Q: Hello, I am getting sick for one or two weeks and I vomit blood when I am on my menstrual period. And when I menstruate, I am on heavy flow with thick clots. My period doesn’t stop on the fifth day. I continue to menstruate for more than 10 day
A: A ‘regular’ menstrual cycle is supposedly one in which the cycle (the length of time from the 1st day of a menstrual period to the first day of the next menstrual period) is about 28 days but there is nothing abnormal about cycles that fall outside of this range. It could range from about 24 days to 34 days with ovulation happening at mid cycle. Indeed, in some women each period appears to have a different cycle. For young girls who have just started menstruating, skipped or irregular periods may occur. So, if you have a 24-day cycle, technically, you could see your period twice in a month.
There are also people with irregular periods. What do people refer to as irregular periods? Well, if the time between each period changes, or the length of days of the period changes or indeed when the quantity of blood lost during each period changes, the period is termed irregular. What can cause these changes? They include:
- Changes in hormone levels, as is
common in the puberty period or menopausal period.
• Excessive weight loss or excessive weight gain
• Problems with the thyroid (hyperthyroidism)
• Polycystic Ovary Disease (PCOD)
• Scarring from previous surgery in the uterus
• Pregnancy cannot be overlooked as a cause of irregular bleeding and has to be checked out.
• Breast feeding mothers may also experience irregular periods as the hormones released may delay return of menstruation. Remember, however, that this is not an effective means of contraception.
So, it’s always a good idea to keep a record of your periods: length of cycles, number of days the period lasts, presence of pain etc. If you keep a chart of this over time, you would be able to know what is normal for you.
Treatment of irregular periods depends on cause: fibroids, PCOD, hyperthyroidism all have to be treated. If irregularity is due to stress, learning coping mechanisms or relaxation techniques may help. Reduce weight or go easy on your exercise routine, if weight issues are a problem.
However, be sure to see your doctor if your period is consistently below 21 days or more than 35 days, if you menstruate for longer than one week, bleed in between periods or experience severe cramps.
For related topics, please click on https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/06/27/daily-health-tips-why-do-i-have-scanty-periods/
For clots, there are usually differences from one woman to the other and even from period to period in the same person.
The uterus (womb) usually prepares to receive a fertilized egg every month and when that fails, the thickened lining of the uterus which had prepared to receive a baby is shed. Usually, this blood does not contain clots as anti-coagulants in blood ensure that this doesn’t happen.
However, if the blood is flowing faster than the anticoagulants can work, then clots appear. This would usually happen on the heaviest day of the flow as appears to be the case here. So, clots do not necessarily suggest a problem.
But, if this appears to be the case on all or most days of the period, or you find that you’re using a sanitary towel per hour for several hours, please see your gynaecologist. Conditions that may lead to excessive bleeding and therefore, clots in blood during a menstrual period include a miscarriage (of a pregnancy), fibroids, dramatic recent weight loss, thyroid problems, large uterus etc If this is further accompanied by feeling of faintness, tiredness and paleness, you should head to the hospital immediately.
Vomiting during periods is not strange. It is due to one of the hormones released during the menstrual cycle, prostaglandin. It causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. Vomiting blood though is a symptom of something completely different eg bleeding gut. Please check it out in the hospital immediately.
I hope this helps 🙂