Monthly Cycle

You should try Planned Parenthood. You can go there without spending an arm & a leg. And I think some of them might even have a sliding scale fee. I know that there's a clinic in Austin (blanking on the name, too tired) that's just regular docs that do a sliding scale fee, but I wouldn't reccomend them for this. I would reccomend Planned Parenthood since they specialize in things in this area.

I have some of the same problems, what worked for me was:

Taking prenatal vitamins, they have lots of good stuff that you are loosing with heavy bleeding.

Taking an over-the-counter herbal supplement to promote hormonal balance. I have used Evening Primrose Oil and am currently using Estroven, Wal Mart has their brand. It is soy based, doesn't have a lot of hormones, but has just enough for me. I started several years ago with the regular and now take the extra strength.

If this doesn't help, get to the doctor.

You have my sympathy; after my last child my periods became extended. They had always been heavy but then they increased in length. This went on for almost a year, and my obgyn said I was stressed and overworking - well really that wasn't it and I knew it but he was the Dr. So I spent almost a year of heavy periods lasting 3 and 4 weeks; it got to the point I thought one period was ending only to start up again the next day. Finally I changed Dr.'s; the new one did a D&C, but the period started again before leaving the hospital; he said I had to have a hysterectomy. After that I couldn't believe how good I felt. I wasn't aware I had also been in pain, it had gone on so long I grew used to it. I know it will be difficult for you without medical insurance. I don't know where you live but in some counties there is medical help, Harris Co, Montgomery Co also has it. In Harris it is called a medical Gold card. It does work - and you DO need medical help. If you want my help write back and I will give you the phone # and information. Good luck.

Hi there,

Are you still breastfeeding? If so, then your periods could be irregular for until you are done.

It is not abnormal to bleed for 6 weeks straight, have no period for 5 months, then bleed irregularly, differently than before.

After each of my pregnancies, my periods were completely changed. It is disconcerting but normal.

However, the heavy bleeding starting 20 months after giving birth might be a sign of infection or miscarriage and should be checked out by a doctor. If you are sure you miscarried, then I'd not bother going. Assume that things will be back to normal soon. If you are soaking more than a pad an hour for two days straight, do see a doctor, no matter what else.

It sounds like you might have miscarried if you skipped a month. Is that possible?

I once went to an OB who normally charged $250. When he heard I had no insurance he charged me only $15.

I know doctors are expensive, but the longer you wait the more it could end up costing... and your baby needs you to be healthy so if you can, suck it up and just go.

Good luck.

There are alternative health care options available to you since you don't have insurance. Planned Parenthood offers excellent care. I know a lot of people have a bad image of this organization in their heads, but their purpose really and truly is to provide affordable and adequate sexual/reproductive health care to BOTH men and women. Also, the Whole Woman's Health clinic is another one of those orgnaizations that people fear but they offer great help. There are also public health clinics that charge on a sliding scale.

You may also want to look into Medicare and CHIPS to provide your family with affordable medical and dental insurance. We pay for these services in the taxes taken out of our paychecks everyday and THIS is what they are for, to be used by families who need them until they are in a place financially where they no longer need them.

I really do hope that you get in to see a Dr. or Nurse Practitioner soon. I would hate for there to be a serious issue that could have been handled early on.

If you're bleeding that much you REALLY need to go into Urgent Care-in my opinion. Call a nurse hotline? You could have a hemorrhage and that could be very dangerous. They'll work with you even with no insurance.
Best wishes

Take an iron supplement at night, which will keep you from being extra hungry if taken during the day. Munoz Health Clinic (off Burnet Rd, on Northland) is a general practitioner clinic and runs around $60 a visit without a long wait. He can usually see you the same or next day.

Go to the doctor just in case. It's been too long. If you are bleeding that much, for 2 weeks? It could just be menopause, but more likely something else is going on. That's a lot of blood loss. They will bill you and you can set up a payment plan - no interest. We had to take my son in twice this year. Then, I set up a plan, tell them how much you can pay each month. They are willing to work with you most of the time if you go to a good doctor. Just make sure you make the payments.

Make sure you are eating right and drinking fluids to account for the blood loss. Go to the doctor!

