Periods and hormones
Irregular, heavy or painful periods, polycystic ovaries and endometriosis. These are common, but you do not have to put up with them, because most can be treated or managed.
Heavy periods
Your periods are heavy if:
- You change a pad or tampon every one to two hours
- You need two products at once
- A period lasts more than seven days
- You pass clots larger than about 2.5 cm
- Blood reaches your clothes or bedding
- You miss work or daily activities, or feel very tired and short of breath
Sometimes this is normal, especially in the first years of periods, after pregnancy and near menopause. Causes include fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, polycystic ovaries, pelvic infection or a bleeding disorder. Rarely it is a sign of womb cancer, which is why bleeding between periods or after sex should be checked.
Treatment may be a hormonal pill or IUS, medicine to reduce bleeding, and painkillers. If these do not help, more specialist options are considered. A blood test can show iron deficiency anaemia.
Polycystic ovaries
This common hormonal condition affects about 10 to 13 percent of women of reproductive age, and many of them do not know it. Signs include:
- Irregular or widely spaced periods
- Excess hair or hair loss
- Acne and oily skin
- Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
- Difficulty getting pregnant
Diagnosis does not simply mean cysts on a scan, and some women with the condition do not have polycystic ovaries. It is made by putting together symptoms, blood tests and, if needed, an ultrasound, once other causes have been excluded.
There is no cure, but symptoms improve with healthy eating, exercise, weight loss if you are overweight, and medicine. The new name PMOS is now also used for this condition. For pregnancy, see this article.
Painful periods and endometriosis
Pain that stops your daily activities is not normal and should be checked. Endometriosis can cause severe period pain, pelvic pain, pain during sex and pain when passing urine or stools. Diagnosis can take time because its symptoms resemble other conditions. Ultrasound, MRI and sometimes laparoscopy help.
When should I come?
- Your periods or their pain disrupt your life
- You bleed between periods or after sex
- Your periods are irregular or far apart
- Painkillers do not help
- Excess hair, acne or weight changes trouble you
Frequently asked questions
Are irregular periods dangerous?
Sometimes they are normal, but if they continue they should be checked. Irregular or infrequent periods in polycystic ovaries may also raise the risk of changes in the lining of the uterus.
Is severe period pain normal?
Pain that stops your daily activities should not be assumed normal. It may have a cause such as endometriosis.
Does the pill cure the condition?
The pill can regulate periods and control symptoms, but it does not remove the cause. Whether it suits you depends on your situation and your plans for pregnancy.
To begin: a conversation.
Go to the booking page or talk to the support team. Have the date of your last period and any earlier results ready.