How does the heavy period checker work?
- NICE defines heavy menstrual bleeding by its effect on you: blood loss that interferes with your physical, social, emotional or material quality of life.
- We ask about the practical signs the NHS lists: changing every 1 to 2 hours, double protection, flooding, clots bigger than 2.5 cm and periods over 7 days.
- We ask about tiredness and breathlessness, because heavy periods are a common cause of low iron.
- Your answers sort into a gentle next step. Nothing is scored for a diagnosis.
Heavy periods are common, and treatable
Around 1 in 4 to 1 in 3 women report heavy periods at some point, and many wait years before mentioning it. NICE guidance asks doctors to focus on how bleeding affects your life, not on measuring it. If it feels heavy to you and it's getting in the way, that counts.
What a GP may do
Usually a chat about your periods and health, a blood test for iron levels, and sometimes an examination or ultrasound. Treatments range from the hormonal IUS and tranexamic acid to anti-inflammatory painkillers. There's more in our guide to heavy periods.
When to see a doctor
- Heavy bleeding is affecting your life, or you have any of the signs above.
- You feel tired, breathless or dizzy, which could mean low iron.
- Urgent: soaking a pad every hour for more than 2 hours, or feeling faint. Call 111 (UK) or your doctor; 999/911 in an emergency.
In the UK you can call NHS 111 for advice, any time. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).
Questions people ask
How much bleeding is too much?
Doctors focus less on millilitres and more on impact. If you change every 1 to 2 hours, use double protection, flood, pass large clots, or plan your life around your period, that's heavy enough to see a GP (NHS, NICE).
What causes heavy periods?
Often no cause is found. Fibroids, adenomyosis, endometriosis, polyps, PCOS, thyroid problems, some contraception (like the copper IUD) and bleeding disorders can all play a part. A GP can check.
Can heavy periods cause anaemia?
Yes. Losing a lot of blood each month can lower your iron, leading to tiredness, breathlessness and pale skin. A simple blood test can check.
What treatments are there?
NICE recommends options including the hormonal IUS, tranexamic acid, anti-inflammatory painkillers and hormonal contraception, with other options if these don't suit.
Is this a diagnosis?
No. It's a structured way to notice patterns and decide whether, and how soon, to talk to someone. Only a clinician can diagnose, usually with an examination and sometimes tests.
Is anything I enter saved or sent?
No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is stored or sent, and the page makes no network requests when you use it.
Sources
Written by the Splash team · Sources checked Oct 2026 · Updated
