Period Won't Stop! PCOS.

[WorryWendy]

So, I just want to start off by saying I do have PCOS so my periods have always been irregular and a bit crazy.
I'm very much used to going a while without them - my longest cycle between periods was about 3 months.

However, since about May last year, they've changed. In May, I bled for around a 3 weeks,very light, mainly spotting from what I remember. The Dr put me on the mini pill just to stop it which it did so I stopped taking them. I then had a break for a week before I had the heaviest, scariest bleed ever. Clots were huge. Was put on Tranexamic Acid to stop the bleeding which was a life saver. Had a transvaginal scan and all was okay (apart from my cysts which I am aware of!)

I then didn't have a period until August, which was a normal 4 days. And again the same in September.

I then had 2 weeks of spotting at the start of November and then my real period came end of December for 5 days.

I have now been bleeding (light/medium) since the 17th of January!!

My smears are up to date and my scan was clear so that kind of settles my mind it's anything really sinister but could this just be hormones due to PCOS??

This does all seem to have changed since Lockdown (the first one) and in that time, I was made redundant, have changed jobs twice, diet has been pretty awful and I've had Uni stress until last week when I quit! So could it just be that?

[WorryWendy]

So my period eventually stopped a week ago. Now I'm bleeding again. Bright red, kind of watery with a few clots. This is not like my normal PCOS symptoms! I feel sick with worry.

[WorryWendy]

Anyone??

I'm currently on Day 50 of bleeding!!

Started on Tranexamic Acid which worked amazing last time. This time is doesn't seem to be working as well/quickly.

Scared I'm going to bleed to death!

[Catkins]

I have no experience of PCOS. My periods were all over the place when I was younger. Personally I would say keep in touch with your GP and follow the advice they give.

[Iwant2bhealthy]

Hi Wendy, fellow PCOS suffered here. Yes, a very long lasting period is common in PCOS. So is constant spotting in between periods. I had it too and at some point I didn't even know anymore what is my period and what is spotting. :/

The local gynecologists wanted me to use the pill, but after a few months I stopped using it (for various reasons). Afyer that I visited a doctor in my motherland, and he prescribed me Cyclo 3 Fort treatment which stopped the bleeding. In the meantime I discovered that a supplement of evening-primrose oil can be very helpful too. I finished the treatment with Cyclo 3 fort, but I am still using evening-primrose oil supplement, and I haven't had any major bleeding events in over a year.
If the Cyclo 3 is not available where you live maybe try the evening-primrose supplement?

[Iwant2bhealthy]

Oh, about bleeding to death, it will not happen. You might get anemia if the bleeding won't stop so maybe try to google foods that help with anemia and make sure you eat super healthy?

[AbyssalStars]

Hey, I have PCOS and know a few people who also have PCOS. While having such a long period probably isn't the best, it won't kill you. I know of someone who had a period for nearly an entire year because of PCOS. Why they didn't go to a doctor and get some medicine to control it sooner, I don't know. Because of continual bleeding for nearly a year they were severely iron deficient since most of your iron is stored in your blood. This iron deficiency caused what is known as iron deficiency anemia. You can get your ferritin levels checked if you are worried that you may be low on iron. Foods high in iron include liver (organ meats), oysters (shellfish), and beef in general (red meat). Animal products contain heme iron, which is much more easy for the body to absorb and utilize than iron sourced from plants. If you do get your iron from plants, make sure to consume things with vitamin C at the same time in order to boost absorption. Plants that contain iron include spinach, legumes, pumpkin seeds, and quinoa. Vitamin C can be found in oranges and other citrus fruits. Another wonderful source of iron is dark chocolate!

Also, depending on how heavy your period is and how long it's been going on, you may need a blood transfusion. The person I mentioned above who had a period for nearly a year needed a blood transfusion due to all the blood that they lost. This is probably the worst case scenario.