My girlfriend told me that her mother has been on her period for a long time and she is concerned for her. She wouldn’t say for how long, but by the way she said her mother was upset about it, I would say for at least a month or longer. Her mother is 48 years old and has not been to a doctor in 21 years (Since she had my girlfriend when she was a baby.) I told her that her mother needs to schedule an appointment with a doctor right away and she said she is going to do that today. However, my girlfriend is concerned and asked me to find out what might be causing her mother to be on her period for such an extended time. Where better to look than at the Straight Dope? Could it be that her mother is starting meonpause or could it just be that she is not getting something in her diet that is making her period last so long?
AFAIK menopause causes lighter and less frequent flow. Ditto with dietary deficiencies, usually. One possibility is an infection. IANAD, but I am sure there are others. If she has not been to a doctor in 20 years, that is far too long anyway. Continual bleeding is not normal at any age. If it continues she could at the very least become anemic. An untreated infection could lead to worse problems.
MLSPremenopause can cause longer and heavier bleeding in some women. My mother has had periods which have lasted for three or four weeks. The Dr. put her on birth control pills (even though she has had her tubes tied) to regulate her flow.
In any case, she needs to go to the doctor. Women should get regular exams even if they aren’t having any problems.
It’s probably a hormonal issue related to peri-menopause. But she could have cancer, too. She’s nuts not to go see a gynecologist.
Uterine fibroids are a non-cancerous condition that are common in older women that can cause such bleeding. Something like 50% of women get them at some time in their life, most often near menopause.link
Sorry - should have been 30%, not 50%. Depends which site you go to.
Your friend’s mother should go to the doctor. I had a period that lasted 103 days last year. (Female Dopers: Insert pity here.) I kept putting off seeing the doctor. When I finally went, one single progesterone pill was all it took to stop it. In my case it was a hormonal imbalance at issue, nothing really serious. But there’s also a chance it’s being caused by something more serious - a cyst, fibroids or a tumour.
While cancer is not the most likely diagnosis for her symptoms, it does occur often enough in that sort of situation that she should be evaluated thoroughly by a physician very soon.
QtM, MD
jacquilynne - you have all my pity for what you went thought. And let me just bitch-slap you for taking so long to see a doctor. That’s a very inconsiderate way to treat people who worry about you!