Natural Remedies for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding

My daughter's flow was very heavy...leaking through pads day and night...just awful and like this every month. She was starting to get scared to get her period each month. I started her on iodine tablets 12.5mg a day about 5 days before her period and for the first time the flow was normal and shorter. She continues with the iodine on and off for weeks until the week before then moves to daily. If she forgets to do this the heavy flow comes back.

Thanks for your mention of Arnica. I recently was told the same thing. I have a friend who took it postpartum to prevent heavy bleeding. I am 44 and suffer from PCOS and typically don't have periods often but when I do they are like 2-3 weeks long of constant spotting and a medium flow in the middle. But typically once a year I will get hit with the mother of all periods where I will lose about 3/4oz per hour. The reason I know this is because I use a menstrual cup and it has measurements on it. Which I know is way too much. I have been spotting now for about 3 weeks and was feeling quite bad tonight. I have started taking the ACV today in water and am hoping it will prevent any horrific flows tomorrow. If I can take this and Molasses to help with my cycle, I will gladly take it until I go through the change.

KAT,,,, wish we could send you some of our collards as they have been through a number of frosts and are very sweet. I'm sure collards in Fla. have not been through a frost where they start producing sugar and are sweet and not bitter. Folks in the Sweat South have to add sugar to nullify the bitter taste. You also might find them more palatable if you add a little hog fat, such as bacon.

Glad you found your nitch. We eat collards because they are one of the most nutritious of all vegetables.

=======ORH======

My doctor told me to take vitamin K to stop the heavy bleeding during menstruating. I researched foods that have a high content of it in it. I tried collard greens. They also have several other good vitamins too. After eating 1/4 cup about three times a day. I noticed l was not having to change so often or set my alarm clock at night to prevent an accident. I learned to cook them myself for taste and controlling the amount of sodium. Better than canned for me because the heavy sodium gives me cramps on my heaviest day. A true miracle for me. Fresh collard greens works better for me than the vitamin K pills.

Sookiec, I had a similar experience except mine remained so heavy for well over two weeks I couldn't leave the house. I, too, was searching for help and discovered this remedy. It didn't help continuously right away, but out of desperation I persisted. I think it takes various amounts of time depending on the iron and mineral deficiency of the individual. I had to take continually every day twice a day for about two weeks. It made the excessive flow lighter then made it stop completely. It's been over a year since I had a cycle. This week it started again and it's excessive again. Went right away to get some molasses...came in here to verify I remembered the recipe correctly. Felt compelled to respond to your post. Hope it helps to encourage you or others not to give up too quickly. Best wishes. =)

The brand I take is Natural Factors, but I've tried several types, they all work fine. You should be able to find a variety on Amazon.

Your pinched nerve should be easily fixed by a chiropractor (I've had one or two fixed over the years). I realize you don't have insurance, but most don't take a lot of insurances anyway and could probably work something out with you on cost if you explain your problem. That's a pretty straightforward thing to "fix" for them.

I agree with Mama to Many about the turmeric for inflammation, and the blackstrap molasses. Seems to slow menstrual flow and - if you're anemic - will help fix that. If you're anemic that can cause you to bleed more. Vicious cycle and all that. I found I couldn't take Cayenne...made me have a rapid heartbeat which is strange and probably not a common occurrence. Shepherd's Purse worked pretty well to slow it and you can get it in a liquid to work faster. Actually I tried everything on this site and some worked briefly but nothing made the bleeding stop completely except for the Vitamin D. Let me know if you have any other questions...I wish you luck!

Dear Cindy,

A friend of mine recommended to me the Optimal Vitamin D - it has 2,000 mg vitamin D per drop. It really brought her levels up. But you need to be careful and have your blood checked once in a while. You can get too much vitamin D and that can cause other problems.

I am sorry to hear of the neck pain and heavy periods!

Turmeric may help both. 1 teaspoon in a glass of water or juice or milk a couple of times a day. It is anti-inflammatory and helps with pain. But it can be constipating, so make sure to drink plenty of water and cut back the amount if it should slow down your system.

