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Original poster

Bled through at work and feel too embarrassed to go back

41 replies

EmptyTheFrickingBins · 03/06/2026 16:09

I am so fucking embarrassed I'm not sure I can go back to work.

I've just had my period and thought it had stopped this morning. There wasn't a trace of it on wiping and nothing on the pad I had on last night.

I went to work in blue trousers and a cream blouse. About halfway through the day I got horrible cramps and when I went to the loo I realised I'd bled all over my trousers and chair. It was absolutely horrendous and my male boss very kindly let me leave early.

I've been having periods for nearly thirty years now and never had this happen. I genuinely feel sick about going back in tomorrow.

OP posts:
Calliopespa · 04/06/2026 07:06

30birthdaygirl · 04/06/2026 07:01

Just thought I'd mention that at school the kids are now being taught how to help someone in this situation (offering a jacket to wrap around them to preserve their modesty for example). Even in a stranger situation. Which I think is just lovely!

Hope you'll be ok going back in OP. I'd be giving you a reassuring hug on sight if you were my colleague!

This is lovely.

It happened to a girl at my school and a few of us told the teacher, as she was wandering round unaware.

The teacher said "OK, let me handle it". Then didn't.

It's good times have changed.

LanyardSpaghetti · 04/06/2026 07:22

@StarlightLady I've seen similar labelling also in supermarkets recently and it's a massive improvement. I mentioned it to my kids when I saw it and explained why this was a small, easy-to-do, and really impactful thing. Imagine a generation of kids mentally classifying 'period care products' alongside 'hair care' and tampons being thoroughly normal and boring like baked beans or washing powder.

A couple of things we can consider doing to help normalise having periods:

  • Leave your period care stuff out, in easy reach, in your bathroom at home. No-one should be shocked by evidence that women need these things. Not your family, not your visitors. Let your boys and girls grow up in a home where period care products are entirely unremarkable, not hidden, mysterious things.
  • If you feel confident to do this: if you're at work, or out and about and heading to the loos for a change of tampon / towel, just get it out of your bag / desk drawer / whatever and carry it to the loo. Yes, someone might see you acting 'as though' this was a totally normal thing to do. Wouldn't that be good? ;-)

(typo fixed)

coldspells · 04/06/2026 07:31

Please don't feel embarrassed, it's happened to many of us

MrsLFii · 04/06/2026 07:35

Oh I’m really sorry that happened to you. If it helps though, I don’t think anyone would’ve thought about it any more than ‘oh poor thing, that’s awful and yes, very embarrassing!’ I am almost certain that no one will ever mention it. Anyone who would judge is a massive arsehole who you have no business in paying mind to their opinion anyway. I’ve done it before at work, and yes, I get the mortification but women (generally!) sympathise silently and men are just grateful they don’t have periods!

TorroFerney · 04/06/2026 07:35

LanyardSpaghetti · 04/06/2026 07:22

@StarlightLady I've seen similar labelling also in supermarkets recently and it's a massive improvement. I mentioned it to my kids when I saw it and explained why this was a small, easy-to-do, and really impactful thing. Imagine a generation of kids mentally classifying 'period care products' alongside 'hair care' and tampons being thoroughly normal and boring like baked beans or washing powder.

A couple of things we can consider doing to help normalise having periods:

  • Leave your period care stuff out, in easy reach, in your bathroom at home. No-one should be shocked by evidence that women need these things. Not your family, not your visitors. Let your boys and girls grow up in a home where period care products are entirely unremarkable, not hidden, mysterious things.
  • If you feel confident to do this: if you're at work, or out and about and heading to the loos for a change of tampon / towel, just get it out of your bag / desk drawer / whatever and carry it to the loo. Yes, someone might see you acting 'as though' this was a totally normal thing to do. Wouldn't that be good? ;-)

(typo fixed)

Edited

Sage advice.

CollieH9g · 04/06/2026 07:36

Sorry OP. I had a similar incident where I bled through to my desk chair, to leave the office I had to walk past multiple people and then I needed to clean the bloodstained chair.

My female boss definitely noticed, as did others probably. I was fed up and embarrassed, but I returned to my job, it's just one of those natural things unfortunately. People probably feel sorry for you! Most women will have experienced similar.

