my peroids usually last 3-4 days....this month i have been bleeding for 12ays now and these last 4 days have been pretty heavy. what could be causing this to happen?

Dear Anon,

Given that you normally bleed for only 4 days and you're going on 12 days of heavy bleeding, please schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Unless you are going through perimenopause, you should be checked out for the heavy bleeding.

Causes for heavy bleeding include:
a temporary hormone imbalance which may correct itself eventually.
fibroids.
endometriosis.
pelvic inflammatory disease.
polyps of the lining of the womb.
a condition called dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB). This refers to heavy bleeding with no apparent explanation.

If it is still heavy with no sign of going away within the next day or so, please visit your doctor for a complete examination and diagnosis.

Keep us posted,

Rosa