Period symptoms no one talks about

[TammySwansonTwo]

Day 1 of my period today which is always horrific (double whammy of endometriosis and adenomyosis) and was just thinking about how many weird symptoms I think of as normal, because no one ever talks about them.

The main ones for me are javelin arse and the feeling that my vulva has run a marathon. Oh, and the fact that I had no idea periods were supposed to be red until after my first surgery - I thought I was bleeding to death.

So much isn’t talked about that many women put up with awful stuff for years, and illnesses like endometriosis take years to diagnose. I think we should talk about it more!

What are other people’s weird period symptoms that they believe(d) are normal / universal?

I get pmt that turns me into a witch for a couple of days. Looking back I can trace the end of all my long term relationships to me having pmt and temporarily hating my boyfriends. Some nice ones too that got away. I never realised it at the time I just thought I suddenly really hated them!

Nowadays I will ALWAYS find something to sob about the day before, even if it’s just a pesky advert.

Plus most of the above symptoms you all mentioned.
I also get awful pain and constipation when I am ovulating so all in all there are only a few days in the month when I am absolutely free of biology related issues!

anxiety insomnia and nail biting! oh joy

The day before I find myself having arguments in my head with people I know. It's always over something they've not actually done and is so ridiculous and extreme they would never actually do it in real life.

That sounds proper fruitloop now I've written it down!

Javelin Arse - sudden shooting pains in your bum, like a hot poker.

Diarrhoea can be due to the prostaglandins that soften your cervix also relaxing other muscles.

Akire I get exactly what you mean about looking different, something is just off kilter, It’s very strange.

Tammy, this was mine: ‘Repeated vomiting and diarrhoea on day one. Intense pain in waves, going down my right leg.’
The pain was insane. I would lie on the floor and scream/sob at its worst. GP told me it would get better when I had a baby or got older. My next GP at least advised me to take plenty of ibuprofen and codeine. I’ve not had kids and am now peri menopausal, still getting pain but not as bad. Very rare periods.
Should I still get investigated for endo or would the worst be over by now anyway? Thank you

Absolute, all encompassing exhaustion.
Fuzzy brain.
Slurred speech.
Pubic symphysis pain.
A heavy feeling in my limbs.
Period poo (my least favourite)

Well today alone, I locked myself out of my locker at the gym with no clothes except the wet Codie I was wearing. I trimmed the hedge and sliced the wire for the hedge trimmer straight if and blew the electrics in my house at the same time. I called the kennel TWICE today to ask the same question despite the fact he contacted me TWICE to answer my questions. I couldn’t remember my PIN number and ended up being cut off and now have to wait 3-5 days for my new number to arrive. I feel over the garden furniture and scratched my face down my rose bush while STANDING STILL
I’m 2 days away. Ffs

Then it’s a whole other ball game.

Chickoletta it's the release of Prostaglandins that causes bowel problems. I've always been sat on the toilet just before I went into labour with all my children, for the same reason.
It's a shame your GP didn't know!

I retain water really bad, can sometimes not have to pee for up to 48 hours, but the following days are like having a UTI where im in and out the loo constantly.

THank god for the implant.

I’m not going to correct all my typos because I bloody well can’t....

Keepingbees are you me?

I have PCOS so symptoms are a little more severe and periods are completely random which doesn't help as it's hard to realise which symptoms are connected.

At 32 I've realised period symptoms for me include: migraines / full headache in the lead up and during, clumsiness (regularly end up covered in bruises from bashing door frames), boobs so tender I have to wear a bra to bed, emotions swinging from devastated and crying to furious, cramps so severe I sometimes can't move and curl up to cry a little, loss of my ability to parallel park, night sweats in the night or 2 before, insomnia the night before and first 2 nights or so, vivid emotional dreams (usually about DH leaving me / being pregnant / someone dying) and finding myself making bitchy comments about people on tv

Education or being able to talk openly would be great. It was only a month or so ago I told a friend I was at the end of a period but it was dragging on and she said "so you've got the horrible brown bit now, I hate that" and I suddenly realised I'm not the only person that happens to. I'd worried it was pcos connected but apparently not!

I have PCOS so my periods are a bit unpredictable...one thing that really made a difference to me was switching to a mooncup. I know it's terribly Mumsnet, but there you go! I don't have anywhere near the pain levels I used to.

