To spend money on period pants?

[DontWantTheRivalry]

I have the most horrendous periods - I won’t go into detail but the flooding, leaking and huge clots are big problems for me and have a big impact on my life.

I don’t use tampons because they’d just flood so instead I wear sanitary towels that I have to change every 1-2 hours as a minimum.

I’m so done with it. I’m fed up of not being able to leave my house when I’m on my period for fear of leaking and I’m fed up of of having to sit and sleep on towels and I’m really fed up of throwing clothes away because they are ruined by huge floods.

I have been reading about period pants and although they are expensive I’m thinking they may be my only option.

I was talking to my good friend about it and she said that in my circumstances period pants would be pointless as they wouldn’t be able to cope with my flow and clots. She said I would just be wasting my money.

It made me feel really upset because I can’t cope anymore with the impact my period has in my life and I really thought they might be a life changer for me.

AIBU to at least try even them even if it so expensive?

Has anyone else used them for very heavy periods?

I’m one step away from asking for a hysterectomy! I am just so fed up with it all

As a side note, tripling your dose of oral iron won't help, evidence shows it just increases side effects with no further absorption. I am surprised you were prescribed this dose as it changed many years ago!

I was first prescribed it for anaemia 18 months ago and was prescribed three tablets every other day. After a few months my symptoms hadn’t resolved at all so I was then told to take three tablets every day instead.

I can’t say it’s made much difference though.

For me a combined of a moon cup and period pants has been life changing. The cup holds far more than a pad or tampon and the pants give me the confidence to go out when it really floods.

Iron wise only liquid iron has worked for me

I flood similarly. I have modibodi pants, they so much better than towels but I do always use an ultra lilets tampon. I have to change it every hour but it's more comfortable for me not to feel....squidgy.

Period pants are fantastic, but I think good for “doubling up” in your case. Tampon or mooncup plus pants.

They absorb way more than towels or tampons. Yes, they will be much better.

You get what you pay for though, I think. I bought cheap ones and it was a mistake. My modibodi ones are awesome though and have been using them for three years now so, although expensive, they're much cheaper when you factor in the savings on towels and tampons.

The implant also made my periods lighter.

I have just mentioned them to my husband and he was horrified at the cost for ‘just a pair of pants’ but I reminded how much I have to spend every month on sanitary protection as well as having to buy new pants each month to make up for all my ruined ones.

It all adds up.

Does anyone use them just on their own (without tampons and mooncups) and who also suffers with clots?

That’s my biggest worry.

Have you tried a cup? You say you don’t use tampons because the leak so use pads instead- why not both?

I got postpartum pants from ModiBodi for postpartum bleeding and they were brilliant. Perhaps you could go for them instead of the regular period pants they do since they are designed to cope with more than period bleeding?

Have you tried a cup?

No I haven’t because of the number of large clots I pass - I imagine it would fill a cup.

The same for tampons….I don’t like the thought of them being inside me with clots piling up on top of it.

OP consider a moon cup. Its been life changing for me. Heaviest flow day I'll pop to loo every 2-3 hours and empty. Honestly it was my last resort before period pants and I've never had to buy period pants because it was just so good from day one.

Got mine from amazon, came in a pack of 2. Still going 3 years later.

I use period pants and reusable pads.

Pants and pad in the morning, whip the pad off halfway through the day. No hassle of changing, no landfill.

Just use the pants overnight.

I think period pants are amazing, wish they had been around years ago. I use them as a back up ( use tampons and sometimes a pad as well) , but it is great not to have to stress put so much about leaking / having to get to a loo desperately to change everything . I work in a job which means I am often out working in the community/driving for long periods and they are great for work days.
Even the primark ones I have got are quite adequate tbh.

I must admit I thought it was normal to wear a tampon plus a towel as tampons don’t contain the blood on their own.
OP I would definitely try tampon, towel plus period pants and change the tampon and pad frequently.
Mirena would work really well though if you are struggling.

OP I have had nightmare heavy periods and I find that nothing actually copes with big clots, but period pants are definitely useful.

Personally I use them with a cup. The cup can catch clots quite well, unless your clots are particularly massive. If you can last a couple of hours with a towel I think a cup would be helpful. In combination with period pants it will help a lot.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned tranexamic acid, but this also helps me.

I know the pants are not cheap, but for the help they have given me I find they have been totally worth it. Means I can actually sleep at night without getting up every few hours. I use 5 pairs of these: www.uk.blinxunderwear.com and just wash them as many times as required during a cycle. You can currently get 3 for £30 with free shipping which I think is good value.

I use them and suffer from some big clots. I started with m&s and got a mixture of light and heavy and have recently invested in some cheeky wipes one specifically for endometriosis (which I suffer from). On my heavy days I usually change them 3 times - first thing after my shower, lunchtime and then after my shower at night.
Personally, I've found them really good and yes the outlay is expensive BUT it's also helped to calm my cramps which in turn makes them feel like a good investment. I looked out for deals and M&s quite often have a buy 2/3 (I can't remember exactly) and get another pair free x

Buy one pair to start with and see how it is for you.

I use the modibodi one. I find it more absorbing than any of the disposable heavy flow ones. I can easily have an 8 hour sleep and my sheets don’t get all messed up.

TMI warning

If you get big clots, they just stay on the surface and don’t get absorbed.

@phishy

Definitely try them, they cope with my periods.

I buy from the Luna range at Sainsburys. They’re usually around £10 a pair but there’s a 20% off sale this weekend meaning they’re £8. They’re fab.

Thanks, I have just ordered some, never used them before but need a back up with my moon cup and hate the feel of towels, I got the no vpl seamless ones.

I wear them with lilets ultra tampons. Still have to change tampons every hour or so but least don't run risk of flooding. I got mine from cheeky wipes.

Think the issue your going to have with period pants is that you treat them like sanitary towels so if your not going to use them with mooncup or tampon your going to need enough to change them every 3/4 hours or more often

My modibodi pants are amazing. It’s so nice not to have to get up in the night to change. I’ve only been using them for 3 months though. Does anyone know how long they are meant to last? I paid £25 but not sure if they last months or years? That’s will make a huge difference in how expensive they work out

Why don’t you just get a coil? I love not having periods at all. Sorry to hear you’re going through this.

Reusable sanitary pads.

I have these ones, from Amazon and they are great. I couldn't imagine going back to plasticy disposables now.

If you don't feel confident that you could trust the period pants completely I would double up with one of these pads.