Patient's question:
I had my period on November 10th. Two days before the period, the flow was very light, and on the third day, I saw a traditional Chinese medicine doctor who prescribed a 5-day supply: Poria, Atractylodes macrocephala, White Peony Root, Rehmannia glutinosa, Angelica sinensis, Polygonum multiflorum, Salvia miltiorrhiza, and Prickly Ash Bark each 10 grams, Bupleurum 6 grams, Leonurus cardiaca 15 grams, and Licorice 3 grams. After taking the medicine, the flow returned to normal but was a bit excessive. Three days after the period ended, I had some dark red blood clots and creamy-like secretions. I saw a doctor and had tests done, but they only said it was uterine bleeding and told me to wait and see what would happen in a few days. Later, the bleeding continued until November 22nd when the flow reduced. So, I...Doctor's answer:
The most common symptom of dysfunctional uterine bleeding is irregular uterine bleeding, characterized by menstrual cycle irregularity, varying lengths of menstruation, fluctuating blood flow, and even heavy bleeding that lasts for more than two weeks or longer and does not stop on its own. It can also manifest as cyclical bleeding similar to normal menstruation, with heavy bleeding or prolonged duration often accompanied by anemia.Treatment for dysfunctional uterine bleeding primarily focuses on stopping the bleeding, followed by adjusting the menstrual cycle to ensure adequate rest. For prolonged bleeding, antibiotics are used to prevent infection. To stop the bleeding, estrogen such as ethinyl estradiol is administered via intramuscular injection, followed by progesterone or testosterone propionate to induce endometrial shedding and conclude the bleeding cycle. Symptomatic treatments like iron supplementation are also provided to raise hemoglobin levels. Estrogen is used to buy time to correct severe anemia, while other methods include the progesterone withdrawal method and synthetic progestogen-induced endometrial atrophy.
After stopping the bleeding, artificially controlling the amount of blood flow to establish a cycle is a transitional measure for treating dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Generally, it is recommended to take medication for three cycles to adjust the menstrual cycle.