Midwifery Today Community

 Hello Ladies,

I have a new question.  Is it normal to have heavy clotting with a period? I am almost 37 and I have been TTC for almost four years now.  About two years ago I noticed my periods were getting heavy on days 2 and 3 due to clotting (they usually last about 4-5 days and are light all other days).  Sometimes it was lots of small dark clots and others it was several  big bright red clots(somtimes so large I wondered if I should be worried).  The CNM I have been seeing does not seem to be worried and is just telling me I'm over 35 and some things are normal.  My PCP said it sounded like a high progesterone level.  All hormones are normal with only FSH showing signs of slowing down.  As far as I'm aware, I have not been pregnant (if I was, did not go past 30 days).  My periods are about every 26 days; might go 27 or 28 days every six months or so.  It feels like I'm ovulating from both sides regularly.  Also, some months, cramping and bleeding are opposite of each other...not in sync.

So, any info would be helpful.  I sometime get worried that something is wrong and I'm not figuring it out.  I'm fairly healthy but could be more so.

Thanks and I look forward to chatting with all of you!

Hi journeying,

Welcome to the boards!! 

I don't think the kind of clotting your talking about is necessarily normal.  Mainstream medicine doesn't get too concerned about it, but traditional chinese medical ideas say that clotting like that is due to blood stagnation and isn't normal.  The goal would be to have a bright red, straightforward flow, without clots, that begins and ends without spotting and without much cramping either.  Severe cramping and clotting are signs that the blood is not moving down and out with ease. 

Have you considered seeing an acupuncturist and taking some chinese herbs?

journeying,

Welcome to MT and MTF.  Its pleasure to meet you and hope to stay you around.  With robsgirl said to you in her response to you.

Highly recommend that you check out MT.  Also Our Bodies, Ourselves, The Boston Women's Health Book Collective and their companion website/blog as well.  Found its really helpful no matter what. At same time do recommend that you do additional learning and research besides the books and website I give you to give you. For more info on this.

Hope my recommendations do help you.

Good luck and etc.

Oh my, I was just about to post this same thing! I have always been a heavy bleeder. No cramps, no pain, but very heavy. After my DD was born, I skipped my period for a year while breast feeding. But when it came back, it was even heavier. Like you describe OP: "several  big bright red clots(somtimes so large I wondered if I should be worried)" I am also over 35. And also heaviest on days 2 and 3. TMI: On these days I have to wear a big nighttime pad during the day and change as often as every 2 hours or my jeans/pants will get leaked on. At night I wear 2 nighttime pads, plus a towel over the sheets, because I will always soak through, a lot. Is this abnormal? I don't know.

I have two children, both conceived by merely looking at my husband in the wrong direction, both very large (4.5 kilo, 4.3 kilo), and have very large placenta (900g - average is I think 525g). Not sure if this is related, or just coincidence. 

 Thank you RobsGirl, for the info.  My CNm did suggest accupuncture but I told her it would have to wait until about now(schools out).  I did find one that would be covered by my insurance but, I'll have to drive about 60 miles west to get there.  I'd just like to get things back in balance.  Thanks again and I look forward to chatting more!

Thank you Jessica for your reply.  I did look up that sight about two weeks ago but, I did not find much info to help me.  The only thing that might be relevant for now is, that this  could mean I'm not ovulating like it seems.  I'm going to look into the accupuncture as suggested by RobsGirl.  Thanks again and I look forward to chatting with you more.

Allison, thank you for your reply.  I was a heavy bleeder from starting at 10 years old and heavy crapms too.  Once on birth control, that stopped.  It took 22 months to concieve our son.  All was normal after he was born.  All of the strange stuff has cropped up in the last two years.  I usually have to use the heaviest tampons to keep from leaking on days 2-3. I'm going to look into the Chinese medicine and accupuncture.  Thanks again and I look forward to chatting with you.

Your welcome and sorry that site didn't work out for you.  As it did for me.

 Well, I had my first accupuncture session on Thursday (7-9).  I found it to be very relaxing.  The lady doing it said that relaxation was a good sign.  She said my energy and blood flow were definitely blocked but, my symptoms did not match the signs in my body.  She said I should have decreased cramps this month but flow and clotting could still be the same.  So far she's been right.  I'm going again on the 16th.  I'll be able to see her a few times more before school starts.  After that I'll have to wait until a break in the schedule.  She's a DOM that works in Albuquerque but comes to my town, Grants, once a week.  I'm looking forward to seeing what things these sessions can help.

That's great!  I found it really relaxing too.  I had my sessions in winter or early spring and my extremities always felt warm (I'm always cold) when I left, so I knew it was doing something.  I'm interested to know if the sessions continue to help you, so keep us posted on your progress here.

Take care.

 Well, I've had three accupuncture sessions so far.  All have been quite relaxing.  I will know more about how well this changes my period in 7-8 days.  As for the PMS/PMDD......I'm not sure just yet.  I think last month, I continued to take anti-depressants as perscribbed.  This cycle, I wanted to try to see how I felt without them and just the accupunct.  So far it's not too bad...(not sure if DH would agree).  I have had a few days of irritability but not consecutive.  I think I'm having more emotional outbursts due to an unresolved issue between me and DH.  I will go one more time just before school starts. 

DH saw the DOM last week and let her use the needles (WOW).  He said he felt a little better the next day.  He'll see her again this thurs.(his 41st b-day).  Let's see what happens afer that.  I'll have to try to work more sessions into my schedule!

 I must say, I have seen a change in my cycle issues.  After three accpuncture sessions, my cramps weren't as bad and the clotting is slowing down.  I still passed one clot about the size of a half dollar late on day two but, not a lot other than that.  I'm thinking the PMS/PMDD still needs some work but, I didn't think it was as bad as during the school year.

One more accupuncture session coming up next week; let's see what it does.

Hey, great to hear things are improving Journeying!

My dad, king of the sceptics, just started acupuncture for his arthritis, and the doctor is also looking at his type 2 diabetes and high BP, and he was startled by the immediate changes in his pain and range of movement after only one session.

I hope things continue to improve.

Bec

 Bec,

i went for another treatment on the 13th.  I can definitely say the accupuncture helped reduce the clotting in just one cycle.  I did go a little longer with light bleeding/spotting though.  The PMS may take longer but now that I'm back to work/school; the treatments are on hold until I have a Thursday free.  I'm going back on the anti-depressants that were prescribed by my CNM in January.  I work in an elementary school as a Teacher's Aide.  I felt in January that I was getting way too grumpy and needed something until I could get to the accupuncture.  My DH is continuing to see the DOM for his health problems.  He is feeling a little better but we still can't nail down the cause of all the problems.  He's even been taking herbs from her.  I'm hoping all of this will lead us to the source of the problems.  I hope all is well with you!

Pam