To be really shocked about periods

[Belindamaee]

My periods have always been what I considered normal.

Small amount of blood. Definitely not enough for any leaking. One normal sized pad will do and I could keep it on all day before changing it but change it every few hours for sanitary purposes.

If I buy a tampon it will stay in for about 5 hours without leaking nor needing to be changed.

There just isn't much blood. No pain. Nothing. In fact, I forget I'm on my period.

I do however have horrid symptoms prior to my period so it evens out. Awfully sore boobs, water retention that makes me look a stone heavier, headache, low mood.

So I don't have it easy!

Anyway, this has come up as my friend was telling me she has to use a pad with a tampon as a tampon would leak if it was just used on its own. She said she has to lie flat in bed when using a pad because otherwise she would leak and she has to change her pad every three hours.

I was wondering what was normal?

AIBU to think my circumstances are more common than hers? Or do my periods seem unusually light?

It all depends, really. What's normal for one women might not be normal for another. Your light periods could be a sign of severe problems just as easily as your friend's.

I don't agree with this. As many posters on this thread demonstrate, heavy periods can severely effect quality of life which is not the case with light periods. Obviously, if bleeding is too light it could mean that you are not ovulating which could be a problem if you want to conceive, but it doesn't sound as if OP's periods are that light.

To Lunchtimeburrito I had the same and am on my second Mireya and it has changed my life for the better massively

I used to have the worst periods in the history of mankind (probably not actually but it felt like it) I couldn't physically walk it hurt that much and my doctor said having children would probably help. At 18 children were the last thing on my mind. However many years later after my firstborn they settled. One or two painful, heavy, Noah's ark flood ones a year. Rest of the time it's done in 4-5 light days.

Every lady is different. Since having children mine have settled right down to every 35 days on the dot. Eat like a horse and look pregnant the week before then settle down.

Both are normal. Mine change month to month, some months I'm like you and don't really need to change pads etc other than for sanitary reasons but have awful PMS symptoms, and can fly off the handle of no reason - my husband just keeps out of my way as I apparently can be quite vicious!

Other months, I wake up soaked through a tampon/pad and have no idea where so much blood has come from!

I think why's normal for you is normal.

I'm similar to you, OP, very light periods but my PMT symptoms aren't so bad with the exception of my skin breaking out a few days before and I can sometimes get a little teary the day before.

A (male) doctor once scared me silly by suggesting there must be something seriously wrong because I have light periods, a 35 day cycle but they usually last 7 days. I tried to explain to him that they'd been the same for well over twenty years and I wasn't worried but he started trying to sort tests and investigations. There should be much more open discussion about what is 'normal' and when you should seek medical help wrt me trial cycles.

*medical not me trails...

*menstrual

Please ignore me, I don't cope well in the heat

I've never liked tampons something to do with 2 different people I know forgetting they were in there, how does that happen?

Night time is the worst for me, I have to wear two pads, end to end, then on top of my knicks I wear a pair of shape-wear pants as they seem to hold most things still. Even then, though, still get the occasional leakage. Trouble is, can't wear all that during the day or I'd look like a sumo wrestler

On a lighter note I have not had a period this month - definitely NOT pregnant - but last months went on for 1 week solid then 2 weeks of spotting - now I think I am heading towards the menopause as other symptoms are appearing too.

The joys of womanhood!

I think, like the majority of these posts, that "normal" varies tremendously. I had my coil fitted (no more periods yay!) after a night where I had to get up to change my maxi tampon AND maxi night pad 7 times, and even then I had bleed through to my bedding.

I was just so tired at work the next day and had a boss with zero understanding or compassion for "women's problems" so had my coil fitted, but I still don't consider that I was abnormal, just I was unlucky to be one of the mega-heavy bleeders.

