It is the Period that never ends....

charlestontess · 05-23-2006, 10:51 PM

Ok, I am on day 13 of a heavy period induced by BCP's...and it's beginning to worry me! While not on any medication for PCOS, I went 7 months with no period, then had a week long "normal" period that came on its own. It just happened to correspond with my annual exam (go figure) so my doctor put me back on BCP's to regulate things again. Well I started my period again when expected after being on BCP's for 3 weeks, and now it wont stop! I have already been taking the first week of my second pack so shouldn't it stop now?

So how long should I wait until I call the doctor about this?

I feel so tired and moody and my husband says I better call her by the weekend if this continues. I am soaking through about 3-4 pads a day and this is not normal for me. UGH

Tess

05-24-2006, 09:36 AM

Personally I would call now if you are concerned, better to be safe than sorry...

libchick · 05-24-2006, 11:20 AM

I agree with Alison ~ if you're worried (and honey, it sounds like you and your husband are) then i'd say phone the doc's today. The longer you wait, the more worried you'll be.

{{{HUGS}}}

charlestontess · 05-31-2006, 01:45 AM

Well ladies, I've had a very scarey past couple of weeks not knowing what is going on with my body. I am still flowing very heavily and its been 20 days. Over the weekend I experienced cramps and I was passing huge amounts of blood and clots. I am so exhausted right now. So with my husband's urging I made a call to my doctor's office this morning and she got me right in. She did an exam on me then sent me downstairs for lab tests to detemine if I might be experiencing an early miscarriage. That had me pretty well freaked out since I had gone thru one years ago that was very bad. This felt very much the same. Well the results were that I tested negative for pregnancy and my CBC was within normal ranges so no need to worry about infection or losing too much blood. However, she cannot explain the heavy long period I've been having, she told me to double up on my BCP dose for the rest of this week and if that doesn't stop the bleeding then I can expect to be going in for D&C on Friday. This is just really weird for me in general.

Has anyone experienced anything similar?

debir · 05-31-2006, 02:34 AM

I don't think I can be of much help, but just wanted to let you know that I have had prolonged bleeds. My last one was 14 months, yes I know, I know, I should have done something much sooner, and I did end up with low iron because of it.
During one of my first prolonged bleeds I did go to the Dr. and all they did was put me on BCPs, and another time they even had me take a double dose of BCPs for 6 months! AND I continued to bleed the whole 6 months, tho not as heavy as before, but it didn't stop it.
Now, I looked at your sig and noticed you do not have metformin listed as something you are taking? The reason I bring this up is that twice now metformin has stopped the long bleeds! I was on met a couple years ago and my bleeding stopped! Unfortunately I wasn't able to continue taking it then, and the bleeding started right back up again.
I got back on metformin in February and within a few days the bleeding stopped and I have had two normal AF since then (still waiting for the 3rd one!).
For me, BCP's didn't work, and every Dr. I talked to wanted me to go on BCP's, even my RE! I was so frustrated, and that is one of the reasons I didn't go to the Dr. for a long time about it. The risks with BCP's for someone my weight, age and I smoke, are terrible and I refused to go back on them.
For me, the metformin has worked so far.
During my long bleeds I would have light days, spotting days, medium days, heavy days, and days that (!!!TMI AHEAD!!!) all I did was pass these huge clots!
Good luck, and please keep us updated!

tbull98 · 05-31-2006, 03:47 AM

Now I am no dr but I have seen two dr in the past year about prolonged periods with clots. One was family and the other way my Gyno and the only way that they were able to get my prolonged periods to stop was to put me on provera for 3 months. I took it for ten days then I had a period for a week and it stopped on its own. The only problem was that I had to wait a whole month to take it again in case I got pregnant, because it is not a good drug to be on while your pregnant. Apparantly the drug contains the hormone progestrone which is what helps your body stop having your period. The reason have had to take it twice becuase my family dr prescribed it when I wasn't having a period last year and then had one for about two months and when it did finally stop I bleed when I had intercourse but only then but no pains. It worked but it wasn't until my gyno several months later diagnosed my with PCOS and started me on Metformin did my periods start again but they didn't stop that first time so he put me back on it because I had gone for about 3 months without a period again. So I am on Metformin to regulate and Provera to jump start it.

charlestontess · 06-01-2006, 01:18 AM

Thanks for your advice ladies! After having to leave work this afternoon due to heavy bleeding and nausea, I called my doctor and she scheduled me for a D&C in the morning. She said this way she can get everything cleared out at once and hopefully I will have a normal period next cycle. She is concerned that I am still passing huge clots and doesnt want me to lose too much blood.

