Oh yes, that is very common. I, myself haven't. But quite a few of my friends have. My mother did, and hers were caused by fibroids, which for you isn't the case because you had a normal ultrasound.

thanks for replying. My period eventually stopped after 10 days and had full exam with Dr who said all felt normal and as had had the ultrasound in what they class are fairly recently she said to keep a diary and see how things go.
I am now on day 20 of cycle and have started the spotting again! Will wait and see what happens before I go back as I am sure this is all hormonal.

I'm just experiencing my first prolonged heavy flow. It is disturbing. I've always lived on the edge of anemia anyway and I have low blood pressure...today I am feeling really tired, like I'm moving in slow motion and I know it's because of this heavy bleeding. I'm also just freezing cold tonight and have on two sweatshirts and sweatpants. This stinks. I was glad to read your post here, makes me feel a little more settled about it. I should be thankful I haven't started with hot flashing yet but I have horrible headaches often and I never used to get headaches before.

One of my sister's started with heavy flows and large blood clots and she ended up having her uterus removed, kept her ovaries, and she gets along fine now. I'm really hoping to get through menopause without having to do anything surgically.

When estrogen and progesterone aren't working in sync with each other (which happens during perimenopause), you have a build up of the blood in the uterus. then it doesn't get the right signals to let go, and you have constant spotting. Or.....it just keeps building up and sloughing and building up and sloughing and you have constant bleeding.
This happened to me. The doctor wanted me to take progresterone, so the lining would slough, but I was afraid to use it, since it has some nasty side-effects.
Well, I started bleeding really badly, and passing clots the size of eggs. I ended up in the hospital and had a D&C. Everything has gone fine since then.
Don't let bleeding go on too long because you will get anemic. Good luck!

Hi there, I do lurk around the Garden Web decorating forum from time to time but I found this particular forum in a google search and hate to barge in but I'm becoming so frustrated and desperate.

I'm 28 years old (I know, not menopausal-feel free to kick me out!) and have two children, 4.5 and 2. All my menstruating life I've had painful, heavy cycles and in college was on a birth control pill for years until I discovered the hormones were giving me migraines and chronic heartburn. I swore off the pill until recently after having my second child and my periods returning became more and more painful and my doctor put me on Depo/Lupron which essentially puts your body through menopause for four months to try to clear up possible endometriosis. Afterward, I agreed to try the seasonal birth control pill since it meant I would only have four periods a year.

Well, in February I accidentally forgot to take my pill one evening and I have had my period ever since. Over 9 weeks. The first three were horrendous, lots of blood and cramps that made me want to throw up. The next four weeks or so were better as far as blood volume but still crampy and now they seem to be getting a bit heavier and going from old, brown blood to bright red again. Today I'm really crampy and just cannot understand what's going on. And I have been taking a birth control pill every night!!!! The same pill that normally stops periods! I just don't know what's going on with my body!

Recently I had an ultrasound and I have a cyst that they've monitored for years now that they don't think is the cause of this but haven't detected anything else through ultrasound. I am scheduled for laperoscopy next week and I hope to have answers but I really feel like I've had to push my doctor to do it.

I'm curious, if I'm taking pills(hormones) to prevent having a period and I'm still bleeding, is this considered a period then? What can this bleeding be from? They didn't seem to detect fibroids or other cysts just in the ultrasound but maybe they just aren't always apparent??

I'm sorry to go on and on, and surely next week I'll have more answers but I'm starting to get nervous about this constant bleeding. It doesn't help that I'm having a bad cramping day! Any experiences or insights regarding prolonged bleeding or hormones would be so helpful!

Thanks!

joanna

To Midwestjoanna,

The following is a post I left under another thread. I don't know if you would be interested in this because of your young age. After a procedure like this, chances are nearly 100% that you wouldn't be able to have more children.

"Ask your doctor(s) about the possibility of a D&C with an ablation. I had this done when I was 57 and it was wonderful. First your doctor performs a routine D&C to clean the uterus; then cauterizes the uterus lining. After that, periods generally stop. I had two very mild periods after this procedure, but then they stopped. After 40 years of debilitating cramps and bleeding this was truly a medical miracle for me. The procedure is performed under anesthesia as outpatient surgery and is far less invasive than a hysterectomy. There is an excellent description about it on webmd.com. Here, I hope, is the url:
http://women.webmd.com/Women-Medical-Reference/Endometrial-ablation-16200

Just be sure to go to a gyn who is experienced in this procedure."