Cayenne is also helpful for pain and bleeding.

So is blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap will also help restore lost iron due to the bleeding.

You will want to stay well hydrated and keep your pH from being acidic. I find that alkalizing my body helps reduce pain. My favorite alkalizing drink to reduce pain is this:

• 2 Tablespoons organic lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 drops Stevia extract (optional0
• 12 ounces of water.

Magnesium oil sprayed on your neck several times a day can also help with the pain. It isn't oily, though. It seems to make my hair curlier but not greasy.

I hope you feel better soon!

~Mama to Many~

Thank you so much for the post on vit D. I take 5000 (mg or iu) once per day, after reading this I just took another. Can you share what brand you take? The brand I take no longer makes in the 5000 iu. I'm suffering terribly with very heavy bleeding, now clots, and no health insurance. I'll be 52 in November, I pray this works. I also read to take a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a cup of hot water, so I did that today also. Things have slowed for now, but it just comes on with no warning like a water flow. I've suffered with heavy bleeding for years, pretty bad since last November. Now I'm also suffering with what I think is a pinched nerve in my neck/back, and in unbearable pain all the way down my arm, can't even sleep at night. If anyone has any ideas on what I can do for the pain, please. Again, no health insurance. Thank you so much, and I wish all of you ladies the best health, and peace and comfort.

I so appreciate your whole story as I have been on a blind quest for almost 5 years of severe bleeding. When it started it was light and intermittent and gradually got worse and I have been living in pure hell. I do a small fibroids in my cervix and the dr I saw is not skilled enough to remove it. I was offered an IUD...un NO!!! She (the dr) told me over 5 years ago "Let's wait and watch" its more like lets wait and watch me die a slow agonizing death of bleeding my life away. I was never given any info about iron, vitamin d...nothing! I was tested several years ago for a vitamin D deficiency and given pharmaceutical Vitamin D for a week no follow up no care about me at all. Thank goodness for the internet I have tried everything with no help from any "western doctor". I am thankful for the info about vitamin d and anything else I have found that helps. Nothing is making me completely better but I know natural alternatives take time and you have to be very consistent. It is horrible how a dr can say wait and watch.......like I said what...wait and watch me bleed to death?!

Jennat, start SLOW! As in ONE capsule a day.

BSM, ACV, and Raspberry Tea/Capsules did not work for me. It seems like they made me flow even more. No combination of the three helped stop the bleeding. Plus, the ACV was making me bloated and gassy.

I went and bought Nature's Way Cayenne Pepper capsules. I hope the Cayenne helps. How many are supposed to take each day? Any side effects?

Which would be better to take to help stop a long period, ACV with the mother or ACV capsules? I know that "the mother" is the best part of ACV, but when it comes to wanting to stop your period/heavy flow, does it matter?

UPDATE: Since my original post, I've had two completely normal cycles. My period came in about 28 days, lasted 4 or 5, and was gone again. It was quite light, as well (yay! ). The timing of my ovulation is normal now, too, which I find interesting. Before, when my period would finally cease, I would ovulate within just a few days. Now it's on a more normal schedule. I haven't taken the blackstrap molasses since my original post so the only thing that changed was the vitamin D. This has been a life changing thing for me and I hope it helps someone else too.

Dear Jennat,

My understanding is that the properties of Red Raspberry Leaf are best extracted from water, as in, a tea. I would expect the capsules to not work well, if at all, though perhaps others experience success with them, and for you, the symptoms are worse...

Cayenne pepper - 1/2 teaspoon in a glass of juice, sipped through a straw has always worked for me for heavy bleeding. The straw keeps you from burning your lips when you drink this.

Shepherd's Purse works for me as well - 1-2 droppers full of the tincture every couple of hours until symptoms improve. (I don't think I have ever needed more than 2-3 doses in a single day.

~Mama to Many~

I am 48 years old and have had my period for almost 3 weeks now. I read how raspberry leaf can help with a heavy or prolonged flow - stopping it. I bought Nature's Way capsules after reading how the RL capsules actually stopped some woman's period after similar situations. I have been taking them since yesterday and I am bleeding even more. Why are the RL capsules making me bleed even more? How can I stop stop the bleeding?

