Can Anyone Relate? - Periods

[TattedBarley]

Hi, just posting for a bit of a rant / some advice / to see if you can relate.
I’m 25, diagnosed with PCOS at 16. Always had heavy, painful periods, big clots, bloating, tiredness, emotional etc. Since having DD 2 years ago my periods have been getting further and further apart. I started my period yesterday, my last one was 3 months ago. I’ve been having such bad pain with it, it honestly feels like the start of labour did! Contraction-like cramping with the pain mostly in my back and thighs, very weirdly feels like my cervix has opened, I’m so so tired. I did try going to the doctors in January about my (lack of) periods and all the symptoms associated with them when they do come, but the doctors didn’t want to know. Apparently unless I have less than 3 periods a year then I’m fine, no reason to investigate anything. I sometimes have period pain even when I’m not on my period. Am I right in thinking I’m at higher risk of problems later down the line if I’m not getting periods frequently as I should be? Is there seriously nothing that can be done to help, or are my doctors just crap? Can anyone offer advice / suggestions / relate? Thanks all x

Ive kind of been having similar issues though i am older than you and never had many problems at all when i was younger. In the past year ive had some terrible pain with them and can go a few months with nothing then bam, flooding city for a few days and my mood drops. My blood tests were pretty awful so i have been taking ferrous fumarate for a few months now. Doctor suggested i go on the progesterone mini pill to try to lessen my period but all it did was give me a horrendous period where i lost so much blood and felt so ill i was back to square one with my energy and then gave me another period a couple of weeks later. I agree that doctors are not very helpful.

Hi, so sorry to hear you’re having trouble too. The pill was suggested to me to try and ease symptoms, but I found any kind of hormonal contraceptives really messed with my mental health, to the point of feeling suicidal! I’ve tried various pills and the implant and it was just awful

I have PCOS and my periods used to be like this. I could often go months and months without having a period. Metformin and losing weight did help regulate mine, but I couldn't cope with the stomach issues if I ate something fatty or greasy so I stopped taking them. Periods ended up all over the place again. Last year I eliminated wheat and gluten from my diet. For the first time in over 20 years I have had a regular non medicated period. Lasts 5 days. Day 1 is fairly light, day 2-3 is heavier and I do need to be careful during the night and then it lightens off again. I do get some mild cramping, but it is more annoying than unbearable like it used to be. The only difference now is since my 4th Pregnancy 5 years ago my boobs ache like fuck now a few days before my period and around ovulation. Whereas before they never did, or at least not to the extent they do now. Now I have to hold my cuppa or a hot water bottle against them to try and ease the pain.