I just made it through the night changing a super tampon every 1 1/2 hours. I am so drained today. I also pass a lot of clots, some as large as golf balls. I have just finished a 3 month dose of progesterone taken 14 days out of the month to treat endometrial hyperplasia. I had a d & c for the hyperplasia about 4 months ago and then was put on the progesterone. The heavy bleeding like this only lasts a couple of days but since the bleeding and clots have increased since the d&c does this mean the hyperplasia is back? I have a follow up biopsy scheduled for the end of this month but I am getting worried about the next step. I have been told that it is unusual to see hyperplasia in someone my age (36) and who is not overweight (I'm not). I'm getting worried.

Sorry,i don't have any answers....just bumping this up so you will get replies.....

Thanks Moonlight! If I could only go home and rest I would probably feel better. But there is work to do and then kids ballgames and mom stuff after work.

im not sure i can help you either, however i have experience with heavy bleeding and biopsies..i dont have any experience with progesterone. dont worry about something you have no control over. worry doesnt help anything!
if you should have a bigger problem as i did. you will cross that bridge when you have to...everything is probably normal...most of the time it is! i didnt have my regular paps done for many,many yrs..

I think the purpose of the progesterone is to keep you purging the lining at a rate your body wouldn't be able to achieve on its own -- if you are taking high doses of progesterone, I am not surprised that you are bleeding that way, and I would think that is what your doctor was trying to accomplish by giving it to you. It sounds like you are being seen regularly to keep the size of the lining under control. They would have tested the sample from the d&c for abnormal cells; you must have been fine then, so that's great news. And now you are going to have yet another endo biopsy, so you are being monitored very carefully, which is also great. All you can do is just keep going to your appointments so that your doctors can keep an eye on how things are progressing. As long as you have no atypia in the hyperplasia, you are just fine.

Thanks guys. This crap is so hard sometimes. I'm sure it doesn't help that September is my busiest month and this week alone, we have 3 softball games, 1 middle school football game, 2 JV football games, plus all the practices that go with it, plus a big event at work this weekend to get ready for, ....... another week in the life of a busy mom with 3 teenagers. Stress is not my friend.

Okay, my biopsy came back clean. No hyperplasia or cancer cells. That is the good news!! Now I still have the heavy bleeding and since the prometrium and the d&c didn't seem to make a difference on that, my doctor recommended having an endometrial ablation. She gave me a prescription of Provera too to try if I wanted to wait a bit before the ablation. I am getting ready to start my period again and don't know what to do. Today, I have a headache and have been cramping for the last couple of days so I have a feeling this one is going to be a doozy. However, it is my understanding that with the ablation, I will still have the cramping, headaches and pms right? Does anyone have any experience with either an ablation or the Provera for heavy bleeding? I would be interested in hearing about it.

Just my opinion but it seems like doctors like to play Russian roulette with our bodies - trying this and that to "control" what the body supposedly cannot do on its own. I had a recent bout of heavy bleeding and the on call doc phoned in a prescription for Provera. I talked at length to the pharmacist about it and she said it most often given for the opposite of heavy bleeding. That is it promotes bleeding. She expressed doubts that it would slow any thing down so I did not take it. I don't know the answer but my gut tells me that some of these things doctors recommend are not always the best course of action. I have also elected not to do the ablation but that is one of those things you have to research and decide on your own.

I have had the heavy bleeding, clots etc. Your headache could be due to the blood loss. I found out after 8 months of the VERY VERY heavy periods that my hemaglobin was 8.3 VERY low (8.0 or less usually needs a transfusion!).....I was anemic. I was light headed and dizzy headachey, forgetfull and very tired! Extra iron 2X a day and eating iron rich food, drinking plenty of water has helped. I had biopsy(clean), and now sonohystogram. I have small fibroids and one inside the uterus that could be the cause of the bad bleeding also. Just started Provera 3 days ago to stop the bleeding. 10mg 2x a day every day.I had been on Ovcon 35 generic and still it did not help. I was to have another period next week so we will see if Provera keeps that from happening. They also found cysts on my ovaries and said even on the pill I was still ovulating. Thank goodness I didn't get pregnant!!!!! My body is so out of wack I am wondering if I should have ever taken anything with estrogen at all! I have to go back to discuss the ablation since there is the fibroid. Possibly now suggesting a hysterectomy if I want. Hope to do the ablation!

