HealthInfo Waitaha Canterbury
Treating heavy periods
Heavy periods can be managed in several ways. The right treatment for you will depend on things such as your age, your symptoms, the cause of your heavy periods, whether you are planning to have a baby, and your general health.
Once your doctor or specialist doctor (gynaecologist) has confirmed there is no serious cause for your heavy periods, they may discuss some ways to control the bleeding. You may need to try a few options to find the right solution for you. You may be able to trial more than one option at a time. Your doctor will talk to you about the different options.
Some common and recommended treatment options include those listed below.
Non-hormonal options
Tranexamic acid comes as a tablet and helps to reduce your bleeding by reducing the breakdown of blood clots in your womb (uterus). You start taking the tablets on the first day of your period and keep taking it until your bleeding reduces. You shouldn't take the tablets for more than five days in a row.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen (te reo Māori version) and mefenamic acid help with pain and can also reduce how much you bleed. You can buy ibuprofen over the counter. Other NSAIDs need a prescription. It's important to take NSAIDs with food. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to check if these tablets are safe for you to take. Make sure you see your GP if you get any indigestion or nausea.
If you have anaemia with low iron levels, you may need iron tablets. These do not treat the heavy bleeding, but they treat the low iron that the heavy bleeding causes.
Hormonal options
- Combined oral contraceptive (COC) pill – As well as protecting you from pregnancy, these pills help make your periods more regular and lighter.
- Progestogen-only contraceptives – these include tablets such as Cerazette, injectable progestogens such as Depo-Provera, contraceptive implants such as Jadelle, and the Jaydess intra-uterine device. These usually reduce bleeding and can stop periods completely.
- Progesterone tablets including Provera (medroxyprogesterone) – these are taken short term to reduce bleeding, They do not protect you from pregnancy.
- Hormonal intra-uterine device (IUD) – This is a small plastic device, placed in your uterus (womb), which slowly releases the hormone progestogen. This causes the lining of the uterus to become thinner so there is less bleeding with each period. An IUD also acts as a contraceptive to stop you getting pregnant. There is a cost to get it fitted or removed, but you might be able to get a reduced price if you meet the criteria. Talk to your GP or Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa for more information. An IUD needs to be replaced after five years. Read about Intrauterine Device Insertion.
Surgical options
Doctors will only consider surgery to treat your heavy periods if the treatments above have not worked. You should only have surgical treatment if you do not plan to get pregnant in the future.
Surgical options include:
- Endometrial ablation. The lining of the uterus is surgically removed so that you get little or no bleeding during your periods. It's a small operation, done in the hospital under either a local or general anaesthetic. You can usually go home the same day. Pregnancy after this surgery is unlikely, but still possible. If it happens, there is a risk of miscarriage and other complications. If you've had endometrial ablation, you need to use contraception until after menopause.
- A hysterectomy where the whole uterus is removed. After a hysterectomy you will not have periods and will not be able to get pregnant.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed September 2021.
Review key: HIPER-53354
