to ask everyone to describe what their period is like

[Thurlow]

Not exactly a TAAT, but inspired by one. And nosiness too But also thought it might be interesting for people to see whether theirs are worse than others and so might need a visit to the GP, as you can't really tell how bad yours are until you know what others are like.

(Nosiness because the heaviness makes me wonder occasionally whether I ought to get checked for fibroids)

Right. Apologies in advance for the TMI..

Mine last 3-4 days. Sometimes cramping a night or two before it starts is bad enough to wake me in the middle of the night and stay awake for an hour or so to have a cuppa and wait for tablets to work. First 2 nights I get through a super extra plus tampon and a nighttime towel, first 2-3 days I get through a super extra plus tampon with 3-4 hours. Haven't tried just using a towel on those days as I suspect it would be disastrous! But not too painful during a period (no need for tablets) and it ends quite abruptly. Not on any contraceptives.

I used to get unbearable cramps for the first two days, like spasms but it felt like they were coming from by bum...? The doctor told me that I had a very narrow birth canal apparently and that it would go after my first child, he was right!

Ive got fibroids one is the size of a grapefruit and my periods are very light (i think)

Haven't had a period in years, since I started on the Depo jab.

Pre-children, they used to last for 6-8 days and in the first 2 or 3 days were very heavy - I'd get through a super plus tampon in an hour or 2 and even with wearing both tampon and sanitary towel, had to get up at night. But other than mild cramps they were relatively pain free (apart from 2 random occasions when I nearly passed out.

Post children, my periods last 4-5 days, and are significantly lighter BUT,(and it's a big but) I get awful cramps - for the first 2 or 3 days I am dosed up on the strongest of painkillers and often have to go and lie down because I feel like death.

I'm lucky with mine. Star to finish is 5 days max. I come on like a tap and off again.

I sometimes have cramping the day before it all kicks off, but not every time and only for a couple of hours.

First day is super plus tampon every 3/4 hours and 2 overnight, after that i can go tamponless and just use a towel. Change 2/3 times a day.

30 day cycle.

Nothing has changed since i started my periods at 13ish despite having 4 kids.

Out of interest my mother (whom we are supposed to take after aren't we?) had the most horrendous problems with hers. Pain, volume and length of bleed.

V regular, last 3-4 days, occasional mild cramps but generally no issues at all in the department (I'm 40, child free). I do get murderous PMT every few months tho!

I'm always jealous when I hear posters on threads, or friends in RL, express shock that people have to wear tampons or moon cups at night. (Hence what inspired this, a conversation on another thread where some posters were surprised some people can't bathe without a tampon in)

And don't say that, fluffy, all the women on my mum's side of the family had things like hysterectomies and endometrial ablation in their late 30s and 40s!

I didn't start till age 16 and then was very irregular and light till age 22 or so; about every three months.

Now I am 42 and regular ish 25-30 days and normally 2 days fairly heavy, though I don't wear tampons and never have cramp and almost never leak. Followed by one or two light days when just a liner will do for the day.

Never been on the pill and have 2 DC

Pre-baby: 5 days, moderately heavy for two, moderate for two, not much for 1-2 days. A bit of cramping, never needed paracetamol, sore boobs beforehand.

Post-baby: 8 days. 2 days of pre-period spotting (not included in 8 days). 4 very heavy (for me - going through max capacity towels every few hours, need to get up in the night to change it), occasional flooding. 1-2 days previous level heavy, 2-3 days previous level moderate. Lots of painful cramping, nausea and hot flushes, terrible headache at end of period.

Don't know yet if this is post-baby or post-coil. I'm thinking of having it out - it's ridiculous!

I have extremely heavy periods. 2/3 days of changing super plus extra tampons hourly. I have to use pads too as sometimes I can't get to the loo or need to change more frequently. Then 3/5 days of moderate flow, eventually light flow or spotting (what looks like 'old blood). Total length of period is usually 9 days.

I have rarely had period pain since my second child 9 years ago. But I had sections and part of my stomach is still numb and I wonder if that is connected as it used to be horrendous.

I had an endometriosis diagnosis 13 years ago and recent tests have confirmed fibroids too.

In the last year, I have occasionally had a very light, shorter period. Possibly I'm pre-menopausal, but have no other symptoms.

For 3 days a month it's a disability.

Oh and on a 29-ish day cycle, too (so 8-10 days a month bleeding)

I get very heightened senses on the first day of mine. This morning I noticed that someone has SCRATCHED THE COOKER. Rage! Does my head in.

