Fibroids And Heavy Menstrual Bleeding with Clots and Pain

What Could Be Causing Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?

Heavy blood flow during your period that lasts over 7 days is called menorrhagia. There are many underlying conditions that can cause excessive blood loss during menstruation, including hormonal imbalances, uterine polyps, thyroid problems, PCOS, certain bleeding disorders, etc. Some potential causes for heavy bleeding with clots and pain may include:

• Uterine-related problems;
• Cancer of the uterus or cervix;
• Certain types of birth control—for example, an intrauterine device (IUD);
• Problems related to pregnancy;
• Hormone-related issues;
• Other illnesses or disorders;
• Certain medications or medication interactions can cause increased bleeding;
• The most common cause of menorrhagia is uterine fibroids, which are non-cancerous tumors that grow inside or on the uterus.

Uterine Fibroids Are The #1 Cause Of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Fibroids can be tiny, like a grain of rice, huge, like a pumpkin, or any size in between. A woman can have one fibroid or numerous fibroids, and they can be clustered together or growing in different locations in and around her uterus. Out of the three types of uterine fibroids, two are known to contribute to heavy period bleeding.

• Submucosal fibroids develop in the inner lining of the uterus and can grow into the uterine cavity. Because they directly affect the surface area from which the uterine lining sheds during menstruation, it leads to heavier bleeding. These fibroids can also interfere with the uterus’ ability to contract and significantly increase blood flow during periods;
• Intramural fibroids grow within the muscular wall of the uterus and can make these walls thicker, creating a larger uterine surface area and promoting heavier bleeding during menstruation. They can also disrupt the blood vessels in the uterus and increase the volume of blood flow during your period.

If left untreated, heavy bleeding can lead to anemia, which is a serious condition where your body does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body to keep it functioning properly. Anemia causes symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations, and even can result in death.

If you are experiencing heavy or prolonged periods, you must seek medical treatment to determine the underlying cause.

Uterine Fibroids: Blood Clots And Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Heavy menstrual bleeding is usually the very first symptom of uterine fibroids and can be accompanied by blood clots. These benign growths are made from the same type of muscular and fibrous tissue as the middle layer of the uterus called the myometrium. Researchers are still at a loss as to why these myometrial cells go rogue and begin to grow outside of their natural boundaries, but they can cause various symptoms depending on where they develop. If they develop in the uterine lining, they can cause the formation of blood clots that are expelled along with excessive bleeding.

Some women do not experience any symptoms from fibroids, while others suffer from painful and sometimes debilitating side effects.

How Do You Know If You Have Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?

How do you know if what you are experiencing during your period is normal? This is a very good question because historically, women did not tend to discuss their monthly menstrual cycle as a topic of normal conversation due to social taboos and the embarrassment surrounding menstruation. Today, many doctors and medical professionals are working to change this stigma by encouraging open conversations about menstrual and reproductive health. They want women to understand when they are experiencing abnormal symptoms and feel comfortable seeking help for issues like heavy bleeding, irregular periods, or pain.

You may be experiencing abnormal and excessive period bleeding if:

• You are bleeding through a tampon or a pad every hour for several hours in a row;
• You pass clots the size of a quarter or larger;
• You need to change pads or tampons during the night;
• Have menstrual periods lasting more than 7 days;
• Have a heavy menstrual flow that keeps you from living life normally;
• Are always tired, low on energy, short of breath, or exhibiting other symptoms of anemia.

How Do You Cure Heavy Menstrual Bleeding?

The best treatment for your heavy menstrual bleeding will depend on the underlying cause. Sometimes, oral birth control pills or an IUD can be used to help control bleeding caused by hormonal changes or imbalances. They can help to balance hormones and regulate a woman’s cycle, preventing the excessive growth of the uterine lining and reducing heavy bleeding. The best way to learn what treatment will be most effective for you is to schedule a visit with your doctor so the underlying cause of your heavy bleeding can be determined.

If you are diagnosed with uterine fibroids as the reason for your heavy bleeding and blood clots, a non-surgical procedure called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) should be the first treatment you consider. UFE does not require surgery and leaves your uterus perfectly intact, unlike the surgical treatments that are most often suggested to women for fibroid elimination.

This procedure is performed as an outpatient and takes under an hour, allowing you to go home the same day. It is not done by an OBGYN but instead by a specially trained interventional radiologist like Dr. Lipman of the Atlanta Fibroid Center. Unlike surgery which is not always capable of reaching all the fibroids, UFE uses a special technique to block off the blood supply that is keeping even hard-to-reach fibroids alive. Without this vital blood supply, fibroids shrink and die, eliminating all their symptoms, including heavy bleeding.

If you have been told that you require surgery to remove fibroids, you are most likely a candidate for uterine fibroid embolization. Set up a consultation today with the Atlanta Fibroid Center and learn more about how UFE can eliminate your symptoms and free you from heavy bleeding forever without surgery.