HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Suggest Treatment For Painful Prolonged Menstruation And Tingling Sensation In Legs

Posted on Mon, 7 Sep 2015

Question: My 45 year old girlfriend has suffered from very painful, longer periods for the last 6 months with lots of bleeding. I believe she has been diagnosed with fibroids. She is very fit, 5' 4" and 120 pounds. She walks many miles a week. She eats healthy organic foods most of the time. Her gynecologist has put her on hormone therapy to try and get her period under control. All was OK for a couple of weeks, but now she has had pain in both legs with tingling. An ultrasound did not find any blood clots. She stopped taking the hormones for a week now but the pain in her legs is still there and very slowly improving. The doctor wants her to go back on the hormones and thinks the leg pain is something else. I disagree. My girlfriend has not had any previous issues and rarely takes medicines.
What is going on with her leg pain? Will it improve? Should she go back on the hormones or no?

Answered by Dr. Srilatha Myaka (31 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Surgery might be needed

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,welcome to healthcare magic.I understand your concern.
Iam sorry for your condition.
In my opinion she has fibroids which resulted in heavy bleeding.This excessive bleeding might have resulted in anaemia leading to weakness and pain of both legs along with tingling.
Hormonal treatment might not be advisable at this age.
Its good that the ultrasound revealed no clots.
Symptomatic fibroids usually need a surgical management above 40yrs of age.
I suggest you to rule out anaemia, diabetes by doing Hb and screening for diabetes.
Also a D&C might be needed to rule out any associated endometrial abnormality.
Hope this satisfies your query.
Feel free to discuss furthur.
Best regards....Dr.Srilatha

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Srilatha Myaka (1 hour later)

The excessive bleeding in her periods has been going on for 6 months but never with any pain or tingling in the legs. The pain and tingling started 3 weeks after going on hormone treatment.

You recommend she not be on hormones at her age and might need surgery for fibroids; OK will take into account.

But since the pain started only 3 weeks after going on the hormones, what is causing the pain and will it go away if she stays off hormones?

Also, she is to fly to Israel in 1 month. Any advice regarding flying ?

Answered by Dr. Srilatha Myaka (10 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Anaemia need to be ruled out

Detailed Answer:
Hello dear,goodday.I got your query.I understand your concern.
In my opinion deep venous thrombosis(DVT) might present with pain in calf while walking,swelling and redness of leg.Mostly it might be unilateral ie.,one leg.Ultrasound helps in diagnosis.
So your symptoms are not going in favour of it and ultrasound also dint reveal any clot.
So though the hormones are not cause for leg pains her age is a limiting factor to be under hormonal therapy.So its good to refrain from hormones.
She might be in a compensated state though she was bleeding so dint feel any symptoms while bleeding.Now that her Hb level might have depleted enough and caused decompensated state due to which symptoms are felt.
Kindly consider doing complete blood counts and also screening for diabetes to rule out any neurological abnormality.
As there is no DVT she can fly.Frequent movement of legs during the journey and elastic stockings might be helpful.
Iam sorry as definite diagnosis cannot be made on this platform as it needs physical examination of the patient and necessary investigations.
Hope this satisfies your query.
Feel free to discuss furthur.
Best regards...Dr.Srilatha

Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar