# Aspirin, Ibuprophin, Naproxysn, their effect on a woman's "monthlies", probably TMI **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087 "2005-07-05T01:21:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087/1 "2005-07-05T01:21:23Z")
I am in my mid 40’s, I have had seven pregnancies, three miscarriages, and given birth to four children, and am now in peri-menopause. For three years I had no periods, blood tests showed that I had little to no estrogen, and now _poof_ I am having periods again. Since I began my menses at age 11 I have had a fairly moderate to heavy flow for a full 7 days, along with some fairly bad cramping, on a 28 day schedual so regular I could almost set my watch on it. Now, I’m not so regular, the week before is misery, and when I do begin, the flow is so heavy that I must stay home and change the super plus tampons approximately every 20 minutes for the entire 7+ days that it lasts. It is not merely inconvinient, I feel terrible and rather weak for the duration. So, as I posted in this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=324032](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=324032) I have been swallowing a lot of aspirin, ibuprophin, and naproxysn, and I had a brain flash that, perhaps, these medicines are, at least in part, responsible for the increased flow, as I understand that they thin blood. Any thoughts would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087/2 "2005-07-05T01:25:27Z")
I’ve been taking prescription strength naproxen sodium for 14 years now and I’ve never had that problem-completely normal except I do feel weak and ill for the first day and between doses can feel the pain gnawing at me. (although now that it’s gone OTC I let my prescription run out and just pop as many Aleves as needed to make up my 1 prescription pill-2 almost makes it and I used to take 2 prescription pills so that’s like 4 Aleves…yikes!) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087/3 "2005-07-05T01:39:46Z")
If it keeps up and is heavy and miserable, you might want to look into an [endometrial ablation.](http://www.ivf.com/eablate.html) I would suggest talking to your doctor about this. At your age, with four kids, and in peri-menopause, it sounds like a good option to me (who is not in any way a doctor, so take it for what it’s worth 😃 ). ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087/4 "2005-07-05T02:59:58Z")
I spent nearly a year taking heavy doses of ibuprofen daily (shoulder injury, PT, then finally surgery and more PT=800mg 4 or 5X daily) and my flow never noticeably increased. Stopped taking the motrin a few months back and didn’t notice a decrease, either. Besides, that heavy for a week sounds scary, regardless of any possible anti-coagulant effects. Hie thee to ye olde OB! ---
**Author:** ![kaiwik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaiwik/32/3978_2.png) [@kaiwik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiwik)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087/5 "2005-07-05T03:56:09Z")
hmmm…I did hie myself to my doc, who did some tests, including withdrawing uterine fluid. A **lot** of uterine fluid, who knew there was that much liquid in there! No cancer, no abnormal anything. Since no one is reporting any trouble with the other NSAID’s, I am going back on ibuprophine _right now_ as acetaminophen is doing doodly-squat for my back and arthritis pain! ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087/6 "2005-07-05T04:09:16Z")
Aspirin will make your flow heavier. Ibuprofen shouldn’t. IANAD. ---
**Author:** ![serious\_lark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aspirin-ibuprophin-naproxysn-their-effect-on-a-womans-monthlies-probably-tmi/311087/7 "2005-07-05T04:11:37Z")
Please see [this recent thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=317711) , where this was discussed and the consensus was that NSAIDs (like aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) on average do increase menstrual bleeding compared to what would likely happen if a woman didn’t use NSAIDS. You had _3 years_ with _no_ periods and now you have really heavy periods of the nature you describe? **Kaiwik** , you need to see your obs/gyne person in the near future and tell him /her about this - that’s about as much medical advice as I can dispense on SDMB, but please trust me that you need to be assessed and helped with this (and yes, I am a medical doctor in real life, and do not play one on TV). What you are describing is not something you can write off to use of NSAIDs, and as **featherlou** touched on with her post, there are relatively easy and not-so-easy solutions, depending on what is causing your increased bleeding. Good luck!