Heavy, prolonged or irregular periods are common, but they can have a significant impact on your everyday life.
Changes in bleeding can have many causes, including fibroids, adenomyosis, polyps, hormonal changes or problems affecting the lining of the uterus.
Dr Caroline can assess your symptoms, investigate the underlying cause and discuss treatment options that are appropriate for you.
Consider seeing a gynaecologist if your periods have become unusually heavy, last longer than expected, occur very frequently or are affecting your everyday life.
You should also seek assessment if you experience bleeding between periods, bleeding after sex, or a significant change from your usual bleeding pattern.
There are many possible causes of heavy or abnormal bleeding. These can include fibroids, adenomyosis, endometrial polyps, hormonal changes and changes affecting the lining of the uterus.
Sometimes there is no single obvious cause. The important first step is understanding your bleeding pattern and investigating anything that may be contributing to it.
Dr Caroline will start by discussing your symptoms, menstrual history and how the bleeding is affecting you.
Depending on your circumstances, investigations may include blood tests, a pelvic ultrasound or assessment of the uterine lining. In some cases, a hysteroscopy or endometrial biopsy may be recommended.
The investigations needed will depend on your age, symptoms, medical history and any previous test results.
Treatment depends on the cause of your bleeding, your symptoms and what is most important to you.
Options may include medication, hormonal treatments such as the Mirena IUD, or procedures to treat polyps or other abnormalities within the uterus. For some women, surgery may be appropriate, including hysterectomy when other treatments are unsuitable or have not been effective.
Dr Caroline will discuss the benefits and limitations of the available options and help you decide on an appropriate treatment plan.
The Mirena IUD can be an effective treatment for heavy periods. It releases a small amount of hormone directly into the uterus and can significantly reduce menstrual bleeding over time.
Dr Caroline can discuss whether Mirena is suitable for you. Depending on your circumstances and preference, insertion may be performed in the consulting rooms or under anaesthetic in hospital.
Surgery may be considered when heavy or abnormal bleeding is caused by conditions such as fibroids or polyps, or when other treatments have not provided adequate relief.
The type of surgery will depend on the underlying cause and your individual circumstances. Options may include hysteroscopy and removal of a polyp, treatment of fibroids or, in some situations, hysterectomy.
Dr Caroline will discuss whether surgery is appropriate for you and explain the available options before any treatment is planned.
If heavy, prolonged or irregular periods are affecting your everyday life, you can arrange an appointment with Dr Caroline to investigate the cause and discuss your treatment options.
A referral from your GP or specialist is required.