On a sad note, my Mom who has been in and out of the hospital for the past week, was just diagnosed with Non-Hogkins Lymphoma and has to start an aggressive round of chemo. I am very devastated by all this right now. I asked my doctor to give me a work excuse so I can take the rest of this week off to cope. I feel like everything is out of control right now and I need prayer to get strong enough to deal with my Mom's illness. She was sick today so I couldn't even tell her what has been going on with me. You ladies are the only one's I can turn to (besides my husband) for support. Thank you for being there.

Tess

AudaciousFurball · 06-01-2006, 01:35 AM

I'm so sorry to hear about your mother. I lost my father in law a few months ago to cancer and it was really distressing, so I can definitely sympathise with you.
Please remember that we are all here for you for whtever you need, whether PCOS related or not.
Feel free to e-mail me at danielle_gc@hotmail.com

Hugs,
Dannie.

jdbjeb7 · 06-01-2006, 01:35 AM

HUGS i am so sorry. PM me if you need to talk

debir · 06-01-2006, 02:33 AM

I am so sorry to hear about your Mom.

I lost my Mom in February due to cancer.

If you need to talk, PM me or we can chat here too. I will put your Mom in my prayers for a quick recovery!

charlestontess · 06-03-2006, 05:18 PM

An update...

Had the D&C done as an outpatient surgery with anesthsia on Thursday morning. Although I was sore and groggy afterwards, the heavy bleeding has stopped and I am already feeling better. A lot of the way I was feeling had to do with the slow release of a very built up uterine lining that was giving off hormones. I am not ever going to let myself go that long ( 7 months) without a cycle again - my plan is to stay on BCP's to have a monthly shedding and then when we are ready TTC again, we will do a couple rounds of Clomid straight off the BCP's to get the job done.

Thanks for all your support...this was pretty scarey for me.

My Mom is in good spirits and ready to get her chemo underway. I am going up for a visit the end of June to see what I can do to help and get her affiars in order just in case. Also bringing one of my younger sisters back to live with us.

Jeff's Girl · 06-04-2006, 03:34 AM

Good to hear you are feeling better and that your mom is in good spirits!

My best wishes to you as this new journey begins.

Prayers and hugs!

charlestontess · 06-05-2006, 08:33 PM

Ladies,

Today is my first day back to work and I am doing my best to cope. Still experiencing a heavy flow, tiredness, upset stomach and cramps even though the doctor says this should subside soon. I don’t know what my manager told the women that I work with, but not one person from my department has even bothered to ask me how I am feeling or acknowledged that I am back after a week long absence. Either they are afraid to ask for fear of upsetting me or they are just plain uncaring. It never ceases to amaze me that when I work with women how very calloused they can be in general. To top that off, when I went to lunch today one of the girls who helps out with facilities told me that she saw me go streaking out the door last Tuesday with blood all over my backside, so now I am wondering how many other people saw this?!? It just made me feel even more self conscious and embarrassed and I wish I could just crawl under my desk.

Sorry to vent…… just feeling down right now and I hope I make it through the next three hours until its time to go home.

debir · 06-05-2006, 10:59 PM

I am so sorry you are going through this. It always amazes me people can be so callous and uncaring, so self-centered!
People who never have to face a hardship, and we all know PCOS is a huge hardship (facial hair, weight, bleeding, infertility, etc, etc), do not have a clue, nor do they have sympathy for anyone because they have not been through it.
We are here for you! We are cysters, we are alike, we know and understand what you are going through. Feel good about yourself, you are not like the people you work with.
The people that matter are the people who care

{{{HUGS}}}

charlestontess · 06-12-2006, 12:08 AM

Ok so here I am still having my period! I had the D&C over a week ago and still keep getting period cramps and a heavy/moderate flow that seems to subside when I lay down for a while. I am also tired and nauseous from the double dose of BCP's I am taking. I am getting concerned and need to call my doctor again. UGH

I am beginning to wonder if the BCP's are making things worse? I'm taking Yasmine and never had problems before. Going on vacation in less than 2 weeks and I sure hope this ends by then!