WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for December, 1998: Re: aub

Re: aub

From: Thomas (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 8 Dec 1998 03:54:55 -0600 (CST)

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In reply to: julie: "aub"

Julia

I've had fun trying to work out what AUB means. It is not an abbreviation used over here. I have now come to the conclusion that it means Abnormal Uterine Bleeding. If it does not, I apologise for this post.

Firstly, what is normal and what is abnormal is very difficult to fathom. For example, in a study looking at women who bleed less than 20ml of blood a cycle (very light bleeders) 25% of them thought that their periods were heavy. So AUB (!) is something that is perceived. However, even if this is the case, it is of my opinion that if that perception affect your quality of life, then we OBGYNs are here to help if need be.

There are many possible causes. They vary from hormones, blood problems to problems with your ovarian/uterine/vaginal tract. 50% of women have something called Dysfunctional Uterine Bleeding (DUB) which is a big phrase used to say that you have abnormal uterine bleeding and we can't find a cause. That doesn't mean to say that there isn't a cause only that doctors can't find one. There are many theories as to what these causes can be. If there is a cause then that can be treated. Else treatment for DUB can be medical or surgical. Medical treatment consists of hormonal treatments such as the pill, progesterones (e.g. depot or cyclical progesterones), the progesterone uterine device, and very very rarely a class of drugs called GNRH analogues (these have side effects). There are a handful of other possible hormonal treatments. Non-hormonal treatments include drugs that slow down bleeding such as tranexamic acid and ethamsulate, and a class of drugs called non-steroidals such as ibuprofen and mefanamic acid. It is possible to take more than one drug at a time. The surical options include hysterectomy and removal of the lining of your womb. The later are only options for women who don't wish to have anymore children. There are also a few new treatments such as use of radiowaves and a pressure balloon but these are still in development. Radiotherapy has also been used in the past and still occasionally now. Obviously the treatment you receive depends on you and what it is safe for you to have. So you really should go through your specialist.

Best of luck.

-- Thomas Ind MB BS MD MRCOG St George Hospital Kogarah Sydney Australia

For every complex problem there is a simple solution...and it's wrong. (H L Mencken).

Next message: Thomas: "Re: Ruptured ovarian cyst?"
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In reply to: julie: "aub"

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