How do I make my period come less often?

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Nope, no Centrelink payments; no Healthcare card. I think I should be eligible for a Healthcare card as my earnings are well below the poverty line. The last time I applied for one was along with applying for Austudy, and that took so long (yay for only being able to go out of my routine significantly once per week!) that by the time I got knocked back for Austudy and told that I might be eligble for a Healthcare card, I was fed up with paperwork. If I can manage to deal with all the paperwork and organisation of ID documents, I might reapply for one.
I do have a semi-regular GP; I see him once every year or so (I never get sick).




I should be able to afford to see my doctor fairly soon. I'm pretty sure I am anaemic- I'm having to concentrate just to stay upright; I'm out of breath all the time, I'm lightheaded to the point where I almost fainted a few time, and my nail beds and the inside of my eyelids are white, as opposed to their normal fairly dark pink.
This is annoying. I hate being not well.

OMG, that is so messed up. Do you have no one who can help you at all?

It sounds too serious for self-treatment to me, but since you're really in a bind, I'd recommend getting the most digestible form of iron you can find, along with some vitamin C, which helps with iron absorption.

But I really urge you to get medical help as soon as you can. It is probable that this is a simple cause effect situation -- too much bleeding making you iron deficient. But there are other possibilities as well. It could be some other problem is causing both situations.

I have me.
My parents couldn't really afford to help, and even if they could, my father hangs every little thing that they do for me over my head to make me feel guilty for existing. I'd rather deal with this for a little while longer than deal with his crap.



Have done.



I should be able to afford medical help within the next week or so; until then I'll survive.

Thanks for those links!

I was considering a hysterectomy because I have fibroids that caused me such unbelievable pain. I was told I could just live with it. No one should have to live with ridiculous pain and unpredictable periods. I have to check into that outpatient thingy.

Isn't there free health care in Australia? I heard everyone was covered by it.

Some doctors are free, some aren't. Mine is good enough that I'm willing to pay a fair amount to see him.

You definitely need to get into a doctor right away. You clearly have symptoms of anemia. It's good that you have a good doctor that is worth paying for, but if there was ever a time to let your standards down a bit, this might be it.

I hope the doc doesn't send you for blood tests and make lots of follow-up appointments for you, as then you'll need to save even more money
Maybe explain your financial situation to your doc so he can work out a cost effective way to get what you need with minimal cost.

I'm not dead yet; I'm sure I can survive another week or so.
Letting my standards down could mean being dismissed and told that all I need to do is relax and my body will start working properly all by itself.
My doctor listens. Every other doctor I've met has been slightly arrogant and dismissive. I can go to my doctor, tell him what I think is wrong (and I've been correct each time), and he listens well and gives helpful help based on my information.
Letting my standards down could cause more stress and make things worse.



I hope so too. Once this coming week is over I should be slightly better off financially. This week I have a couple of bills due, and I'll have students away because of the Ekka holiday, so I'm on a tighter budget than normal.
If he tries to send me for blood tests and such I'll explain my financial situation. He's aware that I don't have much money, and he's always done his best in the past to minimise my expenditure.

Wow, you are in a difficult spot. I hope you're able to be seen and everything is efficiently handled so you don't have to go back over and over. If the Western Medicinal approach doesn't work, maybe consider Chinese medicine. That kind of thing is right up their alley. I've used Chinese doctors for the last 10 years and been very pleased with the results.

Do not let your standards down and go to a hack doctor. If you are anemic, eat iron rich foods. A lot of doctors don't 'understand' and say stupid things like 'its' normal and you are over reacting', 'you have a low pain threshold', 'it's just something you have to live with'.

My daughter also has fibroids and at 38 since she began having periods she has had pain so intense she can not work 3 days a month. She has finally found a doctor who understands and is willing to help. Since she was 14 doctors just blew her off. Not one, including gynecologists ever mentions ablasion treatment and yet it has been around for a while. It took an aquaintance to tell her about it.

Thanks for the advice and for your hopes.



Yes, that is exactly what I'm worried about- being told that it is just normal. No, it is not normal to feel like crap and be exhausted for at least half of the time.

Yeah, it's definitely not normal. Maybe you could get Letha Hadady's book "Asian Health Secrets" used for very little - check Amazon. She is a well known Chinese doctor. She has a few chapters on womens health.

Oh, and she has a very nice blog you might like to check out. You might find something on there. I have used her techniques to get rid of cramps and things, keep my skin in good shape, get rid of colds, etc.
asianhealthsecrets.com

Assuming everything is ok I would be cautious about going on the Pill. I was on various brands for several years, they all have their pros and cons. For me they regulated my period pretty well, and helped my complexion (I get the hormone-induced acne that shows up around your period). But on the negative side there are the bad side effects, biggest of which is weight gain (the Pill always made me very hungry and bloated).
Whatever you do I would stay away from Yaz, it made me crazy emotionally (from what I've read this is common) and when I went off it I had a lot of hair loss.
Personally I will never go back on the Pill, ever.

I still haven't seen a doctor; I had almost enough money, then, because I'm an idiot, I managed to get a bank overdraft in the same week that I had a bunch of bills due.
I appear to be alive, though, and eating foods that are rich in iron seems to be helping.
Worryingly, something is bleeding frequently inside my nose- every time I blow it, there is blood on the tissue.
I would very much like it if my blood would stay inside my body.

It sounds like you really need a complete medical workup.

I started a new thread called "help paying for medical bills" about Care Credit after reading this since there are probably a lot of us on this forum who have difficulty paying for necessary medical care. You might want to check it out.

I'll second what others have said about the Mirena IUD--I don't have one, but was considering getting one and was told by a gynecologist who has one that it is by far the best long term birth control option on the market. She said it is what most gynecologists that she knows choose for themselves. If I don't go for a tubal ligation with endometrial ablation, I'll get a Mirena.