Abnormal Periods Specialist
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Triangle Women's Center
Obstetricians & Gynecologists located in Morrisville, Fuquay-Varina, & Cary, NC
Many women live with abnormal periods for so long they don’t realize their bleeding is unusual and that it may signal an underlying gynecologic problem. At Triangle Women’s Center in Fuquay-Varina, Cary, and Morrisville, North Carolina, Haritha Nadendla, MD, FACOG, offers compassionate care for women whose periods are abnormally heavy, irregular, too long, or too short. Dr. Nadendla specializes in innovative procedures such as NovaSure® endometrial ablation that permanently treats heavy periods. You should not put up with abnormal periods. Call the office or use online booking to schedule an appointment today.
Abnormal Periods Q & A
What does it mean to have abnormal periods?
Some women never know precisely when their periods will start each month, while other women can pinpoint the exact day their cycle begins. On average, however, your menstrual periods should occur every 21-35 days and lasts for seven days or less.
Abnormal periods come in many forms. You may have prolonged or heavy periods (menorrhagia), irregular bleeding between periods (metrorrhagia), or cycles that are shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days. Some women develop amenorrhea, which means they don’t have any periods for at least three monthly cycles.
How do I know if my periods are too heavy?
You have heavier than typical periods if you meet any of the following criteria.
- Bleeding that lasts more than seven days
- Soaking through one or more tampons or pads every hour
- Needing to wear more than one pad
- Needing to change pads or tampons during the night
- Passing blood clots the size of a quarter or larger
If you have heavy periods or any other type of abnormal bleeding, schedule an exam at Triangle Women’s Center, so Dr. Nadendla can identify and treat the cause of your problem.
What causes abnormal menstrual periods?
Abnormal menstrual periods arise from many possible gynecologic causes, including:
- Endometrial polyps
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Hormone imbalance
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Intrauterine device (IUD)
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Thyroid disorders, certain medications, stress, being underweight or overweight, intensive exercise, and eating disorders may also affect your menstrual periods.
How do you treat abnormal periods?
Dr. Nadendla determines the best treatment based on the underlying cause of your abnormal periods. Treatment always begins with conservative therapies such as medications to help regulate your menstrual cycle. However, you may need minimally invasive surgery such as a hysteroscopy to treat conditions such as polyps and fibroids.
If you have heavy periods, and you don’t want to get pregnant in the future, Dr. Nadendla may recommend endometrial ablation.
What should I expect during an endometrial ablation?
Endometrial ablation is a procedure to destroy or ablate the tissues lining your uterus. After the lining is removed, your periods get significantly lighter or stop. Dr. Nadendla uses NovaSure® uterine ablation, an innovative medical device that sends gentle radiofrequency (RF) energy into the uterine lining. The heat from the RF energy ablates the uterine lining, treating all the tissues in a procedure that only takes five minutes.
If you have abnormal periods, call Triangle Women’s Center or schedule an appointment online.
