I’ve never known anyone track their periods

[Forestgreenblue]

I had thyroid cancer 6 years ago. Had half of it removed. Then I had the Covid jab and had a severe hemorrhagic bleed as a side effect. I ended up in hospital and on tablets to stol the bleeding afterwards.

I have ended up in early peri menopause as a combined effort from both. It’s bloody awful but mid month, I get severe ovulation pain and I know it’s that mainly from tracking my symptoms on my Garmin watch, I know my pain is from my body attempting ovulation, and end of the month I get a vague 12-24 hour period. I barely bleed anymore. I mainly use pantyliners now as there is no need for anything else

DP said it’s ‘weird’ that I am tracking my symptoms with my body and Garmin calendar. Does anyone else do this or am I indeed a bit weird?

Women have been tracking periods/ovulation for thousands of years - especially pre-effective contraceptive - why does your DP think it’s odd?

Absolute rot! Of course you’re right to track your cycle! Women have done this for eons! My mum (born nearly a century ago) used to put a star in her diary. I did the same. My daughters use the Flo app.

It’s really important to track your cycle to make sense of your moods/ appetite/ sleep etc etc, to avoid/ encourage pregnancy, to detect changes that give us a clue to health matters. SO many times, when you see a doctor, they want to know the date of your last menstrual period.

Never tracked when young, but I did start to make a rough mental note when starting the menopause, I was aware they were all over the place for a year or so. No marking of calendars ever.

Totally understand keeping a track through ill-health though.

some women have super regular period, so no need to track
others don't, or wouldn't remember until they track

what's the big deal? How can you book a holiday or a Gyne appointment if you don't know when your periods are.

Unless he's a gynaecologist, I wouldn't listen to any comment about my period - but I probably wouldn't listen to a woman either. You do you!

Someone above said he sounds a bit think, he also must think you're an idiot if you believe him. Is he suggesting that hes done some kind of weird questionnaire and asked every one he knows?

I don’t have periods anymore but used to track them every month. I loved a paper poster with cycles of the moon which I could track alongside my period. Loved it. It made me much more aware of my body and moods and much more aligned with nature / woo woo.

Given what’s previously been happening in the USA, I wouldn’t use a digital period tracker or input anything on my Apple Watch. “It could never happen here” has all too often happened here.
Also, it’s your DP who is weird 😝

Why wouldn't he say "oh, tell me more, I've never known anyone to do that?" instead of assuming his narrow experience of women is the whole experience of women!

Btw magnesium supplements helped with my periods and perimenopause symptoms, might be something to look into. Mine is actually a women's blend called Wassen Magnesium-OK from Boots.

I track mine as do my close friends, I don’t know anyone who isn’t on oral contraceptives who doesn’t track their periods

But clearly it's not 'of course' as the comment was in response to 'surely every woman tracks her period so....'. There have been numerous other similar comments on this thread - surely all women track so they know when to avoid activities or wearing light clothes or so they know they have enough tampons in the house. I don't do any of those things. My periods have no more bearing on my life than going to the toilet does and even if it did, I know exactly when it will be because you can see how many pills are left in the pack. Given how many people take the pill, I'm genuinely quite surprised by how many people diarise it either on paper or electronically.

Is your partner a woman? I don't track mine but my daughters do.. Why wouldn't you? Convenient to know when it's due. Bizarre.

As I recall it was the most important time to track because of getting HRT sorted...not just dates but heaviness of flow, other symptoms, pre bleed signs size and date of mucus plug....the War and Peace of mentrual tracking!

I think it's fairly standard now and so easy with apps. Your partner sounds a bit out of touch tbh!

I track mine. They're very regular, but time flies, and I know it'd creep up on me and I'd be unprepared.

My phone notifies me when I'm due in 7 days. This is usually when I'm being a bitch, so the notification makes me think ohhh that's why! Haha.

If no one tracks their period, why are there so many apps? It’s even built into my Fitbit. Which I do use by the way!

I've tracked my periods since I started them! OK, back in the day, it might have been making a written note on the calendar, whereas now I use an App on my phone!!

I thought most women tracked their periods! 🤷

I am too old to have ever tracked a period on an app but always did on my Filofax diary. What the fuck business is it of your husband to have an opinion on how you keep records of bodily functions? TBH I dont know why you told him if he is such an undermining wet. He clearly has some kind of a problem with discussing periods. I had a husband like that once.

Since coming off the pill I have tracked mine in the calendar on my phone. Everyone I know tracks them some way or other, mainly so they know when their period will come and of they're doing anything that might be a pain with it.

And yes, of course everyone tracks their menstrual cycle and always has done.

I didn't track it when I was on the pill as it's not really a "cycle" so no need. I guess it could be similar if you're on other hormonal contraception?

Why on earth would Garmin have it as a function if it was the niche?

It’s not weird? I thought everyone did that just so you know when you are due on? I sometimes look months ahead to see if I’ll be due on for certain occasions!

I use Flo. Have been tracking for years!

genuinely don't understand your comment.

I must be missing the sarcasm.

What’s the tracking for exactly? Genuine question). I understand the need if trying to conceive, but what’s the point otherwise?

A lot of people seem to be tracking their periods, however I personally can't see the point unless trying to conceive.

All these apps are simply monetising hypochondria.

We've known how to get rid of periods for decades - I take the pill back to back and haven't had one since 2009.