While all of us have ‘heavy days’ during our menstrual cycle, we should be on the look out for signs of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding. This can be a sign of a serious health condition that should promptly be addressed. Excessive and prolonged bleeding can also lead to iron-deficiency anemia.
So what is ‘normal’ and what merits a visit to the doctor? See a professional if any of the following statements describe your menstrual flow.
1. My sanitary napkin easily gets soaked, so I need to change every one or two hours.
2. I have to wake up at night to change my sanitary napkin.
3. I bleed after removing tampons and sometimes have large blood clots.
4. I need to use a pad and a tampon at the same time for double protection.
5. I bleed profusely so I need to use two sanitary pads at the same time.
6. I menstruate more than twice in a month.
7. My menstruation lasts for more than eight days.
8. I need to bring extra underwear and clothes during my period for fear of having blood stains.
9. I have to miss work for a day or two whenever I have periods.
10. I can’t even think about attending social events because I bleed through my protection onto my clothes.
11. My periods make me feel tired and fatigued.
12. I experience pre-menstrual syndrome (e.g. bloatedness, headaches, tension, abdominal cramps, breast tenderness, mood swings, irritability and depression).
13. I plan my life around my periods.
14. Dealing with my periods make me feel anxious, depressed, and/or stressed out.
15. My quality of life would definitely be a lot better if I didn’t have to deal with heavy menstrual bleeding each month.
Bleeding may be caused by a variety of conditions, including organic causes like tumors and cancers, which need to be diagnosed and treated immediately. HMB with no organic cause (related to hormones and unknown physiological processes), can be treated with non-surgical treatments.