Irregular, painful and heavy periods
Period problems are so common that they often go unmentioned for years. Many women assume that pain, heaviness or unpredictability is simply how their body works — and sometimes it is, but often there is an identifiable reason worth addressing.
This consultation is about finding out which it is in your case, and what can reasonably be done about it.
Concerns worth bringing in
Having one of these does not necessarily mean something is wrong. It means the question is worth asking.
- Cycles shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days
- Periods that skip months altogether
- Bleeding that soaks through protection quickly, or lasts more than seven days
- Passing large clots
- Pain that stops you working, studying or sleeping
- Bleeding between periods
- Bleeding after intercourse
- Any bleeding after menopause
- Tiredness or breathlessness alongside heavy periods, which may suggest low iron
How a consultation may help
- Identifying the likely cause, whether hormonal, structural such as fibroids, or related to another condition
- Checking for anaemia where bleeding has been heavy for a while
- Ordering only the tests that will change what happens next
- Discussing options ranging from observation to medication to referral for a procedure
- Explaining what is normal variation and what is not, so you know what to watch for
- Reviewing whether a current treatment is working, if you are already on one
What to expect at your visit
A cycle picture
Dates of your last few periods, how many days of bleeding, how heavy, and how much pain. An app screenshot or a note works well.
Examination where appropriate
An examination is discussed with you first, explained before it happens, and is never a surprise.
Focused investigations
Blood tests or a pelvic scan may be advised. These are done at a diagnostic centre and reviewed together afterwards.
Options, with trade-offs
What each option involves, how long it takes to show an effect, and what it does not do.
Common questions
Answers here are general. Your own situation is what the consultation is for.
How much bleeding counts as too heavy?
A useful marker is bleeding that soaks through a pad or tampon in under two hours, bleeding that lasts beyond seven days, or passing clots larger than a rupee coin. Bleeding that limits what you can do in a day is worth discussing regardless of the numbers.
Is severe period pain normal?
Mild cramping is common. Pain that regularly stops you attending work or college, or that does not settle with simple measures, is worth assessing rather than accepting.
My cycle has always been irregular. Is it too late to check?
Not at all. Long-standing irregularity still has a cause, and identifying it is useful whether the goal is symptom relief, conception or long-term health.
Will I definitely need a scan?
Not always. Whether a scan adds anything depends on your symptoms, age and examination. Where one is advised, the reason will be explained.
Discuss this with Dr. Disha Ghoniya
Send a request with your preferred day and a short line about what has been happening. The clinic will confirm a time that works.