Ladies problems (comes with a warning... - British Heart Fou...

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Ladies problems (comes with a warning of fairly graphic detail lol)

simplysal profile image
25 Replies

Hi all,

Had my angiogram and stent fitted in my LAD (was 90% blocked) and started on daily aspirin, statin as well as an anti-platelet drug for twelve months.

Since, when I’m having a period, I’m losing so much, the blood loss is constantly flooding my sanitary products, my underwear, through my clothing and sadly straight onto whatever I’m sat on, chair, settee, mattress etc.

I’m back and for the loo every few minutes. I’m flooding fully for near on five days, passing fairly big blood clots.

I went out last night for an hour. Had to come back. My jeans between my legs were beyond saturated.

Have anyone experienced this? Feels unmanageable. Im having to change my clothes many times over each day.

Sorry if this post makes anyone feel queasy. Any advice ladies?

With huge thanks all, Sal (44yrs old) Cardiff.

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simplysal
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25 Replies

Hello :-)

So sorry you are going through this

Before I had my Bypass and was put on all the thinning of the blood meds I had a Hysterectomy so that solves any issues regarding periods

However what I am suffering with is dreadful nose bleeds and when I say dreadful they pour and I lose clots from my nose to , they go on for hours

I have just had my nose cauterised for a second time and they do say the blood thinners will be making it worse and I am guessing even though this is another part of the body your blood thinners most likely will be contributing to the heavy loss

You need to speak with your Doctor and get this sorted which they will as if you carry on like this you could become anemic with such loss

They are testing me eventually to make sure my nose bleeds have not caused this

I feel for you but know talking to your Doctor they will get this sorted

Let us know how you get on :-) x

Shar28 profile image
Shar28

Hi Sal. I haven’t had periods like you but I did have heavy periods which were problematic to me. I eventually had the IUS fitted, which after bleeding for 6weeks stopped my periods completely for the next 5 years when I had it changed and it did the trick again and again until after the menopause. Would that be an option for you? Talk to your GP because there are other options too.

Best wishes.

Nettekin profile image
Nettekin

Hi simplysal. I can completely commiserate on your problem periods, although I had mine for many years and I was not taking medication in those days. I found GPs very disinterested (even female ones) but was eventually recommended the mirena coil, which had a 95% success rate in reducing the heaviness and / or stopping periods altogether. Alas I was one of the 5% for who it didn't work! I was one of probably only a few women who couldn't wait for the menopause and an end to the endless clotting and flooding. When I had my heart attack a few years later I had the usual problems with anti platelet meds - bruising, slow wound healing and excessive bleeding if I cut myself. I expect this is probably what is causing your problems. Do speak to your GP and if necessary be insistent, these issues are difficult to cope with. Looking back I'm not sure how I managed and wish I had chased up a solution more vigorously. With best wishes. X

Sewnknit profile image
Sewnknit

Sounds like me when I hit the menopause, at about the same age.Get to the doctors and ask for blood tests for your hormones.

I was about to ask to go down the HRT route when everything came to a halt, but it might be worth looking into for you.

I do feel for you, I was just exhausted with it.

Take care

x

richard_jw profile image
richard_jw

There seems to be a rare side effect of clopidogrel and poss other anti clotting/anti platelet drugs.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

The above is techo babble, but you really need to get it looked at sooner than later because of the large loss of blood

My sympathy, and hope it goes well.

It could be that a specialist would be the best course. Possibly the cardiologist who did the op. You could phone his/her secretary because this seems like its urgent

LSCE profile image
LSCE

Sorry to this, it will have such an impact on your quality of life and could lead to anaemia. Speak to your doctor pronto. There are medications to help with bleeding but not sure with other meds you're taking? There is an IUS (hormone coil) that's licensed for heavy bleeding, it will work over time. Good luck. I hope you get sorted soon.

Diddyd profile image
Diddyd

Definitely see your GP. I had very similar and it was the Edoxaban that was causing the problem. I got switched to Apixaban and have been much better. Of course there are other reasons that people have mentioned above also to consider. Hopefully you will get a resolution soon so that you can have some kind of normal life!

marigoldb profile image
marigoldb in reply toDiddyd

I was tried on Edoxaban, had rectal bleeding, changed back to Apixaban 2.5mg twice a day, and all well as you have found. Only once have I had bad nose bleed enough for my son to take me to A&E, where it was cauterised.Blood loss plus plus is quite scary isn’t it?

TMeditation profile image
TMeditation

Oh you poor thing, how awful for you. Life does send us some challenges doesn’t it. After I had my aortic valve replaced a couple of years ago my surgeon put me on aspirin every day and shortly after I got home I got a urine infection and crikey I thought I was going to bleed to death! 😱 I spoken to my surgeon who said it would be the effects of the aspirin - I’d never had anything like this before. It seems aspirin can give these kinds of issues. Hope things improve for you very soon. Take care. Love Sue 🙏

Qualipop profile image
Qualipop

YOu MUST speak to your doctor about this

Jack2019 profile image
Jack2019

I had similar excessive bleeding ,exactly what you describe, but mine was caused by a different issue to you. I caution you to see someone asap. I saw a gynaecologist when I first started to suffer with non stop bleeding and huge clots and was basically put down as peri menopause and told don't worry about it. Well I continued to bleed a few more months some days more than other until it was definitely causing extreme weakness and my heart acting up, barley had energy to walk around the house. Went to Hospital and was almost in renal failure from blood loss, required immediate multiple transfusions of blood and saline. Don't let this go on too long, it can go down hill fast .

