to think that Always infinity is the worst pad I've tried in my life?

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

And I'm the perfect person to test it out. I've suffered from heavy periods for about four years. Had all sorts of tests done. Tried the Mirena IUD and didn't get on with it as exogenous hormones don't seem to suit me. I'm now on the copper coil for contraception due to my reaction to hormones and am fully aware that this comes with the side effect of even heavier periods. I take tranexamic acid and 800mg ibuprofen three times a day just to have periods most women would think were normal/kind of heavy.

I saw the advert for Always infinity and even though I did a double-take at the price, I bought the night time pads at a ridiculous price for 8 pads to use during the day. I thought if it did what it promised, I don't mind paying the price.

Oh my goodness, these are even worse than the budget pads you can buy for a pound! I had the worst night's sleep last night where I was so tired I didn't want to get out of bed, but I had flooded and needed to get up and put a decent pad on. And I had done my usual trick of stuffing toilet tissue in my knickers as extra protection.

Am I alone in thinking this product is shite and a complete con?

[LadyMaryLikesCake]

Having a hysterectomy does solve the problem but it creates others. There's the infection risk and the high chance of a prolapse, which really isn't nice. My old GP did say that fibroids stop growing after the menopause, I think this is because they are 'fed' by hormones and the levels change a great deal during and after the menopause.

There's a menstral disorder clinic here so you should ask if there's something similar where you are. The depot injection should stop your period for a while to give your iron levels the chance to pick up, it will make you feel so much better. If you want to see someone about embolising them (cutting off the blood supply) they will refer you to an interventional radiologist who will discuss things with you. If you don't, there's other options, such as a myomectomy (where they operate to remove the fibroids but leave the uterus.) It does mean they will grow back though so it's not a permanent fix.

If you leave them, they will grow.

[LadyMaryLikesCake]

GO AND SEE YOUR GP, intheround. Get a referral. It's not normal to bleed like this.

My GP was crap, until I had a flood in the waiting room. Poor bloke panicked and called 999 I'd lost half of the blood in my body in 12 hours though so I was grateful that he panicked. It also meant that I had a referral to the Gynae people so I could get it sorted.

There's medication that you can ask your GP for which stops your periods, so will give you the chance to get yourself well again. It's called northisterone. It's not a cure but it will help. The depot injection also stops them, it's one jab a month as opposed to a pill a day.

[itsbetterthanabox]

I'm very heavy and I thought they looked awful. My periods are south easier since using a menstrual cup. It holds so much more than the highest absorbency tampons. I use pads too, I like bodyform but I want some cloth, reusable pads because they are very absorbent and much cheaper!

[ThenAgain]

For nighttime children's Drynites Bed Pads are good. Stop you worrying you're soaking the mattress, but rustley though!

[JohnnyUtah]

Oohhhhh THAT'S why I get an itchy fanjo while I am on my period!



Thanks guys!

[kelper]

Pre ds I had a moon cup, but emptying at work caused ishues :-/ I've had an implant for nearly three years, but that's coming out on Monday due to horrid depression (on antids) mood swings, and 3stone weight gain in 18 months whilst not changing my diet or exercise.
My mum had fibroids, so I wonder if I have them too, don't know if they're hereditary. Part of me is looking forward to having no synthetic hormones in my system so I can see if the antids are working properly, but part of me is terrified I'm going to go back to using 6+ super plus tampons a day.......

[prettypleasewithsugarontop]

DH bought me scented ones this afternoon I've been sat here very uncomfy since putting one on

Periods very heavy since coming off pill, but not to the extent of some of you - sounds really shit

[SavingMyselfForLukePerry]

Cloth sanitary protection, topped with fleece or minky. Once you get over the 'ewww' factor, you'll never go back.

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

This is how heavy my fucking period is....my coil has just fallen out FFS! .

Well looks like Cerazette it is, then!

[deakymom]

have you tried the reusable sanitary pads? you could wrap one over a regular pad double up your protection and they are softer (just dont wash them with fabric softner as they dont absorb a thing!)

[goodasitgets]

Yes it's my coil that's making them heavy. They last 8 - 10 days too (not all heavy days, it just drags on)

[LittleBabyPigsus]

I actually find a lot of pads really uncomfortable, Always night time maxi pads are particularly bad - really scratchy! Maybe I have a bizarrely sensitive fanjo? So yes, a pad being soft is a good thing.

