to ask you what a normal period is? (sorry if TMI)

[Caronaim]

8 days, one of which will be almost uncontainable for a few hours, using highest absorbency tampon and towel, and changing both every 30 mins.

I've just read another thread about anaemia, and a poster said she had three days bleeding, which she wasn't sure if that was heavy. Surely that is minuscule?

Also, do heavy periods really cause anaemia? As most of what you lose isn't blood. And if you are anaemic, do your periods get lighter? So which indicates anaemia, heavy periods or light periods?

No, I think the idea of cloth pads is horrible! How are you supposed to cope at work, with carrying round half a dozen sopping, soiled pads all day! the smell would be terrible, and the potential mess in your bag doesn't bear thinking about.

And the amount of washing that would be required would negate any environmental saving in not using disposable pads.

Disposable pads and tampons are made of natural ingredients anyway. (Everything that exists is - calling something "natural" has no meaning at all)

Besides, how could something you use outside your body change the heaviness of your periods.

Day or two before - light spotting.
Day 1: some pain, flow starts okay, but builds up
Day 2: Can be very painful (though not to the point of throwing up, and I've rarely missed work because of it, though I have spent time at work walking around and doing breathing exercises.) Super plus tampon needs changing every 2-3 hours; it was hourly before the doctor put me on tranexamic acid. The tranexamic acid does mean I have some impressively large clots these days, but the pain is less, sometimes almost unnoticeable, and I don't have to change hourly.
Day 3: Somewhere between day 1 & 2. Still quite heavy, but only need to change every 4 hours.
Day 4: pause for about 12 hours (no, I have no idea why it does this, but it has ever since my very first period, which resulted in some blood-soaked shorts...)
Day 5: Light flow, can go more than 4 hours without changing protection.

My teens and 20s showed a similar pattern, but were far lighter and less painful, and I didn't need super plus protection or change as often.

If you're going to see your GP, it helps to give some idea of how much flow there is - my GP suggested using this chart as a guide - www.patient.co.uk/health/Period-Blood-Loss-Chart.htm When I first went, I realised I didn't know what counted as normal or heavy flow - I mean, I knew in terms of how much blood is lost on average is around 40ml over a period and the majority of women lose less than 80ml (I think - memory maybe faulty), but I have no concept of whether that means 2 pads or 10 or what. Plus it makes a difference if you lose it steadily over 5 days, or flood it all out on the first day.

About five days here. First day will be more of a heads up that my period is coming, day two is normally the heaviest, day three a little lighter, day four much lighter and day five spotting only. Even at its heaviest I could go a whole day without changing if I needed to. I walk five or six miles every day and that doesn't change during my period. I occasionally get a touch of diarrhoea and a little bit of bloating, light cramping and a headache, but that's it.

I do realise I am very very lucky btw.

I can't believe how many of you have 6-7 days of period hell!

Mine are 4 days;

Day 1 agony but ibuprofen and hot water bottle sort it out, and a super tampon!
Day 2 still super tampon but can carry on the day like normal
Day 3 switch to normal tampons
Day 4 normal tampon then light tampon by the evening.

To all of you having to do tampons and towels - must be a PITA!

the idea of cloth pads is horrible! How are you supposed to cope at work, with carrying round half a dozen sopping, soiled pads all day! the smell would be terrible, and the potential mess in your bag doesn't bear thinking about.

Put in a tightly wrapped up plastic bag, no? Cloth nappy users manage okay out & about all day.

And the amount of washing that would be required would negate any environmental saving in not using disposable pads.

Not necessarily true, depends how they are washed.

Disposable pads and tampons are made of natural ingredients anyway.

As long as you think of formaldehyde, furans, bleach, dioxins... as 'natural', sure. Many fabrics can have unpleasant chemical residues too, of course.

how could something you use outside your body change the heaviness of your periods.

exposure to aerosolised chemicals that mimic hormones, in theory.

i don't use cloth sanitary stuff myself. Don't see a problem if some prefer them, though.

RosieCg - Fair point, but I prefer a mooncup

how many tightly wrapped up plastic bags dripping with blood am I supposed to carry round all day in my school bag?

or should I leave them in the filing cabinet???

School bag?

I've been a teacher for years,

Before I had my DS, mine were about two days long, a bit of red blood on the first day and pink mucus on the second. I didn't really need to wear pads on the second day, and never over night. I've had one period since he was born 11 weeks ago, it lasted about seven days but was so light I didn't need a pad at all... Just pink when I wiped. I'm hoping the next will be back to my usual length.

Sorry, l suddenly thought you might be a teen. :)
I feel for you.
Mine are very light.
I can get away with about 3 regular tampons, even at the start.
They are getting lighter as l am 43 now.

Sheesh, Caronaim, if something's not for you then just say 'No Thanks'. I feel that way about coffee (blech). I didn't think RosieCG was being pushy (although maybe trying to sell something, I am cynical). It's just another way of living.