Pre baby mine lasted about 4 days and were fairly light (mooncup emptied am and pm) no real pains just a draggy feeling the day before af arrived. Keeping my fingers crossed they stay the same post baby (she's only 16 days old so no period yet)

super light! .. tmi alert:
day one spotting
day two use a regular tampon that lasts 8 hours and then still is half white/clean when it comes out.

no tampon or pad at night, seem not to. bleed when horizontal!
day 3-4 tampon use as above.
all in all 4ish days of light flow tapering off to irritating spotting for 2 more days.

unpleasant uncomfortable sickly cramps for first couple days, I know some people suggest hot water bottle but that thought makes me feel more sick with cramps. ohhh the joys of womanhood.

Mine lasts anywhere between 7 and 10 days. very very heavy apart from the last day. A few cramps but nothing that stops me in my tracks. horrendous PMT starts about a week before period and stops when period arrives.

I have PCOS, so lucky I have regular periods (not now, currently pregnant). For that I am grateful.

Started at age 11. Usually lasts 5 days. Feel bloated the day before slight cramps but doesn't hurt much. I always get a bit of an upset stomach on day one. Day 1 use normal sanitary towel, Day 2 and 3 use maxi as heavier, Day 4 and 5 normal sanitary towel.

I prefer sanitary towels only wear tampons if going swimming.

Usually very regular but the last 18 months I have missed months out but GP didn't seem worried. Had a blood test and all was ok.

Not taking any contraception did have depo injection many years ago that messed my periods about.

Worst: (I think when I'm anemic)
Filthy mood day or two before (not in a good way. Angry or tearful.) Plus appetite for junk foors and snacks. First night/day not too bad with super extra large tampon and ultra towels changed 3-4 hrs. Next two days, lots of clots and flooding. Usually cramping and all over horrible dull achy pain. Pain relief needed around the clock. Tampons need to be changed every hour (mad rush to the loo and feeling of panic if no spares on me) and up to change in early hours of the morning. Next 2 days go back to 'normal' and sometimes just stop at day 4, sometimes drags on for longer.

When not anemic: a bit of irritation, but no temper or tears beforehand. Some localised pain but only first day or two and not always a need for pain relief. Few small clots. Tampons changed every 3-4 hours, flooding rare, period lasts 3-4 days.

Very very heavy. Normally last between 7-10 days and pass enormous clots (sorry) and have to change every hour.

I have just started a course of meds to stop my periods due to bleeding for FOUR MONTHS.

Can't wait for the menopause!!

my periods aren't too bad - 1 to 2 days of heavy (a bit floody) then 5 days of light - 44 3 kids

however my cycle is awful - weeks 2-4 tend to just be crippling pain and a feeling that I have 2 footballs in my pelvis - hence y surgery in 2 weeks time!

Ooh yes, clots. Let's go for full-blown TMI. I have loads of clots. I have no idea what level is normal.

I am 44 and have had one child.

I have only had 'period pain' on about three occasions
Since I got to this age my periods have become longer - sometimes lasting a week or more.
My cycle is generally 25 days and was all through my TTC years.
I have never had spotting, just a full blown gush from day one. I regularly soak through towels at night and tampons in the day during the first three to four days.

After having kids they are awful. First couple of days are really heavy, I need to use Lilets Ultra tampons which last 3 hours. Have to get up in the night and change. Lots of clots and weird bum pains (spasms) which are the worst bit. Does anyone know what night cause these? After a couple of days it's much lighter and painless for another 4-5 days. Those initial two days are really miserable.

Every 2 weeks,
2/3 days before foul mood, awful migraine, tummy cramps, tummy swells and I can't lift anything, standing or moving is like someone's dragging a hot serrated knife across my tummy.
First day or two practically just sit on the loo as everything leaks.
Cramps and swelling carry on.
By day 5 it's just slowing to need a little towel
Stops around day 7/8

yes I'm playing the worlds smallest violin for myself

I was ok until they discontinued my pill and now I'm on the last choice.

Huge sloshy poo followed immediately by rush of blood. Then the calm before the storm for a few hours, with steadily worsening period pain and some blood. Usually vomiting on the second day, along with flooding and huge slithery clots that slide down the side of the tampon to nestle in my jumbo pad. Change tampon every 30-45 minutes, but by the end of the day I can usually go up to two hours. Day three and the pain has gone, as have the clots, so just normal blood, but still heavy. I can sit on the loo and it runs out of me. Fourth day it has dwindled to virtually nothing and there is no pain. Nothing on fifth day, but it sometimes returns for an encore on day six.

I use the extra large tampons, and a night time pad as well. Tranexamic acid helps a lot. Mefenamic acid did nothing except prolong my period for 10 days.

I also get bum spasm pains. My doctor unhelpfully said "It's one of those things."