Read up on Heavy periods treatment options at Consumer Reports Health.

Heavy periods

Key points about treatments

A heavy period can be more than just an inconvenience. It can disrupt your life and stop you from doing things. If you've had heavy periods for three months or more, you may want to get help from your doctor. There are plenty of treatments to try, including drugs and surgery.

Key points about treating heavy periods

Tranexamic acid is the best drug treatment for heavy periods.
But if your periods are heavy and painful, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may be a better option. NSAIDs can reduce your pain as well as the amount of blood you lose.
If drugs don't help, you may want to try having an intrauterine device (IUD) fitted. An IUD gradually releases the

hormones
Hormones are chemicals that are made in certain parts of the body. They travel through the bloodstream and have an effect on other parts of the body. For example, the female sex hormone estrogen is made in a woman's ovaries. Estrogen has many different effects on a woman's body. It makes the breasts grow at puberty and helps control periods. It is also needed to get pregnant.

hormone progestin. It also works as a contraceptive. For some women, this stops their periods completely after about 12 months.
An operation to remove the lining of your womb can make your periods lighter. Some women's periods stop altogether.
Thinning your womb lining with drugs before this operation will make the surgery easier and the results better.
The only way to be sure that your periods stop completely is to have an operation to remove your womb (a hysterectomy). But this is a big operation, so you'll probably want to try other treatments first.

This information was last updated on Sep 01, 2008

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment.
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