Discover how to ditch your painful or heavy periods (for good)

podcast

July 28, 2021

Could A Bleeding Disorder Be The Cause Of Your Heavy Period?

with podcast guest

Dr. Fiona Bethea & Jhon Velasco

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I am super excited to have Dr. Fiona Bethea and Jhon Velasco on the podcast to discuss bleeding disorders because I’ve never discussed this topic on the show and, in my experience, bleeding disorders are often overlooked underlying causes of heavy and long periods. Unfortunately, in more cases than not, women with these symptoms are offered a birth control pill or hormonal IUD to stop the heavy periods and long bouts of bleeding, without further investigation.

Dr. Fiona Bethea is a Health Scientist on the Bleeding Disorders Team in the Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch of the Division of Blood Disorders, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Jhon Velasco is the Manager of Education and Training at National Hemophilia Foundation, where he focuses on women with bleeding disorders, the Spanish speaking community, and mental health.

Fiona and John are both part of the Better You Know campaign, developed by the National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF) in partnership with CDC, which focuses on women who may experience symptoms of a bleeding disorder but haven’t been diagnosed. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness and knowledge of bleeding disorders and provide resources for women who seek care.

In this episode, we talk about common symptoms of bleeding disorders, how they affect the lives of women who have them, why they often go undiagnosed, the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, how the Better You Know campaign can help you learn more, and advocate for yourself or your daughter, what to expect from testing and treatment of bleeding disorders, and so much more!

Highlights

  • What is a bleeding disorder?
  • The most common bleeding disorder in women
  • Signs of heavy menstrual bleeding
  • Why bleeding disorders often go undetected for so long
  • How family experiences can cause us to downplay the significance of our symptoms
  • The Better You Know campaign’s mission to empower people
  • The problem with normalizing our long-term symptoms
  • How you can track your menstrual symptoms with the Better You Know Menstrual Chart
  • Utilizing the Better You Know Teen Girls Brochure to educate yourself or your daughter
  • The benefits of using the Better You Know Healthcare Diary to track your symptoms
  • The toll that bleeding disorders can take on our daily lives
  • Why early diagnosis of bleeding disorders is critical
  • The first steps to take if you think you might have a bleeding disorder
  • How you can use the Better You Know resources to advocate for yourself
  • How healthcare providers test for bleeding disorders
  • What you need to know about treatment for bleeding disorders

Resources

Want even more hormone and
period lovin' content?

You shouldn’t live in fear that you’ll be dealing with hellish symptoms forever. Suffering does not have to be a mandatory part of your journey – you have the power to bring about big change for yourself and begin a new chapter in your period story.

Take the quiz to unveil the real cause of your symptoms and start your journey toward periods that are “no big deal.”

Bonuses Include: The Fix Your Period Workbook to Use Alongside the Book
The Fix Your Period Toolkit includes a series of handouts on vaginal steaming, how to use CBD for your menstrual cycle problems, seed cycling, how to use castor oil packs to support your period and fertility, and how to live in harmony with your cycle!

Medical Disclaimer
Information in this post and on this web site is provided for informational purposes only. The information is a result of practice experience and research by the author. This information is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. Do not use the information on this web site for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Information and statements regarding dietary supplements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always speak with your physician or another healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal, or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to read my affiliate disclosure.