It is your hormones I believe that deal with the PMS and cramps. not sure if you will have them or not with oblation. But small chance of becoming pregnant even after ablation which would be a bad thing so I was told you still need BC of some kind. Maybe BCPs will help with that.

Hi Sunnylou,

I just posted to an above thread, but saw your post and wanted to respond. I had heavy bleeding for the past three years, to the point that I couldn't plan any outside event or trip because I never knew when my period would come. When it did I had to be somewhere that I could change at least every hour day and night. Anyway, my doctor talked to me about different options. My best friend had the NovaSure procedure done which is basically the ablation you spoke of. I talked to my OB/GYN and she told me she had very positive results with it, so I decided to give it a try. It has been a God send! I had my procedure on October 5 of this year and so far the only bleeding I have had during my two periods has been enough for a pantyliner for a day or two. I can wear white again!!

The procedure was the easiest thing I have ever undergone. I have had surgeries, laparoscopies, etc., and I would do this one again in a heartbeat compared to any of those. They said I could have some cramping and gave me some pain medication, but I didn't have any pain at all. In fact, I wouldn't have known I had the procedure except I am sensitive to anesthesia and it took a while for that to get out of my system.

My ablation was at 7:30 in the morning and I was home by lunchtime. I was back to work the next day. (Tired, but otherwise feeling fine). I know every person responds differently to procedures, and when researching online I found some real horror stories, but I decided having a life again was worth trying. I am so glad I did. So far I really have not had any PMS to talk about either, except maybe from time to time some irritability. But I think that is more premenopausal symptoms. Anyway, if you have any other questions, please let me know. I will try to answer them for you the best I can.

In the end, you need to assess your situation and decide what is best for you and your body. I wish you the best of luck in your decision!

I'm just curious....does anyone just let these things run their course? I had really heavy bleeding and clotting for so many years and it was a pain in the tush. I may have gone to the Dr. honestly I don't remember, I think I had an ultra sound, but not sure if that was for something else, lol. I believe they told me I had 2 fibroids but their location was not in bad places. Now, if I was bleeding like that now I would be a wreck, however, apparently this was before I even knew what health anxiety was. I didn't give it much of a thought and it looked like a massacre (sorry for the graphic, lol) was happening "down there". Now, I maybe have one day of heavy, clotting stuff. Def. not like it used to be. I know once you go to a Dr. with an issue they go from either one extreme (your nuts, take an AD (which BTW I do, lol) or let's run 4 million tests on you and freak you out. I guess it depends on your temperment and what gives you peace of mind. For me I need a break from the Dr.s and their experimentation. I know of course I know good Dr.s can make all the difference. I unfortunately haven't found that "good" Dr. for myself hence my stance.... for now.

I'm new here, so just reading this thread. I'm curious. I'm reading a lot about ablation and D&C proceedures, ongoing bleeding, taking hormones to try to stop bleeding, etc. I'm just wondering if there is a reason for going through these over and over sometimes, rather than having the uterus removed. Don't they sometimes do a partial hysto, where they take the uterus, but leave the ovaries? I know someone that did that.
Isn't the D&C or Albation not possible if you have fibroids?

I have fibroids and very heavy bleeding. The last doc I saw said she wanted to try an ablation and/or a Mirena coil but wouldn't know for sure if they would work until she got in there. I politely declined. I think doctors try all these things because they are trying to make us happy, it is what they are taught and because they can make some money. Yes of course a hysterectomy (partial or not) will take care of the problem but at what cost. I am seeing a new doc in a few days for a third opinion and I can almost bet he will say complete hysterectomy but I am hoping he won't.

I have fibroids too. I used to have very heavy bleeding every month, on schedule. The last yeat my periods became much more manageable. Since Nov. 09 I've been having one period after another, with only a few days in between. The bleeding is heavy, then light or none, and I think, oh it's stopped, then I sit down to another explosion of blood. I know fibroids can cause more bleeding, but can they cause cramps? Today I've been SO crampy all day, and I"m not usually. I know what you are saying about the hysto. I have a friend that had one due to cancer that was found in a biopsy. She was having all sorts of meno symptoms for a long time, and as soon as she has the hysto, she was pretty much fine. Worked great for her. I guess that is why I asked. When a woman goes on and on with bad bleeding, cramp, whatever for so long, it sometimes seems like it might be the better option, but certainly I would rather keep all my God given parts.
so anyway, after that ramble, any idea why I'm having such cramps when I usually don't?

