Heavy Bleeding After Menopause Bright Red:
While normal, heavy bleeding can disrupt everyday life for many women. Over time, a woman’s estrogen levels decrease, thinning the lining of the uterus. This change in reproductive hormone levels called perimenopause generally begins about four years before a woman has her last period.
During perimenopause, the hormones estrogen and progesterone can fluctuate wildly from month to month. If estrogen levels are higher than progesterone levels, the uterine lining can become thicker and your body may take longer to shed it, leading to a longer period. When postmenopausal bleeding is diagnosed as endometrial cancer, most cases can be cured with a hysterectomy.
In all cases of postmenopausal bleeding, it’s crucial to evaluate the uterus. There are numerous possible causes of bleeding after menopause. Saying goodbye to the frequent hot flashes and night sweats, the mood swings, abrupt loss of libido, and itching vaginal dryness are some of the symptoms.. Period changes and physical symptoms related to perimenopause can interfere with daily life. Thankfully, there are ways to cope with these changes and live a more comfortable life during perimenopause.
Heavy bleeding is also called menorrhagia and is characterized by 80 mL or more blood lost during your period. You can assume you’re experiencing heavy periods if you’re bleeding through your tampon or pad quickly. This is due to fluctuations in the hormones estrogen and progesterone that take place during this transition phase before menopause.
Depending on the reason for the bleeding, your care team can tell you about treatment options and recommend the best choice for you. Options range from hormone therapy to surgical procedures, such as a hysterectomy. If your bleeding is caused by cancer, your health care professional will refer you to a gynecologic oncologist. Although bleeding may be caused by your activity level, or by an infection or thinning of the vaginal or vulvar skin, it also could be a symptom of something more serious. Postmenopausal bleeding could be caused by uterine polyps or fibroids, thyroid abnormalities, bleeding disorders or thinning of the lining of the uterus, called atrophy.
The doctor will insert a small, thin tube into the vagina as far as the cervix to take a sample of tissue lining from the uterus. As you get older, your skin tends to get thinner and you may bruise more easily. This is especially common if you take aspiring to protect against heart disease, or a blood-thinning tablet called warfarin. If you’re taking warfarin, it’s important learn more here to see your GP if you bruise for no apparent reason, or have any other kind of unexpected bleeding. Warfarin thins the blood, which is important if you’re prone to clotting, but the dose needs to be checked regularly. Other treatments may be considered depending on the endometrial cancer stage (how far the cancer has spread), such as radiation and/or chemotherapy.
One of the most common sources of postmenopausal bleeding is vulvar or vaginal atrophy. Once you reach menopause, which typically happens between the ages of 45 and 55, you should no longer experience vaginal bleeding. An ultrasound test can show whether the uterine lining is thicker or thinner than expected. If the thickness is 4 millimeters or less, the chance is 99% or higher that endometrial cancer is not present. The doctor inserts a tool with a thin, lighted camera through the cervix and into the uterus.
No matter your exact symptoms, you’ll want to get in touch with your ob-gyn right away if this happens to you. My patient ‘Rosa’ has come to my office for an appointment, but it’s not for her annual visit. Instead, she’s here for vaginal bleeding internet that has taken her by surprise. Once you come out the other side, maybe the menopause isn’t so bad – after all, you don’t have to put up with periods every month. But then you start bleeding again, and you’re not sure if it’s normal.
Heavy bleeding can cause you to be tired and put you at a higher risk of anemia, which can lead to dizziness, irregular heartbeat, and shortness of breath. An unusual flow may also interrupt your day-to-day activities due to cramping, tiredness, and having to change your tampons or pads more often. Because postmenopausal bleeding can have a variety of causes, it’s important to talk with try this a healthcare professional if you experience any irregular bleeding. If you have a yeast infection, the blood may appear pinkish or light red, and it may involve more spotting than heavy bleeding. This thickening typically happens as the result of too much estrogen and not enough progesterone in your body. It can cause heavy or atypical bleeding during perimenopause and after menopause.
So, if you are taking HRT, talk with your healthcare provider about what to expect regarding bleeding and when to call or follow up. Estrogen is the hormone that eases the symptoms of menopause, especially hot flashes or vaginal dryness. Or see a doctor who’s had extra training to find and treat diseases of the female reproductive organs, called a gynecologist.