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.

Forgot to say they have gradually got heavier and clottier- not as bad as some on here but I probably need a super tampon every 3 hours for the first couple of days. Does stop in the bath though, and in bed on the third or fourth night - usually lasts 5-6 days.

At the moment they last 2-3 days. Heavy for first day and night then light bleeding for last two. Have terrible desire to eat my weight in bread. Physically I have a bad stomach throughout, as in loose stools and wind, lots of it! I also get so warm. I'm basically like a hot water bottle for a week before and during. I get cramps on the first day but they settle down after that. 2-3 days before I'm due on I'm so tired and can happily sleep for 12+ hours and nap. It's exactly like the early pg tiredness you get. Emotionally I am a wreck a week before.

I just take the pill constantly because I cannot be fucked with this medieval shit, grappling with clots and blood and gushes and leaks and agony in 20fucking14.

Pre-constant pill :
A week of bleeding, with gushes, cramps that make my legs give way, diarrhoea, scarily huge clots. Generally barbaric and disgusting.

I wish, Even. I hate the fact that I can't take anything to regulate or stop my periods.

.

35 years old, no children.

Took microgynon for almost 20 years and always ran packets together so no 'bleeds' at all.

Came off it two years ago. No period for about three months then settled into 28 day cycle (like clockwork!).

Use regular tampons. Three on first day and two on second and the last one is usually mostly dry.

That's it!. Two days of light flow. No clots. Some bloating and discomfort on first day but no pain.

Have NEVER experienced PMT or mood disturbance or food cravings. Find it difficult to relate to friends who do experience that as it has really never happened to me.

Slightly concerned that I must have a pathetic uterine lining that would never be able to bear a child though!.

Pre mirena

10 days of clots, heavy bleeding, severe cramps, fainting, diarrhea, projectile vomiting, hallucinations, fever, hypersensitivity, slept on bath towels, incontininence pads and had to be prescribed fancy bed mats from GP. Was hospitalised and sent to A and E numerous times with sky high fevers, low blood pressure, etc, was on diclofenac, codydramol, anti sickness tablets, pain relief gel, tranexamic acid, mefenamic acid, moisturiser cream and steroids (as highly allergic to pads but unable to use internal sanpro).

I have missed exams, holidays, all sorts.

Post mirena -

All of the above but slightly less severe, plus an addition of jabbing electric shock pain in my cervix, and sometimes contractions, and up to two weeks of bleeding and regular loss of 'tissue' that gynaecologist insists is my uterus being cleared.

Periods are hell.

I have been offered an endometrial ablation but am only 23 and have never even had sex, never mind children, and don't want to lose my fertility (if there is) at this age.

Mine last four days, get cramps and spots couple of days before.

I just come on heavy and need super plus extra tampons and a towel or end up in a mess.

I change three times in the night and towels irritate my fandango badly

I'm heavy for first two days then eases off. I'm going through menopause so have this crapola twice a month at the moment. I'm 45.

needyou I am becoming worried that maybe uterus is fucking tiny, or stupidly thin, or that I am bleeding into myself

What makes these massive volume differences??

Mine are horrendous. Started at 14 and have always been really heavy, painful, heavy and heavy ... did i say heavy already? As in have to change my bedding every night, have to throw away pjs etc. Doctors said it would get better after having a child. Got worse. Going to breastfeed this one for about a year just for the break.

Oh yeah and they last about 8 days.

HTH.

Since I started on the depo shot post-pregnancy 9.5 years ago I haven't had a period. Before that I'd only had 4 periods in 4 years due to a combination of pregnancy, breastfeeding and mini-pill.

So TBH I can't really remember.

I bleed 7 days and have a cycle of 26days. My periods are so heavy that I need to change night time
Pads more frequently than once a hour for the first day or two.

I have horrendous pain which as a teen left me feinting vomiting and unable to stand up. Over time my pain threshold increased and I got used to it. I often pass clots the size of a small fist.

I'd love to show this to DD but I'm afraid it might scare her...

Blimey Mrs Shadenfreude - das war yukky!!!

Takes a week to get off the ground using lightest savers pads, then full on necessitating need for moon cup and pad to catch the fall-out (measured it once and I lose over 1/4 pint). Finished a week later.

Mind you I think I'm heading for menopause as they're getting heavier and more frequent...oh wait that could be because I'm going through a divorce...who knows...

Pre DD

My periods were hell, I mean seriously hell. I was always in severe pain for around 10 days each month. I had mefanemic acid & tranexamic acid which did nothing, I burnt my stomache from putting hot water on it, nothing worked at all. I was sick usually a couple of times each cycle & never managed any sleep. DRs were really unhelpful, diagnosed with endometriosis but told nothing could be done and I had to learn to live with it.

Also both my parents made out like I was exaggerating & their was many a time id be begging for them to take me to A&E & they refused!

After DD

My cycle is now around 4-5 days and I had no period pains with my last period, (first ever pain free period)

My midwife said pregnancy is often the cure for endo and I hope it is! I do not what to live my life like that ever again!

Lasts 3-4 days. The night before I feel awful usually nauseous, have a bit of diarrhoea. I wake up on the morning it starts and have a small bit of blood in my pants. If I was clever I would take that as a cue to take pain killers, but often I don't because I'm too busy. By 11am, it's very heavy and I'm going through a sanitary towel/tampon every 2 hours. I feel like my whole abdomen is inflamed, I am feeling sick to my stomach, have diarrhoea and all I can do is sit it out, often "rocking" to deal with the pain. Paracetmol doesn't touch it but usually something stronger does, if I take it in time (taking it once the pain sets in, never works.)

After the first 24 hours the pain is over but the bleeding is still heavy. And the last 3 days are fine.

Every 31 days (was 37 days before dc2). Extremely painful for first 2 days, requiring paracetemol and Ibrufen.

I have an existing spinal condition and my period makes it much worse.

Days 1-3 are very heavy. I need to get up 3 times per night to change double protection.

It does however, many me very appreciative of the times I am not menstruating.

Oh, and dh is very kind to me as he can see what I'm going through.

Mine are usually very light in comparison to most of these so light that DP once asked me whether I had particularly pleasant periods compared to other women or if I just kept quiet.

I do get mild PMT - mood swings, sore breasts, spots, craving for junk food etc. but nothing raging. For a day or so beforehand I get mild cramps. I always seem to come on a Wednesday morning maybe it's when I'm most stressed! Can make do with a panty liner for the first day, then need a mini-tampon for the 2nd day and for day 3 and 4 it's panty liners again with spotting going on and on and on until day 6 at least.

They're a bit heavier than when I was on the Pill (I never needed a tampon then) but the cramps are very mild and almost...pleasant it makes me feel quite womanly, really.

Very irregular,, have been without for a year before now. Have had 2 this year so far but when I do get them they are very heavy, bad period pains and set off migraines and last about a week (I get migraines alot anyway but seem to be every day when time of the month).

I did wonder at school if women who were of larger build got much heavier periods. All my friends were quite big and curvy and developed very early, and had a horrendous time of it. My petite friends seem to have taken it all in their stride.

many me, eh ... I mean make me.

Nomorecrumbs - I am slim and have heavy, horrendous periods.

Fecking unicorns and their sparkly dispositions and rainbow periods.

Actually my ovulation pain is worse than my period pain. That's a lot more bloaty and tender.