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 become absolutely fucking murderous 4-5 days prior to my period.
I used to get period poo but rather unfortunately I don't get it anymore just chronic constipation instead.

Cycle related, I get the most horrendous ovulation pain, literally floors me for 24hours. I end up taking 600mg of ibuprofen as 400mg just doesn't touch it. (600mg is a standard European dose)
Only experienced it since the birth of my child.

lubeybooby oh thank god it's not just me. Not one single person in real life has them!

Oh my god the ACHE. The most horrendous 'down below' dull ache that lingers for at least an entire day, if not longer.

Period poo
Mucus and clots

The feeling of wetting yourself when it's a flood.
The horrible heavy feeling of dried blood on your muff.
Trying tampons with a pad at work as I couldn't get to the toilet when I wanted to. Pulling the tampon out resulting in huge blood clots flying out all over the cubicle wall.
The revolting feeling of blood clots the size of my palm.
Turning bath/shower water pink.
Feeling completely drained.
Feeling like your womb will fall out of your vag.
The pain from my knees to the middle of my back.
Getting up in the night covered in blood and getting changed.
I have the mirena coil now and I have occasional spotting. I have my life back.

I can relate to everything said here re the unspoken suffering of the period. I'm now over that particular bridge, thankfully, only to be faced with a multiple problems of being post menopause.
Javelin arse was one of the things I suffered with badly, but interestingly, since I've been gluten free after a coeliac diagnosis, I've not had it. But my god, the memory of the terrifying pain it brought, sometimes for days.

Javelin Arse= Proctalgia fugax - Proctalgia fugax is a disease of unknown cause characterized by paroxysms of rectal pain with pain-free periods between attacks. The pain-free periods between attacks can last seconds to minutes. Similar to cluster headache, spontaneous remissions of the disease occur and may last weeks to years. Proctalgia fugax is more common in women and occurs with greater frequency in patients with irritable bowel syndrome.

The pain of proctalgia fugax is sharp or gripping and severe. Similar to other urogenital focal pain syndromes, such as vulvodynia and prostadynia, the causes remain obscure. Stress and sitting for prolonged periods often increase the frequency and intensity of attacks of proctalgia fugax. Patients often feel an urge to defecate with the onset of the paroxysms of pain (Figure 82-1). Depression often accompanies the pain of proctalgia fugax but is not thought to be the primary cause. The symptoms of proctalgia fugax can be so severe as to limit the patient’s ability to perform activities of daily living.

Javelin Arse
Javelin Fanny
The Dull Ache Thing
Diarrhoea
Blood from bum (nice)
Piles

And what's with the clumsiness? I drop everything and walk into doorframes.

Forrgot to say- thanks to memory flashbacks of all these rotten symptoms, lots of to you all....oh, and and too.

Oh god yeah
Having to strip the bed in the middle of the night!...

Dull ache in my upper thigh
Pain in lower back
Severe anxiety and feeling depressed
Always end up with a boil because of sanitary towels.

Since I had my last child my period has changed to a 23 day cycle so I get anxious, dizzy and depressed a week before. Then my period goes on forever and when it finally finishes I'm right back at anxiety & depression again. I fucking hate it!

I get migraines, javelin arse, lower back pain, side pain, the shits and my bum hole feels like it shrinks and I find it difficult to go squeeze out a poo

Forgot anxiety and mood swings and non stop eating. Poor dh, I don't know how he puts up with it. I want a divorce every month

Clumsiness - walking into things, bashing elbows on doors etc. Poorer eyesight too.

Pre period insomnia - usually 24 hours before my period starts I startle awake around 3am then can’t sleep again until around 7am. At weekends it’s ok during the week well it’s awful.

Clots, leaking, flooding. Nausea. Headaches. Utter exhaustion. I can’t think straight. I nearly had a car accident twice the day before my period.

I’m a total bitch. I feel like handing in my notice and quitting my job.

I get terrible cramps in my legs. My breasts ache - I fact my whole body aches.

What has improved these symptoms a lot is exercise and weight loss.

I have found my people!
My eczema flares up a couple of days before (which I unfortunately only get around my under carriage) and by the time i come on I'm red raw. Couple that with period poo, scatter brain, clumsiness and major irritability and the loss of all functioning English I'm a a joy to be around.
Also I'm starving all of the time and so am hangry ! Don't know how my dh puts up with me!

Loads of the symptoms pp have mentioned but also often a throat infection. It's like my entire immune system collapses for a day or two. Gynaecologist says it is hormones... I don't have PCOS but I do have a history of ovarian cysts.

Omg the frigging hot flushes. The bloating. The sheer irritation and fucking everything. And the fact that I need to eat absolutely everything in the fridge and cupboards.

*AT! At everything.

I also get mouth ulcers on my tongue and on the roof of my mouth. It's awful :(

Mine are fairly mild-same spot comes up every month and I feel like I’m coming down with a cold. Raging pmt 2 days before-I am truly horrible

I honestly don’t think men appreciate how ruled we can be by our periods-for so many people over a week of every month is substandard.

Sore vulva. Crushing headache the day before that is only solved by a lot of sleep. Thrush afterwards.

Horrible
Pulling pain down below - and the way after 4/5 days it stops for 24 hours then continues on with brown stuff for a further two days - so annoying!
Interestingly my daughter gets javelin arse - has done regularly for years but she’s only 10 - am now worried it my Be something serious

Ovulation pain that lasts at least two days. I've fainted a couple of times as it can come on suddenly and is like someone has grabbed my ovaries and is squashing them in a vice.

Period poo just before I start.

Javelin arse

Clots, feeling like I'm birthing a jellyfish.

Smelly farts

Total loss of sex drive for most of the month.

The absolute joys of being female!

It’s so comforting to see that all of these symptoms are widespread & not just me.
Most months I get a completely new random symptom, that rarely comes back the following month. A few months ago it was a buzzing in my groin, like a phone vibrating.
Women need to talk about periods more!

It’s sad that health education is probable no better. We all told it’s normal just get on with it, take two aspirin and hot water bottle if it “really bad”. Then you just feel a failer when everything hurts, and your body falls apart. It’s been nearly 30years and I still don’t feel like I cope with mine either.