Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Solving Health Problems
• Method 2 of 4: How to feel comfortable and confident
• Method 3 of 4: How to keep it clean
• Method 4 of 4: What to do in case of leaks
• Tips
• Warnings

Heavy menstruation is not to be ashamed of, but such bleeding can be very uncomfortable. By learning how to deal with heavy bleeding, you can feel comfortable and confident on any day of your cycle.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Solving Health Problems

1. 1 Discuss your period with your doctor. If you are concerned that you have heavy periods, ask your doctor what you can do. Your doctor may prescribe medications (most often birth control) to help reduce bleeding if indicated. When you see your gynecologist, you will need to tell your doctor how often and how long your periods are, and how many pads or tampons you use during the day.
   • Sometimes hormonal intrauterine contraceptives help in such cases. But it all depends on the specific contraceptive, since non-hormonal drugs can cause increased bleeding.
2. 2 Get a blood test for hormones. Sometimes heavy menstruation is the result of hormonal imbalances. If you always have heavy periods, ask your doctor to refer you for tests. You can check your hormone levels with a blood test. To adjust hormone levels, your doctor may prescribe medications, most often birth control.
3. 3 Get tested for lumps in the uterus. Polyps and fibroids can form in the uterus. These are benign (non-cancerous) growths that can cause profuse bleeding. Most often they appear at the age of 20-30. If you have had mild periods before and are now more profuse, ask your doctor about these formations.
   • Adenomyosis can also cause heavy bleeding and painful cramps. If you are a middle-aged woman with children, ask your doctor about this condition as you have an increased risk of developing this condition.
4. 4 Find out if other health problems may be causing your heavy periods. Some women naturally bleed more heavily than others, but sometimes health problems are the cause of severe bleeding. Diseases can be diagnosed through examination, ultrasound, biopsy and other procedures. If you want to find out why your period has become more profuse, talk to your doctor about it and rule out the following possible causes:
   • Hereditary bleeding disorder. If this is the case, you must have other signs of the condition.
   • Endometriosis
   • Inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs.
   • Disorders in the thyroid gland.
   • Kidney or liver problems.
   • Cancer of the uterus, cervix, or ovaries (rare).
5. 5 Be wary of anemia. Iron deficiency anemia can result from very heavy periods. If you lose too much blood, your body is losing iron. You will feel tired. You may notice that your skin has become pale, your tongue is covered with wounds. You may experience headaches or dizziness, and your heart rate may become faster. If you suspect you may have anemia, see your doctor as soon as possible and have a blood test to determine your iron levels.
   • To prevent iron deficiency, take a multivitamin with iron and ask your doctor if you should take iron alone.
   • It will be beneficial to eat foods high in iron: red meat, seafood, spinach, fortified cereals and bread.
   • To improve the absorption of iron, take vitamin C. Eat oranges, broccoli, leafy vegetables, tomatoes.
   • If you often feel dizzy or a fast heartbeat when standing up, this could be a sign that your blood volume has decreased. Drink plenty of liquids, including salty ones (like tomato juice or salty broth).
6. 6 See your doctor if you have irregular, very heavy periods, or if sometimes your period does not start. Extremely heavy periods are bleeding in which 9-12 pads or tampons are used a day. Menstruation may vary, but in some cases, you should talk to your doctor about bleeding. Make an appointment with your gynecologist if you have any of the following problems:
   • menstruation does not start, although menstruation used to be regular;
   • menstruation lasts more than 7 days;
   • the bleeding is so severe that you have to change your pads or tampons more than once every 1-2 hours;
   • you have very strong and painful cramps;
   • menstruation either on time or not;
   • you bleed between periods.
7. 7 Call an ambulance for signs of toxic shock. Change your tampons at least every 8 hours. If you walk with a tampon longer, your risk of infection and toxic shock is higher.Toxic shock can cause significant harm, so go to your doctor or call an ambulance at 103 (mobile) or 03 (landline) if you have signs of toxic shock and have used tampons. Symptoms of toxic shock include:
   • headache;
   • sudden rise in temperature;
   • vomiting or diarrhea;
   • a sunburn-like rash on the palms and feet;
   • muscle pain;
   • confusion of consciousness;
   • convulsions.