Yesterday I bought Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, as I am concerned about the ACV and the enamel on my teeth. I will try taking 1 tbl of BSM twice a day and the Tea. Should I also keep taking 2 tbl of ACV, 3 times a day? I read ACV can actually bring on your period, is that wrong?

Take 2 cayenne pepper pills wait 2 hours and see how are you doing then take 2 more, be carefully if you are doing ok if you take it again your period will disappear until next month.

Sookiec, keep at it a bit longer before giving up and trying something else.

I had my period 2 weeks ago and instead of stopping after its usually 3-4 days, I have been light bleeding/spotting for 2 weeks. I am 48 years old, so I understand it is part of the change, but I would like it to stop already, usually natural remedies. I read on this website that blackstrap molasses and apple cider vinegar should do the trick. I have been taking 2 tsp Blackstrap Molasses and 1 tbl Apple Cider Vinegar since Thursday, but they didn't work. Sunday I took 2 tbl acv, three times, and 1 tsp Blackstrap Molasses - I thought that worked but this morning noticed alittle spotting. I admit I am kind of disappointed because these tonics seem to work almost immediately for many women on this website. Do the tonics take longer to work for some then others? Am I taking the wrong amounts of Blackstrap Molasses and/or acv? Should I just take one of them or continue with the amount I took on Sunday? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

I had a friend with multiple fibroids. I told her about iodoral and she took it for a month. When she went to the doctor after a month he said they had shrunken down to almost nothing.

Hi Sarah. No K2, only 200 mg of flaxseed oil, which I believe doesn't contain any. I would recommend continuing the vitamin D and the blackstrap molasses. It takes a while for D levels to rise in your body (the doctor explained to me) especially if you're severely deficient. If you're anemic it would take some time for the blackstrap molasses to bring your iron up to normal levels, as well. You could always request those things be checked in a blood test, just to see if that might be an issue in all of this. Best of luck to you!

Does the D3 you are taking also contain vitamin K2? Sometimes it is added and I ask this as K2 helps blood clotting and has been used by some people to stop or control heavy menstrual bleeding.

I ( 53 years and healthy otherwise) have just been suffering from a second bout of heavy and prolonged bleeding sometimes up to 200ml blood a day ( I have a diva cup which is a godsend so I can measure the amount). I managed to stop the first bout with ACV and BSM but it hasn't worked this time ( maybe because I had been taking a maintenance dose of both?)

I have tried cayenne, Vitex at high dose, cod liver oil ( Vit A and D), raspberry leaf tea and pretty much everything else to no avail. When I read you post, I bought some Vit D ad took 10,000iu for 2 days and it sadly didnt' work either.

So I am now going to try K2 which comes from fermented foods like raw cheese and kefir etc. I am pretty desperate and am taking iron and eating all types of green veges etc like they are going out of fashion.

I have been diagnosed with 3 fibroids though I have been taking Vitex for years.

Just can't wait for all this to be over...it's so dibilitating!

Hi Lilly. I'm taking D3. Let me know if you have any other questions. :)

I have heavy menstrual cycles and the only thing that slow it down and stop my heavy menstrual flow is apple cider vingar and cayenne pepper and a half of lemon..

Take 1 tsp of organic apple cider vinegar, half teaspoon of cayenne pepper and half of a lemon and mix it with a little warm water and drink it once a day is good for me, but u can take it up to 3 times a day ..

It's amazing!

Thank you for your post. I was wondering what type of vitamin D did you use? D2 or D3?

