anemia symptoms & heavy periods

Hi, I had also very severe menstruations, every cycle. Sometimes, it was so painful that I couldn’t do anything but stay in bed and warm myself. I would take pain killers to feel less consequences of menstruation, but occasionally even that wasn’t enough. I even developed anemia, because my body couldn’t produce enough blood to replace the amount I lost. I started to take iron supplements, and when my gynecologist adviced me to start taking birth control pills regularly, I didn’t believe it would help but I decided to try. And it helped me, my periods became precise, less painful and less excessive. So, I lose less blood and with addition of iron supplements will bring back my red blood cell amount to normal.

Please go have your hemoglobin checked NOW. I was feeling the same way but blamed it on being out of shape and getting older. Then BANG - I'm in the ER with severe anemia and they want to do a transfusion. There were warning signs -I just didn't pick up on them. Now I'm cruising the internet because I am too weak to go to work. I am taking huge doses of iron, B12, and folic acid and the doctors say I may be fine in a month. Shouldn't have ignored what was going on. I had never had any signs of anemia before (now 45) but the heavy periods that started a few months ago are evidently the cause an a hysterectomy is the final fix.

Other things I noticed that you can check yourself - out of breath for no apparent reason, pulse is higher than normal, can hear a rushing sound sort of pounding in your ears when it is quiet (heartbeat), very aware of heartbeat pounding in your chest including palpitations, craving and eating raw vegetables. These symptoms are not constant, but come and go infrequently so that you're not quite sure there is a problem... A blood test is the only way to know for sure.

im going to docs next week im so so tired, with palpitations, weakness im so not myself im blaming it on my latest mirena coil (5 months ago) my menstrual cycle gone to pot. It all adds up to anemia id say. ill let you know

Yep, I slowly got so anemic that I didn't have the energy to move. My heart would race in my chest, I would get out of breath just from doing the simplest of household chores. I wanted to sleep constantly. The craziest thing was I craved raw carrots and raw snow pea pods constantly. I thought I was suffering from severe depression. I finally went to the doctor because I was barely functioning. Turns out my hemoglobin level was 7! She immediately put me in the hospital and ordered me 2 units of blood which only brought my hemoglobin up to 9, but also advised I take iron supplements. I felt better for many months, but my heavy periods are now occurring every two weeks or so and I feel like death again. I have no medical insurance so getting an IUD or having a hysterectomy isn't really affordable for me right now. I have heard other women having positive outcomes from taking bc pills but this did nothing for me...I'm 46 and praying for menopause!

 

i have docs tomorrow. I suppose i have one advantage of living in the uk i dont need to worry about medical insurance

Hi,

I just read your post and it is so similar to my case although you do not mention if you had been having heavy periods all the time and that was the reason that caused the anemia.

I was feeling tired too and dizzy sometimes, also out of breath. I went to have my blood tested last Tuesday and my hemoglobin level was 6.6 so I was admitted to hospital and had blood transfusion - 3 bags. My level went up to 11.5 and the doctor said he was surprised it had gone up that much. Also on iron medication now. I have to visit the gynecologist because during one day of my period (the second day) I usually bleed quite a lot (some months more than others). This has been happening since 2009/2010.

I just wonder if heavy bleeding is just a reason for hemoglobin level of 6.6 and also if it is progressive, meaning that if I started to lose iron say 3 years ago that would be the reason for having reached this level now.

Any comments would be appreciated because I am so worried.

I have had heavy prolonged periods that last more than two weeks causing me to be very cold and tired. I had discovered that i had a polyp located in my ovaries. I went through surgery and to get it removed and im sfill have heavy prolonged menstrual bleeding, very cold and fatigue