Heavy Periods

Heavy periods aren’t just inconvenient. They can cause embarrassment and diminished quality of life, but more importantly, they can be a sign of underlying medical problems. At Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida, our providers understand how disruptive heavy menstrual periods can be to your daily life. Our board-certified gynecologists offer effective treatment options to help normalize your cycle and provide relief. If you are dealing with heavy periods, you can request a new patient appointment online. If you are already an established patient, you can book online through the patient portal. Or you can always call (239) 432-5858 to schedule a consultation with one of Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida’s women’s health-care providers in Fort Myers, Cape Coral or Lehigh Acres.

How to know if your period is considered heavy

Every woman’s cycle is different, but the typical cycle lasts about 5-7 days, and over-the-counter hygiene products can control it. Your period is heavy if you:

• Soak through one or more pads/tampons every hour for several hours in a row
• Need to use double protection to control your flow
• Wake up in the middle of the night to change your hygiene products
• Have periods that last longer than seven days
• Pass blood clots larger than a quarter
• Restrict daily activity due to heavy bleeding

Some women also bleed between periods. If you have experienced any of these issues, it’s important to talk to your gynecologist.

Heavy periods can cause iron-deficiency anemia and lead to extreme fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, pale skin and severe menstrual cramps that make daily activities difficult or impossible. The good news is that there is no need to simply endure heavy periods and the associated symptoms. Our providers will find the treatment that’s right for you.

Identifying the cause of heavy bleeding

Your freedom from heavy periods will begin with a thorough evaluation to determine the cause. Heavy menstrual bleeding may be due to a hormone imbalance, dysfunction in the ovaries, or uterine fibroids. Other possible causes include:

• Uterine polyps 
• Adenomyosis, a condition in which glands from the endometrium become attached to the uterine muscle
• Non-hormonal intrauterine devices for birth control
• Uterine or cervical cancer
• Ovarian cyst
• Inherited bleeding disorders
• Miscarriage
• Some medications, such as blood thinners

Resolving your heavy periods once and for all

After evaluating the cause of your heavy periods using blood tests, ultrasound, and other screenings, your doctor at Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida will create a treatment plan based on your overall health, medical history, future family plans, and the specific cause of your condition.

In some cases, medications such as oral contraceptives or oral progesterone can regulate your cycle and correct hormone imbalances to normalize your periods. If you have anemia, your doctor can also provide iron supplementation and dietary recommendations

Some women may need to undergo surgical treatments to remove fibroids or excess uterine lining. Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida offers many in-office procedures, such as NovaSure® endometrial ablation, which can improve heavy bleeding with lasting results in one short, in-office procedure. If fibroids and polyps are the cause of heavy bleeding, our doctors can often remove them without an incision using the MyoSure® procedure.

Treatment for heavy periods may have an effect on future pregnancies, so it’s important to fully understand all of your treatment options.

If you suffer from heavy periods that disrupt your everyday life, contact Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida to find out about treatment options. You can request a new patient appointment online. If you are already an established patient, you can book online through the patient portal. Or you can always call (239) 432-5858 to schedule a consultation with one of Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida’s women’s health-care providers in Fort Myers, Cape Coral or Lehigh Acres.