Scary period! (warning: graffic and LONG)

[booberry]

Two months ago, I took my first-ever trip in an ambulance. I'd had a very stressful week, and I noticed my period wasn't on schedule. I'd already had PMS, and had bloating, but for some reason it just didn't come. I paid little attention to my body and my energy remained focussed on my stressful life.

 

On the third or fourth day after my period should have started I woke up feeling slightly strange. I couldnt really explain it, but there was just something not right about my body. I couldnt stand sitting, and was starting to panic, feeling a bit like a caged animal. Then the menstral cramps started. Cramps so intense I haven't felt them this bad since I was a very young teenager (I used to barf and pass out sometimes). My first instinct was to go into the bathroom, but... I didnt even know why. I just wanted to be as comfortable as I could. I went in there and sat on the toilet, and started feeling worse. I broke out into a sweat and started getting dizzy. My lips started tingling and I felt like my clothes were choking me. I took them off, and my head started to feel heavy. Then the pain was so intense I felt like I was drunk, and I started to think (just then! lol) that something was seriously wrong. I couldnt control my limbs anymore, and I started calling for help. No one could hear me, and part of me was so ashamed. They were going to find me naked in the bathroom?? I tried to stand up off of the toilet and put my clothes back on, and a wave of nausea swept over me. I passed out cold.

 

I think only a few seconds passed (I think the blood rushed back to my brain) and I got up again and kept calling. I passed out two more times and propped myself back onto the toilet. The pain was still overwhelming, but I kinda felt like I was outside myself at this time. That's when I passed some kinda scary large blood clot. We all get blood clots now and then, but this was the mother.

 

Immediately I started feeling better, though I was still incredibly disoriented and still was worried I was going to pass out. I stopped calling for help and made it back to my room where I called 911. They asked me where I lived, and I was so embarrassed because I was slurring my words and couldnt remember where I lived at first. I was stressed and crying, and unfortunately, started having an asthma attack. The operator luckily recognized this and told me to stop crying and try to stay calm or I was going to make my breathing worse. I did and she said the ambulance would be there soon.

 

I live in a strange house that rents out rooms. it has four different floors with about 10 to 15 rooms on each floor (big old victorian house). I knew if I passed out again, they might take a while to find me, so I made my way downstairs. Just five minutes had passed, and my head was clearing completely. I lay on the bench outside and waited. Lying down and getting some fresh air made me feel fine. I mean, asside from the fact that I was still a bit shaken up, I felt PERFECTLY normal.

 

When the paramedics arrived 10 minutes later and took me to the hospital just incase. I was so embarrassed that they'd come all the way out there and I felt fine.

 

At the hospital, the doctor was so sure that it was a miscarriage. I told him that I have a long distance boyfriend, and the last time I'd seen him and had intercourse was a month and a half ago. I'd had a period since then. He was still focussing so much attention on this idea and did a pregnancy test - which came back negative. The test took about half an hour for the results to come back, and when they finally did, the doctor didnt say much to me. He told me my test was negative and to "always use protection" like this had been some kinda of pregnancy scare!

 

HELLO!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO ME?????? You're a doctor, tell me? I waited for him to offer more info, and finally said, "so... what was it then?"

 

He said he didnt know, but my body had definitely gone through shock trying to pass this clot through a small "pin hole" as he called it.

 

O.k.... thanks... I'll make sure to use protection. psht.

 

I understand that a woman's uterus and "female goodies" are her centre, and that stress can often affect your periods and such. But to this degree??? What the heck happened to me? My mom suggested I go and get some sort of... scraping of my uterus, and "clean house" so to speak. She said back in her day girls used to have this done every four years or so, and it was particularly important for women in their early twenties for some reason. Girls back then used to think that douching every day was important too, though.

 

Are these old wives tales like fur growing on your palms when you masturbate, or should I get checked out and "clean house"? My two periods since have been slightly more painful than usual, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

 

Any thoughts?

[SheWolf]

Mothers usually know, I'd take her advice and get checked out. But honestly I've never really heard of anything in that sort, sounds really scary. I hope you feel better.

[doyathink]

You know, this has happened to me too only on a smaller scale...I didnt completely pass out but I was close. I don't know why this happens, but it does. Our body must be under intense stress at this time and it goes into chaos. It's scary!

 

Are you on BC? Thats when it would happen to me.

[booberry]

You know, this has happened to me too only on a smaller scale...I didnt completely pass out but I was close. I don't know why this happens, but it does. Our body must be under intense stress at this time and it goes into chaos. It's scary!

 

Are you on BC? Thats when it would happen to me.

 

No I'm not. I'm a little pissed that the doctor didnt have any info to offer. I thought it might have been some kinda of crazy form of Toxic Shock Syndrom because my blood stayed in my body so long. But I dont think so anymore. I just wish i knew WHY (aside from the striess) so I could try to prevent it in the future.

