Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Has A Heavy Cost. How To Stop Losing Out On Life

There was an interesting article recently which was a summary of a study of 1000 women in the UK with heavy bleeding. The main finding was that the majority a study participants described their periods as being greatly disruptive to their life. Not a unexpected conclusion. But an unexpected finding (to me at least) was that the majority of these women with this terrible life disruption did not seek care for the problem! They just lived with it!

If this study were conducted in the US, I am sure that the results would be similar. Heavy vagina bleeding has great costs.

• Days taken of from work / Loss of wages
• Missing out on life events
• Money spent on pads, tampons, and other products
• Replacement of clothing, bedsheets soiled by blood
• Depression, feelings of hopelessness
• Marital/Relationship problems
• Altering of activity schedule based on periods
• Constant fear that bleeding will start unexpectedly

You could probably add to this list. When taken together, heavy bleeding takes a horrible toll on the victim. Some suffer with the condition for years. So here’s the question. With such a high cost, and so many effective treatments available for this problem, why is it that the majority of women in the UK (and US for that matter) with heavy menstrual bleeding continue to suffer?

I invite you to participate in a discussion on this question in the comments section below

Continuing To Suffer

Here are my thoughts. I believe that one of the main reasons is ignorance of the many different therapies open to sufferers today. I think at one time, the only treatment which was recommended to patients was hysterectomy. Many women are firm in their decision not to have this procedure, so they hold out from seeking care. Some are fearful that they will have to get a hysterectomy. The medical community has some blame in this misunderstanding as well, being a little too eager to recommend this treatment.

Some women see heavy bleeding as a “normal” part of life. Some have family histories of mothers and sisters who had the same problem.   Why would they expect to be different?  There are also women who don’t realize that their heavy bleeding is not normal. They have the same disruptions that others have, but they don’t make the connection that there is something wrong with their period. Or maybe they don’t want to believe. Many are fearful that if they look into it, they might be told some bad news that they don’t want to hear.

Then there are issues with lack of insurance, lack of resources to seek care. These are very real factors. Finally, there are  a host of excuses that we all use that hinder us from getting the health care we need. My schedule is too hectic. The kids keep me too busy. It will get better on its own. And so on. I don’t want to make it seem so cut and dry, black and white. For many it is a very complex issue. Everyone has her own individual story.  There is help.  There is hope.

Regain your life

You don’t have to continue suffering. Imagine what you could do if you stopped bleeding. No really, think about it now. What could your life be like if you had a normal period. Or a light period? Or for that matter, no period at all? Think about how that would affect your mood, your relationships, Your lifestyle, your job/career, even your finances. Today, there are treatments that can truly get you periods and your life back under control.

Your doctor can help you understand the causes of your heavy period. There are many different treatments for heavy bleeding. You don’t necessarily have to have a hysterectomy. You don’t have to have surgery at all for that matter. You can use natural therapies or you can use medications. There are other procedures which can minimize your bleeding. But you have to take the first step. You have to find the courage and the resources seek out care. You can get the care you need to regain your life.

Interested in reading the article mentioned above?  You can find it here.