Downunder Blues...

Hi, i,m posting this from downunder! (the other side of the world, not the downunder part of a woman...Ha!) and I am exploring my options. I have lots and lots of fibroids and have a Mirena coil in place, and I've been having heavy periods for 5 years now, so heavy they havemade me severly anaemic, even thou I take iron supps. My blood count is 4, Groan... A blood transfusion would be good!!!. So I was hanging out to enter menopause, I am 50.. but I just keep on being regular cycles and losing heaps of blood every month. Have explored acupuncture & the Mirena coil to stem the bleeding. Hmmmmm any feedback would be exc....

I can't really help you but to say it seems you and I are in the same boat. Mirena was suggested to me, but with my odd and enlarged uterus, I wasn't willing to give it a 6-month try and put up with more bleeding from that thing which seems to be the norm in the beginning.

51 and waiting for menopause, but I'm taking the bull by the horns and going through with surgery. I've given up enough of my life every month, every day, putting up with this mess.

Best of luck to you!

Hello Bebbi

I did not have the opportunity to try the Mirena myself, but my younger sister has it for her dysfunctional bleeding and loves it. She did have a few months of irregular bleeding in the beginning which were frustrating, but it wasn't heavy bleeding at all, just spotting and light. Now she hardly even needs a panty liner for her periods, so she's happy she stuck with it. If your doc feels you are a good candidate, it may certainly be worth it to avoid major surgery.

Best wishes & s to you.
Beth

Hi Bebbe welcome to this wonderful site it has been a lifesaver for me the last couple of months. I know where you're coming from I am 51 and have been going through that torrential bleeding. Last period lasted 7 weeks and nearly ended with me going into shock. Had a D&C, hysteroscopy and endemetrial biopsy done not due to see the gyno till Nov 9 wants me to go through a couple of periods (lol). I have an enlarged uterus, fibroids, cyst on the ovary and he found my uterus covered in polyps which he removed during the D&C. He is suggesting the Mirena IUD but I'm wavering here as I had an IUD once before and the cramping and bleeding was unbelievable. Like you I don't know where to turn so I guess I will give it a try and hope it works if not I just want the lot out. If he knew how petrified I am of surgery than he might realise what pain I am in to even suggest such a thing. My only advice is find a good gyno, get tests done and take it from there. Its good to chat with another aussie and to you and I'll be hoping you find some answers soon. Evvie

Oh Evvie, and I thought I had it bad!! Maybe Mirena will work for you, but I'm not willing to give it a try. For every positive post I've read about it on any websites (mostly younger women) I've read quadruple the negative.

I'm just not willing to give up another 6 months of my life at age 51 to find out Mirena doesn't help. Plus, this heavy uterus of mine is doing a number on my bladder lately..d*** if I'm not bleeding, I'm still running to the nearest restrooms in stores because I need to go..and then it's not much at all.

I'm done with this, I've had it.

As far as being petrified of surgery, I hear ya. I've had a few abdominal surgeries and I still get anxious, but I've always been knocked out for no more than 45 minutes or so, my c-section the longest...that was my first big surgery and I had no choice in that..they wheeled me away as it was an emergency so I as scared as I was, I was so exhausted from 26 hours of labor with a second baby, that I just gave up and put myself in God's hands...and here I am, everything went fine.

Maybe you can exhaust a few more options, read all you can before you commit.

I use to have wonderful normal periods til this year(42)Now I just hemmorage for months!.First it was polyps,a D&C then not much periods,Menopause? NO such luck!!More months of hemmoraging,another D&C,now so much pain,like giving birth!Ahhh.tHE BLOOD NEVER STOPS!!I was offered the Mirena by one Dr,by another says they are no good for uteruses with growths!.Plus I had an IUD when I was 17 and my uterus grew around it,and that was the worst pain I ever had .Landed me in hospital for three days,with three injections a day!!So you can imagine why I don't think I would want another IUD.I would love to just have hot flushes,mood swings,water retension,come on menopause!!I thought periods were suppose to dwindle,not suck the blood out of you!!!Why can't anything be easy!!Find out if I get a hyster tomorrow.Jezz Im a whinger!And lovin it!ha ha.Good luck all from Townsville Aus.