I have to agree with almost everyone else, go see a Doc, or at least call one. One year after I had my daughter, I got the heaviest period of my life, on vacation of course. I called the nurse hotline. The nurse said "If you're soaking through more than 1 overnight pad an hour, go to the hospital. You're losing enough blood to endanger your life."

Blood loss is something to deal with while you're conscious. Go to your choice of a doctor soon. If you ever loose consciousness, you could very easily end up with a blood transfusion, like it or not. To me that's a whole lot scarier.

I've gone to doctors and told them I was paying out-of-pocket and gotten a bill for $20. Ask on the phone before you schedule the appointment if they can make special arrangements for out-of-pocket payment.

Good luck,
R.

you could be peri-menopausal...that is pre-menopausal....the symptoms you describe match and the age is about right if you started menstruating fairly early in your life.

Going to the clinic is an option if you can't afford a doctor of your own. I am in the same spot as you are and have had very caring and competetent care from public clinics when I had to.

Best of luck.
L.

After my baby, who is now going to be 3, (and I had him when i was 34), i would bleed constantly and very heavily. As with you I did not have insurance at the time. When I did get it, I went to the Dr. and from bleeding so much I had to take a bunch of iron and he has put me on birth control (even though I had a tubal)to control the bleeding. If I miss taking the pill, I will start to bleed. You really need to see a Dr. I know what it is like and it sucks. I hope you feel better soon. Good luck

Hi, you have to go if it continues.. My sister had this problem, and she ended up needing a hysterectomy.. It's dangerous to lose that much blood that often. I know what you mean about insurance, I'm in the same boat..left my f/t job in August and now have no insurance..it's awful. Try Planned Parenthood, they are very good and less expensive than a private dr.. I also called University Hosp. and have an appt in Dec. to sign up for Care Link, which is suppose to be on a sliding scale.. I just want to be able to go to the dr when I'm sick or for those annual check ups. It's terrible to have to go through all the paperwork to do it though,and then, 90 percent of the time, they say you make too much money; course what about all our bills , deduct those first then see how much we have left, right?!@ Take care of yourself before it gets any worse.

Be careful that you don't become anemic. Make sure you eat plenty of red meat for iron before and during your cycle. Stay off your feet the first two days...take ibuprofen and lay down.

I am now 46 and after many years of HEAVY flow (same as you) I finally am seeing a health and wellness doctor and she put me on natural progesterone. This is helping. Our bodies are producing too much estrogen and not enough progesterone; therefore, we are estrogen dominant. Say NO to surgery.

Suggestion: Take a Dave Ramsey class on Financial Peace. This has helped me in a huge way to manage my money, save, and get out of debt. Doing this allowed me to have money to go see the doctor I wanted to see for my problem. I'm glad I did it.

You need to go to the doctor that isnt normal to have the super heavy period this late. The frist part sounded normal but the having to change your clothes is really bad. Not to mention how it could get worse if you dont seek medical help now. A doctors visit for me with out insurance was about 100.00 or so and my doctor at the time would take off 10% for non insured patients. You can also set up a payment plan with the billing dept. You could even go to a free clinic. But please go and if you cant see spending that money on yourself think about it like your taking care of your baby's momma so baby has a good healthy person to take care of them. Go!!!!

Go to your local county health clinic, they are real doctors and can help you. They charge by your income level which is not that much.

well I'm not a doctor but I do have two baby girls and I know that after having children your cycle can get off track. Are you on any birth control? If so that can have a lot to do with it. Also after I had my first, I was nursing and still had regular periods, some months were stronger then others when my baby was 6 months my period did not come, and found out I was pregnant.
I'm saying, a woman is very fertile after just having a baby. Every body is different and reacts differntly after giving birth, but honestly if your period is lasting this long and is this heavy you just need to go see a doctor.
I hope you get better soon.

Planned Parenthood has a sliding scale for fees. They do well woman checks and would most likely help you. Give them a call and see how much it would cost.

1-800-230-PLAN and you can find locations at www.plannedparenthood.org

Sorry you are going through this, I know it is tough! First off you might want to make sure you eat lots of iron rich foods. Leafy green veggies, and red meat are great sources of iron. This will help fatigue associated with heavy flow. I know you are trying to avoid the dr. but have you tried the clinic inside walmart? I don't know where you live but many walmarts now have clinics and you don't need insurance and it is not as expensive as a dr's office. Best wishes to you!

