There’s a lot of variety among women when it comes to what constitutes a normal period. And even for the same woman, no two periods are exactly the same. So, if you’re dealing with long or heavy periods, you may be confused as to why, and you might even worry that a serious underlying condition could be the cause.
What’s more, chronically heavy periods can lead to several problematic health conditions, such as low red blood cell count, iron deficiency, and anemia, which can make you feel tired all of the time and cause memory or concentration issues.
The experienced and compassionate medical team at Daniel Esteves, MD, in Lawrenceville, Georgia, are here to help. Heavy periods don’t necessarily mean something dangerous is going on, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them.
Fortunately, our team specializes in diagnosing and treating the different conditions that trigger heavy periods. In this blog, we explain the most common causes and how we can help.
Since periods have a lot of variation, it can be tricky to know if what you consider heavy is what the medical community considers heavy. Medical experts generally consider bleeding to be heavy if a woman loses 80mL of blood or more during her cycle. This is called menorrhagia. If your bleeding is under this, you may fall within the normal range of menstruation.
Since it can be challenging to gauge your period in milliliters, here are a few signs to look for to tell if you have a heavy period:
Heavy periods can also make you feel like you have no energy, cause you to get out of breath more quickly, or trigger general fatigue during periods.
Many issues can cause heavy periods. Therefore, it’s important to talk with your OB/GYN about your symptoms and get an accurate diagnosis. In the meantime, here’s a look at some common causes of heavy periods:
Taking some medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs or anticoagulants, can also contribute to heavier-than-normal periods. It’s important to note that for some women, an exact underlying cause may not be identifiable.
Absolutely! Dr. Esteves has years of experience helping women of all ages who struggle with heavy periods.
First, Dr. Esteves conducts any tests needed to determine the issue triggering your heavy periods. Then, based on your needs, she creates a personalized menorrhagia treatment plan. Depending on your situation, your plan might include any of the following:
You should also know that if the exact cause can’t be determined, Dr. Esteves has treatments that can address the symptoms of heavy bleeding.
To learn more about the causes of heavy bleeding and how we can help, call 770-676-5878 or book an appointment online with Daniel Esteves, MD today. We also offer telehealth visits.
