Conditions

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Treatment

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB) is one of the most common conditions that Dr Brooke O'Brien will treat. There is no need to suffer and "live" with HMB, there are many treatment options available.

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Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Overview

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB) is a common condition that affects 1 in 5 women in Australia. HMB's medical term is called menorrhagia.

There are many different reasons why you might suffer from HMB and there are many different treatment options available. You don't need to suffer with heavy periods. Read on below to find out more about menorrhagia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

How do you know if your periods are heavier than normal? Well, there are many different symptoms of having a heavy period and how it can affect your lifestyle. Below is a guide to finding out if your periods might be to heavy:

Are you needing to excessively change your menstrual products - more than 4 hourly
Your period lasts more than 7 days
You experience frequent flooding or pass clots which is difficult to contain with your pads or tampons
You need to wake during the night to change your products
You experience tiredness, dizziness or might feel short of breath? Heavy periods can lead to Iron deficiency and/or anaemia which should be treated

If your periods impact your ability to attend work or school or your lifestyle in any way, it's time to take action.

Causes

Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

There are different reasons that could cause you to suffer from heavy periods:

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding
Uterine Fibroids
Endometrial Polyps
Endometrial Hyperplasia
Adenomyosis
Blood clotting disorders
Medical conditions such as, thyroid, liver or kidney conditions
Endometrial cancer

Diagnosis of HMB

Diagnosis

A history of your menstrual pattern by your gynaecologist will often confirm if you have HMB. We may require further investigations, such as:

Blood test for Haemoglobin and iron levels, and to check for other medical conditions
A Pelvic Ultrasound if you haven't already had a recent scan.
Endometrial biopsy may be performed in the clinic, where a small sample of endometrium is examined.
A Hysteroscopy may be recommended particularly if an ultrasound has indicated an abnormality. A curette is performed, and polyps or fibroids can be removed, where the tissue is then sent to the pathologist.

Treatment

Options for Treatment of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

Medication and surgery are available for the treatment of Heavy bleeding. This will often depend on the cause of your bleeding, other symptoms such as painful periods or pelvic pain, fertility or desire for future fertility.

Non-hormonal options;

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Mefenamic acid (Ponstan) or Naprogesic
Tranexamic acid is a medication that can be prescribed to reduce or stop bleeding.
Iron supplementation for iron deficiency or anaemia, such as iron tablets or an Iron Infusion

Hormonal options;

Oral hormonal medication
Intra-uterine Device (IUD) insertion .

Surgical Options;

NovaSure Endometrial Ablation
Removal of fibroids or polyps within the uterine cavity
Hysterectomy

Women's Health Clinic - Brisbane Northside

Please discuss your concerns and options for treatment with Dr Brooke O'Brien.
To find out more about the services we offer or to book an appointment, contact us today for a confidential discussion.

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Contact Us

At Nurture Gynaecology, Dr Brooke O’Brien and her women's health team value every single patient. Our practice is located in Everton Park, on the northside of Brisbane.

Contact us today to book your gynaecologist appointment with Dr Brooke O’Brien.

Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Treatment