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 04/06/2026 07:42

Just think it is like cutting your finger. We wouldn’t be that fussed about that. No shame in bleeding. I think people now are much more okay with dealing with periods. My work place has period pads/tampons free in the toilet which I think is lovely.

HappyLilacPoet · 04/06/2026 08:26

Hope you are feeling better today. This happened to my best friend on her wedding day (and I’m sure she isn’t the only one!).

Dinutaseat · 04/06/2026 08:31

Oh, no.. This has happened to me, and I also once had to tell a friend it had happened to her. It is horrible, but no one who knows will feel anything but sympathy.

StarlightLady · 04/06/2026 08:34

LanyardSpaghetti · 04/06/2026 07:22

@StarlightLady I've seen similar labelling also in supermarkets recently and it's a massive improvement. I mentioned it to my kids when I saw it and explained why this was a small, easy-to-do, and really impactful thing. Imagine a generation of kids mentally classifying 'period care products' alongside 'hair care' and tampons being thoroughly normal and boring like baked beans or washing powder.

A couple of things we can consider doing to help normalise having periods:

  • Leave your period care stuff out, in easy reach, in your bathroom at home. No-one should be shocked by evidence that women need these things. Not your family, not your visitors. Let your boys and girls grow up in a home where period care products are entirely unremarkable, not hidden, mysterious things.
  • If you feel confident to do this: if you're at work, or out and about and heading to the loos for a change of tampon / towel, just get it out of your bag / desk drawer / whatever and carry it to the loo. Yes, someone might see you acting 'as though' this was a totally normal thing to do. Wouldn't that be good? ;-)

(typo fixed)

Edited

❤️ Lovely sound stuff here.

l don’t want to derail the thread but may l add that at home, l always have a box of Tampax visible in both loos. I regard it as similar to toilet paper being on show. I used to leave them out during periods and then put them away afterwards; l had a rethink after a friend visiting got caught out and asked if l had one spare. This way if a visitor unexpectedly needs one, they can just take one with no fuss. I think it’s good for any men visiting to see too, it demonstrates there is no taboo.

When l do hit the menopause and beyond l will continue to leave some out for visitors.

l hope we here something positive back from the OP soon.

JustJoshing · 04/06/2026 08:36

Hi OP, how are you feeling today?

I'm sorry this happened to you. Like another poster suggested, a lot of us would be mortified but, like more have stated, it would be a good idea to breathe and consider what your thoughts and advice would be if this happened to someone you knew?

I think, more than anything, people will feel sorry for you because they would be embarrassed and probably expect for you to be but they definitely aren't judging you or seeing you as less than or anything other than a fellow human being that had an unfortunate experience.

I hope that you're okay today and managed to go to work. I know it would be hard for me, so I understand where you're coming from, but I think others are correct in saying it would be the right thing to do to go in..

Thinking of you today!

Mischance · 04/06/2026 08:37

Periods are out of the closet now - thank goodness, as when I was young we had to pretend they did not exist!

5 year old boys know all about them; all men know all about them - it is a blooming nuisance when a flood happens, but nothing to be embarrassed about.

Go in to work with your head held high. If anyone helped you then tell them you are grateful for this.

Women have got to stop being ashamed of our bodies and how they work. Personally I think periods are a total pain and if I had been the Great Designer (had to be male!) they would not have featured in my plans. But they are what they are and we should not feel ashamed.

AsparagusSeason · 04/06/2026 08:38

Horrible for you. I can still remember bleeding on the seat of my parents’ friends’ car when I was 14!

You just have to put it behind you and go back to work. Embarrassing things happen.

StarlightLady · 04/06/2026 08:42

For similar reasons the England Womens’ Football Team changed their kit from white shorts to black.

LindorDoubleChoc · 04/06/2026 08:44

If you saw it had happened to another woman would you feel a) disgusted by her b) annoyed with her c) impatient with her?

No?

Then absolutely no one else is going to feel this way towards you. No need to "feel sick", there are hundreds of things you could have done at work to feel embarrassed about and this isn't one of them.

VivaciousCurrentBun · 04/06/2026 08:53

This happened to me on an away day with work when I was in a restaurant when I was in peri menopause, periods can go a bit haywire. I styled it out by tying my coat around my waist and lots of loo roll. You will be fine.

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