To think that period arriving early in Arrivals is very fucking annoying?

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Before anyone asks me if I’m a 12 year old girl, no, I’m a woman in her 40s who is just so fucking sick of periods. I know they’re a normal part of life but I wish mine would just piss off.

Won’t bore you with the history but have always had very irregular periods. Lots of tests and scans over the years and no clear answers. Add in some other issues (wonky shaped cervix, intolerance to hormonal contraception), things like tampons/mooncups, taking the pill (and so not skipping a week to prevent period) aren’t good options for me. Because of the irregularity, norethisterone hasn’t worked in the past either.

Cycle generally runs anything from 26-39 days, but can be anything from 15 to 96.

Arrived at airport destination last night after a long flight to kick off a bucket list trip. Headed to bathroom while waiting for baggage for arrive, and turns out that period had just started. It literally arrived in Arrivals 😭😭😭
Today should have been day 13 of my cycle.

So fucking annoyed. I never travel without sanitary items but they were in my checked in case and, because day 13 is very early, even for my stupid body, I didn’t have anything on me so ended up buying a shit and overpriced pad from the airport bathroom vending machine.

Of course, once my period arrives, it can’t just hang around quietly. Nope, apart from very irregular cycles, periods for me are always very heavy. So now I’m in a very nice hotel eyeing up the fluffy white bathrobes and making peace with the fact that it’ll be another few days before I can use one without having to wear knickers, two pads, and a pair of shorts underneath.
Also foregoing the gorgeous looking hotel pools and spa because a) I really can’t use tampons or cups securely, and b) I’m really sore and bloated and self-conscious.

I think this is a mix of rants- I’m sore and crampy; I’m so fucking annoyed that not a single medical professional has ever been able to give me a solution; and I just wanted a nice holiday without my family varies dictating any part of it.

Bring on the misery of menopause.

Amazon yourself some period swimwear!

I agree it sucks though. I've stated hrt which has stopped them but I still get so many hormonal issues (current one is wind and horrible digestion issues). Oh to have a penis!

That sucks op:(

Ah man I hear you! My cycles weren’t too bad until I hit perimenopause and now I’ve more chance of predicting the lottery numbers than when my period might start (despite being on HRT). This month it’s worked in my favour for once and started early before I go on holiday so don’t give up hope!!

Total empathy from here. Hope it’s a short one.

This is exactly what happened to me, but mine delayed itself by THREE WEEKS, just so it could start whilst I was on the plane, going abroad for the first time since before covid. Also can’t use tampons, despite years of trying. Have very, very heavy periods. This helped:

• modibodi period swimwear (super heavy) - I bought the shorts. If we were out (ie, a boat trip) I put a pad in, but removed it just before swimming.
• Ibuprofen 400mg 3x per day. I’ve had periods for almost 30 years now, and had absolutely no idea that taking this regularly throughout your period actually makes it lighter! It was a total gamechanger - no clots, flooding etc and just made it so much more manageable.

Doing these 2 things meant I was able to swim pretty much all day everyday, which would have been unthinkable in the past!

Hope it buggers off soon, and you can have a lovely holiday.

Poor you. I was mid 50s cycling through Vietnam when my period came back suddenly and unexpectedly. With a vengeance. You cannot get tampons there. I had to wedge a massive nappy like pad inside my cycling shorts. It was bucketing rain. Everything was soggy. The loos were fairly basic. Fantastic place and great trip…. But the period was an absolute pain.

Thanks all for the sympathy and empathy- it’s helping! Thanks for the ibuprofen tip too, @Sipperskipper- must try that!

Travelling with my husband and he is being very lovely and listening patiently as I whinge, but he’s fully convinced that change of air pressure while flying must have something to do with it. I’m trying to tell him we don’t operate on a vacuum system 🤣

Ah that’s absolutely rubbish.

same happened to me on our honeymoon. Which was a 4 day city break. I was so miserable. I had similarly heavy, painful periods, massively irregular periods that I couldn’t predict, and felt awful throughout. And this was in the days before period pants.

sex during periods was not on the cards, everything just ached too much to start with. Happy honeymoon!

The air pressure comment is exactly the sort of think my DH would say 🤣

or maybe the g-force on take off? 🤣

So annoying. Until I got the coil fitted I wouldn’t be able to leave the house on day 1 or 2. Also very low on iron. I wonder if that’s something you could try? It’s been amazing for me.

Tramex acid

Makes a difference for me, you take it for the first four days. Reduces the flow and the pain.

I always come on my period early if I've been flying! Dunno what it is but it's happened enough times that I've noticed. Annoying though - hopefully it fucks off or at least gets lighter soon.

Mate. Get yourself some period swimwear asap. I recommend wuka and modi bodi.
I also use their period underwear.

You have my sympathy for your ruined holiday.

If you are a normal child bearing woman then periods are a valuable part of your cycle. They inform you when you are and are not fertile. I always despised that part of being a woman since I was confirmed child free. Periods are no use to me. I took the pill end to end for 4 years. When I stopped my periods had stopped and never returned. Never had a period after age 40.

Have travelled to third world countries where having periods would be inconvenient to say the least.