How heavy is too heavy for a period?
Answered by the AskDoc Medical Team · Medically reviewed under our Medical Director, MBBS
Soaking a pad or tampon every hour for several hours, clots larger than a coin, bleeding beyond seven days, or flooding through protection at night all count as heavy, whatever anyone in the family normalized.
Heavy periods are the most common cause of iron deficiency in women, so tiredness, breathlessness and hair shedding often tag along; a ferritin test belongs in the workup.
Fibroids, polyps, thyroid problems and bleeding disorders are all findable and treatable. Two heavy cycles in a row deserve an appointment, not another year of coping.
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Only after a blood test
If a blood test shows low ferritin, iron tablets rebuild your stores over three to six months. Do not self-dose without the test: in men and women past menopause, low iron needs its cause found first, because it can signal hidden bleeding.
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