[doyathink]

That doesn't surprise me tho, I've went to the doctor over something and they never tell me what is causing it....they have no clue, even when they run tests. I was having dizzy spells where I would pass out and they did all these tests......never could find out what it was! grrrr

[booberry]

That doesn't surprise me tho, I've went to the doctor over something and they never tell me what is causing it....they have no clue, even when they run tests. I was having dizzy spells where I would pass out and they did all these tests......never could find out what it was! grrrr

 

Yeah, the paramedics when they heard how much blood I lost (and took my blood pressure) figured I'd passed out from the blood loss. I have ALWAYS had low blood pressure, I told them. Maybe you do too?

[doyathink]

I do!!! But I know not to stand up fast and things like that. This was happening when I was just walking down the street or just standing there talking to someone. I think you would have to lose a lot of blood for that to be the reason. I bet you miscarried because when you go into labor the same thing happens.....some women will puke and pass out.

[booberry]

I think you would have to lose a lot of blood for that to be the reason. I bet you miscarried because when you go into labor the same thing happens.....some women will puke and pass out.

 

Yeah, I think the paramedics said that because at that time, they had no idea what was wrong. But no, the pregnancy test came back negative so I didnt misscarry.

[doyathink]

No, the pregnancy test came back negative. I didnt misscarry.

 

but, sometimes you can have a false negative. My sister in law had a miscarriage and didn't even know she was pregnant. She had her periods and when they did a test on her it showed it was negative too, BUT...the baby had been dead for over a month and she was soo sick from it, They did a D and C on her.

[Haven]

You could go see another doctor. What happened to you sounds pretty serious.. you don't want to risk it happening again. The next time you could hit your head on something and suffer a concussion.. I think it's pretty lucky that nothing like that happened to you this time. I doubt anyone on this forum is going to know enough to offer reliable medical advice.. you might want to go see another doctor.

 

Oh.. and by the way.. if you don't weigh a lot, losing blood can cause you to faint. That's why you have to weigh at least 110 lbs to donate blood.. I've known people who lied about their weight, donated blood, and then passed out a while later. Also, if you have anemia, it can also cause you to pass out.

[booberry]

I had no idea That scares me. do you think that's why the doctor was making a big deal about informing me about using a few methods of bc?

 

also, what's a D and C?

[booberry]

Oh.. and by the way.. if you don't weigh a lot, losing blood can cause you to faint. That's why you have to weigh at least 110 lbs to donate blood.. I've known people who lied about their weight, donated blood, and then passed out a while later. Also, if you have anemia, it can also cause you to pass out.

I definitely am within a healthy weight (130lbs give or take 5)

[ForAnother]

I just wanted to say wow. Sorry booberry. I think there is a doctor who patrols these forums and might be able to give you a good answer. I'd suggest looking for another doctor perhaps to check it out.

 

-ForAnother

[AntiLove_SuperStar]

I think - and I'm by no means a doctor, but I'm medicine obsessed - you had some kind of benign cyst that burst or similiar, and you then had a panic attack, which compounded all the scary "passing out type" symptoms.

 

Doctors..."a miscarriage?!" I bet you'd rather have him just ADMIT he didn't know, for goodness' sake!

[shes2smart]

also, what's a D and C?

 

link removed

 

It's not something that is done unless there's a reason to have it done, though...so, I'm not sure what your mom was talking about when she said girls used to have it done on a regular basis. I'm 42, started having periods about the age of 13 and have been diagnosed with PCOS and I've never had one. (The wikipedia article claims that the procedure is commonly done on women with PCOS)

 

Follow up with your gynecologist. A doc that specializes in the workings of the female reproductive system is going to be better able to answer your questions than a general practitioner or ER doc. GPs/ER docs have to know a little bit about a lot of things in order to do their jobs, while a specialist (like a gyno) is going to know a lot about one specific area in order to do their job.

 

Although, going to the gyno this much after the fact isn't going to be so much a "finding out exactly what the heck happened" as "check me out and make sure I'm ok so it doesn't happen again."

 

One other thing to keep in mind: Although we'd like to believe that doctors have all the answers about the mysteries of the innerworkings of the human body, fact of the matter is that medicine is as much "art" as it is "science," and a lot of times they're just guessin'. Now, due to their training, a doc may be able to make a more accurate guess than you, however, I've found my experience with docs to be much better when I look at them as someone who's going to work with me rather than an all-knowing authority. I have to take the responsibility to know my own body, what's "normal" for it, and learn (to the best of my ability) how it functions. That means doing things like researching conditions I've been diagnosed with or drugs I have been prescribed, or reading about general health information like the difference between viral and bacterial infections and things I can do to avoid them and even stuff like eating a healthy diet and making sure I exercise on a regular basis.