I also get the leg pain though, interesting to know it's my ovaries!

About 3 days before I come on, I hate myself and can't stand the sight of myself in the mirror. Can always tell, it's like clockwork.

Oh and I forgot, absolutely awful back pain. Usually between my shoulder blades and the just above my hips. Makes it hard to get comfortable and my bones / joints click a lot

Pre DC a lot of back pain, deathly tired and vert dark blood and lots of clots. Headaches and few days of such tiredness I just wanted to sleep. Also craving for chocolate.

On pill - which I later realised was killing my sex drive and causing anxiety got big red spots at gap point. Occasionally happens during normal period but never at any other time – very big not normal spots.

GPs I went tp insited all was normal no tests done - found out that amount of pain wasn't normal when experinced labour - level of pain till pushing was as bad as monthly pain.

Since DC - 5 year gap bf and pg - lot lighter but late 30 started getting some cycles with constipation and diarrhoea and suddenly PMS just before. Also slowly realised my appetite and energy levels and strength and coordination vary over cycle.

Thought it was me but a female weight lifter posted on thread in feminism chat and said it was known appetite and strength varied over month enough to affect training.

Oh and the cholate craving I’d had which I thought stopped because chocolate got shit - was probably magnesium deficiency - oddly I'd started supplements as had other symptoms and it was around then craving stopped.

Period poo- thought it was just me a while back till I read about it on here. Sudden urge to go and it’s all crampy and painful eurgh

But I didn’t realise other people got the sore legs/thighs! Really heavy achy feeling.

Also I get depressed and start questioning everything. I even start to get annoyed at the dog and she’s usually my favourite!

Oh yes and smelly farts. Don’t know why that is either. Really strange.

I was going to say I mentioned 1/2 of these to a dr when I suffering form period pain but they declared since I wasn’t anemic it was all a coincidence. Here I learned that constipated for 3 days then 24 hours on the toilet, puking, pumping, itching and sleeping all within normal range. Although I secretly suspect if “they” spent a week thinking about it they could come up with a pill to cure it.

My sense of taste changes just before my period, no idea why but it's s sure sign it's on its way!
Also, period poo!

Spidey senses: everything is too fucking loud, especially people eating and breathing.

Javelin arse and shooting leg pain when trying to poo.

Bloody poo.

Feeling fearless and willing to speak up for myself at work, whereas I’m riddled by anxiety the rest of the month. Actually I feel like physically fighting my bosses when I am due my period. I am normally timid.

An insane craving for huge amounts of carbs.

A day or two before I come on my contact lenses stop fitting properly - they just don’t sit right and my vision is worse.

Hair seems to be greasy and dry at the same time!

Does anyone else smell things (that sometimes aren't even there)? Like ghost smells? I'm sure I get this before my period!

Otherwise, I crash into anything in the room, bang my toes constantly. I become uncharacteristically clumsy basically!

Period poo (but once it’s out, it feels glorious). I’m in my 40’s and only found out last year that this is quite normal, I really thought it was only me!

Tender tits. Jesus, mine are on fire for up to a fortnight before my period.

Headaches at the back of my head and into the neck.

The absolute raging horn the day before I come on, which is not necessarily a bad thing, I know.

@idontlikelambchop have you been to dr for gynae referral? Only wondering because you sound like me and I suffered for years...decades..miserably 😞
Seemingly, huge clots like that and for that long are NOT normal. Neither is curling up on the floor retching in agony but that was an overlooked symptom by ALL medical staff.
However, after a decade on iron tablets for anaemia I have been under gynae for 4 years and -several unsuccessful treatments later-I’m waiting for hysterectomy BUT treatments work for some. please go and speak to your gp about your symptoms

Hideous body dysmorphia about 2-3 days before I come on. I can’t bear to look at myself in the mirror, all my clothes are too tight, I look ugly/fat/disgusting - and I have this obsession that my face is getting fatter one particularly bad month I slapped myself in the face. I probably verge on PMDD to be honest and should probably medicate.

Agnus castus and coming off the pill helped sort my physical symptoms off. I get regular as clockwork periods now, 4-5 days whereas before I was having spotting on and off constantly. Just the mental side of things which isn’t improving. It’s a bitch.

Oh the contact lenses! Is that a period thing? I sometimes have days where I just can’t get them to sit comfortably and my eyes are blurry!