I'm 46 and I've had problems with heavy, long periods for the past four years. Mine weren't as heavy as some on here have described (thank goodness) but got bad enough at times that it definitely made me apprehensive about leaving the house, particularly if the place I was going didn't have a bathroom. I've always been very regular, even since having my son 8 years ago. 4 years ago I was over a week late for my period which freaked me out. I took several pregnancy tests which were all negative, but I knew that the tremendous stress I was under at the time (mother had medical issues) could cause me to be late. That period finally started but was a bit longer than normal. On what should've been one of the final days, I was watching fireworks - it was July 4th - and felt that I was suddenly bleeding...a lot. I ran for the house and barely made it into the bathroom. I was pouring blood. Totally freaked me out...have NEVER had that happen before. My bleeding was always "normal". My husband grabbed a towel and drove me home. On the way I called a family friend who is a naturopathic doctor. She assured me that I was most likely perimenopausal and that yes, it can just suddenly happen that way.

Fortunately, the bleeding did slow that night thanks to taking some herbs I had on hand plus Advil. That began 4 years of this aggravating bleeding. I've had episodes of very heavy bleeding like that from time to time but have gotten the worst of it under control by taking various things: apple cider vinegar, arnica pills, yarrow, shepherd's purse, white oak bark, blackstrap molasses, etc. While most of it seemed to get the worst bleeding under control, none of it stopped my periods completely that lasted for WEEKS. What a frustrating thing to have it slow to the point where you think it will FINALLY stop but then it just starts back up again. Bleeding sometimes heavy but mostly moderate. The longer it affected my life the more stressful it became. I couldn't take my son to the pool - his favorite thing in the summer - because I never knew how much I'd bleed.

I tried all sorts of store bought herbal blends to balance out my hormones but some seemed to make it worse or gave me headaches. None felt quite right to me. I finally came to the conclusion that my hormones were really out of whack or I had fibroids and decided to make an appointment to get those checked. Yes, I avoid doctors like the plague and didn't want to go. 20 plus years of knowledge of natural medicine can make you that way. While waiting for my appointment, I had the idea one morning to up my Vitamin D. I'd taken it for some time but was forgetful sometimes about it. At the time I was taking 5000 iu, that morning I took another 5,000 and upped it to 10,000 iu total. My period stopped that afternoon. Huh. I also had started taking more blackstrap molasses to up my iron, in case I had become anemic with all that bleeding. My research had shown me that anemia can actually lead to MORE bleeding. So those two things were the only things I had changed. A week later (still no bleeding) I had my doctor's appointment and mentioned those things to her. She had my vitamin D level checked, along with hormones, and was going to check for anemia. Told me to keep taking the D because it would take a while for levels to rise. Sonogram showed no fibroids. Results came back in a few days: D levels WERE low (still) and I was anemic. Hormones were just fine.

Since then I went a whole month with no bleeding, and have had a normal period with fairly light bleeding. It's like a darned miracle. A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine told me she was having a longer than normal period with heavier bleeding and she was worried about it because that wasn't normal for her. I told her about the vitamin D. She told me a few days later that she had taken an extra dose the next morning and her bleeding had stopped by the next day. I know that Vitamin D acts as a hormone in your body, and most people are deficient in it...some severely. I know I tried just about every other remedy I could find on this site plus others and nothing worked until I boosted my Vitamin D. I'm not sure if I'm still anemic, I know it can take a while to fix that and plan to go in for another blood to to check that out. I finally feel like I can get back to normal living now, and have taken my son swimming twice already. :)

Good luck to all you ladies out there!

Juice Fresh Pineapple with core, Lemons with Pith

Hi, I had been heavily bleeding for 9 days.I had many other heavy bleeds before this and had already tried the following remedies with no success:

• Low fat diet
• homeopathic remedies (tried two different remedies)
• cayenne pepper
• flax oil
• Shepard's purse tincture
• flax oil
• vitamin D
• red raspberry tea
• vitamin C with bioflavonoids
• yarrow

I read a comment on another blog (not earth clinic), that a women juiced a whole pineapple including the core, but not the skin and with it juiced 4 lemons, carefully cutting the skin off but not removing the white pith, as you will juice the white pitch of the lemon and the lemon seeds. I drove to the store (10 min. away) and did not think I would make it through the store, without spotting, I was gushing so bad. When I got home I made the juice and drank the whole amount. It tastes bitter with the ratio of 4 lemons to one pineapple. In 4 HOURS the bleeding flow reduced by half. After 6 hours I took another juice of 1 pineapple 4 lemons, and in 3 Hours the bleeding completely stopped. Next period, flow began a little heavy, I did one juice of pineapple and lemons (Must be Fresh, must include pineapple core and lemon pith in the juice), went to normal flow never had a another heavy flow which really was a hemorrhage).

