Heavy menstrual bleeding is when there is excessive and/or prolonged menstrual bleeding.
You may be experiencing heavy bleeding if you are changing your pad or tampon every hour or less, need to change a pad overnight, pass through clots that measure greater than 1 inch in diameter, if you experience an unexpected onset of blood flow that is similar to the action of turning on a faucet, or find that your bleeding is not contained within a tampon or pad.
Heavy bleeding may impact your quality of life as it could lead to stress and anxiety and disrupt your daily life. A common complication of heavy menstrual bleeding is low iron levels because of the great loss of blood,and it could make you feel exhausted, dizzy or fatigued.
Heavy menstrual bleeding might be related to:
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Abnormal changes in the lining of the uterus such as growth or polyps
- Age related changesof the uterus
A gynaecology ultrasound may be useful in finding the underlying cause of your heavy menstrual bleeds.
Please click here for information about what you need to do before your appointment, how to prepare for your ultrasound, and what you need to bring on the day of your appointment.