Anemia/Dehydration Issues *TMI Warning*

[Torrilin]

If your primary care doctor is the one you're seeing for this, it's time to hit them upside the head with "this is not ok". For your long term health, you need to be able to be active. Be very specific that the birth control pills they've prescribed cause more problems than they solve, and that the bleeding is excessive.

While you're waiting to see a specialist, it can't hurt to do things like increase the red meat and dark green leafy veggies in your diet. Cooking in cast iron also gives trace iron. Also, find something you like to drink and drink it. If hot tea makes you happy, drink hot tea. If lemonade makes you happy, drink lemonade. Plain water provides good hydration, but so does pretty much anything that contains water. Alcoholic drinks do take quite a lot of water to metabolize, so don't count them. Otherwise, just drink things. 2 quarts of liquid is a nice reasonable minimum in a temperate climate. You may want to shoot for 3 or more, so your body has extra fluid to help with the blood loss.

Dietary support won't fix things, but it may make it easier to stay out of the hospital while you wait to see a specialist.

[mikki]

Well, as someone who has been there - recently....

First, I don't ride while on my period. I found that the exercise only increased the bleeding. I do low energy yoga, mostly restorative poses, no inversions.

Second, I had uterine ablation. It did not stop the bleeding completely, but now I go through 5 days of light spotting, instead of 7-10 days of heavy bleeding (1-2 boxes of tampons a month) each month. I am no longer anemic. Down side, be sure you never intend to get pregnant again. Seriously. This procedure cauterizes the lining of the uterus. I'm happy with the results. It's drastic, but worth talking to your doctor about.

Finally, be good to yourself. If you are bleeding that much, and the pills aren't working it is trully time to have a serious discussion with your doctor. Eat right, rest, and be good to yourself.

Best wishes, Mikki

[LBTC]

Darkeros, you're going through a lot! I hope your doctors can help you sooner not later. In the meantime, to help with hydration, definitely drink as much as you can handle. A person in good health should drink approx 1 litre (approx 1 quart) of water for every 50 pounds of body weight per day. Since you're having trouble with hydration you may want to take in even more. Increase slowly to get used to it. In the meantime, you may also want to increase the electrolytes in your water. Elete Electrolyte drops are an excellent solution - they have no taste, colour, or odour, and add essential electrolytes to keep your energy and hydration up. It works for me!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Dianyla]

I can relate to this, having struggled with heavy periods and anemia (with subsequent gi tract fun) for years. My advice is to keep looking until you find a doctor that understands female reproductive hormone balance and thyroid issues, and has a holistic view of things. Just sticking you on oral contraceptives to mask the problem doesn't solve anything. There must be some reason why your body is constantly bleeding, and I'm sure there is an answer somewhere.

Oh, and I highly recommend a menstrual cup instead of pads/tampons.

[Zen]

It can be any number of causes. I'm really surprised a uterine sonogram (or ultrasound, I'm not sure) wasn't ordered as opposed to BCP roulette.
This page from the Novasure site can tell you more about causes.

[Andrea]

I'd like to add a comment about the pill:

There are many different formulations of pills out there- you may need to just switch to a different type. Several of them (usually advertised as "acne reducing") will reduce the amount of testosterone available in the bloodstream. Women only have a little bit of circulating testosterone, so that reduction can get rid of acne (if it's acne related to hormonal fluctuations), BUT it can diminish sex drive and cause athletic performance to suffer.
If the pill worked for you before (aside from the emotional effects), you may want to try a different one.

I switched from Lo-ovral to ortho tri-cyclin very briefly when I switched doctors and noticed within two weeks that I was very emotional and that my performance on the bike was getting horrible (which made me more emotional!) I went back to the lo-ovral, and everything returned to normal within a few weeks.

May be worth a shot. A cautery in the cooter doesn't sound like much fun
Sorry, I had to add that last one in...

[Velobambina]

I agree w/Andrea. What about a different BCP formulation? I'm on Mircette, which I LOVE. No PMS, no periods or just light spotting, no mood swings, etc. I've been taking it for about 5 years and I'm not going off of it until after I clear menopause.

[Zen]

May be worth a shot. A cautery in the cooter doesn't sound like much fun
Sorry, I had to add that last one in...

If you had any idea what this abnormal bleeding is like you wouldn't make say that. In fact, this is beyond abnormal bleeding, almost to the point of hemorrhaging. The ultrasound is painless and the cause could be fibroid tumor or any number of things that can't be repaired with artificial hormones.

The Novasure is laproscopic and performed under anesthesia. It was nothing but a life changing relief for me.