I told my sister about this, because she was having very heavy flows. One of her flows was 21 days. Her doctor had given progesterone, but it was not greatly helping. She decided to do pineapple, lemon and it stopped her flow after 21 days.

Hello there,

I have been suffering with heavy periods for about 13 years no joke. I was overseas and saw some doctors about my health and because I was having a lot of hair breakage and hair fall, they found out that my ferritin levels and vitamin d levels were low and the first thing the doctor asked me was if I get heavy periods......... hello yess!!

Here in Australia I've been telling the doctor for about 13 years that I feel tired and he has never checked my ferritin or vitamin D levels, every gyno I saw (there were a lot) never checked either, I thought I would let you all know so that you can ask your doctors to check this if they haven't.

I now take Vitamin D 10 000 ui for my hair and folic acid 5mg for my ferritin levels and my last 2 periods have been lighter then ever, Oh and I take 1 or 2 tsp of black strap molasses for iron because I was told to take iron as well.

My hair is still falling out a lot so I will do another blood test and check my vitamin B, but I thought I would let you know what helped me, I will try to keep you updated.

Good luck finding treatment and I hope you don't take as long as I did.

I am 45 and have had a couple of very heavy periods due to perimenopause. Two years ago I had my first bad one due to stress with a family member. Period was really long but not that bad with heaviness until one night when it started gushing to the point that I got scared really bad. Called a family friend who is a Naturopath and she recommended I take Cayenne until it settled down which I did. That period finally ended after about 6 weeks and things were fairly normal until this period came.

It was about a week and a half late (not normal) and has been going for about 7 weeks now. Most days not too heavy but have had some really bad days too, with gushing and clots. I've tried ACV, blackstrap molasses, and some herbal blends which I'm not sure if I can mention on here. The ACV slowed it a bit, as did the blackstrap molasses but the latter gives me a bad headache. Cayenne makes me feel weird and I can't take that either.

What worked for me so far to slow the gushing is Arnica homeopathic pills. I've a huge fan of the cream for bruising and bumps and had the idea to try the pills for this bleeding. It worked and slowed it dramatically within an hour or so (I took a couple of doses). Flow stayed light as long as I took a couple more doses that day. So far, so good and I've only needed one thin pad all day today. Hoping it stops for good after all this time.

Hope this information helps someone else who may have tried all the other remedies listed - as I have - with minimal results.

For painful periods if you sit in a tub of warm water with some H2O2 added massage your belly & back for a few minutes let the fluids come out as long as you can or want to, it should give you relief of your pain & your period will be shorter. Warm water as warm as you can handle. Good luck & easy flow!

In reference to Beth who has heavy menstrual bleeding, the best and the most useful way is to take QUERCETIN 500-mg x 3 days. It will stop the bleeding the first day. The propriety of the quercetin is to re-enforce the micro vessel to prevent the bleeding. I have a lot of success with the quercetin for this problem.

You can buy the quercetin online or in health store. Very effective.

Try dandelion tea. Just one cup in the evening (soak 2 bags 15 mins) every night made a difference for me and I've always had heavy periods.

Hi, I'm 30yrs old, I have been suffering from severe menstrual pain and heavy bleeding for ten years. my doctor told me that I had endometriosis. I saw this website about blackstrap molasses. I tried organic blackstrap molasses with Apple Cider Vinegar last month, I had same pain from the first day, I have been using pain killers for ten days. It was horrible. Is there any changes in taking Blackstrap Molasses and ACV? Please help me, we are trying for baby.

