How do I deal with this menopausal issue?

Talk to your GYN about the possibility of some control with HRT. I don’t have personal experience, mine was medical, but a couple of friends had some luck with this.

It’s a wild ride! But damn, not having to deal with all that on the other side is so nice!

Mine was medical, also, but I agree with @canidmajor about checking on HRT. It helped with my other symptoms of night sweats, grouchiness, road rage and sleep deprivation.

@tinyfaery I had a lot of bleeding when I was peri-menopausal and the Gyn discovered that I had fibroids which were treated by ablation. You want to get it checked out. Such heavy bleeding is not necessarily just a part of it.

As far as other menopausal symptoms, I had hot flashes and such but never took HRT and went through it ok enough.

No advice but I’ve had several friends tell me they had very heavy ones during the transition, too. Sorry for the hassle but congrats!!
Can you get adult diapers or Depends so you can function perhaps?

Taking hormones helped to minimize my flow (and menopause/PMS-related symptoms).

I haven’t had a heavy flow in years. But a decade ago I had blood clots and was on blood thinners for an entire year. Those periods were a nightmare. I had to take a day off work a month. I actually went to talk to our HR rep about it because I didn’t want to stay home, but couldn’t figure out another solution. I switched to cups with a heavy pad as a backup and that helped, but had to make sure to remember to go to the restroom to clean up every hour or so.

Tampon and pad?

My periods got heavier in my late 40’s, and closer together, but luckily lasted only 5 days instead of 7, which had been most of my menstruating life. It was only really heavy for two days. The last year or so I’d skip some months.

Every woman is different during this time period. I personally wouldn’t take hormones, not right away. It’s possible you will skip three months of mentstruating anyway, just like you missed two. But, I have some cardiac risks regarding taking hormones, so my cost benefit is different than other people, and generally I don’t like taking medication.

I fully support any woman who takes hormones though. I just suggested them to a friend who has had hot flashes for nine years. Each person makes their own choice.

Talk to your doctor or read articles.

It finally slowed after about 4 hours and now I’m having more of a regular period. What an awful, awful experience. I have a Gyno appointment next week so we’ll see what happens.

Thanks, ladies.

@KNOWITALL I actually thought about adult diapers but what a mess. :)

Ask about maternity pads, they can help with the hours of heaviest flow. They’re uncomfortable, but a lot of things about menopause are.

Also, if you use pads, getting a squeeze bottle to rinse when you go to the bathroom to urinate, or change a pad, I find it is very helpful to feel like you’ve cleaned away what blood is there, very similar to a bidet. I have the ones restaurants use for condiments and to decorate plates with sauce. The plastic has to be soft enough that it squeezes easily. It took me too tries to get one that works perfectly.

While you’re sitting on the toilet you can just aim it at yourself and rinse with the steady stream of water.

I was given a bottle like this in the hospital when I had my ectopic pregnancy. I’m guessing women are given them after they give birth maybe? You feel clean for a little while anyway.