Menorrhagia: Drugs and Complications
Drugs
Drug therapy for menorrhagia may be:
- Iron Supplements: If the condition is accompanied by anemia, your doctor may recommend iron supplements regularly. If you have low iron levels, but there is no anemia, may begin with iron supplements rather than waiting until the emergence of the anemia
- NSAIDs. Ibuprofen, for example, helps to reduce menstrual blood loss. These drugs have the added benefit of relieving painful menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)
- Oral contraceptives: In addition to providing effective contraception, oral contraceptives can help regulate menstrual cycles and reduce episodes of excessive or prolonged menstrual bleeding
- Oral progesterone: When taken for more than 10 days in each menstrual cycle, the hormone progesterone can help correct hormonal imbalance and reduce menorrhagia
- The hormonal IUD: This type of IUD emits a progestin called levonorgestrel type, which makes thin the endometrium and decreases blood flow and menstrual cramps
Alternative Therapies
The following tips can help successfully treat menorrhagia:
- Rest: Your doctor may recommend rest if bleeding is excessive and detrimental to their lifestyle
- Keep a record: Record the number of pads or tampons you use so the doctor can determine the amount of bleeding. Change tampons and sanitary towels regularly, at least every 4-6 hours
- Avoid aspirin: Because aspirin interferes with blood clotting, it’s best avoided. However, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen, are usually very effective in relieving menstrual discomfort
Complications
Prolonged or excessive bleeding can lead to other medical conditions, such as:
- Iron deficiency anemia: In this common type of anemia, low blood hemoglobin, a substance that enables red blood cells carry oxygen to tissues. Low hemoglobin can be caused by iron deficiency. Menorrhagia can reduce iron levels and increased risk of iron deficiency anemia. Signs and symptoms include pallor, weakness and fatigue. Although diet plays a role in iron deficiency anemia, the problem is complicated by heavy menstrual periods. Most cases of anemia are mild, but even these cases can cause weakness and fatigue. The moderate to severe anemia can also cause shortness of breath, tachycardia, dizziness and headaches
- Severe: Heavy menstrual bleeding often is accompanied by menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea). Sometimes the cramps associated with menorrhagia are severe enough to require prescription drugs or a surgical procedure