Imagine your life slowly being stolen by relentless fatigue and dizzy spells... That's exactly what happened to Emma Cleary. Her story highlights a 'hidden' health crisis affecting a staggering one-third of women. But here's the kicker: her doctor dismissed her concerns. Years later, at 42, she finally found a solution – a simple pill.
From her early teens, Emma battled persistent light-headedness and crushing tiredness. Classmates cruelly nicknamed her 'Casper' because she looked so pale and ghostly. 'I kept going back to the doctors, but eventually, I gave up and just started fending for myself,' Emma recounts. 'It felt like they just wanted me to put up and shut up.' Imagine feeling that dismissed and unheard by the very people meant to help you.
At 16, she received a diagnosis of anaemia, a blood condition caused by iron deficiency, which explains the fatigue and lack of energy. But, and this is the part most people miss, no one ever linked it to her heavy periods. Research indicates that a significant one in three women experience heavy menstrual bleeding. However, many, like Emma, remain completely unaware they're even affected, let alone the significant impact it can have on their overall well-being. This lack of awareness contributes to the 'silent crisis' that experts are now highlighting.
'I could easily bleed through dresses and down to my socks, so I became really conscious of what I was wearing,' she explains. 'I wore black a lot to try to hide it.' Growing up, Emma simply thought this was normal. It wasn't a topic she discussed with friends or even her mother. She assumed everyone experienced the same, so she just 'got on with it.' This highlights the cultural silence surrounding menstrual health, a silence that can have devastating consequences.
Despite numerous visits to her general practitioner, Emma says her heavy periods were never adequately addressed. The iron supplements she was prescribed offered minimal relief from her debilitating symptoms. By her late 20s, while working as a model, the impact became impossible to ignore when her hair began falling out. 'All women are conscious of their looks, but this was my livelihood,' she says. 'I would go to shoots, and the make-up artists would have to colour in my scalp to make the hair loss less visible.' She even spent thousands on a hair transplant, but the underlying problem persisted.
'I was queuing in the supermarket one day and felt terrible – dizzy, exhausted, and bleeding heavily – but I was just trying to get through,' she recalls. 'The next thing I knew, I had a face full of flowers. I'd fainted into a display by the till.' This was a pivotal moment for Emma. 'When I came round, all I could see were flowers, and I genuinely thought I’d died and it was my funeral. Then it hit me how embarrassing it was – being 35 years old and having your dad come and pick you up from the shop.'
It's a fact: premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) affects approximately one in 20 women, triggering depression and anxiety in the days leading up to their period. This is a severe form of PMS and requires specialized care.
Now 42 and a mother of two, Emma has finally found relief. She now has a private prescription for tranexamic acid, a medication that reduces menstrual bleeding, and she also receives annual iron infusions. 'Without it, there's no way I would have been able to start my own business or be a mum to my two boys,' she says. 'The medication I'm on now is supposed to be available on the NHS – but no one ever asked about my periods when I went to the doctors.'
Experts argue that such failures constitute a 'silent public health crisis.' Last month, an analysis published in The Lancet by researchers at Anglia Ruskin University revealed that thousands of women are admitted to a hospital every year due to heavy menstrual bleeding. Dr. Bassel Wattar, associate professor of reproductive medicine at the university, stated, 'This is a silent crisis in women's health. We see thousands of women admitted to hospital for a condition that could often be managed earlier and more effectively in the community. Guidelines and services in the NHS do not provide a clear pathway for managing acute heavy menstrual bleeding efficiently. This mismanagement leads to women being discharged with temporary fixes, often still anaemic, and left to navigate long waiting lists. We need to shift from reactive to proactive care.'
Periods are considered heavy when blood loss interferes with daily life – a problem affecting at least one in three women. This includes regularly bleeding through pads, tampons, or clothing; needing to change sanitary products every 30 minutes to two hours; or having to plan work and social activities around periods due to the excessive blood loss. This condition, known as menorrhagia, can be treated with hormonal contraceptives or tranexamic acid. But here's where it gets controversial... Some argue that these treatments only mask the underlying problem and don't address the root cause of the heavy bleeding, such as hormonal imbalances or uterine fibroids. What are your thoughts?
Experts warn that prolonged heavy bleeding frequently leads to iron deficiency. Studies suggest that 36 percent of UK women of child-bearing age may be iron-deficient – yet only one in four is formally diagnosed. Iron is an essential mineral, vital for energy levels, cognitive function, digestion, and immunity. While most people get sufficient amounts from food – particularly meat and leafy green vegetables – losses caused by heavy periods can quickly outweigh intake.
'Women with an iron deficiency get dizzy, suffer from shortness of breath and brain fog, and symptoms can be debilitating,' says Professor Toby Richards, a haematologist at University College London. 'Symptoms are often comparable to – and mistaken for – ADHD and depression.' He is calling for national screening for iron deficiency with a new charity, Shine. In a pilot study at the University of East London, his team screened more than 900 women. One in three reported heavy periods, and 20 percent had anaemia. Women with iron deficiency were also more likely to report symptoms of depression. 'The Shine pilot has shown how targeted screening can prevent ill health and tackle inequalities,' says Professor Amanda Broderick, vice-chancellor and president of the university. 'It's already made a real difference for our students – raising awareness of heavy menstrual bleeding and its link to anaemia, and empowering women to take control of their health.'
Emma's story, and the research highlighted, underscore the urgent need for greater awareness and proactive management of heavy menstrual bleeding and iron deficiency in women. What are your experiences with this issue? Have you felt dismissed by healthcare professionals? Do you think national screening programs are the answer? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Let's start a conversation!