Crochetwoman profile image
Crochetwoman

Hi, you’re not alone and I know exactly how you are feeling. Please read my very first , desperate post on this site a few weeks after my stemi heart attack in 2019.I updated that post with how I got on in order to share with other woman taking Clopidogrel or similar treatment.

Please ask to see a gynaecologist ASAP. Then don’t give in to waiting, phone the secretary to go on the cancellation list and explain the urgency due to being on a blood platelet thinner and having heavy periods anyway.

There are a range of options out there nowadays which I never knew at the time.

All the best and let us know how you get on. X

Hobbledehoy profile image
Hobbledehoy

Dear Simplysal, please contact your doctor a.s.a.p. for an urgent consultation. All surgeries keep some time in hand for emergencies. Good luck, so sorry you are going through so much...

Milkfairy profile image
MilkfairyHeart Star

Here's Crochetwoman 2019 thread.

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post....

You have had some great advice already.

I hope you can access the specialist care of a Gynecologist that you need ASAP.

Fish4Info profile image
Fish4Info

I'm a bloke who has had 'bleed' problems with Clopidogrel and Aspirin 6 months after a CABG - so serious that I narrowly avoided a transfusion, had to change meds, and needed to take iron for months. I also have a perimenopausal partner who had lots of bleeding issues and had several ops to shrink them. Thi involved a lot of premed tweaking of hormones.

I am with anyone else that recommends that you seek an urgent with your GP and/or any cardiologist or gynocoligist in whose care you are. I agree, if necessary, speak to the consultant's secretary to try to get a cancellation - but it may be necessary to get a GP referral first.

In these covid days, another way is to phone 111 and report your blood loss. They can make a 12 hour referral to your GP - cuts waiting time if GP phone/wait queues are too long.

Hope that helps.

Good luck. Happy Xmas. (This is the 15th anniversary of me spending 2 weeks in hospital at Xmas for my CABG. So a happy anniversary)

Cheers,

David

FeetheBookworm profile image
FeetheBookworm

I had similar problems. Once I had to buy a new skirt and underwear when I had taken my daughters for a day out in Salisbury - we live in Berkshire. I too ended up with a hysterectomy as there seems to be no other solution. I was in my early 40’s at the time. I would almost faint and get very lightheaded. Do try and get referred to a gynaecologist. Mine was also the obstetrician / gynaecologist who had delivered my youngest so I had no issues from him or my then GP.

simplysal profile image
simplysal

Huge thanks to you all for your wonderful advice! Truly appreciated. Being fairly new at this site, I saw I had no email notification of any responses and wasn’t sure how to be able to go back and look up posts I’ve written to see if there were any. I actually assumed I hadn’t had any responses at all ha!

Very surprised to see so many - it warmed my cockles! So thank you!

Yes I spoke to my GP who gave me options. She suggested going onto a contraceptive pill, the one that stops periods altogether, for the duration I’m on the antiplatelet medication.

I was already on a daily dose of Aspirin and that one alone hadn’t affected my periods but throw in the antiplatelet and whoosh!

Huge thanks for all of your support, Sal 😘

FiftyNotOut profile image
FiftyNotOut

I had the same experience as you (on Ticagrelor and aspirin amongst others). It was horribly debilitating. The progesterone only pill sorted it. My iron levels were really low as a result of the heavy periods, so iron supplements were also added into the mix.

Leonardo1 profile image
Leonardo1

Hi - I’m older than you and was put on aspirin prior to avr surgery - I ended up severely anaemic and proper poorly - so was taken off it . It’s not right for everyone . In my younger days I too flooded it was horrible and very debilitating- you brought back some bad memories!!! I had a mirena coil fitted and that sorted me out - I sailed through menopause with no symptoms whatsoever- have a chat with your GP or practice nurse - my GP confided she’d had self same thing and recommended the coil . Don’t just live with it get it sorted - good luck x

simplysal profile image
simplysal in reply toLeonardo1

Huge thanks. I’ve taken a daily aspirin for over a year. Regular blood tests all normal and my monthly cycle unchanged.

So sorry for bringing back bad memories. Horrible isn’t it.

I hadn’t anticipated such bleeding whilst on the anti-platelet medication (naivety right there lol) but my goodness myself and close family hadn’t seen anything quite like it.

I think I’ll go on that contraceptive pill to correct it. My cycle had been fine prior to it and my assumption is that it’ll be fine after it. However keen to remedy and manage these heavy cycles whilst on it. The pill strikes me as the least invasive. Have to say I find smear tests painful. I dread to think how painful having a coil fitted might be (she says after having the courage to go for angiogram and stent!). But it sounds painful, I find it off putting. I therefore think if the pill will help, I take seven tablets a day anyway, what’s one more (under active thyroid meds as well as cardiac related meds).

Huge thanks for your advice, Sal.

Leonardo1 profile image
Leonardo1

Wise decision ! The least invasive the better - but please don’t stress about angiogram it’s very painless and quick bit strange all the work going on , on your arm but no pain and all very efficient , you’ll be fine good luck !

simplysal profile image
simplysal in reply toLeonardo1

Oh no I had the angiogram and stent fitted on 5/11/21. 90% blockage of LAD. I agree, terrified when going. Left there feeling proud of myself and beyond surprised with how painless the procedure was!

I was more thinking to myself if I could pluck up the courage to have the angiogram then surely the coil would be a doddle lol 😉

Leonardo1 profile image
Leonardo1

Totally !! The coil is a very quick thing no drama at all - As they say you are stronger than you think and braver than you know !!

Leonardo1 profile image
Leonardo1

Ps - plus we’re women we can do anything !!

simplysal profile image
simplysal

Ha! I love your sense of optimism! Infectious 🤩🤩🤩

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