Some women experience high levels of estrogen and low levels of progesterone. This can cause the uterine lining to thicken. When a thick uterine lining sheds during menstruation, women might experience heavier blood flows and larger blood clots. Uterine fibroids – Fibroids are noncancerous growths inside the uterus.
Furthermore, missed periods might sometimes be followed by normal periods as perimenopausal bleeding patterns and cycles are highly irregular. In this phase, menstrual blood ranges in color from dark brown to bright red. You might notice brown discharge or perimenopause brown spotting throughout the month.
How do you know if you have heavy bleeding? If you need to change your tampon or pad after less than 2 hours or you pass clots the size of a quarter or larger, that is heavy bleeding. If you have this type of bleeding, you should see a doctor.
Unless the bleeding is excessive, or a woman it at high risk for uterine cancer, this is generally not of concern. I tell my patients to notify me if they have: Bleeding that requires the use of a pad every hour for over 24 hours. Bleeding that lasts more than 2 weeks.
Estrogen does not cause blood clots, but it does increase the risk by several-fold. Birth control pills, the leading method of birth control in the United States, increase the chance of developing a blood clot by about three- to four-fold.
It's crucial that you wear the right pad and let it absorb the gush! 70% of your menstrual flow comes in the first two days of your period, so it's best to use a more absorbent pad like the Modess® All Nights since it absorbs 25% more liquid than the regular pad, and isn't only for bed time use.
It's not a syndrome or an illness. It's the stage of life leading up to menopause, which only officially happens once you've gone a full year without a period—the North American average is age 51—unless it's caused by surgical removal of the ovaries.
Perimenopause is the transition phase right before menopause and, quite honestly, many of those symptoms you associate with menopause itself - hot flashes, irregular periods, night sweats- actually occur more often during this transition period.
A period that is heavier or lighter than usual may be the last period, but it can be difficult to tell. Perimenopause is the stage that precedes menopause. Doctors consider a person to be in the later stages of perimenopause when their periods are more than 60 days apart .
The years leading up to that point, when women may have changes in their monthly cycles, hot flashes, or other symptoms, are called the menopausal transition or perimenopause. The menopausal transition most often begins between ages 45 and 55.
Most people lose around 2–3 tablespoons of blood during their period. People with heavy periods may lose twice as much. Fatigue or weakness may be signs that a person is losing too much blood. This figure comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) .
This number is backed up by Dr Nye, who adds that "considering a normal sleep pattern of seven straight hours and minimum exercise, you would expect to use four to five pads per day or around 20-23 pads per cycle."
Blood clots usually occur during the heaviest days of your menstrual flow and are bright or dark red. 'Blood clots are due to heavy bleeding, where the blood flow is faster and heavier than the body can process, leading to the formation of clots,' Dr Rosén explains.