After 8 months period-free, I got one last week. I am now on day 8, with heavy bleeding since day 3. I have had to resort to a tampon and a super pad, because I was soaking through the pad alone in about 2 hours. I stopped using tampons after my kids were born, because they never seemed to feel the same. However, now I'm desperate.

I just went for my yearly check-up last month, and told the doctor that the hot flashes had stopped, and I hadn't had a period for 8 months. I was still bloated, so she wanted me to see a GI specialist. A week later, guess what? At least I know that the bloating will go away now, at least for a few months.

I had an ultrasound last year, and everything was ok, no cysts or fibroids. I guess this is part of the territory, but it's annoying. I'm going on vacation next week, but I'm guessing this won't be done by then. Last time it lasted 3 weeks, and that was after only 3 months. I wouldn't be surprised if this one goes even longer.

I'm glad I found this article. My periods are messed up now. I didn't have it for about 6 weeks, got it and then got it again 2 weeks later! For the past month I've had my period every 2 weeks. This is not good because I haven't been prepared and was caught off balance. I'm on day 11 now! It is heavy and still bright red. Last night I had to get up in the night because it was so heavy that I had to run to the bathroom and change the pad. I'm almost 51 so I guess this isn't unusual but it sure is frustrating and I was getting scared until I read that I am not the only one! I hate going to the Dr. but I may have to break down if this doesn't ease up soon.

This site made me feel so much better. I have been having a period, heavy, slow, heavy, slow for about 29 days now. Last month the same thing happened. I had 13 days of no blood. I found that I had been taking herbal supplements that exacerbated the problem. Dong Quai, White Willow, Cinnamon, Tumeric, Flax oil. I stopped those herbs, but am still bleeding. I am 50 and have talked to other women, read books and feel assured that this is common, though probably not normal.

So glad to have read these posts. Hate going to dr. to. Went last year because periods had gotten so irregular and were always regular. In Jan. pretty much stopped bleeding just a little spotting. Well period started 8 days ago and still going strong. Have stopped flax seed oil pill and hot flash pill today hoping it might help it stop. Will probably call dr. Friday if still bleeding but really don't want to.

I can't believe this post started back in '07 but I am thankful that I found it. I was wondering when I needed to start panicking, but I see this is normal to have a long period. Thank you ladies - not that this is fun, but glad to know it is not alarming.

I am so glad that I found this website! I am 45 years old and am pretty sure that i'm peri menopausal. Last Jan I didnt get a period for 2 months, then after that there was light spotting, hardly worth having,I was so light and only on light tampons when up to then I was always using super plus. Then next 2 periods were late ( 2wks )then still lighter than normal, also tender boobs had almost dissapeared and period pains. Last but one period, got really tender boobs and period back with a vengence! lasted 11 days, stopped for 8 days,then back on ! for 11 days and still going!I JUST WANT IT TO STOP!
My mum started this when she was 45, and i'm finding it hard to adjust to this time in my life. I still feel 20 yet my body is saying otherwise & I dont feel in control.
Really getting on my nerves now!
Anyone else had similar goings on?

Diane :)

I am so glad that I found this website! I am 45 years old and am pretty sure that i'm peri menopausal. Last Jan I didnt get a period for 2 months, then after that there was light spotting, hardly worth having,I was so light and only on light tampons when up to then I was always using super plus. Then next 2 periods were late ( 2wks )then still lighter than normal, also tender boobs had almost dissapeared and period pains. Last but one period, got really tender boobs and period back with a vengence! lasted 11 days, stopped for 8 days,then back on ! for 11 days and still going!I JUST WANT IT TO STOP!
My mum started this when she was 45, and i'm finding it hard to adjust to this time in my life. I still feel 20 yet my body is saying otherwise & I dont feel in control.
Really getting on my nerves now!
Anyone else had similar goings on?

