When periods are messy

[Tminamechange3]

Had to name change for this, as I’m so embarrassed!

I’m having the worst time with my period this month. I have quite heavy periods, with the occasional “flooding” on days 1-2.

As I’m a teacher, I usually have to let someone know before I leave the classroom to go to the toilet. This makes me conscious about how long I’m taking, and how frequently I’m having to go to change my tampon/pad.

Whether it’s because I’ve been in a rush, I don’t know, but every time I’ve gone to change my tampon at work this week, I’ve gotten into a right mess. I somehow managed to end up with blood all down my leg this morning (sorry tmi!) The day before, half of the applicator fell off onto the floor mid-way (rubbish cardboard applicators!). Before I could leave, I felt I had to do a good scan of the toilet/floor/etc to make sure I hadn’t left a trail behind! Just makes me feel so awful and ashamed as surely I should be able to sort myself out without getting in such a state.

This has turned into a bit of a TMI rant, but with a glimmer of hope that I’m not the only one this happens to!

Hi Sorry to hear this. If it makes you feel any better I got dog shit on my hands last week. These things happen. I've seen on posts about something called a moon cup for periods. Perhaps you could look into it?

It's not just you!
The worst I've had is discovering a small clot that must have flicked out onto the bathroom floor. Hours later.

Oh this sounds awful. I agree about a Mooncup, changed my entire period experience- I don't have excessive bleeding, but certainly, they hold a larger volume than tampons or pads. And you could add a pad as well for extra reassurance.

I would also consider going to the GP to think about whether they could help manage this too e.g. OCP if you aren't planning a pregnancy.

Hope things improve for you.

This has happened to me more than once I suffer terribly. It’s horrible and sometimes I think I’m not sure how the hell i am meant to resolve this with what equipment is available. You’re not alone. I don’t have the answer just damn Mother Nature

@whydoihavetogothroughsomuch

Poor you! Dog poo sounds a lot worse I must admit! I have considered mooncups in the past, but actually it’d probably be even messier for me.

@nibdedibble

Ooh no! Hours later! That’s what worries me! I was too embarrassed to say in my OP, but yes it’s the clots that fly about - especially when you’re scrambling trying to find the end of the toilet roll with one hand...

@bumblebeefairy

Thank you for the advice. Without sounding crude, how does one remove a mooncup without the contents spilling?

I’ve tried two different oral contraceptives in the past - I didn’t get on well with either of them. I had side effects like low mood, low sex drive, painful sex (like actual burning because my body had stopped producing any lubrication whatsoever). More painful period cramps during withdrawal bleeds. I would like to try another type, but can’t for the life of me remember what the ones I had were called x

I would try and determine why your periods are so heavy; conditions like fibroids for instance (and endometriosis) can cause heavy bleeding to arise.

Do not put up with this and seek answers from your GP and if that person cannot assist, a gynaecologist. This can become debilitating over time.

You sort of wiggle the Mooncup out and learn at what angle to hold it. It becomes easier after the first couple of times.

Frankly I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Japanese have a name for the naughty clot spirit that hides under the rim of the toilet. I am always on the lookout for the wee bastards.

Period pants are worth the investment, the UK cheeky wipes ones are cheaper than the American brands and are good.

I'm also a teacher and sometimes have to go 4+ hours without a toilet break and they are brilliant as a backup. Can be worn alone on lighter days or with tampons/towels on heavier ones. Just chuck them in the wash (no fabric conditioner or tumble dryer).

Have you tried the mirena coil. It was a lifesaver for me. My periods used to be so heavy. It was awful. Had mirena fitted and within a few months periods were non existent. I still get the sugary cravings and a bit of moodiness but none of the bleeding. Highly recommend it.

This happens to me too. I take a little makeup bag thing into the toilet with me that’s full of wet wipes so I can clean myself up

@AttilaTheMeerkat

What is considered “heavy”? When I tried searching it up, the guidance was “soaking through a pad or tampon every 1-2 hours”. The thing is, I do soak through a super plus tampon in 2 hours in the morning on days 2-3. So I’ll double up with a small pad then. But it won’t be like that all day. Later on, I could last 3-4 hours and be fine. I’m usually fine all night with a long overnight pad.

I think my periods are probably heavier than “average”. But not heavy in the sense that I soak through a tampon and a pad, or need several pads on a night like I’ve seen
some other poor posters describe.

The Mirena coil is a godsend for heavy periods I have a little bit of spotting every month now that's it.

The Moon Cup just needs a gentle break to its seal at the top to loosen it. Does take some practice but is easy with time. You could take some wipes with you if you were worried about getting some on your hands. I tend to try and use an individual loo if there is one available but have minimal mess now. Might be easiest to have a bit of a practice when you're not on your period

Heavy for me was the first 48 hours I was wearing a super plus tampon and heavy duty sanitary pad and 2 hours later it was down my leg and soaking into my trousers. Stained bed sheets and bath towels. Stepping out of the shower and finding it dripping down my thighs before I even had chance to dry. Clots like liver. Bloody awful. This was repeated about every 23-25 days.

