Expert: Dr. Kristina Conner - 4/22/2006

Question
I am 32 years old. I have no children of my own. I found out I was pregnant in Oct. '05. My due date was to be June 23rd, 2006. We knew for a fact because the 1st day of my last period was Sept. 16th, 2005.
Anyway, I miscarried on December 19th and bled until about 12/27. Then I got a fever on 12/29/05 and went into the hospital. I had an infection due to some material still left in my uterus. The material was so minimal, they decided not to do a D&C and I was sent home with antibiotic and methergen. After that I was fine.
I did not start my 1st period until 3/7/06! I thought that was a long time, but I got tested in between and was not pregnant again...
Anyway, I have been on my period since 3/7 and it has not really stopped except for about one week (3/15-3/21). It has been really heavy and crampy with big clots at times and rather light at other times, but nonetheless, I have been wearing pads now for 44 days straight. I have been to the doc twice during this stretch of time, and was told we didn't need to do a D&C, and the 2nd time the doc put me on birth control pills to see if I would regulate. I have been on the pill since Sunday, April 9th and am still bleeding. Since I have been on the pill, the bleeding has been very regular...not too heavy, not too light. This seems so abnormal to me, but no one is giving me any real answers.
We would like to get pregnant again and I thought we'd be able to try again by now. I have not heard of someone having this many complications on their 1st period after m/c.
Do you have any ideas about what could be going on? Is it more serious than just a hormonal imbalance?
I am also taking herbs (a natural hemostatic blend) to help slow the bleeding.  I am doing a tea with shepherd's purse, nettles, red raspberry leaf, oatstraw, and partridge berry...I try to do that 3 times a day and put my hemostatic tincture into it (w/yarrow, shepard's purse, cinnamon, nettles, horsetail, and lady's mantle).  I've been doing that for the past 5 days in addition to being on the pill now for almost 2 weeks...and...Aunt Flo is still hanging around.  

Answer
Amanda,
I agree that you have been having abnormal bleeding for too long, especially after using herbs and birth control.   I can't determine without doing testing or getting further history whether your bleeding is benign or points to a more serious condition.  I would suggest that you seek out another gynecologist, as your situation requires a more complete work-up than what your current doctor has done so far.  Additional tests, such as an endometrial biopsy, might need to be done.  You would also want to check for anemia, as it commonly occurs with prolonged bleeding, and compounds the problem further.
Thanks for your question and good luck in your search.
Dr. Conner