[sparkle1]

People are saying some really good stuff on this thread,

 

I think you need to get to the bottom of this....it worries me you live on your own and no one could hear you call for help.

 

May i also suggest you take an iron supplement? A lot of blood loss can make you anemic (sorry can't spell today!) which will cause you to feel faint and light headed.

 

It sounds to me like a miscarriage. I had period like pains whilst i was pregnant and just thought "i'm going to get my period" (which freaked me out) and when i miscarried i was just like you, but didn't pass out. The pain was horrific, and the blood loss extreme. Just becoz you had a negative P test doesn't mean you weren't pregnant.

 

I would definitely push for this to be sorted preferably by a gyne.

 

 

Such fun being a women isn't it?!

 

Hugs

 

Sparkle xxxx

[eleanorrigby1]

I have really heavy periods with clots and I am aneamic constantly because of this. I get dizzy, sick, vomit, diareahh (sp?!) when I get my period. I have also spent many night crying wimpering on my hands and knees in the bathroom with my mobile phone next to me incase I need to ring for help. It can be quite terrifying when it happens.

 

It does sound like you suffered from slight shock but I think also you maybe had a panic attack.

 

sounds really scary! Im glad you are okay.x

[jengh]

Panic attact mixed with possibly endometriosis...Get a good pelvic exam. And a pap smear. And, have your tsh 4 and other hormone levels tested.

 

Please, please, make sure you insist on this. I found out last nite my beautiful little daughter has level 2 or 3 cancer...she has been having cramps and a vaginal discharge for a few months. She had her exam and her pap smear came back positive. The dr. took her in that day, did another more through pelvic exam, and she has 3 large growths on her cervix. The dr,. said she probubly won't be able to have any more kids.I am out of my mind right now.... there is nothing I can do for her. I can't stop crying...

 

i am so so sorry rodeo rider..i wish i knew what to say, but i don't... just.. i'm sorry

 

---

So, I might have missed this, but have you or haven't you seen your gynecologist? If you haven't yet, DO it... like the other posters, she will have a much better idea of what might be going on. She can get the labs from the hospital and the records... Wow, though, that sounds so scary. You certainly handled it better than I would've

[the yang to the worlds yin]

I used to have a similar thing happen to me consistently in the weeks around my period, minus the blood clot part. All I can suggest is that what helped me incredibly was birth control. But because yours isn't consistent, and not normal for you, I honestly don't know what to tell you, aside from good luck.

[booberry]

Im sorry rodeo-rider for your troubles. hang in there, and thank you for sharing

 

Thank you all for the advice. Since I've been feeling almost back to normal for the last two periods, I don't think I need to worry about it being something serious, however I am DEFINITELY going to get a pelvic exam and enquire about a D & C.

 

What does upset me is the thought I may have miscarried. I'm starting to agree with some of you that that is what happened, especially considering the doctor's reaction. I was taking real comfort in the fact that my test had come back negative.

[doyathink]

booberry,didn't you say that the paramedics took the 'blood clot' with them to the hospital? Didn't they test it to see if it truly was a miscarriage?

 

RR...My prayers are with you and your daughter. I'm sooo sorry to hear she is going through this. Your a great mom and I'm sure your support for her means a lot...hang in there!

[booberry]

booberry,didn't you say that the paramedics took the 'blood clot' with them to the hospital? Didn't they test it to see if it truly was a miscarriage?

 

No, I never said that. I lost all that that blood and the clot just after I propped myself back up onto the toilet.

[englishwoman41]

Hi, i passed out about 4 hours ago from this. I dont take the pill and have not had sex for about 8 months but my period was late. I went shopping and had a dizzy head and my friend had to bring me home. I have had to change my drawers 3 times in an hour and have passed great big lumps of blood or clots and its driving me nuts. I had a pap test that was fine last week and 3 blood tests all fine and im quite fit apart from having suffered bi polar. I eat a very healthy diet and swim most days and i feel sooo ill and wiped out today.

[booberry]

Has this happened to you before? Or do any of those symptoms happen to you on a regular basis?

[CharLit]

Hi Booberry,

 

I'm afraid i can't shed any more light on what happened to you either, but I just wanted to say I had something very similar happen to me when I was 14: very sudden extreme cramps and very heavy bleeding in the middle of the night, accompanied by sweating, dizzines and nausea. I didn't see a doctor about it afterwards, as it simply went away by itself within an hour or two. My family was there to calm me down, and my mother said this kind of thing simply happened occasionally.

 

I just wanted to tell you this because it happened years before I became sexually active, so what happened to you wasn't necessarily a miscarriage: The negative pregnancy test also appears to point in that direction. Also, it hasn't happened to me again in the 11 years since, hopefully it will turn out to be just a freak incident for you as well. Do go and see your gyno if you're still worried about it!

 

Take care,

 

C