I am having a terrible time with my period and work

[Whengcame]

Basically I only have a small window of opportunity to go to the toilet and change my pad and I don't get that, that's it. I will often be wearing the same pad from morning time til night time. Often my work keeps me late too so it can be 8 or 9 or 10 at night by the time I am free instead of a 6 finish time. So often it's the one pad from the time I get up in the morning to nighttime. I have to wear maternity pads.

I am trying so hard with trying to change to a menstrual cup. I know gener3tgey can be 12 hours but if I wear one with a pad, I should get maybe 14 or 15 or 16 hours from the set up. I understand the folds but it's just not going in for me.

I'm having a bad time. I got ready this morning. I went to the toilet at 2 but there was some bit h banging on the door so I wasn't even allowed a few minto do my business and change. By the time I went to the toilet again at 7pm the pad was soaked through.

I hate my fucking life and now. Why is it so hard to allow someone a few minutes in a day. This is happening so many times.

Blimey, that sounds bad. I think you need to address this at higher level at work as its not human not to let anyone use the toilet during their workshift, period or not period.
Apart from that, yes, a cup would be a good solution as you may not need to empty it for that long. Also period underwear would be worth a try.

Yeah you really shouldn't have to put up with that.
Speak to a higher up and demand that you are left alone when on a personal break. It's a basic human right and you need to set a clear boundary.

Fucking hell where do you work?? Also if someone is banging on the door let them bang! You do what you need to do.
Going on the pill/coil could lighten your period or stop it altogether but that's not an option for some people I guess.
I would be having serious words with management. If I couldn't wee for 14 hours I'd be off work with cystitis for the next 2 days!

What do you do where you can't get to the toilet during the day?

You need to talk to your union. I am sure that no toilet breaks must be illegal.

wtf? You aren’t allowed to go to the toilet except once a day? Where do you work?

Do you even get a lunch break? This sounds crazy.

Echoing the 'where do you work' comments but also recommend 24 hr period pants as a possible option.

Aside from the fact it sounds like you're in the workhouse, have you tried a pad over period pants? Halfway through shift you can just quickly take the pad off and just wear the pants, will only take a few seconds. How can you not have a few mins to use the toilet though?! Why is someone banging on the door? Just stay in until you're done!

Wait. You aren't allowed to the toilet for 12 hours???? How is that legal? What do you do piss yourself?

You are entitled to a break every 6 hours! This sounds awful, where do you work?!

This sounds appalling! Can you leave? I promise most employers aren’t like this. It’s an employee market right now!

This is outrageous. You have to be free to go the loo when you need to.

Why on earth was someone banging on the door and why can't you just ignore them?

Awful. Care sector?

Can you use a super tampon and a super pad, not that you should have to.

Try period pants rather than normal ones. Layer up with a big pad plus a tampon and then if you do leak it's much less likely to go beyond the barrier of the period pants and won't spoil your chair or clothes.

Use that as interim solution while you consult your contract, get some employment advice and try to approach management about it. This is surely verging on discrimination as you have a medical need to use the facilities a certain number of times per day.

Even in the care sector you can use the loo and you have breaks. I have no idea where the op works where she is not allowed or able to have toilet breaks.

It sounds like it might be one of those workplaces where they don't explicitly prevent employees using the toilet but they overwork you to such a degree that it's just impossible (for example, healthcare/nursing). It does need to be raised with management as it could be that they need to put reasonable measures in place - getting someone to take over for 10 minutes every couple of hours while you use the loo. I wouldn't allow this to be a casual discussion, insist on a written email to follow up and confirm what was discussed. Or request a minuted meeting. The reason I say to record it is because if this carries on you may wish to look for a new job and there could be grounds to take them to tribunal for constructive dismissal over this

But even in healthcare and nursing you get breaks. It’s illegal not to.

so what happens if you need to pee? Do you just piss yourself on the spot? Don’t say ‘I don’t drink much so I don’t need to pee’ because that doesn’t always work. You’re being a bit of a martyr

I'd hazard a guess that OP works in a warehouse type environment as a picker - they e crazy targets to meet.

Well yes, if fully staffed. The NHS has been buckling since before the pandemic and I've witnessed many employment rules being broken out of desperation.

How can you physically go 12 hours without a toilet break?

Down on paper I am allowed breaks but it means sweet fuck all in practice. A few people got it right, it is the care sector. I hate it so much.

I was in tears on Tuesday night, because it was my third day of the AF and I thought maybe it would be easing. I went to the toilet at 2.20 just to have someone bang on the door so I finished quickly. By the time I was finished at 7, the pad that I put on in the morning was soaked through and my underwear was stained. Probably my pants too but thank goodness, I was wearing black.

I am so so so so sick of it all. I'm not allowed 5 or 10 minutes just to freshen up from my period. I'm actually thinking about getting signed out of work for the first 2/3 days of my period going forward.

I'm allowed a breaks but in practice it means sweet fuck all.