To think that a lifetime of problem free periods is rare.

[utterflapdoodle]

Every woman I have ever spoken to about this subject seems to have had a rougher time of it than me with their period.

My periods started at 13 and have always been short, light and painless lasting one and a half or two days at the most. The only premenstrual symptom I ever get is a bit of water retention and mild breast tenderness.

I'm 51 now so even though there's no sign of it yet menopause must be just round the corner.

I have a friend who has had horrendous symptoms her whole life. Severe, debilitating pain, flooding and nausea almost every month. I'm really sorry for what she's gone through but I feel like a bit of a fraud when we talk about it as I haven't experienced anything remotely like that.

I appreciate I've been very lucky and I have every sympathy for women who have suffered with their period. Is it just me or has anyone else found menstruation to be no more than a minor inconvenience?

Mine aren't too bad. They last between 5-7days of bleeding. Rarely any pain. Sometimes mild back ache and feel grumpy but usually if I haven't done any exercise.

I have had every problem going, not sure if we just don’t hear about it if there isn’t a problem.

I’m 56 haven’t had a period for 8 months that is the only sign of menopause I have. I wonder if that is how easy it is for some people, or is it coming.

Mine are like yours, light and minimal or no pain. Assume we are in the minority, majorly!!

Mine are much better now (in my 30s). I still get bad enough cramps to warrant co-codamol and sometimes spending an hour or two in bed, but nowhere near my late teens/early 20s where I threw up and fainted from the pain.

I have been fortunate in that a) I don't have a very heavy flow, just average I think and b) I've had a lot less periods than usual as I've always had long and irregular cycles. The fewer periods the better, in my opinion (other than when TTC but mine behaved for that and I conceived fine)

On the latter front, my mum was exactly the same as me - long, irregular cycles. We both managed to conceive easily enough, thankfully, but I'm not looking forward to my periods coming back after birth. Although my mum said her post-pregnancy periods were much easier than pre-pregnancy so here's hoping!

I think a lot of people suffer to varying degrees, but there seems to be this odd taboo about periods where women are just told to get on with it and that it's part of life. Any other condition causing debilitating pain and impacting daily life would garner sympathy and empathy, but periods seem immune to that a lot. And sadly it's other women sometimes who seem to be so dismissive of other women's pain

Mine are like that. Never extreme heavy bleeding or horrendous pain that a paracetamol wouldnt sort it. Worst thing I suffer from is the chocolate cravings

Mine started at 14 and hit me like a truck, horrible pain and regular flooding. They were very unpredictable too.
This stayed the norm until I went on the pill. Came off twice in my late teens and early twenties and it was straight back to horrible irregular periods.
Managed to have two healthy pregnancies, but have had to come off the pill last year as it was giving me horrendous depression. Since then they've been actually quite regular and not as heavy as the past.

I remember a friend at school really trying to get some sympathy when we were 17 as she was having some cramps. She was angry as I wasn't too sympathetic. Then I pointed out all the times she'd actually been quite rude to me when I had been struggling with flooding and cramps that were making me pass out.
Up till that day she'd never had any pain and thought I was making it up for attention.

Lucky you OP.

Had a hysterectomy at 31 due to horrendous periods.

I am nearly 53 and I've been having periods since I was just over 13, apart from my two pregnancies and about 3 months post-birth each time. They're getting further apart now, but I was pretty regular until maybe about 6 years ago.

I wouldn't say my periods have been exceptionally light, but they have been mostly problem-free. If I had to guess, I'd say I've had leaks maybe about 20 times in all that time (sometimes because I went a long time between changes for some unavoidable reason) and pains less than 10 times. On the first three days of my periods I probably need to change the towel about once every two hours, and at night I wear two big ones one behind the other and slightly overlapping.

The irregularity in the last few years has been more of a problem to me than anything before, as I can't use tampons and I love water sports. Sometimes I'd love to commit to taking part in something in 6 months' time but I know I can't be sure of being able to do it.

I'm not saying this to suggest my experience is normal or best, just to acknowledge that it's different for different people. I would always believe someone who said they were suffering badly with pain or heaviness (unless maybe they were skipping around laughing).

I envy people with trouble free periods

I've always had trouble free periods. Didn't start until I was 16. Always pretty much painless. Two days of heavy-ish flow (I use a super tampon which will last 6-8 hours) then very light flow for another 3-5 days.

