Heavy periods — when they are a reason to talk to a doctor

There is no single "norm" of period heaviness you must compare yourself against. Periods differ between women and, in the same woman, across periods of life. So the key question is not "how much should I bleed?" but: is the bleeding disrupting my life?

Signs that a period is heavy include: a pad or tampon soaking through roughly every hour for several hours in a row; needing double protection (tampon and pad at once); large clots; bleeding lasting longer than a week; leaking onto clothes or bedding; giving up work, plans or activities on bleeding days. If that sounds familiar — it is worth booking an appointment. Not because something is certainly wrong, but because such bleeding can and should be looked into, and can often be eased.

One more thing matters: losing a lot of blood over time can lead to anaemia — which is why constant tiredness and weakness sometimes come with heavy periods. That is another reason to tell a doctor rather than "get used to it".

You don't have to measure or record anything for the appointment — describing what the bleeding looks like and what it gets in the way of is enough. If you wish, you can note a few observations (how many days it lasts, how often you change protection), but that is a help, not a requirement.

A separate rule: bleeding after sex, between periods, or after menopause should always be reported to a doctor — regardless of what your periods are like.

Urgent help: very heavy bleeding with weakness, dizziness, fainting or severe pain is a situation for urgent medical contact.

Sources: [1] NHS — Heavy periods; [2] NHS clinic patient leaflets.