Extended bleeding post-menopause
12 September, 2022
Question:Hi, I am 51 and have been in menopause for over two years. Two months ago, I experienced bleeding similar to menstrual bleeding. I saw an ob-gyn and had a d&c almost three weeks ago. The bleeding was found to be caused by hyperplasia (thickening of endometrium). Ten days later, I was in the ER for heavy bleeding and the doctor put me on Provera/Prometrium to stop bleeding.
However, the bleeding continues in trickles of pink blood and has never fully stopped for the past two months.
The whole thing has been very stressful.
It continues and the lack of intimacy is affecting my relationship with my husband. Is there anything that can be done?
Answer:We are sorry to hear of this stressful situation.
Despite the continued trickles of blood, it still may be possible to get through the clean days.
We recommend soaking in a warm bath to get rid of any old blood before attempting a hefsek taharah. Once you have a successful hefsek, you may reduce the number of bedikot during the seven clean days to one each on days 1, 7, and one additional intermediate day. You may wear disposable white pantyliners during the seven clean days and disregard stains found on the pantyliners. Ask a halachic question about any questionable bedikot, including an explanation of the medical and marital challenges involved.
Once you are able to immerse, you should take precautions against becoming niddah from any further staining by wearing colored underwear and waiting a few seconds after urinating before wiping. See our articles on stains and toilet paper for more details.
While we usually recommend abstaining from intercourse while staining, if a woman experiences frequent staining this can be burdensome. In such a case you should check if you are actively staining by wiping externally with a tissue, not immediately after urinating. If it’s clear or has an acceptable color discharge, go ahead with intimacy. If it’s stained, wait a few hours and try again.
After intercourse you should wait a couple of minutes before getting up and/or cleaning yourselves. Do not look for any staining, particularly on your bodies.
Please remain in touch with your doctor, especially if bleeding persists. Let us know if we can be of further assistance.
Refuah shleimah!
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