Amount of bleeding abnormal??? - Menopause Message Board

gramma2 · 06-16-2006, 12:23 PM

In a newspaper column a while back a doctor wrote that a woman bleeds approximately 2 tablespoons of blood each period. I just recently read on a Kotex website that the average woman bleeds 4 tablespoons per period. In my mind, I'm disagreeing. So I finally did an experiment - I took red-colored water and measured 2 T and 4 T into a maxi pad. HA! I could easily fill just one pad. I, personally, fill many many pads completely full for 5 to 7 days each month - have for almost 37 years now. Am I really that abnormal????

slimseeker · 06-17-2006, 10:37 AM

Hi gramma2

You sure do bring up a good point. I have read this also, and can tell you that you're not abnormal. I know I bleed more than that at times too. I have bled almost 45 days in the past 60 due to I believe peri and know I have lost way more than that.

It makes you wonder how they ever measured this to determine this is the amount a woman bleeds, huh? I'm beginning to think this Dr. you mentioned or whoever wrote we only bleed 2 T. was a man lol.

Don't worry you're not abnormal, if that's the case, we're both among many others then considered "abnormal". I feel every woman is different and has different amounts.

You've survived 37 yrs then with this abnormal bleeding and doing just fine

Have a great one
Hugs
slimseeker

Wizard · 06-17-2006, 12:07 PM

Hi:

My sister and I have discussed this in the past. I think when they're referring to 2-4 tbsp of bleeding, they're referring to actual blood. When you menstruate, you release more than just blood though (tons of seminal fluid etc) and it's all mixed together so you release a lot more than 2-4 tblsps of fluid all told.

I would be in heaven if all I released each month was 2-4 tbsps.

gramma2 · 06-18-2006, 05:53 AM

Thank you, Slimseeker and Wizard, for your replies. Yes, the 2 T. doctor was male. And, it does make sense that the actual blood is a small amount and the other 2-3 cups is water, mucous, and stinky, clotty, stringy, messy, disgusting, what-not. LOL! What makes me mad is, why don't these "experts" elaborate and educate. The Kotex website comes across so "cutesy" I find it nauseating. All my life I've been educated that a woman menstruates once a month and around age 50 the periods begin to pause and eventually stop. I've always prided myself in being relatively healthy and "normal". My periods were always 28-30 days apart and normal, except for a 24-48 hr. migraine almost every month for 30 years (which no medicine helps, only nauseates). About two years ago, at age 47, my periods started coming 21-25 days apart and the migraines became mild and infrequent. I could live with that. Since the beginning of this year I've had 10 periods (in 6 months), as early as 14 days apart. These are full-blown, 7-10 day, crampy, bloaty, headachey, mind-racey, pad-soaking periods. I'm thinking, okay, where is the PAUSE I've heard about all my life??? Coming across occasional articles and searching the internet, I'm thinking - where is the education - why doesn't anybody talk about the truth? This website is the only thing I've found that actually talks about what REALLY happens. (I haven't done extensive research, but for most internet searches, you find pertinent, accurate information pretty quickly.) Then I read about the 2-4 tablespoons from the so-called experts. What a disservice. I'm just disappointed and frustrated with the silence that seems to be "out there" - it only perpetuates the feelings of "it must just be crazy-old me" we peri-menopausal women have at this age. Okay, I'm done ranting. I will educate myself as much as possible from this website. I will accept, and actually take comfort, that I AM normal, afterall. HAVE A NICE DAY, FELLOW PERI-MENOPAUSALS - LOVE YA! gramma2

slimseeker · 06-18-2006, 11:12 AM

Hi again, Gramma2,

You're welcome for the reply. You are so right, no one really educates us on this stuff. I have researched online about perimenopause. I have had periods every month, but this past year they come a few days earlier to 10 days later. Now in April I got a period that started on the 21st. I am still battling it now in June 18. It's the never ending period this time. I maybe have not bled only 15 days in the past 60. It varies from light to a bit heavier, but nothing bad soaking. So I researched and all the sites say you'll have irregular/eratic periods, but you can't find how irregular and eratic. Why can't they educate us on the bleeding part more??? All it says if you have bleeding between or spotting in between could be a more serious problem, yet they don't say this can also be hormonal due to perimeno. I found this site and another and found this is normal bleeding. One woman said she bled straight for 3 mos. I felt relief. Although, I will see my gyne in Aug. to make sure.

So thanks for letting me rant now LOL. Maybe we'll both feel better.

You have a great weekend!!!
Hugs
Slimseeker