OP I'm another who would be a health hazard if I were to stockpile loads of blood soaked rags at work. We have underfloor heating too, so I'd certainly have to store mine in a cupboard otron the table. I don't think my load of blood rags would be so nice sat on the warm floor.

Really, what a ridiculous suggestion!

sorry, didn't mean to sound rude, but did find the idea quite disgusting!

I think mine are light compared to some other people.

Day 1: starts off light, then gets heavy, I need large pads and change every 2-3 hours, lots of pain in my back, stomach and legs.

Day 2: similar to day 1 but not so bad.

Day 3: no pain, blood flow stops completely.

Days 4,5,6: no pain, very light flow, I can just use a very slim pad, and change 2 or 3 times a day.

No I'm not selling anything, I'm just a recent convert to using cloth pads! Personally I find the idea of using a Mooncup (or similar) pretty gross - it's just what you are comfortable with as an individual.

Cloth pads do not smell - it is the chemicals in disposable pads that react with blood to create a smell. Since using my cloth pads I have not noticed any smell at all.

The washing side of it - people do this in different ways but I just bung mine in with a normal load of clothes washing after they have had a soak in cold water to get most of the blood out. It's no different to washing a tshirt after a nosebleed.

Carrying them around - I find that my cloth pads absorb much more blood than disposables ever did so I need fewer of them in a day. I have a small waterproof bag that I put my used ones in when out and about. They have poppers on the wings so they fold into themselves, so no risk of touching blood if that bothers you. I don't find this any more difficult than carrying around disposables!

Natural - therefore biodegradable. Think about how many pads/tampons you use each month. Research shows the average woman uses something like 15,000 in a lifetime. That's all just sitting in a rubbish dump somewhere, or worse, on our beaches! A cloth pad lasts up to 10 years if you treat it right - and then will break down without releasing loads of chemicals into the soil when they are eventually thrown away.

Because cloth pads have poppers there is no nasty sticky plastic to rip off your pants (I used to hate that noise, especially in a public toilet!!), which therefore means no risk of ripping out any stray pubes on the way either!

I don't know why they might make your periods lighter - all I can think is that the chemicals in disposables cause a reaction in your body, and cloth pads don't.

Another bonus is that cloth pads are often made by work at home mums, rather than big corporations - wouldn't you rather support local people?

If you're interested in finding out more there are loads of groups on facebook where people chat about cloth pads, mooncups etc. Try looking for 'feminine wear forum' or 'the bloody waste'.

By the way - totally not a hippy or eco warrior... My new years resolution was to be kinder to myself and using cloth pads is a good start.

I am a teacher so work long hours but I have been comfortable and leak free during my recent periods using cloth. I've come around to the idea after being grossed out by it all initially but I think it is something more women should know about - we should all have a choice about what we use on/in our bodies.

I had always believed that the blood smells because if exposure to the air?
Or if left too long?
Modern pads seem to take care of that ime.

Blood will start smelling after a time if exposed to the air. I don't think it will make a difference whether it's a bought pad, or a cloth pad or whatever else, if you don't change it every few hours.

Some modern pads make the problem worse, like scented Always. Whoever thought that was a good idea?

Caronaim, you must must must go to your GP and ask for referral to a specialist for treatment.

I was in your position until last year. I had a minor operation (thermal ablation plus insertion of a mirena coil) and since then, my periods have dwindled to nothing. It's bliss!!!

I used to have really heavy bleeding for about 8 days every month, and it is only in retrospect I see how much it was spoiling my life: I would avoid long car or train journeys, had to get up in the night to change tampons for 2 nights every month, and was always worried about leaking. I just wish I'd had it done years ago. I thought it was just something women had to put up with.

My quick google says the only thing a woman can do to reduce heavy menses is to take hormones. ... and maybe exercise. Exercise might reduce it in some cases.

Some idea of "normal" here.

This says age is the only risk factor for Menorrhagia.

This FAQ is good food for thought.

ps: my periods are getting lighter & lighter as I get older. I'm intrigued if that's just how menopause is going to happen to me or if something else is at work.

My frienfids the same age as me ie 50_ 52 have all found the got a lot heavier, although we are all missing one or two when they come, they are much heavier.

Periods are actually the bane of my life.

Day 1: Painful, but very light
Day 2-5: So painful I often throw up, stupidly heavy (I use an extra large menstrual cup, which I have to empty at least once an hour due to it being full) with cloth heavy pads due to gushing, lack of sleep due to pain, but having to change pyjamas at least once and having a towel underneath to sleep on.
Day 6-7, 8, 9 or 10: a normal period, emptying cup every 8 hours or so, change cloth pads at the same time.

Some months this happens after 14 days. It's better than it was though!

GP has said I just have to live with it, as I'm getting older, but at 44, I could be doing this for another 10+ years.....

I'm halfway through mine now and it's easing up a little bit but, tmi coming up... does anybody experience large 'clots' or thick 'strands'? I nearly always get these. from day 2 to day 4. :(