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Original poster

Anyone awake? I'm so mortified and embarrassed

218 replies

FlamingLama · 06/02/2022 05:00

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?

OP posts:
Malldelly · 06/02/2022 07:39

Have you tried mooncups? They hold a lot more blood than tampons, also reusable pads. Both game changers for me. I never leak on bedding now.

Bigsighall · 06/02/2022 07:40

Holiday cottage owner here. Don’t worry it happens. Stripping the bed would be a nice thing to do. Blood is surprisingly easy to get rid of with cold water soaking.
Have you considered using period pants as well as your normal protection? Maybe worth a look to help?

HarlanPepper · 06/02/2022 07:41

Adding my voice to the other ex-housekeeping staff! this would not have bothered me one bit. Please don't let it spoil the rest of your holiday.

jevoudrais · 06/02/2022 07:41

I was going to suggest a menstrual cup, less leaks for me when using that

HerkyBaby · 06/02/2022 07:44

Just leave an exceptionally generous tip with a note for house keeping in the room.

CallItLoneliness · 06/02/2022 07:44

I had hideous periods, and the other thing my cup was GREAT for was being able to tell my doctor exactly how much blood I was losing. Cup capacity was 45 mls, most women lose around 30 mls of blood per period. When I was able to tell them I was losing 250-300mls of blood per period, they actually took notice. I had an ablation after a scan to rule out fibroids (not in the UK, not sure how available they are there); game changer. You have to be done having kids, but it really did change my life for the better.

Cheekypeach · 06/02/2022 07:45

Don’t worry, or feel embarrassed. 99% of women have had a moment like this in some way.

EnjoyingTheSilence · 06/02/2022 07:47

This might make you feel better @FlamingLama. I was at a wedding this year and flooded through everything whilst sitting outside. Would have got away with it if I hadn’t been sitting on light coloured cushions. I had to explain to one of the staff what had happened. They were absolutely lovely and told me not to worry, they would deal with it.

I think it must happen more than we think it does.

Agree with PP go back to you doctor, can you see someone else. I had an internal scan last week just waiting for the results though think mine is more to do the menopause

Crayfishforyou · 06/02/2022 07:47

I’ve worked in housekeeping and honestly OP, this wouldn’t have had me reacting at all. It’s best to tell the staff straight away.
Heavy periods are horrible. I think the poster that said to take photos had a good idea. As well as trying to measure the volume.
Flowers

Toanewstart23 · 06/02/2022 07:49

Before you leave
Strip the sheets and put in bath
Then cleaners will just scoop up and shove in laundry bin

CurryLover55 · 06/02/2022 07:51

Basically echoing what pps have said but only a couple seem to have picked up on your DH’s attitude - I really hope he’s supporting & comforting you now OP. Does he not know how heavy your periods are? My DH would have suggested that I sleep on a towel.

Phineyj · 06/02/2022 07:51

You can have an ablation here but it definitely helps to see a private gynae. I did that after years of period issues and I have had several ablations now (turned out I had endometriosis) and am on my second Mirena.

I flooded all over my grandma's crisp white sheets as a teenager and my mum shouted at me! Never forgotten that.

I also have migraines (partly as a side effect of the gynae issues) and a side effect is sometimes throwing up everywhere. Never forgotten the lovely cafe owner who just made for the loos with a mop telling me 'don't worry darling'.

Solidarity OP, humans have bodily fluids and I'm sorry your DH is being an arse about it.

Peaseblossum22 · 06/02/2022 07:54

If you are on Instagram look up @thedigitalgp she did a great post on heavy periods the other day which should arm you with the courage to speak to your gP more firmly .

On the sheets please don’t worry they are used to this and much much worse, at least this can’t be helped. Remember most of the housekeepers see women too. If you have the courage ask to speak to the housekeeping team at reception and just explain , maybe leave a tip for housekeeping. Otherwise just strip the bed and leave a note, the note and the tip aren’t needed but it will make you and them feel better !

Thisbastardcomputer · 06/02/2022 07:55

It happened to me, a very unexpected very heavy period which flooded the hotel bed, on the eve of my nieces wedding. I just pulled one of the staff to one side and apologised and stripped the bed for them.

It was nothing like the anxiety I had at the wedding, if I was going to leak on the cream dress I had for the wedding, two super plus tampons and a sanitary towel. Trying to find supplies in rural Cornwall, I never went anywhere again without a large box of tampax.

CornishTiger · 06/02/2022 07:57

Try a menstrual cup in future. I was even able to go swimming with one in when I went on holiday.

Strip the sheets later and place them in bath. Leave a note.

alwaystakethetrip · 06/02/2022 07:59

@Malldelly

Have you tried mooncups? They hold a lot more blood than tampons, also reusable pads. Both game changers for me. I never leak on bedding now.
Another vote for a mooncup - have never looked back, they very rarely leak and good for the environment
Peaseblossum22 · 06/02/2022 08:00

Actually it’s on her other account the_well HQ

www.instagram.com/tv/CZHyqPeIJeJ/?utm_medium=copy_link

Rangoon · 06/02/2022 08:05

I had an ablation. You can only have it done when you've finished having children. During the ablation the surgeon discovered a fibroid that was the main cause and removed that as well. It was life changing. I didn't need to sleep on a towel and I could wear clothes that weren't black. The specialist said that the acid treatment stops being effective after a while so this was the forever cure. I tried a mirena but that didn't work for me because I couldnt stop crying because of the hormones. You probably need an iron supplement and a better doctor.

Woodnine · 06/02/2022 08:05

@FlamingLama don’t be embarrassed- housekeeping are used to this. I also have awful, heavy periods and have had some really embarrassing mishaps - one even happened at my sister’s wedding when I was made of honour and sitting at the top table! Anyway I only came on to say try Modibodi 24hour pants - complete game changer! I have fibroids so could soak through a heavy tampon and pad in an hour, I had to wear huge incontinence pants and they would still need to be changed several times a day! I can wear Modibodi for a whole day, no change required, the pants aren’t bulky, they’re super comfortable. They are pricey but you can get a 30 day trial where you can try one pair, don’t even have to return them, but they will still give you your money back if the pants aren’t working for you!

Gladioli23 · 06/02/2022 08:05

I would second going and being very firm with your GP, including if possible accurate measurements of how much blood you're losing.

As a teenager I just had total nightmares with my periods - bleeding on bedding, bleeding through clothes, horrendous pain. I got my first period and it just never stopped, for 6 months . i went to the doctor's and was told it was just it being unsettled because it was started and new. I got to the point where as a 13 year old weighing maybe 6 or 7 stone I was bleeding through a supermax tampon in 30 mins. We ended up weighing the damned things to quantify the scale of the problem which tipped the doctors into action as they concluded I was going to actually bleed to death if they didn't. They put me on the pill and I've taken it for 3-6 months at a time ever since.

You don't need to feel ashamed though I understand the embarrassment. My current delight is that I get nosebleeds about 4-6 times a week which is exhausting and I spend my life trying not to bleed on everything.

5YearsLeft's post was very sensible above, I think she has summed it up perfectly.

duvetdayforeveryone · 06/02/2022 08:09

@FlamingLama I wish I could give you a big hug! You have nothing to be embarrassed about. The hotel will understand. Please be kind to yourself. Don't let your period ruin the rest of the day x

BegoniaGal7 · 06/02/2022 08:10

I once worked in a hotel, it’s completely common, please don’t be embarrassed. Agree with others it’s worth another chat with your GP and request a gynae referral, share what you’ve shared here and let them know how it interferes with your life. You needn’t suffer so Flowers

duvetdayforeveryone · 06/02/2022 08:11

[quote Peaseblossum22]Actually it’s on her other account the_well HQ

www.instagram.com/tv/CZHyqPeIJeJ/?utm_medium=copy_link[/quote]
Thank you @Peaseblossum22 for sharing :)

pictish · 06/02/2022 08:11

The hotel staff will have come across this many times before. Don’t worry. Having an overnight leak isn’t shameful…it happens to everyone!

userxx · 06/02/2022 08:13

@Thisbastardcomputer

It happened to me, a very unexpected very heavy period which flooded the hotel bed, on the eve of my nieces wedding. I just pulled one of the staff to one side and apologised and stripped the bed for them.

It was nothing like the anxiety I had at the wedding, if I was going to leak on the cream dress I had for the wedding, two super plus tampons and a sanitary towel. Trying to find supplies in rural Cornwall, I never went anywhere again without a large box of tampax.

You managed to squeeze in two super plus tampons.... at the same time ? Respect 🙌