What shall I do for heavy periods and anemia?

Question

Hi doctor,

I am 24 years old. I have had irregular and painful periods since I started my first period at 13. I have a kid, who is 3 now. It was a normal vaginal delivery, and I did have a fibroid that came out later that day. But as of lately, I have been having a very pink-tinted discharge with pain and discomfort.

My last menstruation was very heavy and painful. I got up from bed to go to the restroom to change, and my thighs were trickling with blood. I felt horrible with painful lower back pain and nausea, and I almost threw up from it. I got in the shower, hoping to feel better, but as soon as I got in, it felt like someone flipped my switch off.

My arms and neck went limp, and everything started to go white. My mother helped me to lie down in bed. Then, I felt cold, clammy, and shivering. I took two Tylenol to help with the pain, which it did. I went to the doctor that day, and she just drew my blood and said I was anemic and not pregnant. I followed up with a gynecologist; he said it could be endometriosis and everything else is fine.

He also told me that I have high-risk HPV. I have had a transvaginal ultrasound that showed everything pretty much fine except for the follicles on my ovaries. I am so confused about my health condition.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I hope you are feeling better now.

Have you started on Iron tablets? I would suggest tablet Livogen XT (combination of Iron, Folic acid and Zinc sulfate) once at night with a glass of lime juice for better absorption. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her and take the medicine with consent.

Continue the above for a minimum of three months. You will feel better in about one or two weeks. I also suggest a deworming medicine tonight and skip the Iron tablet. A single dose of 400 mg Albendazole is sufficient. From tomorrow onwards, restart the Iron tablets. This should take care of anemia.

With regards to the endometriosis, this is something that can only be confirmed by seeing with the eyes under a laparoscopy. If your doctor wants to take a look under laparoscopy, then you should consider it once your hemoglobin is back up.

The advantage is that any endometriotic lesions can be burnt with cautery at the same time, and if it is a fibroid that is causing these symptoms, then it can also be treated simultaneously by laparoscopy if it is average-sized. Endometriotic cysts can also be treated if found at the same time. The rest of your scan sounds normal (attachment removed to protect patient identity), so do not worry.

Hope I have addressed all of your queries and concerns.

Do follow up whenever needed.

Thank you.