Your body
Coping with heavy bleeding
Do you need extra protection during your period? Do you have to get up in the middle of the night to change your towel or do you get large lumps of blood during your period. You may be a “heavy bleeder”.
Some women bleed more than others, but very few can be classified as “heavy bleeders”. Most women bleed less than they think – considerably less than 10 centilitres during their entire period. Then why do some women bleed more? If the ovum has not been fertilized, it is washed out of the uterus by menstrual blood along with the membranes and other particles that were created to receive the fertilized ovum. The body is such an ingenious device that you will continue bleeding until everything has been washed out. There is a natural substance in all women’s bodies that causes the bleeding, There is more of this substance in some women than others. Heavy bleeding can also be caused by a harmless muscle knots in the uterus called myom.
Heavy bleeding can cause you to feel unusually tired and run down. Exercise helps the body recover faster. The iron in foods such as broccoli and spinach will make you feel better and will also help your system process oxygen more efficiently and give you more energy.
If you suffer from heavy bleeding, there are a number of non-prescription medications available. Ask your pharmacist for advice. Don’t take medication without his or her recommendation.
If you are worried about bleeding through your towel, you can comfort yourself with the fact that today’s towels can absorb very large amounts of fluids. If you change your towel regularly, chances are that the towel will have absorbed less then 10% of its total capacity.
Contact your doctor or gynaecologist if:
- you are experiencing unusually heavy bleeding
- if the medication your pharmacist has recommended has no effect
- if you wish to try medication for heavy bleeders and you have an irregular menstrual cycle