I've had some horrific peri-menopausal bleeding recently (at one point it was about 50ml an hour) and the secret was doubling or trippling up on protection. So I used a Mooncup (holds more than a tampon) plus a reusable pad in reusable period pants. It really gave me the confidence to know I could go a few hours without having to change.
You empty the Mooncup over the loo and rinse it out with a small bottle of water (ideally a sink if in the same cubicle), then change the pad if needed and put the used one in a waterproof bag until the end of the day. The hope is that the knickers won't actually get marked, they're just extra protection. Oh, and take some wet wipes if you need to clean up a bit.

Period pants save the day for me when it's super heavy, they see me through my shifts no problem. Also look into asking the doctor for transexamic or mefenemic acid to help reduce bleeding if it's unmanageable

I’ve always had heavy periods and they have been investigated with no real success as I don’t want to take hormonal contraceptives and also want to conceive in the next few years.

I’m also a teacher and can only get to the loo every four hours at the most. I take a bag full of wet wipes and scented nappy bags for disposal. I wear period pants and a giant Tena lady pad with another maxi pad on top if it’s especially heavy. I tend to wear a full skirt or skater style dress when I’m heavy otherwise the bulk is obvious in trousers. Feels gross but it’s the only way I can manage. Hate working when I’m on my period .

Mine have been very heavy due to peri menopause - during the day using a super plus tampon + night time pad and changing every 1-2 hours and at night using a tena pad with maternity pad on top and super plus tampon and getting up 2 or 3 times to change. I work with preschoolers and it is a (literal) bloody nightmare. Periods also last approx 2-3 weeks.

Have been prescribed iron tablets and tranexamic acid and it has been a complete revelation!

Ask your doctor t prescribe tranexamic acid to lessen the flow. I had awful periods for 3 years after I had my daughter, would flood through super tampon and towel in an hour - my commute is more than that so it was unmanageable. All of their doctors suggest the pill which I didn't want until last August when a new doctor prescribed this. It helps with the pain too. My life is literally so different now & take for first 3 / 4 days of period and it immediately improves. No hormones in it

I don’t know how old you are OP, but it would be worth seeing your gp about this. Heavy bleeding is not the norm.
You can take Transemic acid as soon as your period starts, which can help reduce flow.
It could be to do with something like polyps and fibroids.
I’ve had polyps which were removed years ago.
I’ve now had a Mirena fitted, which should have sorted out the flow, but because I now have fibroids which have pushed it out of place, so its not doing either job is made for, I’m having to see the gynae clinic to see what can be done about the fibroids sigh
In the meantime, use heavy duty protection, maybe combined with period pants, take a pack of wipes with you to help clean better. I’ve had the murder toilet look as well, and am thankful its never happened somewhere that has carpet!

Teacher here too. Have to wear black, take extra pants, wet wipes and triple up on protection when I'm on. I'm on day 4 and I've only just dropped to wearing only one night time pad this afternoon. On Tuesday I had three pads on to make sure I was covered and didn't leak. Still had to change every three hours and some of the clots were huge. It's like a massacre whenever whenever I go to the loo. I feel disgusting.

Fwiw, I did have a coil which helped enormously, but had it removed TTC. Alas, I've not got a new job starting in September so that'll have to go back in and baby #2 will not happen as I'm getting on a bit and don't know if my body will manage it in a couple of years.

Thank you for the replies everyone. It sounds like some of you deal with/have dealt with terrible heavy periods. You are amazing for battling through all that

I’m beginning to think it’s difficult to gauge what’s an excessively heavy flow, as pads and tampons seem to give different indications. While I can start to leak through a super plus tampon after 2 hours on my heaviest days, a body form (thin) overnight pad can last me 4 hours with the same flow, without leaking. The thing is, I’m obviously more comfortable with a tampon. It’s just annoying that they leak so much more easily!

Hi op. I'm another advocate for a moon cup. The beauty being that it caters for change in flow as well. It took me about 3 periods to get it right and had a couple of mistakes where it didn't seal properly or had a 'lip' in the seal which meant I leaked so I would wear a big sanitary towel but now I confidently wear just the mooncup with no extra pad (though sometimes a small liner if especially heavy). It was literally a game changer for me. I can insert it when I'm due on so that I won't have that 'uh oh' moment when your period starts and I can wear it right at the end when I'm not sure if I'm going to have that 'surprise bleed' when you thought it was done. It holds way more than a tampon and it doesn't carry risk of TSS. It's better for the environment and you can wear it all day on lighter days and change less frequently on heavier ones. You also get to learn when it's time to change it. You feel a slight 'pulling' sensation when it gets full. Highly recommend but do be prepared to have a few flaw starts with it at first. Persevere until you learn how to insert it properly and you'll not look back.

I use a menstrual cup backed up by cloth sanitary towel.

This works well to stop flooding. But I find emptying the cup which is often already overflowing onto the towel can be messy. It's fine when there is a sink in the cubicle with the toilet but tricky when it's seperate. But even when flowing very heavily I can get over an hour of safety ( no leaks onto towel).