To the PP who wanted comfy pad suggestions, I love Bodyform. Super soft. Always Cotton Soft is sometimes available in pound shops (orange wrapper). I found Always Silk came away from the backing a bit and got stuck in the fanjo, nice. Sainsbo's own brand is not too bad. Haven't tried Natracare and am interested.

There is always the option of reusable pads (like reusable nappies) but not quite brave enough to hang them out on the washing line!

Re fibroids, my mum had a hysterectomy last year due to her large fibroids and has never felt better. Her heavy periods gave her awful anaemia and she feels so much healthier now.

[LittleBabyPigsus]

Also, I kind of have the opposite problem with periods - mine are quite normal in terms of volume but (sorry tmi) very runny/watery. Barely any clots, the ones I do get are small. Would I be better off with incontinence pads? I find that because the period is so watery and not gloopy like normal period blood (sorry!), it soaks pads much more quickly.

[StairsInTheNight]

I also had a hysterectomy because of fibroids/stupidly heavy periods. For me it's been brilliant,it has totally improved my quality of life, which was shit with constant bleeding, tena lady, anemia, no sex etc.

Sad and angry reading this thread, reminds me of the bad old days. I think it's awful that women are expected to just put up with constant heavy bleeding.

Long term anaemia can have serious heath repercussions, I didn't realise how ill I felt every day until I was back to normal, the breathlessness, bad temper, exhaustion, dry skin, cracked heels, split nails etc. All gone!

[EBearhug]

I think it's awful that women are expected to just put up with constant heavy bleeding.

So do I, and fortunately, so does my lovely GP. I wish I could send you all to her, as she'd keep investigating.

[prettymess]

When I got a trial one at work and information about it, it actually said on the leaflet that the Infinity pads were "like memory foam". Like that's going to help me sell them...!

[MrsAMerrick]

stairs I think it's rubbish too that GPs don't take heavy periods seriously. My GP fobbed me off for years, and tried things which turned out to be totally unsuitable, eg insisted on me having a Mirena coil which made things worse not better, then wouldn't take it out because I hadn't given it long enough (it finally got removed 2.5 years after insertion, and things improved a bit).

I eventually got a referral to a gynae, and was diagnosed with fibroids. I'm having them removed next month. Hoping that will reduce Niagara Falls to a normal flow. If not then I've been told I can have a hysterectomy.

I am so totally fed up with bleeding to the extent I am, always having to worry about leaking, changing clothes etc, Work meetings are a nightmare as I usually have to do pad and tampon change every 30 minutes. I now sort it so that my period starts on a Friday evening which gives me the weekend to get over the worst two days.

Why is it that older and wiser friends give you the lowdown about childbirth etc but no one telks you how shit menstruation gets once you're in your 40s???

[Eatriskier]

mychild that happened with my first mirena too. I told my gp I would try again but if it didn't work then I want the whole lot removed. I can't leave my house and I can't have them just getting worse and worse.

[winklewoman]

When you consider the huge cost of all these items, particularly when you have to double up with tampons plus pads, it really is annoying that they are subject to VAT, when, apparently, men's shaving items are not.

[MrsAMerrick]

Do you mean the ones in orange boxes, euphemia? I discovered them thanks to someone on MN and found that they are available in Boots, but not in my local supermarket. They are really good but sadly on day 1 and 2 need to be changed at least every hour and quite often every 30 minutes.

I can't imagine trying to teach whilst having to go to the loo every 30 -60 minutes! I arrange it so that my period starts on a Friday afternoon / evening, otherwise I might seriously have to think about taking a day off work for the first day. Next month, for various complicated reasons, I am going to have to start my period on a Thursday and am already blocking the Friday out as a "work from home, no meetings" day as that seems the only way forward! Obviously that's not an option for people who work in jobs such as teaching!

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

When you consider the huge cost of all these items, particularly when you have to double up with tampons plus pads, it really is annoying that they are subject to VAT, when, apparently, men's shaving items are not.

This annoys me too. Does VAT mean that something is classed as a luxury product? Just checked the HMRC website and 'sanitary hygiene' product are subject to a reduced rate of VAT, but its VAT nevetheless.