Why Are My Menstrual Cycles So Heavy?
>> Thursday, February 13, 2014
This week we had a great question from Joy who asked:
Why are my menstrual cycles so heavy?
Now I know Joy is not in menopause, and like so many of you who come in to the office with this problem, she is concerned because she feels like her cycles just keep getting heavier and heavier, but she can't understand why.
Heavy menstrual cycles can be a sign of hormone imbalance and can begin with puberty due to irregular ovulation cycles. These are called an ovulatory cycles (no ovulation). When this happens the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, will begin to shed at irregular intervals and become desynchronized. This can cause prolonged heavy cycles.
Another common effect of hormone imbalance is an overly-thickened, a condition known as endometrial hyperplasia. With this condition, periods can be extremely heavy with clots, and it can cause anemia in some women.
Tumors called fibroids or myomas, which can be as small as a pea or can grow even as big as a cantaloupe, can grow within the wall of the uterus. Smaller, tumors called polyps can also grow inside the uterus. These tumors, although usually benign, can also cause all kinds of irregular bleeding.
Make sure that you and your doctor are aware of any big changes in your life like stress, major weight loss or weight gain, surgery or IUD placement for birth control. It's important to see your doctor to have your blood tested for thyroid, pituitary, liver or kidney disease. Talk to your doctor about the medications you are on and if they could be causing any of your bleeding problems. Have your pap test checked for cervical cancer, and vaginal cultures done to check for STD's or other infections. If you are over 40, you should have an endometrial biopsy done to check for uterine cancer.
If all your tests come out normal, there is no need to treat a heavy menstrual cycle. If you do elect for treatment, are a lot of choices for treatment, including birth control pills, hormones, endometrial ablation, and even hysterectomy (if necessary).
Why are my menstrual cycles so heavy?
Now I know Joy is not in menopause, and like so many of you who come in to the office with this problem, she is concerned because she feels like her cycles just keep getting heavier and heavier, but she can't understand why.
Heavy menstrual cycles can be a sign of hormone imbalance and can begin with puberty due to irregular ovulation cycles. These are called an ovulatory cycles (no ovulation). When this happens the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, will begin to shed at irregular intervals and become desynchronized. This can cause prolonged heavy cycles.
Another common effect of hormone imbalance is an overly-thickened, a condition known as endometrial hyperplasia. With this condition, periods can be extremely heavy with clots, and it can cause anemia in some women.
Tumors called fibroids or myomas, which can be as small as a pea or can grow even as big as a cantaloupe, can grow within the wall of the uterus. Smaller, tumors called polyps can also grow inside the uterus. These tumors, although usually benign, can also cause all kinds of irregular bleeding.
Make sure that you and your doctor are aware of any big changes in your life like stress, major weight loss or weight gain, surgery or IUD placement for birth control. It's important to see your doctor to have your blood tested for thyroid, pituitary, liver or kidney disease. Talk to your doctor about the medications you are on and if they could be causing any of your bleeding problems. Have your pap test checked for cervical cancer, and vaginal cultures done to check for STD's or other infections. If you are over 40, you should have an endometrial biopsy done to check for uterine cancer.
If all your tests come out normal, there is no need to treat a heavy menstrual cycle. If you do elect for treatment, are a lot of choices for treatment, including birth control pills, hormones, endometrial ablation, and even hysterectomy (if necessary).
