To think I ever wanted to start my period?!

[LondonLady1980]

I remember being a teenager when me and all my friends were so desperate to start our periods as it was such a milestone, the sure sign we were growing up and womanhood was beginning….

And now they’re the absolutely bane of my life.

1. The cramps, the headaches, the exhaustion.
2. The clots, the mess, the flooding.
3. Being confined to the house for at least 2 days.
4. Sitting on towels, clothes being ruined.
5. The endless washing.
6. The heating always being on to try and get all my period pants dry as I’m going through 5 pairs a day.
7. Waking up constantly throughout the night due to leaks.
8. The accompanying diarrhoea.
9. The anaemia.
10. Doctors really not caring how much it impacts your life.

The only good thing is that it gives me a valid excuse to cuddle a hot water bottle 24/7.

Mind you, another positive is that my two sons are going to be super sympathetic towards any future girlfriends as they witness every month the crap and misery I endure (and are very sweet about it).

I know the menopause is going to bring with it lots of negative experiences too (us women are so lucky aren’t we?!), but after 26 years of periods I am so done with them!

I know my experience of having periods isn’t the reality for all women, but it’s my reality and I wish they would fuck right off!

I feel better for the rant.

My heart goes out to all the women who have it worse than I do.

Currently sitting on a towel with my hot water bottle and feeling very sorry for myself.

I can’t have a coil (funny uterus) but the gyno suggested the pill to me as a way to lessen periods - have you tried that? I did not get on well with the pill but I know some people do. I know some people get hormonal arm implants too. I didn’t have much confidence in my gyno as her notes were completely different to everything I said and she referred to ultrasound results when I hadn’t had one in over a year!

Your situation sounds horrendous, push your gp to investigate further!

I am on the mini pill. I feel its made my periods slightly less painful.

However the minipill has made me so nauseous. I feel like I am going to throw up every day.

You should layer up if you’re not already - pad/tampon and heavy flow period pants. The mini pill helped reduce my flow too. I used to flood everyday of my period and it was awful.

I would really recommend reading "the Fifth Vital Sign" by Lisa Hendrickson. It's a treasure trove of well-researched info on menstruation, common difficulties like endo or PPS, and what we can do to help lessen the worst of the pain and other symptoms.

It was a revelation when it turned out my years of anaemia were down to coeliac disease. Going gluten free sorted out the anaemia which meant my periods weren't as heavy, or painful and didn't have the accompanying bowel issues that I'd always had. Only wish I'd known 20 years earlier.