Go to Planned Parenthood. They charge on a sliding scale.

You might be able to go the the cities birth control clinic. The pills might help. You might check with your mother also and find out when she started her change of like cycle also it can happen. Plus there might be something that you might need to have checked by you Dr. This is not something to foll around with please do yourself and family and take care of yourself.

Find a good local health food store. Not a chain. If you are actually in LaPorte then go to the Health Nut on Center street in Deer Park. They are wonderful. The owner knows tons of stuff about all kinds of nutrition and supplements. There is also 1 in Baytown on Baker St., maybe called Health Way, I'm not sure of the name. My sisters all did what you are discribing and ended up with hysterectomies after years of dealing with the long and heavy periods. But I don't think any of them were real serious about trying alternatives. They just let the gyn make the decision. At least take a good iron supplement. Slow FE is one but expensive. Dried apricots are a fantastic source of bio assimilatable iron. Get the unsulfured ones, they will be brown and black. The yellow and orange ones have tons of sulfur which you don't need. The apricots can go anywhere with you in a baggy and don't need refrigeration. 3 a day would help you feel better.
God Bless

sounds like what my mom went through when she was pre-menopausal (sp?) she went through menopause young, probably started about your age. you should make an appt. with your OB/GYN and find some info on pre-menopause
PS my MIL also just went through almost exactly what you described, minus the having a baby part, and they tried many different things to help her (iron pills/shots, birth control, etc.) and it got so bad she passed out and had to be taken to the hospital. she ended up having a hysterectomy last year and has had no problems since then. she didn't even have to do "surgery" they did the whole thing vaginally! she still had to be put under anastesia (sp?) but with no incision, the recovery time was a lot shorter and easier on her body. so don't fret if you're told you need surgery, it is a lot better nowadays!

Hi there I was told that since I was breast feeding that my periods would be crazy like that which they were. Don't know if that could be a reason for you if your body is still regulating out all of the hormones. Tampons never work for extremely heavy days try overnight pads they do. Good luck

Go see a doctor! If you have internet service, I'm assuming you have other luxuries, as well. You need to prioritize your needs. This is not an issue that can be taken care of by an online support group. A trip to the doctor may set you back a little but this is your health you are compromising! Excessive bleeding can be indicative of a hormone imbalance or as extreme as cancer. You are wise to seek advice. You are just seeking it from the wrong people. Call your physician now!

Are you taking birthcontrol pills or any thing else that could be messing with your hormones? I had that happen to me and my doctor took me off the pill and it never happened again. I was bleeding really heavy and having to soak alot in the tub it was so bad.I thought something was seriously wrong with me. It was birth control!! B.

Just remember you can't be a good mom, if you don't take care of yourself. Go to the doc.

You need to figure out some way to go to the doctor. If this turns about to be a big problem and you wait and wait......you could be putting your health in danger and may end up being more expensive than a doctor's visit. If you are not healthy than your child doesn't have a healthy mother and what good is that. You need to take care of yourself.

I am no expert, but sometimes your body's hormone levels don't fully recover for 3 years. So, you might keep a close eye on it, but remember that your body probably still adjusting to hormone levels, especially if you changed something like birth control or breast feeding.

If you are taking birth control you might want to change it, or start taking some if your body needs some help in adjusting hormone levels. Breast feeding is another thing to look at - if you just stopped breast feeding then your body needs time to react and adjust hormone levels.

You probably should go to the doctor, but if you can't, then ry to look at all factors that may have changed over the past few months. If you notice that you have changed something, such as birth control or breast feeding, then give yourself time to recover. If over the next few days your heavy bleeding doesn't stop then I would DEFINITELY suggest you go to the doctor because it could be something much worse than hormone levels.

I hope everything works out for you and you are able to figure it out!

You really should see a Dr. There are some books that have some natural healing ideas that you can read in Sun Harvest or Whole Foods, and you might try those.

Not sure what your financial situation is. You might try going online to CareLink and finding out if you fall within the guidelines. CareLink is for people without insurance who live in Bexar Co and make below a certain amount of income. It ia through the University Health System and is based on how much you could afford to pay a month. The doctors are good and if there is a problem, they will refer you to a specialist in their system.

Much luck.
GJKBEAR