Symptoms Of Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Heavy Menstrual Flow

It's important for all women to keep track of their periods. If this applies to you, be sure to have a sense of when your period will begin, how your cycle is synced, how long you can expect the bleeding to last for, and how heavy you can expect the bleeding to be. Establishing a baseline for your periods can help you to notice when something is unusual about them.

Heavy menstrual flow is a sign of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. As the uterus lining sheds and is expelled, much more blood than usual will exit the body. In most cases, a heavy period won't cause problems by itself. However, you might experience increased menstrual cramping as a result of the excess blood. If the bleeding is heavy enough, you may also become anemic.

In most cases, ITP patients will experience heavy menstrual flow in conjunction with easy bruising, unusual bleeding, or petechiae. If a heavy menstrual cycle presents without any other classic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura symptoms, it's likely the cause is something else, so have your doctor rule out a range of different issues. They may then refer you to an expert like an endocrinologist or a gynecologist, depending on the problem.