Menstrual Disorders Cycle Disorders Treatment Options for Heavy Periods By Andrea Chisholm, MD Andrea Chisholm, MD Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Andrea Chisolm, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN who has taught at both Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. Learn about our editorial process Updated on November 19, 2022 Medically reviewed by Anita Sadaty, MD Medically reviewed by Anita Sadaty, MD Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Anita Sadaty, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology. She is a clinical assistant professor at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine and founder of Redefining Health Medical. Learn about our Medical Expert Board Fact checked by Angela Underwood Fact checked by Angela Underwood LinkedIn Angela Underwood's extensive local, state, and federal healthcare and environmental news coverage includes 911 first-responder compensation policy to the Ciba-Geigy water contamination case in Toms River, NJ. Her additional health-related coverage includes death and dying, skin care, and autism spectrum disorder. Learn about our editorial process Print Are you ruining your underwear and bedsheets? Are you changing your plans to avoid embarrassing “accidents” during your period? Are you tired of your heavy periods ruling your life? If you answered yes to any of these questions it is important that you discuss your abnormal uterine bleeding with your gynecologist. Your gynecologist will ask you questions and likely perform a physical examination. They may also order some additional testing to determine if you have an underlying condition that may be causing abnormal bleeding. M_a_y_a / Getty Images It is possible that your heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding has caused you to develop anemia. If this has happened to you, your gynecologist may suggest that in addition to the options discussed for management, you eat certain foods that are rich in iron. They may also recommend that you start taking an iron supplement. Increasing the iron in your diet will help your body correct the anemia. Occasionally the bleeding is so heavy and the anemia is so significant that you may need a blood transfusion. There are several options for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding. Your gynecologist will help you select the treatment options that are right for you. Underlying Medical Condition Speaking to your gynecologist about your heavy menstrual bleeding is important. It can occasionally lead to the diagnosis of an underlying medical condition. Bleeding disorders, particularly Von Willebrand disease, can be a common underlying cause of heavy menstrual bleeding. Liver disease and a condition called thrombocytopenia can also result in heavier menstrual bleeding. Thyroid dysfunction, especially an underactive thyroid condition or hypothyroidism can cause heavy menstrual bleeding. Treating the underlying medical problem can sometimes help improve your abnormal uterine bleeding. Structural Changes in Your Uterus When your gynecologist finished evaluating your heavy menstrual bleeding she may have diagnosed you with an endometrial polyp or a submucosal uterine fibroid. If you have been diagnosed with one of these changes to your uterus then a procedure may be recommended. One option that will likely be discussed with you is hysteroscopy. This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure performed with a camera and surgical instruments passing through your vagina and cervix into your uterus. It is a surgical procedure and usually does not involve an overnight stay in the hospital. It can also sometimes be done in an office. Using this procedure a polyp or a submucosal fibroid can be easily removed. No Underlying Pathology It is common for all of the diagnostic testing to come back normal. In this case, there is no underlying structural cause of your heavy menstrual bleeding. Treatment options usually start with medications. In the case that there is no anatomical cause of your heavy bleeding, it could be hormonal in nature. Contraceptive steroid hormones are used to help thin the lining of the uterus or the endometrium. They also have the benefit of providing contraception. Options that your gynecologist may suggest include: Oral contraceptive pill Depo Provera Nexplanon Mirena If contraception is not necessary, desired, or cannot be taken due to certain medical diagnoses, your gynecologist may have you take oral progesterone only for a certain number of days each month to thin out the lining of your uterus. In addition to the hormonal options, nonhormonal options are available. These may be appropriate in certain clinical situations. Tranexamic acid (Lysteda) is another nonhormonal option. This medication interacts with your body’s natural blood clotting mechanism to decrease heavy menstrual bleeding. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs have been shown to help reduce heavy menstrual bleeding by decreasing the number of prostaglandins produced by the uterus. There is no evidence to suggest that one NSAID is better than another in decreasing heavy menstrual bleeding. It is important that you speak with your gynecologist to determine what medicine may be right for you. Usually, your gynecologist will recommend a three- to six-month trial of medications to control your abnormal uterine bleeding. If you continue to have heavy menstrual bleeding it is important to discuss this with your gynecologist. In this case, your gynecologist will likely recommend additional testing such as an endometrial biopsy or hysteroscopy. You gynecologist may also offer you more definitive surgical treatment such as an endometrial ablation or hysterectomy. 15 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. Nelson AL, Ritchie JJ. Severe anemia from heavy menstrual bleeding requires heightened attention. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2015;213(1):97.e1-97.e6. doi. 10.1016/j.ajog.2015.04.023 UpToDate. Treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adults. Mishra V, Verneker R, Gandhi K, Choudhary S, Lamba S. Iron deficiency anemia with menorrhagia: Ferric carboxymaltose a safer alternative to blood transfusion. Journal of Mid-life Health. 2018;9(2):92. doi. 10.4103/jmh.JMH_121_17 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office on Women's Health. Bleeding disorders. Chen G, Chen L, Qin X, Xie X, Li G, Xu B. Cyclic thrombocytopenia related to menstrual cycle: a case report and literature review. Int J Clin Exp Med. 2014;7(10):3595-3598. PMID. 25419404 U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Women's Health. Thyroid disease. UpToDate. Endometrial polyps. Saridogan E. Surgical treatment of fibroids in heavy menstrual bleeding. Womens Health (Lond Engl). 2016;12(1):53-62. doi.10.2217/whe.15.89 UCLA Health. Hysteroscopic Myometomy. UpToDate. Patient education. Heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) (Beyond the Basics). University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Cons of Nexplanon. ClinicalTrials.gov. Prospective, Non-interventional, Multi-center Safety Study of Mirena for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding and Dysmenorrhea (J-MIRAI). Bu, Z., Yang, X., Song, L. et al. The impact of endometrial thickness change after progesterone administration on pregnancy outcome in patients transferred with single frozen-thawed blastocyst. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 17, 99 (2019). doi.10.1186/s12958-019-0545-0 University of Michigan Medicine. tranexamic acid (Lysteda). By Andrea Chisholm, MD Andrea Chisolm, MD, is a board-certified OB/GYN who has taught at both Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Medical Expert Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit