Anyone awake? I'm so mortified and embarrassed

[FlamingLama]

I'm away for the weekend in a really nice hotel and I struggle with really heavy periods. Slept with a tampon in which I changed before I went to bed and a huge verging on nappy like pad on. Woke up amd the pad has wriggled out the way, tampon has overflowed and there is blood on the beautiful crisp white linen. I want to pack my bags and leave now. I brought my own towel with me from home to sleep on but dh said I was being ridiculous. Sat here so upset.
I'm so sick of my horrendous periods. No Dr takes them seriously and I'm expected to put up with them. They make me horrendously anaemic too. Now this. I'm literally never leaving the house whilst I'm on again.

We've had such a great weekend and this has ruined it. I want to go home. I've had other health problems too so this was supposed to be having a relaxing weekend and I can't sleep for fear of it happening again. Just sat here crying. I know I won't be the first person to have their periods on the sheets but I'm so embarrassed and I took massive precautions and it still happened.

Do I phone reception in the morning and tell them?

It's happened to me before, I do sympathise. Have you considered a mirena coil? Game changer for me!

Oh no I feel for you OP! Next time ignore your DH - you know how heavy your periods are so tell him to keep his opinion to himself and do what you need to do! Don't be made to feel bad or embarrassed for taking precautions

Oh you poor thing - I get your embarrassment but hotels have seen it all. I once woke up on Christmas Day in a hotel and my period had very unexpectedly started - you can imagine the carnage! I was mortified and didn’t have any tampons with me and the shops were closed!!
My husband phoned reception to explain (I was too embarrassed) and they couldn’t have been nicer. Housekeeping knocked on the door 5 minutes later - they said the female staff had a quick whip-round and presented me with a motley selection of random sanitary towels and tampons from their own supplies! So kind of them and no judgment because us women have all been there x

A friend worked in a posh wedding venue hotel. the carpets were plastic (or similar) so they can be scrubbed, all the furniture was nailed down. Don't worry.

The merina coil for me was life changing, like others I can not recommend it higher

If this was a nose bleed would you react the same way? Try to reduce the shame you connect with your menstration - it's not your fault, a fact of life

I say this as a mother of teen girls, you have to get over your shame to ensure you don't pass it on to them

If the stain isnt too large and if you really wanted to, you could soak it in really cold water and then wash with just regular soap with really cold water. It comes right out and doesnt take very long.

I hope I’m early enough and you see this. Please, please don’t give up, OP. I’m sure this isn’t just the embarrassment - the crying is everything coming out. It’s that no doctor has listened and then your husband didn’t listen about the towel, and then you did everything you could, and then you woke up with the blood stain in the linen and it was just “THE SIGN” that you’ve been putting up with these horrible periods for so, so long and you just can’t take it anymore. But please don’t let it ruin your weekend and don’t let it steal away the things you’ve want!

1. Housekeeping will have seen this HUNDREDS of times, as PP posters said and are absolutely correct. Put a towel under to protect the mattress and s towel on top to protect you for now, and the sheets will be gone tomorrow like it never happened. In fact, they’ve seen far, far worse hundreds or even thousands of times. That doesn’t stop this from hurting your feelings, but please don’t feel embarrassed. They won’t even remember you amongst the guests of this weekend!

1. Your treatments today. Maybe you don’t want the pool because you don’t trust a tampon. But please don’t give up the treatments meant to relax you at this lovely hotel. Believe me, every single treatment provider there has heard, “I just need some extra protection on the table,” much, much more than a hundred times since most of their clients are women and even with the best planning, these holidays sometimes happen during periods. Or maybe you need to leave your underpants on during s massage. Believe me, they will have seen absolutely everything and they will be so kind about it. They’re there to make you feel comfortable.

Life is so short, OP. So short. As I’ve found out. I don’t want you to miss anything you want to do. Especially not due to unnecessary embarrassment! When you get back, tell your doctor to stop being a raging arsehole and that you need treatment for these periods so you can live your life the way you want to.

I’m so sorry this has happened and hope your weekend can go on without too much disruption. Trust in the hotel and your service providers to get you through; they’re probably better than your doctor at handling these things, honestly. And then force your doctor to handle it when you get back, because you so deserve that.

Try not to worry OP. I did a spot of chambermaiding in my youth and this is really not a big deal.

As PP's have mentioned, do try and see a sympathetic GP though. I was previously prescribed tranexamic acid which worked really well (apparently it either does or it doesn't) and was later fitted with a Mirena coil - after three months, practically no periods.

As everyone else has said the hotel staff will have seen this many times. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Just ring reception and ask for new bed linen. Enjoy your time away and put it out of your mind.

It’s happened to most of us at one time or another.

Sorry, but I haven't much to add to everyone elses sensible advice, I went through this due to the peri-menopause (not saying this is your reason, there are many), and I managed to make it worse by taking paracetamol (fine) and Aspirin, which for some unknown reason I forgot was also a blood thinner, when I came to my senses suddenly remembered, I stopped taking Aspirin for my period pain, and although I still had some "accidents", they were vastly reduced in number.

I didn't go swimming whilst on my period, or if it was due soon, because I really didn't want to taint the water, most public swimming pools have to do a complete water change (thank God), when people bleed or defecate in them, but apart from that, change your tampon just before an activity, and wear period pants if you can get some. At night sleep on a disposable incontinence sheet which you can buy either from somewhere like Amazon, or a mobility shop. My DH has been using them since he was young, for things like changing the oil in his car or working on a bike part in the kitchen! Please don't let this ruin your holiday or your life.