Diane :)

I now having this issue, I have always heavy periods but they never lasted longer than 7 days. I have started using pads for "urinary incontinence" for my periods. Tena, Serenity Pads Long seems to work well. We need a "menopausal pad" - they have all kinds of pads for all kinds of period but maybe this one got left of the list.

I hope i can be helpful to those who see this discussion by shari g my experience and happy outcome....
I had very heavy periods in my early 40's. (I am now 50.). I felt sick from the heavy flow. After about a year of this it got so bad that I would bleed onto my clothes within a n hour of changing tampons and pads. My gynecologist did the ablation procedure where the inner surface of the uterus is cauterized. Thereafter, I had no bleeding at all-except a drop, literally one drop!, each month. It was a wonderful outcome. The procedure was outpatient and I did not have pain after it.

My mother also had these symptoms in her 40's, until menopause in her early 40's, but she had multiple d and c's. the ablation seems much better-one time thing, no negative side effects, and not only did I not have heavy bleeding, I never had period bleeding again! The benefit of menopause, years before menopause! If there are risks involved, I am not aware of them, but of course a GYN will know all the facts.

I'm 50 years old, and didn't have a period from January until June of this year, which I really enjoyed. I started to have a period on June 22 and I'm still having that same period as of Sep 3 (today), with no stopping whatsoever.

The flow has gone from light to heavy with clots; to medium, to heavy, on and on. I'm worried, and was doing some internet searching on the subject, and came across an article that mentioned Vitamin K deficiency. This can cause bleeding not to stop. I thought it could be a possibility eventhough I've been taking Vitamin K2 daily for the last couple of years.

I did switch brands about 6 months ago, though; so I switched back to my usual brand a couple of days ago. Already, KNOCK ON WOOD (because sure enough as soon as I post this, the flow will increase again!), I'm noticing a significant decrease in the flow. I'm hoping my period will stop... soon. If not, I'll have to bite the bullet and go to the doctor. (I'm also taking iron daily because I have a long history of anemia.)

@DianneBotterillLeo67 i am 44 and in the same boat at the moment. did you ever get sorted out?

Hi my name is Princess doing last year 2015 of October was having my normal period of 7 days but i git sick of having my period i got oth Depo shot and when November came i did not have no period at for that month and now I have had my period in December of 2015 and was bleeding very heavy with big blood clots along with my blood and not I also have have some been bleeding in January and my has not stop I am still bleeding in February and my next Appointment is in March 17 I will just my Doctor why am I still bleeding for and see if I can try some pills or what should I do I hate having a irregular period and it won't stop what is the problem with my cycle with all thses heavy cramps and bleeding I can't take it anymore please help me

To any of you suffering from heavy bleeding, I long ago figured out the culprits and cures - yes, cures. First - here's my YES list, then later, see what to avoid.

My YES list:

• Loads of good-quality Bing cherries, and/or Juice of black cherry
  concentrate. NOT from toxic plastic containers, rather glass. And the
  more Viscous it is, the better (i.e. more sticky, slow-to-flow.
• Also: lots of probiotic yogurt such as Vanilla or Peach Stonyfield. Or Raspberry Lifeway-Kefir.
• Also: Lysine/smooth type of foods, such as Eggs, yams, yellow oils, veggies, Unsalted soda crackers, sweet/sticky fruits/melons.
• Also: see my tips on this "flu" site, because alot of those tips
  may resonate with you and help toward the bleeding issues as well.
  https://lysine4flu.wordpress.com/
• Also: Gabapentin might help (if you can get a doctor to prescribe
  it). It helps to relax my nerves toward computer(EMF) use, and relieves
  headaches, so I suspect it can relieve bleeding.

My NO list:

• Heavy exposure to bright lights & EMFs & WIFI & so forth.

• Hi
  sodium, citric-acid, citrus, sodium-nitrite, sodium-citrate. Some of
  these can be hidden inside foods at health stores as well.

• Spices, raw onion, raw garlic. Some of these can be hidden inside health foods.

• Stress/chemicals.

• See
  my common-sense examples in my above wordpress blog, re: "Arginine vs.
  lesser arginine". With emphasis on the last italicized paragraph.

Hope this helps.