I am 41 and was bleeding quite heavily (over 30 mls/day) for almost three months. Red raspberry tea worked within the first two days. I made a giant pot in the morning and sipped throughout the day. By the end of the second day, the bleeding stopped. I previously tried a.c.v., vitex, molasses, etc., but this seemed to be the only remedy that did the trick. I have continued to drink it since and so far, so good!

Hi Nicole,

Stopping soda is for sure a good start. I have my moon now and had a raw soup all day and that yucky feeling is considerably less. I crave meat and carbs but raw is best imho. I also have been taking Vitex (chasteberry powder in coffee with unsulphured BSM) and believe it is helping. I read somewhere to only take it in the 1st half of the month, but read again somewhere to take it daily

(http://www.saraholeary.net/from-pms-menopause-vitex-may-be-your-next-best-friend/), which I started recently and see my flow stanch a bit. Another friend suggested staying hydrated (water def. not soda), Go with the Flow! Hope this helps.

Dear Nicole,

I am sorry for your trials with your cycles! Red Raspberry Leaf tea is something you can try. It would take daily use over some time (I would give it at least three months before deciding it does not work.) A one pound bag of the loose tea would last a long time.

Put 3 Tablespoons in a quart mason jar. Pour boiling water over the leaves. Steep for 15 minutes. Strain. Drink throughout the day. You can add some peppermint if you like.

If you have a heavy cycle, you could try cayenne pepper (1/2 teaspoon in some juice, drink with a straw). I have taken this and then repeated the dose in an hour and found it to be very helpful.

Liquid Chlorophyll, a Tablespoon every hour during heavy bleeding is also helpful.

Taking kelp daily may be helpful, too.

I have used all of the above remedies for various female issues with success.

You are already making positive steps for your health; good job.

For the bloating, the tea may help, and plenty of water, and light meals.

There are many stories on the Earth Clinic page about cycle problems. When you have time, read through them. Something may resonate with you and give you some more clues to what would help you the most.

~Mama to Many~

Hi everyone,

My history: I've always had heavy periods, I've had check ups and seen specialist and they can't seem to find out why this is happening to me, my periods come every month but sometimes a few days late and they last 8 days. I only feel pain for the first 2 or 3 days but that goes away with Pain killers.

At the age of 16, I decided to stop my periods with the pill. I had 4 years of no periods and it was the perfect life. Then I decided to give my body a break and stop the pill. My hormones went crazy and I got hair all over my body including my face.... horrible.

I tried some natural remedies for a year but I always felt the natural remedies made it worse. I tried Apple Cider Vinegar for a couple months then I tried Blackstrap Molasses for a couple months and then I tried them together for a couple months and still no help.

So I went back onto the pill but a better one with less side effects. I am now getting break through bleeding and acne on my chin. I feel like the pill is making my health worse but I don't know what else to do.

I'm currently doing 1 hour of exercise a day. Stopped drinking soft drinks and am drinking water but not enough because I don't like it or feel thirsty. I'm trying to clean up my diet but it's harder then it looks, also I cannot afford healthy/organic food. I take cod liver oil and turmeric.

I'm thinking of stopping the pill but I need some help with bloating because when I get my period I look like I'm 4 month pregnant NO JOKE!!!

What can I do for bloating and the disgusting feeling I get while on my period?

How do I stop getting stressed and anxious while on my period? because it gets so bad that I don't leave the house in fear of spilling. How can I make my periods lighter? And how can I prevent my hormones from going crazy before/while I stop the pill?

Please help me, this pain has gone on long enough. I'm not working because of it and I really want to get out into the world and make something of myself. Please help me, Please.

I began having heavy bleeding a few years ago. My blood level was in the 19 range... 50, I think, is normal. I'd bleed so heavy I would have to change both tampon and pad every 20 min for 3 days... ugh And the cramps...

I began taking a natural herb called Maca. I now have a "normal" one day heavy flow. Changing every 2-3 hours. :) Maca is a God send.

I use Rhodiola Complex for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and although it's been only 1 month the difference it has made is incredible. Rhodiola root extract 62.5mg/250mg of root. Also includes kelp, spinach and minerals. Take 1 capsule 10 days before period every day.