Crime Scene Periods

Today we talk about heavy periods that can be a symptom of perimenopause up to 5 years prior to periods stopping. In fact, it is common for periods to get heavier and closer together during this time due to a “luteal phase defect”. This is when the aging ovary and tissue around a women’s eggs in her ovary called the corpus luteum gets less efficient at making progesterone during the last half of a typical menstrual cycle. This results in an imbalance between estrogen and progesterone causing heavier periods that are closer together. Heavy periods may be a symptom of other conditions such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, low thyroid disease, and endometrial cancer. These should be ruled out during evaluation with your physician. Some women do get so anemic from heavy periods that they become anemic. Evaluation may include labs, ultrasound, exam, pap smear and possible endometrial biopsy.Treatment may include hormones typically birth control pills, progesterone alone, uterine ablation or an IUD and can be recommended by a gynecologist, Family practice physician or a nurse practitioner. Women’s International Pharmacy is a compounding pharmacy that can make bioidentical hormones or compounded prescriptions. Please see https://www.womensinternational.com/