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What Causes Irregular And Heavy Menstruation?

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Posted on Tue, 31 Mar 2015
Question: I am 48 years old. I did not have my period for 4 months and when it did start it lasted for 13 days with the second week being very heavy. Went to doctor who put me on hormones to stop bleeding and scheduled me for ultrasound the following week. Took pills but once I stopped I started bleeding again heavily but not as long as first time. Doctor said I would start again after I stopped pills. I just received ultrasound results. Hve two cysts on each ovaries but also endometrium thickness is measuring 12.1mm with debri and now she wants to do a biopsy or some other procedure. What could be going on? Could I have been pregnant, even tho 4 tests showed negative, and have miscarried or some other concern?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Som Biswas (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
you are not pregnant

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

I can understand your concerns.

You are having anovulatory cycles. What it means is though you have periods there are no eggs left.

This is common as you near menopausal age of 48 -50 years.

The hormones cause the endometrium to grow but as no egss are ovulating the endomterium does not shed on time and keeps getting thick.

That is why you do not get periods on time and once the endometrium has grown so thick that the uterine walls cannot support it any more it breaks and bleeds heavily.

This cycle again starts.

Another cause of thick endometrium though rarer is endometrial cancer.
though rare it should be ruled out and that is why your gynecologist has planned for a biopsy

You are most likely NOT pregnant and have NOT miscarried lately.

The two cysts in ovaries are the eggs which are not able to ovulate.

In short, you are having a variant of normal which is common in this age.
But It is better to get a biopsy done to rule out anything serious. The treatment of anovulatory cycles are precisiely the medicines which you have been getting for them.

They will normalise by the time you reach menopause i.e around 50 years of age.

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. Raju A.T
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Answered by
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Dr. Som Biswas

OBGYN

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 965 Questions

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What Causes Irregular And Heavy Menstruation?

Brief Answer: you are not pregnant Detailed Answer: Hi, I can understand your concerns. You are having anovulatory cycles. What it means is though you have periods there are no eggs left. This is common as you near menopausal age of 48 -50 years. The hormones cause the endometrium to grow but as no egss are ovulating the endomterium does not shed on time and keeps getting thick. That is why you do not get periods on time and once the endometrium has grown so thick that the uterine walls cannot support it any more it breaks and bleeds heavily. This cycle again starts. Another cause of thick endometrium though rarer is endometrial cancer. though rare it should be ruled out and that is why your gynecologist has planned for a biopsy You are most likely NOT pregnant and have NOT miscarried lately. The two cysts in ovaries are the eggs which are not able to ovulate. In short, you are having a variant of normal which is common in this age. But It is better to get a biopsy done to rule out anything serious. The treatment of anovulatory cycles are precisiely the medicines which you have been getting for them. They will normalise by the time you reach menopause i.e around 50 years of age.