Heavy Periods
Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB) is a common condition that can significantly impact your physical health, emotional well-being, and quality of life. Michael provides a supportive environment to investigate the underlying causes of heavy periods and offers a range of medical and surgical treatments tailored to your lifestyle and future fertility goals.
Understanding Why: There are several structural and functional reasons why periods may become heavy. Blood tests, a detailed pelvic ultrasound and a diagnostic procedure such as a Hysteroscopy D&C may be necessary to determine the cause:
Endometrial Polyps: Small, grape-like growths on the lining of the uterus that can cause irregular or heavy bleeding.
Fibroids: Benign growths within the muscle of the uterus that can increase the surface area of the uterine lining.
Adenomyosis: A condition where the lining of the uterus grows into the muscle wall, often causing both heavy periods and significant pain.
Hormonal Imbalance: Conditions such as PCOS or thyroid problems can lead to heavy or prolonged bleeding due to infrequent ovulation.
Treatment Options
Management is never "one size fits all" and depends on whether you are seeking to maintain your fertility:
Targeted Surgery: If a specific cause is identified, treatment can be targeted to the cause and prepare the uterus for fertility if desired – for example, the removal of polyps or resection of fibroids
Non-Hormonal Medication: Oral medications taken only during heavy bleeding to reduce the volume of blood loss.
Hormonal Suppression: Options include the oral contraceptive pill, progesterone only pills, or the Mirena, which are highly effective at thinning the uterine lining and reducing heavy periods.
Surgical Intervention: For those who have completed their family, procedures such as Endometrial Ablation (cauterizing the lining) or a Hysterectomy may be discussed.