- With Mayo Clinic internist
Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
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Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
Dr. Sandhya Pruthi, certified by the American Board of Family Practice, has been practicing medicine at Mayo Clinic since 1995 with special interests in breast diseases and women's health.
She is a consultant in the Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, and the Breast Diagnostic Clinic. She is an assistant professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn.
The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native stresses education and patient-related research and has been active in both areas since joining Mayo Clinic. She is the primary investigator at Mayo Clinic of several clinical trials evaluating new agents for the prevention of breast cancer and identification of biomarkers for early detection of breast cancer. Her other research and clinical interests include managing the health of women who are at increased risk of breast cancer, breast pain and hot flashes, and developing patient education decision-making tools for breast-related concerns. She is director of the Breast Diagnostic Clinic and is a member of the Women's Health Executive Committee. Dr. Pruthi has been newly elected as a member to the board of directors for the American Society of Breast Disease. She has assisted with a variety of articles for MayoClinic.com.
"Having an opportunity to share information with my patients in the way that will help them to understand and be able to make educated decisions about their own health is very important to me," she says.
"The Web has become a major information site for people, and I want them to get the best and accurate information to be able to make informed choices for themselves, their family members and friends."
More answers
- Blood clots during menstruation: A concern?
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Question
Heavy periods: Can folic acid help?
I talked to my doctor about my heavy periods and she recommended folic acid. How will folic acid help heavy periods?
Answer
from Sandhya Pruthi, M.D.
Folic acid supplements aren't a treatment for heavy periods. Rather, folic acid supplements are sometimes recommended to treat or prevent a certain type of anemia. Iron supplements are often recommended for women who have heavy periods, too.
Anemia is a condition in which there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to your tissues. Sometimes a folic acid deficiency leads to anemia. In other cases, anemia may be caused or worsened by the blood loss — and related iron loss — associated with heavy periods.
To relieve heavy periods, your doctor may suggest taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) or naproxen (Aleve, others) — during your period. NSAIDs have the added benefit of relieving painful menstrual cramps. Birth control pills can lighten heavy periods, too.
If you have severe bleeding that doesn't respond to medication and maintaining your fertility isn't a concern, treatment options may include:
- The use of a progestin-containing intrauterine device (IUD)
- Scraping the lining of the uterus (dilation and curettage)
- Removing the lining of the uterus (endometrial ablation)
- Removing the uterus (hysterectomy)
Blood clots during menstruation: A concern?
- Gallenberg MM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 1, 2008.
- Jurema M, et al. Menorrhagia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 24, 2008.
