Many women think that heavy periods are a normal fact of life - 'My mum suffered it and I am suffering it?' - so it is seen as a normal part of womanhood.
Heavy periods are very common in women, and usually are not a sign of anything serious, but they can cause a big disruption to your life. Heavy periods can cause tiredness from low iron in the blood, or less commonly, anaemia (low red blood cells).
Heavy bleeding is hard to define, but if you have to change tampons or pads many times a day, avoid going out for fear of an 'accident' (flooding), have large clots, or have to get up in the night to change pads, then you almost certainly have heavy bleeding. It is more common in women who have just started their periods or are coming up to menopause.
Please speak to your GP/doctor if you experience any of these symptoms. The cause can often be identified through tests and screening.
For more information, read our heavy bleeding pamphlet.