Method 2 of 4: How to feel comfortable and confident

1. 1 Record the start and end date of each period. Record the start date of your period, the amount of bleeding each day, the day your period ends, and how you feel. These records will allow you to calculate and prepare for your next period. The average cycle is 28 days, but the number of days may be different: from 21 to 35 days in adults and from 21 to 45 days in adolescents. Reread the records for the past three months, count the number of days from the start of your period to the start of the next, then calculate the average for three months. This will give you an idea of ​​when to expect your next period to start.
   • Menstruation will not be regular right away. In the first months or even a year after your period starts, your cycle may vary.
   • Show your notes to your doctor if you plan to discuss heavy periods with him.
2. 2 Keep a supply of hygiene products with you for the day. Carry pads and tampons in your bag, backpack, or inside pocket for a full day. You will likely need to carry more hygiene products with you than others, as heavy periods require changing your pads or tampons more often. If you need to change them, apologize and go to the bathroom. You will already have everything you need with you.
   • If they ask you why you constantly go to the toilet, say that you drank a lot of water or that you are not feeling well. Don't be specific.
3. 3 Keep spare pads and tampons in a few secret locations. Store spare hygiene products in your car, in your closet at school, in your bag, or even in the pocket of a backpack you rarely use. In this case, you will be ready for anything, even if you have to change your hygiene products more often than you bargained for.
   • Pack a small first aid kit in case of your period. Put some pads and tampons in it, pain relievers for cramps, and even extra underwear, just in case.
   • If you are short on space, 1-2 pads or tampons are sufficient. They do not take up much space and will allow you to hold out for at least a few hours.
   • If this is over, know where to buy pads or tampons near work or school. Perhaps the school nurse will also have them.
4. 4 Treat cramps with over-the-counter medications. Very often, heavy menstruation is accompanied by prolonged and painful cramps. Take pain relievers. Ibuprofen (Nurofen, Ibuclin), paracetamol (Efferalgan, AnviMax), naproxen (Nalgezin, Sanaprox) can help relieve pain. Take the pill at the first sign of cramping and drink it regularly for 2-3 days or until the pain stops.
   • If you often have painful cramps, start taking the pill as soon as your period starts.
   • If the cramping is severe, your doctor may prescribe more powerful pain relievers (such as mefenamic acid).
   • Take pain relievers only as directed and prescribed by your doctor. If you have any chronic medical conditions, tell your doctor about them.
5. 5 Try home remedies to combat cramps. If you don't feel like taking synthetic drugs, try folk remedies. Take a hot bath or place a hot water bottle on your stomach.Distract yourself from the pain with a good book or crossword puzzle. Raise your legs and lie down for a while. You can also:
   • walk down the street or do simple exercises (such as yoga);
   • meditate to relieve stress;
   • give up caffeine.

Method 3 of 4: How to keep it clean

1. 1 Change your hygiene products often. On average, a woman changes 3-6 tampons or pads a day, but if there is heavy bleeding, this will need to be done more often (every 3-4 hours or even more often). Over time, you will understand how heavy your period is and how often you need to change your tampon or pad.
2. 2 Learn to use different tools. Sometimes, with heavy periods, girls don't like using pads because they get nervous about leaks or lack of cleanliness. No one can tell that a pad is attached to your underwear, but if you are not comfortable, start using other means. Tampons and menstrual cups last for a long time. They will be more convenient for you if you move a lot. If you change your tampons regularly, you will be able to swim even in the early days.
   • Try using a menstrual cup. Some bowls hold more blood than tampons and pads, so you won't need to carry anything with you during the day.
   • Many young girls find it difficult to adjust to bowls and tampons at first, so don't worry if you feel uncomfortable right away. Ask your mom or other relative, friend, or doctor to explain how to use these products. You can even talk to male relatives if you think they understand you, or read articles on WikiHow.
3. 3 Choose remedies based on the intensity of bleeding. Tampons and pads come in different shapes and can absorb different amounts of liquid. It is important to use products designed for heavy menstruation. Super tampons and night pads will better protect your clothes from leaks. If you don't have night pads (they are longer and thicker), try attaching two pads to your underwear at night: one in the front and one in the back.

Method 4 of 4: What to do in case of leaks

1. 1 Keep calm. Sometimes pads and tampons leak. It happened to everyone. If blood gets on the bedding, rinse it under cold water in the morning and wash it immediately. If bleeding leaks onto your underwear, wash it (alone or with dark garments) or throw it away at the end of the day. In the worst case, blood can get onto the pants or skirt. If this happens, tie a sweater around your waist or, if possible, go home early. Take a shower, change your clothes and keep going about your business without worrying about anything.
   • Talk to someone you trust about what happened. Remember, all women have their periods. Surely some of your friends have had leaks. Feel free to talk about it and how you feel.
2. 2 Wear black clothing and underwear during your period. If your pad or tampon is leaking, prepare better for your next period. Wear black clothing and underwear. Even if some blood gets on your clothes, it won't be noticeable. You can even highlight a few black panties specifically for your period.
3. 3 Increase the consumption of hygiene products. To prevent leaks, you can use several tools at once. If your tampons occasionally leak, use pads or panty liners at the same time. This way you will be on the safe side in case you do not have time to change your hygiene product.
   • There are also reusable pads available. Such pads are simply washed off after use. They can hold different amounts of blood. Look online for these.
4. 4 Be carefull. Check if everything is in order every hour or two. Go to the bathroom between classes or during breaks at work. Check the condition of the pad and linen.You can also wipe your crotch with toilet paper if you are using a tampon. If there is blood on the paper, it means the tampon will leak soon.
5. 5 Cover the sheets with a towel. Place a dark towel over the bedding to protect the bedding and mattress from leaks. Winged night pads can also be used to help trap blood more effectively.

Tips

• Talk to someone you trust about your menstrual experiences. If you're willing to talk to your friends about it, tell them that you are having heavy periods and that you are upset about it. Talk to your mom or older relative. Surely someone also had such problems.
• If you use tampons, be aware that you may feel pain in the genital area (vulva). This is possible if you remove the tampon too early, when it has not yet been completely saturated with blood. Pain can also appear if you bleed profusely and change your tampon frequently throughout the day. If pain is bothering you, do not use the tampons for a couple of hours and replace them with pads. Use pads at night to help calm your skin and mucous membranes.
• Try using night pads during the day or joining several pads into one (in this case, you will need to tear off the bottom layer from the ones you will be placing on top).
• If blood leaks on the laundry, soak the laundry in cold water, apply hydrogen peroxide to the stain, and rub into the fabric. Then wash the laundry immediately in the washing machine.
• Try not to drink cold drinks during your period, as the cold can make the cramps worse.

Warnings

• Do not use perfumed feminine hygiene products. Doctors recommend avoiding fragrances, as they can irritate the vaginal mucosa and provoke the development of infections.