Tools
Is my period too heavy?
Seven questions based on the signs doctors use to recognise heavy menstrual bleeding.
Everything is calculated on your phone. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
01I soak through a pad or tampon every one to two hours
02I pass clots larger than a one rupee coin
03My period lasts more than seven days
04I have to change protection during the night
05I feel tired, breathless or dizzy during or after my period
06I bleed between periods or after sex
07I have bled after reaching menopause
How this works
Based on NICE guidance on heavy menstrual bleeding, which defines it by its effect on your life rather than by a measured amount, together with the symptoms that suggest anaemia.
Sources
- NICE NG88: Heavy menstrual bleeding, assessment and management (2018, updated 2021)
This is an estimate to help you plan, not a diagnosis. Your doctor may advise differently.
Common questions
Questions we are asked most.
General information, not medical advice for your situation. Bring your own question to a consultation.
Ask on WhatsApp- How heavy is too heavy for a period?
- Soaking a pad or tampon every hour or two, passing clots larger than a rupee coin, bleeding for more than seven days, needing to change protection at night, or feeling breathless and tired. Any of these is worth investigating rather than tolerating.
- Are irregular periods always PCOS?
- No. Thyroid disorders, high prolactin, significant weight change, stress, some medicines and the years approaching menopause all cause irregular cycles. PCOS is diagnosed on a combination of cycle pattern, examination, blood tests and a scan, not on the cycle alone.
Appointments
Bring the question you have been putting off.
Tell us your name, a number to reach you on and roughly what it is about. Nothing medical is needed to book. That conversation belongs in the room.