I'd also say if a guest did this in my house I'd not mind at all.

I have periods like this and transexamic acid helps a lot

I'm so sorry you are feeling bad about this, but try not to! It is a bodily function that we have zero control over. I once bled all over the (fabric) seat on a long haul flight. Very little I could do to prevent the damage and nothing I could do to clean it. Standing in the queue for passport control with a big red bum was not loads of fun, but nobody said anything and I did not dissolve from embarrassment!

I briefly worked as a cleaner and I would say that anyone who decides to leave a massive turd in their shower deserves a talking to, but period blood is just something that happens.

Ugh it’s just a horrible feeling isn’t it. But everyone is right - housekeeping won’t be bothered. It’s when people trash the place on purpose that they get upset.

Go back to the doctor when you get home and insist on further investigation
💐

I worked in housekeeping, people would just strip the sheet and hand it to me, I'd just fire it in the laundry but of my trolley with all tge other towels etc. it's no problem

Aw op this happened to me too a few years ago. I just took the sheet off and found the housekeeping lady, popped it in the laundry bag and explained what had happened. She was so lovely

Please don’t be ashamed or embarrassed of your blood. It is a normal bodily function.

I understand this isn’t ideal that it’s happened in a hotel. Be kind to yourself. Love your body. Speak to your doctor again.

Use this as a catalyst to prioritise your concern about your health. You will not be the first of last woman to bleed on the sheets in this hotel.

Sending love x

I worked hotels and this happens often so don’t worry. Housekeeping will be around on the corridors on the morning so just strip it and have a quick, quiet word. They will be absolutely fine - don’t worry. Trust me, they have seem far far worse. Don’t let it ruin your weekend, it’s not something you can control. Definitely try see a different GP though. Relax and enjoy the rest of your weekend xx

@5YearsLeft

I hope I’m early enough and you see this. Please, please don’t give up, OP. I’m sure this isn’t just the embarrassment - the crying is everything coming out. It’s that no doctor has listened and then your husband didn’t listen about the towel, and then you did everything you could, and then you woke up with the blood stain in the linen and it was just “THE SIGN” that you’ve been putting up with these horrible periods for so, so long and you just can’t take it anymore. But please don’t let it ruin your weekend and don’t let it steal away the things you’ve want!

1. Housekeeping will have seen this HUNDREDS of times, as PP posters said and are absolutely correct. Put a towel under to protect the mattress and s towel on top to protect you for now, and the sheets will be gone tomorrow like it never happened. In fact, they’ve seen far, far worse hundreds or even thousands of times. That doesn’t stop this from hurting your feelings, but please don’t feel embarrassed. They won’t even remember you amongst the guests of this weekend!

1. Your treatments today. Maybe you don’t want the pool because you don’t trust a tampon. But please don’t give up the treatments meant to relax you at this lovely hotel. Believe me, every single treatment provider there has heard, “I just need some extra protection on the table,” much, much more than a hundred times since most of their clients are women and even with the best planning, these holidays sometimes happen during periods. Or maybe you need to leave your underpants on during s massage. Believe me, they will have seen absolutely everything and they will be so kind about it. They’re there to make you feel comfortable.

Life is so short, OP. So short. As I’ve found out. I don’t want you to miss anything you want to do. Especially not due to unnecessary embarrassment! When you get back, tell your doctor to stop being a raging arsehole and that you need treatment for these periods so you can live your life the way you want to.

I’m so sorry this has happened and hope your weekend can go on without too much disruption. Trust in the hotel and your service providers to get you through; they’re probably better than your doctor at handling these things, honestly. And then force your doctor to handle it when you get back, because you so deserve that.

^^ I agree with every reply but this one has it 100%. I hope OP that the unanimous response to please believe that you do not need to feel shame or embarrassment is helping.

@5YearsLeft you sound like an amazing empathetic and compassionate human

If you don’t want to say anything then you don’t need to; the housekeepers will notice when they do the room and change it anyway. Not sure if you’re checking out today?

I’m sure there’s something I read about periods being less heavy in water anyway with tampons but you might want to google. Shame to miss out on the pool.

Basically your body did a normal thing, nothing to be ashamed of

Don't be embarrassed, it happens.

Also, you need to go back to your GP and demand better care. I was you and am on my way to getting things sorted. Tranexemic acid is the first thing to try while you wait to find the root cause.

As lots of others have said, don’t beat yourself up. This is bodily function. Strip the bed. Ask for new sheets and don’t worry about it (easier said than done I know). I have in the past had very heavy periods. But I had a merina coil fitted and it has been life changing. I haven’t had a period in 5 years. Maybe investigate different options and get back to the GP and push

I agree with everyone - I know it feels mortifying but it's not your fault at all!
You tried everything you could, barring your DH banning the towel from the bed, and it still happened - and as has been said, housekeeping will have seen FAAAR worse!

Just let them know first thing, they'll come and change the sheets and do whatever it is they do to launder the blood off the bloodied one.
I would let them know because the longer blood dries in, the harder it is to remove, so better to give them a heads up!

I think the pool might be out - you'd probably manage treatments on a tampon, but I wouldn't risk the pool, I don't think. Hope you manage to enjoy the rest of your stay anyway!

So awful for you. But the staff won't even blink at this. Please see another doctor and look into a mirena coil. Changed my life.

It wouldn't even cross my mind to be embarrassed about this. It's not like you've done it on purpose it's an accident. Push for a referral to a gynaecologist as this is the issue.