What is Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding (DUB)
Dysfunctional uterine bleeding is abnormal bleeding from the uterus. Dysfunctional uterine bleeding includes:
- A period that comes earlier or later than usual.
- A period that is lighter, heavier, or has blood clots.
- Bleeding between periods.
- Skipping one or more periods.
- Bleeding after sexual intercourse.
- Bleeding after menopause.
Follow these instructions at home:
Pay attention to any changes in your symptoms. Follow these instructions to help with your condition:
Eating and drinking
- Eat well-balanced meals. Include foods that are high in iron, such as liver, meat, shellfish, green leafy vegetables, and eggs.
- If
you become constipated:
- Drink plenty of water.
- Eat fruits and vegetables that are high in water and fiber, such as spinach, carrots, raspberries, apples, and mango.
Medicines
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
- Do notchange medicines without talking with your health care provider.
- Aspirin
or medicines that contain aspirin may make the bleeding worse. Do
nottake those medicines:
- During the week before your period.
- During your period.
- If you were prescribed iron pills, take them as told by your health care provider. Iron pills help to replace iron that your body loses because of this condition.
Activity
- If
you need to change your sanitary pad or tampon more than one time every 2
hours:
- Lie in bed with your feet raised (elevated).
- Place a cold pack on your lower abdomen.
- Rest as much as possible until the bleeding stops or slows down.
- Do nottry to lose weight until the bleeding has stopped and your blood iron level is back to normal.
Other Instructions
- For
two months, write down:
- When your period starts.
- When your period ends.
- When any abnormal bleeding occurs.
- What problems you notice.
- Keep all follow up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.
Contact a health care provider if:
- You get light-headed or weak.
- You have nausea and vomiting.
- You cannot eat or drink without vomiting.
- You feel dizzy or have diarrhea while you are taking medicines.
- You are taking birth control pills or hormones, and you want to change them or stop taking them.
Get help right away if:
- You develop a fever or chills.
- You need to change your sanitary pad or tampon more than one time per hour.
- Your bleeding becomes heavier, or your flow contains clots more often.
- You develop pain in your abdomen.
- You lose consciousness.
- You develop a rash.