Folake had learned to plan business trips, client meetings, and wardrobe choices around her period. She assumed heavy bleeding was just "how she was made." At Mascot Healthcare, she discovered it was a treatable hormonal condition — and she didn't have to live this way.
Marketing manager, Victoria Island. Presented with progressively worsening menorrhagia — soaking 6–8 pads per day, passing large clots, and experiencing fatigue and near-syncope during periods for 8 months.
Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding (DUB)Folake's mother had "always had heavy periods." Her older sister too. So when Folake started soaking through pads at 24, she assumed it was genetic destiny. She bought the thickest overnight pads, learned to wear dark colours during the first three days, and told herself it was just inconvenient — not a problem.
By 32, the bleeding had gotten worse. She was passing clots the size of a large coin. During a particularly heavy cycle in June, she nearly fainted in a client meeting — she managed to sit down quickly and excused herself. That was the moment she decided to see a doctor.
She arrived at Mascot Healthcare expecting to be told her uterus was fine. She was not fully prepared for a haemoglobin of 9.2 — mildly anaemic. "You've been losing this much blood every month for years," the doctor said. "Your body has been compensating, but it's catching up with you."
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding causes menstrual blood loss heavy enough to disrupt daily life. Folake had normalised her symptoms for nearly a year before seeking help.
Heavy flow requiring pad changes every 2 hours for the first 3 days; sometimes overnight flooding.
Passing clots larger than a 50-kobo coin — a sign of very heavy menstrual blood loss.
Menstrual duration extending well beyond the normal 3–7 days.
Progressive tiredness throughout the month; near-fainting on one occasion while standing in a client meeting.
Pallor, nail ridging, and haemoglobin of 9.2 g/dL on blood count — consequence of chronic blood loss.
Heavy-duty overnight pads (multiple brands) — managed symptom rather than cause.
Ibuprofen during periods — mild reduction in flow; insufficient for this degree of bleeding.
Iron tablets bought over the counter — inconsistently taken; subtherapeutic.
Avoiding strenuous activity during periods — adaptive behaviour; did not address bleeding.
The doctor ordered a full blood count (haemoglobin 9.2 g/dL), thyroid function (normal), and a pelvic ultrasound (normal uterine anatomy, no fibroids or polyps). The diagnosis: dysfunctional uterine bleeding — abnormally heavy menstrual bleeding without a structural cause, related to hormonal imbalance in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.
Treatment was started with a medication to reduce blood loss during periods and a hormone to regulate the cycle. She was also started on iron supplementation to correct her anaemia. For longer-term management, the combined contraceptive pill was discussed and started after shared decision-making.
An ultrasound follow-up was scheduled for 3 months to confirm the uterus remained structurally normal.
Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding — DUB (structural causes excluded on ultrasound; iron-deficiency anaemia secondary to chronic blood loss)
Medication to reduce menstrual blood loss; a cycle-regulating hormone; combined contraceptive pill started; iron supplementation; repeat FBC at 6 weeks
First treated cycle: blood loss reduced by approximately 60%. Haemoglobin at 6 weeks: 11.4 g/dL. On the contraceptive pill, periods now 4–5 days, normal flow.
After two cycles of treatment, Folake's periods were 4–5 days with normal flow. Her haemoglobin recovered to 11.8 g/dL. She no longer plans her life around her period.
Heavy periods are not a character trait or an inheritance. Menorrhagia is a clinical condition with effective treatments. Normalising it delays diagnosis and allows progressive anaemia to develop silently.
If you are soaking more than one pad per hour, passing large clots, or your period lasts more than 7 days — these are thresholds that warrant medical assessment.
Heavy periods are not normal — they're treatable. Don't wait for a near-faint to seek help.
Book an appointment at Mascot Healthcare, Akoka — same-day slots often available, 4.9★ rated.