Heavy Period Leak Hacks: 7 Tricks For Managing Heavy Periods

Ever had to sandwich two pads to your underwear, dawdle to work and check covertly for stains every time you sit on a metro seat? Heavy periods can be challenging and we understand and hear you. Heavy Flow can be physically, emotionally, mentally overwhelming and can take a lot out of you. But there is always a way of coping with the same.

What Are Heavy Periods?

Heavy periods bleeding is characterised as the emission of more than 80ml of blood. Women who do not face heavy flow have about 40ml, which is around 3-4 tablespoons.

Heavy periods bleeding usually occurs for 5-7 days, which is coupled with coin-sized clots, pain, weakness and may also cause iron deficiency in extreme cases.

What Are The Common Causes of Heavy Periods?

Heavy flow, technically called menorrhagia, maybe an early sign of cancer, uterine polyps, diabetes, thyroid issues and a variety of other such illnesses.

However, it could also be caused by puberty, menopause and stress. This occurs when the ovulation cycle is disturbed and the amount of progesterone in the body goes up.

“I would have to change my pad every two hours,” says 32-year-old Sakshi from Kolkata. “Every period, I’d become weak, and there’d be huge clots.” It would be impossible to sleep at night. I tried many period hacks, Ayurveda, but nothing worked.”

Sakshi thought she was experiencing heavy periods due to a recent pregnancy. However, after the heavy periods went on for over 6 months, she got a scan done. The scan revealed a cyst in her ovary.

It is always advisable to do a USG, especially after 35 to make sure all things within are fine and in control.

Heavy Periods – How Harrowing They Can Be?

Heavy periods of bleeding can make life very difficult. From constantly fearing period stains to being physically unable to work, or travel due to the quantum of flow–heavy periods are known to bring lives to a standstill.

One of the best heavy period hacks is to equip oneself with the best available heavy flow pad. RIO is one of the best sanitary pads for heavy bleeding and can help manage heavy quantum of flow with its super-absorbent core, double wings and side-leg guards.

If medication does not relieve symptoms, heavy period treatment can include surgeries such as:

• Focused ultrasound
  This is a noninvasive heavy period treatment in which ultrasounds are used to shrink uterine fibroids.
• Uterine artery embolization
  This is a catheter-based heavy period treatment in which tiny beads are injected into the blood vessels that feed the fibroids causing them to shrink.
• Myomectomy
  This is a laparoscopic heavy period treatment that can be done through small incisions in the abdomen and vagina. This helps remove uterine fibroids while keeping the uterus intact.
• Endometrial ablation
  In this procedure, the uterine living is removed using radiofrequency waves, laser or heat. Post this, periods become light to non-existent, and pregnancy becomes impossible.
• Hysterectomy
  This procedure involves the removal of the entire uterus. It cures heavy bleeding, but at the cost of pregnancies.

But surgery is not the only option! Following are some period tips and tricks which can help better manage the heavy period flow.

Heavy Period Hacks & Tricks

Trick #1 for Managing Heavy Periods

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Drinking 4+ litres of water, electrolyte solutions such as Getorade, or adding more salt to your diet on the days of heavy period flow is recommended as heavy flow may cause the blood volume to fall, as well.

Trick #2 for Managing Heavy Periods

Eat vitamin C-rich foods

Blood loss results in iron loss as well. Your body uses iron to produce haemoglobin, which helps red blood cells carry oxygen to various parts of your body. A depletion in iron results in haemoglobin dropping and less oxygen reaching parts of your body.

Lemons, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, tomato and kiwis and grapefruit will help rebuild your Vitamin C levels. This helps your body absorb iron, which prevents anemia.

Trick #3 for Managing Heavy Periods

Take supplements:

You can also take vitamin c and iron supplements to help manage the consequences of your heavy periods. This is a period hack that will help you maintain your salt levels and help replenish what you lose each month.
Do check with your doctor before taking supplements, though. That will help you determine the correct dosage, and any potential aftereffects.

Trick #4 for Managing Heavy Periods

Exercise

Heavy flow can often be coupled with terrible pain. Exercising for an hour daily can help loosen your pelvic floor muscles and improve circulation. This would result in lesser cramps as the lining tears inside you.

Trick #5 for Managing Heavy Periods

Medication

OTC pain relievers such as paracetamol or Meftal-Spas can be used. However, eating these too frequently is not recommended. Doctors can also help with birth control methods, pills, patches and rings that can help regulate your flow.

Trick #6 for Managing Heavy Periods

Stress and Lifestyle

Studies have found that stress can lead to heavy flow periods as it interferes with one’s hormonal system. A relatively less-known period hack is to therefore cut the amount of stress in one’s life. Giving up on alcohol and cigarettes can also help.

Trick #7 for Managing Heavy Periods

Use the correct pad

The best sanitary pads for heavy bleeding are those that understand your needs, do not regularly stain, or leak. RIO, since its launch in 2020, has been one of the best pads for heavy periods in the market.
What makes RIO one of the best sanitary pads for heavy bleeding is:

• Super absorbent core: Made of a Japanese polymer and cottony wood pulp imported from the US, this soaks in liquid and immediately converts it to gel form. This allows the pad to absorb blood for long hours while guaranteeing a dry feel on its surface.
• Wings and Leg Guards: One of the most important period tips and tricks, your friends/family must have told you, is to sleep straight on all period nights so that no blood leaks. No more of that! RIO heavy flow pads come with side leg guards that run along the edges of the pad and prevent any sort of blood trickle along its sides. RIO pads also comes with front and back wings to hold your pad securely in place and prevent any sort of bunching from the back.
• Safe, Clean, Easy: RIO heavy flow pads have been deemed one of the best pads for heavy periods since we understand that the cost of your heavy flow day should not be borne by your skin. Our pads are thus paraben and chemical-free, anti-bacterial and enhanced with supplements from amla, jojoba and chamomile.

We understand how harrowing heavy flow days can be and hope to take care of at least your fear of leaks so that you can take care of the rest.

“Period tips and tricks? Use RIO,” says Sakshi very generously. “The pad is much better than others in the market. It’s long, gives full coverage, absorbs 100% of the period blood and is also cheap. I am glad I found RIO.”