MENSTRUAL BLEEDING

When periods are very heavy or you are experiencing “flooding” or passing big clots you have what doctors call menorrhagia. You need a lot of menstrual products.    

What is the normal menstrual flow?

In a randomly selected group of premenopausal women, the most common amount of menstrual flow (measured in a laboratory from all collected tampons and pads) was about two tablespoons (30 ml) in a whole period. However the amount of flow was highly variable—it ranged from a spot to over two cups (540 ml) in one period! Women who are taller, have had children and are in perimenopause have the heaviest flow. The usual length of menstrual bleeding is four to six days. The usual amount of blood loss per period is 10 to 35 ml. Each soaked normal-sized tampon or pad holds a teaspoon (5ml) of blood. That
means it is normal to soak one to seven normal-sized pads or tampons (“sanitary products”) in a whole period.

How is Very Heavy Flow or Menorrhagia defined?

Officially, flow of more than 80 ml (or 16 soaked sanitary products) per menstrual period is considered menorrhagia. Most women bleeding this heavily will have a low blood count (anemia) or evidence of iron deficiency. In practice only about a third of women have anemia, so the definition of heavy flow can be adjusted to be more like nine to 12 soaked regular-sized sanitary products in a period.

What causes very heavy menstrual bleeding?

This is not clear. Heavy flow is most common in the teens and in perimenopause—both are times of the life cycle when estrogen levels tend to be higher and progesterone levels to be lower. Progesterone is made by the ovaries after ovulation. However, even though you may be having regular periods, it doesn’t mean you are ovulating! The lining of the uterus or endometrium sheds during a period. Estrogen’s job is to makes the endometrium thicker (and more likely to shed) and progesterone makes it thinner. Therefore it is likely that heavy flow is caused by too much estrogen and too little progesterone.   

Can I figure out how much I’m bleeding?

The easiest way, knowing that one soaked, normal-sized sanitary product holds about a teaspoon of blood (= 5 ml), is to record the number you soak each day of your flow. Keeping the Menstrual Cycle Calendar is a convenient way to assess the amount and timing of flow. To accurately record the number of soaked sanitary products each day you need to recall the number you changed that were half full (let’s say three tampons and one pad) and multiply that (four X 0.5 = two) to give the number of fully soaked ones. A “maxi” or “super” tampon or pad holds about two teaspoons or 10ml of blood—therefore record each larger soaked sanitary product as a “2.” In addition, record your best judgment about the amount of flow
where a “1” is spotting, “2” means normal flow, “3” is slightly heavy and “4” is very heavy with flooding and/or clots. If the number of soaked sanitary products totals 16 or more or if you are recording “4”s you have very heavy flow.    

What can I do for very heavy flow?

	Keep a record. Make a careful record (using Menstrual Cycle Calendar) of your flow for a cycle or two. (Note—if flow is so heavy you start to feel faint or dizzy when you stand up, that is a reason to make an emergency doctor appointment.)
	Try Mens Reduce For Heavy Menstrual Flow & Menorrhagia Menorrhagia refers to excessive bleeding during menstruation and is experienced by many women. Mens-Reduce is an all natural herbal solution to heavy menstrual bleeding and menorrhagia. It promotes normal menstruation and helps to regulate menstrual cycles. Mens-Reduce also helps to relieve symptoms of PMS such as tender swollen breasts and cramps, as well as giving you more stamina and energy throughout the day. Mens-Reduce is a 100% natural, safe and effective herbal and homeopathic remedy for reducing excessive menstrual bleeding. Being 100% natural, with no artificial preservatives, Mens-Reduce is non-addictive and has NO SIDE EFFECTS.
	Menstruation Decrease Tincture Use Menstruation Decrease Formula for heavy menstruation. Directions: Use 6-12 drops in juice, water, under the tongue, or as desired. May be taken 3 times daily. Shake well. Store in cool, dark place. Keep out of reach of children. Ingredients: Mistletoe Leaf, Blessed Thistle Herb, Witch Hazel Bark, Nettle Herb, Shepherd's Purse, Red Raspberry Leaf, R/O Water, 12% Alcohol.
	Take ibuprofen. Whenever flow is heavy, start taking ibuprofen, the over-the-counter anti-prostaglandin, in a dose of one 200mg tablet every 4-6 hours while you are awake. This therapy decreases flow by 25-30% and will also help with menstrual cycle-like cramps.
	Treat blood loss with extra fluid and salt. Any time you feel dizzy or your heart pounds when you get up from lying down it is evidence that the amount of blood volume in your system is too low. To help that, drink more and increase the salty fluids you drink such as tomato or other vegetable juices or salty broths (like bouillon). You will likely need at least four to six cups (1-1.5 litre) of extra liquid that day.
	Take iron to replace what is lost with heavy bleeding. If your doctor’s appointment is delayed or you realize that you have had heavy flow for a number of cycles, start taking one over-the-counter tablet of iron (like 35 mg of ferrous gluconate) a day. You can also increase the iron you get from foods—red meat, liver, egg yolks, deep green vegetables and dried fruits like raisins and prunes are good sources of iron. Your doctor will likely measure your blood count and a test called “ferritin” which tells the amount of iron you have stored in your bone marrow. If your ferritin is low, or if you ever have had a low blood count, continue iron daily for one full year to bring iron stores to normal.

 (extracts from article written by Dr. Jerilynn C. Prior)

Recommended Menstrual Products - for Menstrual Bleeding