Nightmare Symptoms of PMS: Gooey Discharge and Heavy Bleeding

She suffers from heavy periods characterized by thick, brown discharge that persists for extended periods of time. She’s tried prescription medication to slow the bleeding but is uncomfortable with synthetic hormones. The recommended solution is an all-natural herbal remedy containing Shepard’s purse.

Case #: 729

Concern：

I have very heavy periods and was put on medication for this. I took the medicine for just one month (rather than the long dose, as I’m not crazy about synthetic hormones), and everything was fine. Then, about six cycles later, the heavy bleeding started again. I started back on the Seasonal. It took a few days to slow the bleeding. Even then, I continued to have a very dark brown discharge, sometimes very thick, sometimes with just traces of brown in clear vaginal secretions. At certain times of the day, the discharge was there, while other times it was not.

What is this and is it normal? I stopped taking the medication about three days ago and still have some of the brown discharge (it is not nearly as thick as it was), but as of yet, no pill period. Any advice you could give would be great!

Discussion：

If having your period wasn’t bad enough, heavy bleeding makes it that much worse. This problem is defined in a number of ways and includes consecutively bleeding through a sanitary napkin in one hour, bleeding for one week or longer and feeling constantly fatigued. In other words, heavy bleeding can make menstruation downright miserable.

The technical name for this condition is menorrhagia and disrupts a woman’s daily routine. She may be unable to engage in activities because of excessive bleeding or need to get up in the middle of the night to change protection. The result can be social withdrawal to hide the bleeding, tiredness and loss of energy.

Understanding Heavy Bleeding

Excessive menstrual bleeding is a symptom of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS afflicts about 10 million women per year and is largely misunderstood by society. Some perceive this as an excuse for women to behave in any grievous manner they want, including lashing out at family members and coworkers. But the truth is that women cannot exert control over their PMS symptoms, meaning they are vulnerable to mood swings, abdominal cramps and, yes, heavy bleeding.

A woman will on average lose between three and four tablespoons of blood per cycle. Heavy bleeders lose more than five, a condition that causes problems beyond mere discomfort. Anemia, in which the body lacks sufficient red blood cells to deliver oxygen throughout the body, is common in women with heavy bleeding. This condition can cause additional symptoms like dizziness, cold hands and feet and headache that only exacerbate PMS. It is therefore important that it be controlled to the fullest extent possible.

Women at Risk

Young women who have just started their periods and those approaching menopause are usually at greatest risk for heavy periods. However, the main cause of this condition is a hormonal imbalance – specifically in which progesterone levels are too high – so women at any age can be afflicted. Progesterone is needed to offset the effects of estrogen and promotes a healthy buildup of lining in the uterus during a woman’s 28-day cycle. That lining is shed in the form of menstrual blood when pregnancy doesn’t occur.

Excessive levels of progesterone contribute to an excessive lining buildup. For you, this means heavier than normal periods. Other contributing factors to heavy bleeding include anovulation, inherited bleeding disorders and polyps of the uterus.

What You Can Do

As you already suggested, ingesting hormone-based contraceptives and medications is not the safest way to manage heavy bleeding. Synthetic hormones can contribute to health problems even as they temporarily abate bleeding. A better alternative might be to use a menstrual cup instead of pads or tampons. The washable, reusable cup is inserted into the vagina and can remain in place for 10 to 12 hours. It collects menstrual flow in a cleaner environment than tampons and will reduce the number of times you must change your protection.

An herbal remedy can relieve PMS symptoms and even reduce menstrual flow so it’s not as heavy and uncomfortable. (LOOK AT: Herbal Blend for Abnormal Bleeding) Shepard’s purse in particular is an herb grown in many countries, including the United States. It flourishes in warm climates and has been used throughout history to alleviate bleeding problems. With regard to menstrual flow, it restricts blood vessels so you can return to normal and healthy daily functions.