As women, we talk about everything! Well, almost everything. One topic that still tends to be taboo is the subject of heavy periods.
Yet, it’s estimated that 1 in 5 women experience heavy periods—that works out to be about 10 million women! But even though heavy periods can interfere with our day-to-day lives, many of us find it too awkward to bring up with anyone—even best friends or OB/GYN providers. (more…)
Women will put up with anything. I’ll tell you a true story about a patient of mine, who we’ll call Amy (not her real name) who had such heavy periods that she became sleep deprived.
Amy came to see me because she wanted sleeping pills. When I asked her what was interfering with her sleep, she said that when she rolled over, the noise from her plastic sheets woke her up. I felt like a CSI detective, as I asked more and more questions to figure out what the heck she was doing, sleeping on a plastic sheet. (more…)
Yes, that’s right, women who are on birth control do not need to have a period every month.
OMG! I’m OMP!!! (On My Period)
I was out shopping with my niece, Katrina, the other day and I noticed that whenever she had the opportunity, she was sneaking over to the closest mirror to check out her back. She seemed worried as she made her way through crowded racks of clothes, but smiled with what looked like relief after a quick peek. Then she’d get back to the serious work of looking for deals and steals. I could tell she was a little preoccupied and suspected that she was worried about something. What could it be? A snag in her sweater? Did her butt look too big? Too small? Was it her hair?
After working in women’s health for close to 25 years, I’ve prescribed thousands and thousands of birth control pills and the NuvaRing to patients for a variety of reasons. With the recent increased focus on the Birth Control Pill, I thought it might be a good idea to review a few facts. In addition to prevent ing accidental pregnancy, which is a good thing, there are a number of other reasons that we prescribe the pill. Before I get to that, let’s just do a quick review of some of the hormones and biology that influences a woman’s life each and every month. This is by no means an all-inclusive or comprehensive list.
How Do I Know if I Have Heavy Periods?
Although many women may feel as though they are the only ones experiencing heavy periods, women of all ages have heavy periods that interfere with their day-to-day lives. You may have heavy periods if your period:
Von Willebrands Disease can cause very heavy periods.
“I was too embarrassed to talk about my periods with my doctor, and since none of my friends ever talked about their periods, I just figured that it was normal to bleed through tampons and pads and everyone was in the same boat.” Carly
If your health care provider doesn’t ask, you might not tell because it may be too uncomfortable bringing up concerns about your periods.
Health care providers often assume that a woman’s periods are normal, unless she brings it up. We aren’t asking, all the time. It’s not ok, but I understand how it happens. There’s lots of things to cover during an annual exam, and many of us have limited time with our patients.
A Quick Quiz
If you’re wondering if your periods are normal or if you’re like 1 in 5 women who have heavy periods, take this quick quiz.
Place a check mark next to each of the statements that describe your experience with your period:
I prescribe the birth control pill almost every day that I’m in the office. We’ve known for years that there are plenty of non-contraceptive benefits with the birth control pill, including:
I have patients with endometriosis who use the pill to keep the pain at bay.