Both scenarios are normal, but I have your friend's experience rather than yours. #bloodbath

Omg I wish I had lighter periods, mine have gotten worse with every child, been to the Docs, not a lot to be done. I just carry on as best I can, but the husband used to have to collect the kids from school every so often if I had a really 'heavy' day, TMI Coming up - but big dark clots, totally normal, get awful migraines, soak the bed for three days straight even if I sleep on two huge bath towels, I wear TWO massive pads which I call my 'Nappies' lol and super strength tampons which I have to change every hour (if not more sometimes!) costs me a bloody fortune! (no pun intended!), I have to laugh as otherwise, for 9 days every month I would cry! Yep, lasts for 9 days at the longest, 6 days at the shortest, yet when they started all those years ago my periods would only last three days and be so light.... had tests and been checked out, its just how my body has changed! funnily enough I don't get any pain though really, the odd spasm, I get mine when I am ovulating with the ol' Mittelsmerz! This can floor me massively! Your periods sound totally normal, just like mine used to be when I was young....sigh! :-)
Looking forward to the ol' eggs drying up! lol x

Same as lunchtimeburrito ... horrendous life changing period s since having baby. Cannot take hormones due to blood clot history in the family. Surgery the only option. I flood every 30 minutes during the mornings on my heavy days. Even the school run means using their toilets as I wouldn't make it back to work without flooding. Hate it. And my next on is due on my holiday...

I'm going through an early menopause, so only have about 2 light periods a year, but they used to be bloody awful! I would have a period every 3 weeks, lasting for 7 days. Very heavy, clots etc. Very sore boobs, horrific cramps, the lot.

All I can say is thank fuck for menopause!!!

Mine used to be really light, only about 3 days long and little in the way of any PMT or pain. 2 kids later and they are totally different. They last about 8 days and are so heavy that I have to use maxi tampons and pads and change every three hours.
All are normal pretty much

I don't think there is actually a normal when it comes to periods, everyone is different. I think maybe it could have something to do with diet as well (would be good to hear thoughts on this) as when I cut meat out of my diet my periods got incredibly lighter than when I was eating meat. Would be interesting to find out if other people who don't eat meat have lighter periods?

Delilahbucket, I think you need to find another doctor! There are things that can be done. I'm 35 and have suffered from heavy periods since I was eleven, although I'm not as bad as some people on hear (I feel for you) I do wear super night time pads during the day which at the start of my period I am changing every hour. I have to put a towel under my bed sheet to catch any leeked blood and I'm forever leaking on to my pants and trousers which sometimes soaks through which is very embarrassing. Only last month did I pluck up the courage to see a doctor who took my blood for blood tests to see if I was lacking iron and to test for other issues. She offered me an ultra sound to see if I have any cysts internally but I opted for her to examine me internally and everything was fine and she has offered to fit a cool which I'm going to do and she said that should make a difference to the heaviness of my periods. Also depending on your age and whether you want children or want anymore, they may offer a hysterectomy. Please make an appointment with another doctor and don't let them fob you off with "It's something you have to put up with" because it's not and a good doctor should want to help you.

That's interesting, Mumsy, I've been vegetarian since about the time I reached puberty so it could be.

fit a coil

Tell your friend she needs a Mirena Coil it changed my life!!

Has the OP been back?

I had both symptoms... strangely, never the same. One month, leaking everywhere, and killing cramps, another month, nothing much to bother with. I absolutely wouldn't worry about this at all. "Everything" is "normal". Don't waste your time trying to compare.

Mine were like the OP's but after my last dc they became stupidly heavy. One of the duvet size tampons and a maternity pad with black trousers were needed to do the 20 minute school run and I had palm size clots.
I got referred for an ablation by which time my iron stores were non existant.
I haven't had a period in years :) Thoroughly recommend it!

I used to leak through a combination of ultra tampons and night time pads, and 25 years on, I still have one really heavy day a month where if it's possible I don't go out for fear of leaks, it's awful, but post children it's not that painful. Pre children I felt like I'd been kicked down the stairs and a blender turned on in my stomach and i'd find it impossible to sit still/sit upright at my desk. I never believed people who said it wasn't that painful! We're all different!

Mine were awful as a teenager - so heavy - I often think now that if only I'd known about tena lady incontinence pads then that might have been the answer, particularly at night. I'd stand up and it would gush through a super plus tampon as well as a night-time pad. Awful.

Mine were always like yours OP. I did worry I was infertile but I had a son easily.