Period Returns. F--k!!!!

Ladies, Questions. I gave birth 8 months ago to a beautiful daughter. I breastfeed her for 7 months and loved every minute of it. I weaned her off or rather she weaned herself and that was fine. It was time. So naturally my period returns now this month. And it is a killer! After 550 some days without a period I sure got used to it. I knew at some point it was coming back but I got so used to it not being there it was great. Anyway it AF hit yesterday with a vengeance! Like making up for lost time. It is a heavy one for sure. Much worse than she was prior to my getting pregnant. I don't remember any being this bad. To top it off, things just are not right down there now. It started yesterday. Tampons don't fit right now. I leak like crazy. I went to my cup and that does not work well either. It doesn't fit now. I am wearing a thick pad at the moment and I feel like my baby girl probably does wearing a diaper! Is this normal? Any of you out there experience any of this? I did my kegels every day since birth so I thought I would be ok on that, sex with my husband has felt good since birth so I don't understand why this is an issue now. I have not tried any of the leak proof under wear as they all seem very expensive for what you get, but I don't know, are they worth it and do they work? Right now I cannot see how any of them can hold the flow I have going on at the moment. Anyway I am not sure if this type of period I am having is going to be the new normal for the for see able future for me, only bulky pads, or if there is some new period product out there now I have heard of yet that will help with this sudden mess! Any thoughts? I suddenly feel like a 13 year old again!