How to Relieve a Heavy Period

The menstrual cycle can be different for every woman. Some women may experience light and pain free periods, and others may experience heavy and painful periods. Heavy periods, referred to as menorrhagia, last longer than seven days, require double protection and may include changing your pad or tampon every hour for several hours. Though menorrhagia can wreak havoc on your lifestyle, from tiredness and fatigue, there are several remedies to try.

Things You'll Need

• Notebook
• Iron supplements
• Oral contraceptives
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Document the number of pads and tampons you use in a notebook. This will serve as a record, so your physician can decide how excessive the bleeding is. Future treatment will largely depend on this, so keep accurate records.

• 2

  Contact your physician and request an appointment. Be sure to take your notebook with you, so your physician has as much information as possible to make the right recommendations.

• 3

  Ask your physician if it would be appropriate to begin taking iron supplements, if you find you are fatigued and tired. This exhaustion may be attributed to anemia, which is a lack of iron in the blood.

• 4

  Consider talking to your doctor about oral contraceptives. If you aren't actively trying to conceive, birth-control pills will help to regulate your menstrual cycle and also reduce the frequency of heavy bleeding.

• 5

  Take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and naproxen. Either should help reduce the pain associated with heavy periods.

• 6

  Talk to your doctor concerning surgical options, if the recommended treatment isn't working. Be sure to discuss your future child-bearing plans and the implications of procedures such as endometrial ablation or hysterectomy.