I get cramps on occasion but not anywhere like I used to. I haven't a clue why we get cramps but can only guess that the uterus is trying to contract more and it is harder for it do so with fibroids.

Gee, I didn't realize how hard that pink lettering was to read. I am insterting that again below so it's readalbe!!


have fibroids too. I used to have very heavy bleeding every month, on schedule. The last yeat my periods became much more manageable. Since Nov. 09 I've been having one period after another, with only a few days in between. The bleeding is heavy, then light or none, and I think, oh it's stopped, then I sit down to another explosion of blood. I know fibroids can cause more bleeding, but can they cause cramps? Today I've been SO crampy all day, and I"m not usually. I know what you are saying about the hysto. I have a friend that had one due to cancer that was found in a biopsy. She was having all sorts of meno symptoms for a long time, and as soon as she has the hysto, she was pretty much fine. Worked great for her. I guess that is why I asked. When a woman goes on and on with bad bleeding, cramp, whatever for so long, it sometimes seems like it might be the better option, but certainly I would rather keep all my God given parts.
so anyway, after that ramble, any idea why I'm having such cramps when I usually don't?

Before agreeing on the ablation, do your research. It can indeed help with the heavy bleeding, but far too many doctors try to sell the idea by telling you you won't get another period with this procedure. My gyn and my research told me that an ablation can be a fix for heavy bleeding but it does NOTHING to prevent the PMS symptoms.

I had the Nova sure ablation done in May 2007 in the office with a local. I had terribly heavy bleeding, had tried the progesterone but it didn't help, I put up with the heavy bleeds (yet no cramping) for about a year and a half. The bleeding caused weakness and dizziness and a general ill health issue for me, but I did not develop anemia until the seriously heavy bleed I had that prompted me to opt for the ablation. Generally speaking, unless medically contraindicated, my gyn starts with some form or progesterone therapy and if that works great, if not ablation is her next step.

The ablation was a good solution for me. I have 2 tiny fibroids which were causing the heavy bleeding and the ablation (according to my gyn ) toughened the uterine lining enough to make them a non issue. I still get periods but they are light and I do still have all the issues with PMS and perimenopausal symptoms but at least I am not buying stock in feminine hygiene products every month (I could use 4-6 super tampons PLUS several Overnight pads in one hour)

I was directed to a message board that focuses solely on ablation (http://endometrialablationboard.yuku.com/) which I found incredibly helpful in education about the procedure, questions to ask and answering all the questions I had prior to making a decision. There is also a section on hysterectomy alternatives on this website :
http://www.hystersisters.com/.

Keeping your uterus intact greatly benefits your health post menopausally so I wanted to try to avoid the hysterectomy, and it was a tough decision to make-ablation versus hysterectomy. All I can say is that the ablation worked for me and really made a difference.

Talk to your doctor again and find out the pro's and con's especially since you had hyperplasia. Do your own research as well.

Good luck,

Abby

Thank you all for your replies. I haven't been on here for awhile and really appreciate all the help and insight into the ablation. After someone mentioned anemia, I went to have my iron checked in November as in the past I had problems with anemia. Several years ago, my doctor told me to take a prenatal vitamin which had always helped. Anyway, with all the bleeding that was evidently not enough. My hemoglobin was 9.5 when I had it checked this November but my serum iron was really low at 15 (was told it should be between 50 and 200) Anyway, in November I started taking 325 mg. of iron twice a day and then switched to Slow FE in the end December twice a day as the regular iron was hard on my stomach. I have so much more energy and my head and legs are not constantly aching like before. The bleeding isn't quite as heavy as it was while on the progesterone but my cycles seem to be off. Last month I had 2 periods in one month, one was really light and then three weeks later I had a really heavy one. This month I started spotting 2 weeks after I started and we will have to wait and see what happens next. I do go back to my doctor at the end of this month and we shall see what she thinks, but the iron has helped tremendously!