Here's another wierd one. Is it normal to have really large clots during your period? My lower back hurts a bit because I've been on my feet all day, and suddenly these big clots-like I've never seen before- are just flowing out of me. I'd say they are approximately 1.5" long by .5" wide. I've never had something like this. Just wondering if I need to make any appointment with the GYN.

They can sometimes be a sign of something else...nothing to be too worried about. For example, I have an underactive thyroid and one of the symptoms, when my levels are off (low), is having a lot of those large clots during my period.
If you're worried, then definitely talk to your doctor...at least it will give you peice of mind.

Clots in your period are totally normal, unless they're REALLLLY big... but, since you've never had them like that before, it might reassure you to see your doctor. I bet you're fine, though.

My friend got her period 10 days late... and then when she got her period it was very clotty... so it was a miscarriage...

Most women pass clots the first few days... if they become painful I would go to the doctor

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Wots-A-Wuv-
Lee

First day or so of my period it's actually abnormal for me to NOT see clots.

Lots of blood flowing together will form a clot. If it didn't clot, you'd bleed a lot more and it would be a lot more painful.

im on my period at the moment and normally i have a few clots but this time ALL it has been LITERALLY is clots. im a virgin so it's not a miscarriage but i am 3 weeks late, so im not worried about it and am just putting it down to being late. it is a little bit of a concern, however that it's all "solid" with absolutely no "liquid". perhaps it will improve :s

i dunno about ur large clots. But smaller clots are normal... so my doctor has told me.

I called my GYN about a similar problem. Those larger clots are normal for me, as well as smaller ones. I called him because I was in the bathtub & literally gave birth to one. It was about as big as my fist in all aspects. I thought I was dying & it looked like my internal organs were falling out or something--geez! Anyway, we did a study of my family history & it turns out that my mom's side has this & it's normal for me, because it's hereditary. My grandmother even used to have to be scraped occasionally. It's just a large buildup of tissue. (I have other problems with my period as well linked to the same thing & I have since I was 12, but that's a different topic & we're trying to determine if my hormones are off balance) So, it could be something or it could just be normal for you. Call your Dr. & ask. Couldn't hurt.

the clots passing through are actually what causes cramps. the recommendation is usually to drink a lot of water to thin them out. hope it helps.

I actually have the opposite problem, when I'm not clotting I have cramps bad enough to make me vomit & hallucinate, & sometimes I pass out. I hope for clots because otherwise the flow is rediculous. I can bleed through a super plus tampon & past an overnight pad together in 2 hours. Mine lasts for 7 days anymore. That also thrills me, I used to be worse & it lasted from 14-21 days.
I think that the "however many tablespoons lost" thing is something a man came up with.

If you bleed that much you might want to go get tested for anemia or hypovolemia, which are both problems in your blood that can be caused by excessive bleeding.

I do have the tests done, because I have an iron resistance. (I was severely anemic when I was 15) I'm fine now-thankfully, because I can go to the bathroom like normal people now-large quantities of iron is very binding. The doctors don't know what's wrong with me--because obviously that wasn't it--I told them that too. After 13 years, they're finally thinking I have something wrong with my hormone levels. (the speed of modern medicine--you gotta love it!) Because I'm on my period bleeding like that for 7 days straight, & lactating. I don't have children, nor have I ever been pregnant. When I get insurance, I have to go for extensive bloodwork & cranial scans.

The only definitive answers I've gotten are: Your bloodwork came out fine--you're not anemic anymore, & the big clots are normal, you have a family history of it. Other than that all my Dr's disagree with each other.
I just want what's wrong with me fixed--is that too much to ask? I just wanna cry sometimes.

Hormone therapy might help you -- can you take the birth control pill? I used to have THE worst (cramps-wise) and THE heaviest periods until I started taking Alesse, and now my whole hormonal system has just calmed right down. My period lasts .. 3, 4 days tops, counting the spotting, as opposed to the full week or more it used to last.

It takes awhile for these effects to happen (I've been on Alesse for 2 years) but it's been such a gorgeous pill for me that I would recommend it to anybody who can take it.

Sadly, I can't take the pill--or any type of BC like that. When I was on it, I think something happened with my body chemistry. I started REALLY showing symptoms of a mental illness & actually got homicidal, & I started it not long before I started having sex--that's when I started lactating. Since I've been off it, I haven't been the same. I'd gone back to self mutillating & eventually tried to commit suicide. My family Dr. listened to all that happened & looked through my past files. Then he told me as soon as I get insurance, see my GYN & have him order the tests right away. (I was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder by my PSYCH. The meds help slightly, but not enough.) Anyway, fam Dr. said after reviewing my case, he suspects a hormone inballance causing most of my problems. If there's something wrong with my hypothalamus, there's a good chance that's what's causing my mental problems as well, & I show signs that could actually be the case, & it's been researched & published by the AMA in their journal that there is a corrolation. But, the tests are going to cost a minimum of $500K, so his advice is get insurance ASAP. Once I can find a job, I can do that. It's so overwhelming....but I HAVE to know. Once & for all I have to find out what's wrong with me & fix it. I'm tired of playing that "I don't know", "It's inconclusive" or "We didn't find anything yet" game with the Dr's. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif(

Silverwillow, I hope your gyn or doc can help you....ouch!!!!

Ok, i finally get periods about every 33-45 days. But they last for 2-3 days, and not really heavy. My last was watery. But cramps from hell!
Tink

You're not alone on this either, my mother actually had a partial hysterectomy (they removed her uterus) because her periods were so bad!!!

She used to get them every 2 weeks and menstruate for a week straight.

two weeks off, one week on, two weeks off...

And she had cramps like I did!

Originally posted by wrin:
my mother actually had a partial hysterectomy (they removed her uterus) because her periods were so bad!

I have to ask this! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wink.gif

If she only had a partial hysterectomy and they removed her uterus, then which "part" did they not remove?

Obviously, this was after she gave birth to you - and likely a couple of others http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif - but it certainly is the "ultimate cure" - has been for a long time and despite variations such as the "rollerball" and the "balloon cooker", looks like being so for a while yet.

Hey but doesnt aspirin helps with the clots? I have heard so. I havent ever tried myself because Im allergic to aspirin and unfortunatetly cannt take any of this but I have heard aspirin as it liquifies blood helps with this.


Mari

I think my mom's hystorectomy was a partial too. They only took her uterus, not her overies. The women on my mom's side have suffered in the past the way I do now. Why couldn't it be something not so debilitating? (I hate passing out in stores while I'm shopping!)

I'm never going to have kids anyway, why do I have to go through this!!?? I don't want to have any kids--afraid of doing so. Also, ex-b/f doesn't want kids either. (working on patching up our relationship right now)

As for the asprin, yes it does thin your blood & disolves clots. Works like a charm on pain too. I wasn't supposed to take it before because I'm asthmatic, (but I did anyway) & now I'm forbidden to do so because of the Lithium I'm on. I'm very limited in my choice of relief from anything.

Hi,
My doctor put me on provera for 5 days the start my period a continue having a normal one. But I'm on day 9 right now with it and it's not getting any easier. He has also put me on Clomid. I've finished all meds. But I've always had clotting but I actuslly pasted one the size of a baseball. Talking about a pain from hell. My dh and I are tring to get pg and I really don't know if I'm going to get though it. But I can tell you what my doctor has told me he said usally the clots are old blood that is trapped in there and was unable to be released. But if you have never done this before I would see your on doctor pretty soon. It never hurts to ask.Also if you are doing this now it may mean that your body is not doing what it's suspose to about cleaning itself out porperly.
Sissyloo