I had a D & C last May (2005) due to heavy bleeding (month and a half)and on the verge of anemia. I have normal menses all my life. No hysterectomy or anything. All tests resulted in everything being normal, no cysts or any abnormality. I am 51 year old female and know I am entering menopause, however no hot flashes etc. I stopped my period for 4 months and now it came back for 4 days spotting and have been heavy bleeding for 6 days.(total 10 days) I can’t afford a doctor now and am not sure if I can start taking estrogen type over the counter products to stop this bleeding. I am taking iron to insure I don’t get anemic. I don’t want HRT as my mother 76 was on HRT 20 years and was diagnosed last year with breast cancer. Any other suggestions for me? I want to bleeding to stop. How long can I let this go naturally taking iron and increasing meat intake before I should get concerned? I have no doctor as I don’t typically go to them and I live in a small rural area and there are not doctors taking patients, (that’s why I was bleeding for a month and a half). 

Dr. Joshua’s Answer:

I absolutely do not recommend starting any OTC hormone replacement therapy without seeing a gynecologist first. Menstrual irregularity and spotting is fairly common during the early phases of menopause, but any bleeding after menopause should be evaluated. For occasional heavy bleeding, if all else is fine, your doctor may prescribe a short course of cyclokapron, which will significantly reduce the bleeding.