Quantify your Symptoms, a simple form to help measure blood loss
When it comes to accuracy of blood loss, no, you won’t find many doctors passing you a measuring cup. If you say you bleed a lot, they will likely ask how much. The standard for measurement is “how often do you soak a pad or tampon.” But does OB Ultra hold the same amount as Tampax Plus? Nope.. not even close. The latter holds about half. Always Max Pads hold quite a bit more blood than Kotex Maxipads.
Example: One woman said her periods were horrendous; three tampons a day. Another woman also says her periods are horrendous; 18 OB Ultra tampons fortified by 6 soaked pads.
The GYN hears both using the term horrendous.
Both are handed the pill; a front line treatment for Heavy Bleeding. The first woman finds relief in her bleeding, but the second woman not at all. So she dials up her GYN only to find her next appointment is in 11 months. She will spend another year suffering.
If she go back with n “the pill isn’t working” and bleeding is still "horrendous" what she gets is the next treatment on the list. And if it turns out she doesn’t do well with it there are 11 more months of suffering and waiting.
For MANY this goes on for from six appointments (over six years) to eight appointments (over eight years).
Instead, she can approach appointment two letting the GYN know her actual loss is two cups a day. She can also enter the office with a full understanding of ALL treatments, allowing the visit to focus on her exact symptoms and her preferred treatments.
Quantify your Symptoms using the Downloadable Printable Fibroids Survival Kit
A review of current treatment options in short form for GYN Visits
This short form lists the most common treatment options. Print this out to help you remember the questions you want to ask and use the spaces supplied to take your own notes. The information can be overwhelming and within days of a visit can also run together and overlap in the way of details. By carefully writing down answers and crossing off options you are most likely to have a clear picture after leaving the office.
