Progesterone/Provera *Warning, Men Keep Out*

[hearts and roses]

No seriously, men, keep out!

I have progressively had heavier bleeding in the first 2-3 days of my monthlies. I mean, I'm in the bathroom EVERY HOUR - Once an HOUR - to change a super tampon and overnight pad. That's some seriously heavy bleeding.

Well, it so happens my period started on Monday and immediately became more than I could handle and I was preparing for my flight to FL (business) so I called my DR and she prescribed Provera (I got the generic) to help with the heavy flow. She said the therapeutic dose was 60mg and started me on 30mg and man, it worked!! By the morning of my trip, the flow was manageable and under control. On my first day in FL, I was so busy that I skipped a dose and it slowly began to grow heavier, but then I took the pill and it got better. I only took it for 3 full days and it helped a lot.

When I did some research on the medication, I see that progesterone hormones can actually cause heavier bleeding, but alternatively, helps heavy periods. I find that odd.

Anyway, I know that some of you have had hysterectomies, heavy bleeding, and other issues. I'm not due for my annual (which is now my biennial instead! oops) until late next month, so I just thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas, other than perimeno, why my periods are so heavy all of a sudden. And if anyone has experienced the use of progesterone and if so, how they felt on it. I felt GREAT. I felt strong and not weepy or pissy like I usually do those first few days.

 

[Shari]

I take orthocyclen, which is a estrogen and progestin hormone BCP continuously for a similar reason and its wonderful. When I took it for the 21 days and had a monthly period, we could never get it under control, regular, or manageable, but when I started taking it continuously (I skip the 7 placebos and start a new pack immediately), I've had no periods, no moodiness (other than difficult child or husband induced), no unmanageable periods, etc. Wouldn't trade it for anything. Before this, I was probably bleeding 80% of the time or more, and often had substantial pain with it.

 

[trinityroyal]

Jo,
Heavier than normal bleeding is sometimes a sign that you have fibroid tumours.
When you do go in for your physical, mention this to your doctor. They can do an ultrasound and determine whether you have them.

Fibroids can grow in size, or shrink. Sometimes they cause substantial pain, sometimes you don't even notice that they're present. But in many cases they can lead to incredibly heavy bleeding, more like a haemorrage (sp?) than a period.

Glad to hear that the progesterone worked so well for you. It would have been such a drag to have that on your business trip.

Trinity

 

[Critter Lover]

I had this problem when I was 46 years old.....would go through an entire package of heavy pads within two to three days. GYN first did a DNC on me to see if it would help. It did not and I then opted for an Ablation. The best thing I ever had done. No more periods and only spotted for a year after that when my periods were due. No more periods for a year now. Only have an Ablation done if you are finished with having children.
Ask your GYN about the procedure if you are interested in it.

 

[hearts and roses]

Thanks, I plan on discussing this with her fully when I have my annual. Tired of this altogether now. And yes, I'm done having kids.

 

[DammitJanet]

I had a couple of years of weird, heavy and oddly timed periods. They would either be right on time for a few months or skip a month (scare the H out of me!) come really close together, or be really heavy.

What did me in was I went on a trip and I started the period from hell. It got so heavy I was bleeding thru an overnight pad more than once an hour and the period lasted for more than 18 days. I was on my trip for 18 days and I was still bleeding all the way home on the airplane. I made Tony take me immediately to my local ER on the way home from the airport because I was bleeding through my clothes after 18 days. They put me on the provera and sent me to my GYN. He found fibroids the size of baseballs. We did a hysterectomy not long afterwards.