I'm very lucky mine are pretty light and last 4/5 days. I get pretty irritable but that's the worst of it for me. Even when I had a copper coil they were only slightly heavier and even then would be light compared to other people. Some of my friends have suffered so much

Are light periods a sign of approaching infertility / menopause? Mine are very light now (2 days).

Mine are awful. Heavy, painful with bloating, and awful hormones. I'm healthy, fit & perfect weight and had lots of tests finding no problems - just unlucky.

I was of the opinion periods should be light and easy, and only a small percentage of women struggle with theirs.

Mine are relatively easy now - but only cause I am on the pill

when they started at age 11 I had cramps, migraines, and back ache so bad I could barely move. They were also really heavy and very irregular.

This lasted till I was 18 and went on the pill. I get the occasional migraine but not to bad.

Both my sisters have had problems with there periods too. Older one gets migraines and younger has awful PMT and can flood but not every period.

Mine have been largely fine. Very regular, 5-7 days of average flow and almost never any pain. The first period after each of my pregnancies was very heavy, but they settled back to normal after that. I appreciate how lucky I am.

I started mine at 10, regular as clockwork, not too heavy, occasional but not major cramps, all fine. In the last five years they've changed to lasting 60-90 days at a time, 5-14 days off, then back on again for another couple of months. Can no longer use tampons as they cause horrendous cramping and also headaches for some reason. Randomly I will also get heavy flooding lasting 2-5 days, bleeding through a super plus tampon and an always ultra nighttime absolutely massive ugly pad in 30 minutes. All tests clear, nothing on scans, saw a specialist who gave me some tablets and told me these things happen. Tablets have luckily stopped the bleeding which is great as newly married and it wasn't easy to feel sexy bleeding constantly, although my wife is very understanding. Haven't had children yet so concerned that they have missed something which could later have an effect. Trying to lose some more weight before I go back as they always put it down to that which gets frustrating.

Oh and just before Christmas we were at a friend's house, I popped out to the shop across the road and as I was walking back I felt it start. By the time I got to the house I had to tell my wife we needed to leave as it was pouring like I'd cut myself and had gone everywhere. Lasted about 3 hours then stopped again. That happened even with the tablets so I'm pretty sure that was a cyst rupturing or something though, the way it started so suddenly and then just stopped.

1-1.5 days on avg is almighty brief.

I am like OP. Very very light, last 3 days max, mini tampon day 2, panty liner day 1 and 3. No pain ever, maybe v slightly grumpy leading up to it, but I am aware and try to rein it in.
However they didn’t start until 15 and have been old the pill since 16 (23 years) apart from when pregnant.
I am hoping like crazy that this means an easy menopause. My doctor has commented that my body reacts in a straightforward predictable text book way to things.
My sympathies to everyone who suffers with periods and anything related. It sounds inconvenient at best and debilitating at worst.

Mine caused me no problems until I hit perimenopause in my mid-40s, when they went haywire for about 18 months. Then after I got my Mirena coil in they stopped completely. So I think I got off lightly too. I also seem to have sailed through the menopause, so I've been very lucky

I've never had any pain or trouble from mine. Only a few people I know have ever mentioned any pain either.

I was always a 3 day period (and didn't even need a pad/tampon on the last day) until I got the implant... the latest one lasted two weeks, I get pain and diarrhoea and it's horrific.

Fucking contraception

Mine were horrendous from the age of 10. Had ablation at 41. wish I had it done much younger. It’s changed my life and I’d recommend it to anyone struggling with periods.

100% honestly, the c-section recovery was considerably less painful than my average pre-pregnancy period. Plus it didn't come with the nausea, diarrhea, and knee pain (endo) that usually accompanies the cramps. Pregnancy and breastfeeding has been a joy.

I have had periods when my periods were like yours. At the moment I get debilitating PMS for a week each month (my brain stops working, I cry pretty much non stop, it’s truly awful). In the past I have had osssies like lightheadedness. As a whole I wouldn’t say my periods have been that bad but I have had stretches of time when the symptoms are debilitating.

Didn't start mine till I was 15 or 16. Were pretty painful for a few years up untill my first pregnancy then they became less painful. Always regular and always 6 - 7 days.

Turned 42 and my periods stopped. Haven't had a period in 3 years and have seemingly sailed through menopause with not even a tiny issue.

Never been on an form of contraception.