Had anaemia due to heavy periods
Donna developed heavy periods as she got older. They got so heavy she became worried about going out and, often, would have go home and completely change her clothes. She reports “On some occasions I would literally be in and out of the toilet for hours on end. I am normally such a confident, sociable person that I found being in this situation totally alien to me and highly embarrassing.”
She finally plucked up the courage to go and see her GP as she was feeling so low when she was having a period that she thought she was suffering with depression. Her GP did a blood test and discovered that she was severely anaemic. Her symptoms were severe tiredness (she could sleep for hours at any time, day or night), she was emotional, lacked motivation and found it difficult to concentrate.
Donna was prescribed iron tablets, which helped her anaemia. Her doctor also put her on Tranexamic Acid tablets to help relieve the heavy bleeding, which didn’t particularly work, but Donna was given no other choice. Out of desperation, she also tried the contraceptive pill to try and gain some control of her body, so that she could have a summer holiday unaffected by heavy periods. She was also offered the coil, but decided against it as it was a temporary solution. Eventually, after much consultation with her GP she was given an appointment to see a gynaecologist.
She had a range of different tests including checks for fibroids, but everything was normal. She discussed her treatment options with her gynaecologist and, because she didn’t want further children, chose to have an endometrial ablation.
The procedure was totally successful. Donna hasn’t bled at all since the procedure was done and was back at work just a few days later.
Donna explains “I feel so relieved that I found a solution and that I won’t have to deal with the total dread of a heavy periods every month.”
