Many women commonly have heavy flow days and cramps when they have their period, but it’s not common to have the medical condition known as menorrhagia, which means “heavy periods.”
If you have this problem, your flow will be so heavy that you’ll need to change your tampon or pad every hour for at least an entire day, and you’ll also have cramps so severe that they’ll stop you from doing your usual activities.
Heavy periods are sometimes caused by subtle health problems, and they can lead to other health issues. If you soak through a pad or tampon every hour or so on a regular basis, talk with your doctor. She may be able to help.