~♫~ Nancy Lorenz ~♫~

They also don't tell you about the pad flipping or pulling together as you're lifting up your knickers and bonding sticky-side up to your pubic hair. Now that - that smarts.

Man that stings.

Gosh I remember when I first got my period when I was just 12 (just before I finished Junior School) and my first reaction when I wiped? "Yuk!" Then "Oh." It was revolting. I'm still revolted by the whole process. I've been having a bit of an interesting year in regards to my cycle that I'm finding it hard (but not really, just .. "interesting" again) to cope with all the differences. I'm really hating being a girl (that that time of the month) this year. I've also gone off the pill (not on choice) for the last 6 weeks, and I got a second period in a month (two weeks after I stopped). MAN that was a lot of blood. Yuk. It'll be like this again in about a week or so, and I'm just not looking forward to it at all. Blah.

I get bad rectal pain too, but more often than not if I try and move my bowels when I've got my period. To the point that I often wait a day or so (not much for me, I've got a terrible bowel).

(This is a bit TMI, huh.) Isn't funny that they say "Oh you only lose about a tablespoon or two." FUCK OFF. Sorry, but there are days when I lose at least that in the morning. I'm not about to bloody measure it though.

I'm going to stop now. ;)

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Oh there's no such thing as TMI for me, darling. Talk away. Hah! I lose a tablespoon in HALF A DAY. I lose about four tablespoons throughout a whole period, I reckon. At least! Like today, I actually had to run to the toilet cause I knew the pad wasn't going to take all the blood that was gushing out of me.

I remember the first cold sweat I had when I saw all that blood!! It was weird because before the period started I felt weak and dizzy and couldn't figure out why. What a horrible surprise it was!

It amazes me that all we go through is just kept quiet, it's "women's business". If men went through what we went through, we'd never hear the end of it. There'd be statues erected to people who had periods that lasted longer than a week! *laughs* Knowing men, if they had periods they'd probably have bleeding competitions! *laughs*

For every person that belittles the period, I wish I could just let them know, for a few seconds, the pain and discomfort some of us go through. Particularly those really snarky bitches that have light periods and think they know it all. They piss me off the most.

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Yeah, I know what rushing to the toilet's like. More like that with tampons recently though. Then again, when I'm wearing a pad, I'll suddenly think "Hmmm".

HAhahahaha - OMG we would NEVER hear the end of it if Men had to go through periods. Far out - NEVER EVER.

I've gone through years of light periods though. It's just been this year that my body's gone "Well, we think you've had enough of a light flow." THANKS UTERUS. I can't wait to get back on the pill, since that actually helps me out. Lowers my cramping and blood flow (although not as much as it used to) and mood swings. (And face breakouts - yuk)

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sir-devans.livejournal.com

LOL on the comments on maleness.

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windtear.livejournal.com

In my not so humble opinion, if men had periods, we would have had an 'off' switch for them for at least a hundred years. And cramp-specific painkillers would be the first type developed.

I don't have a high opinion of male practitioners in the field of women's health.

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I don't have a high opinion of most practictioners of women's health, regardless of gender.

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windtear.livejournal.com

'Only lose about a tablespoon or two'? Ha ha ha NO. Half a cup, maybe. More like a cup at LEAST.

It was a man who told you that, right?

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Nah, it seems like you do, but you really don't. If you were to put a measuring cup underneath you for your whole period, at most it would fill up around 1/3 - 1/2 I reckon.

And no it wasn't. It was a doctor.

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(A woman doctor)

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Well, apparently not all of the fluid coming out of the uterus is blood (What IS it then?) but I get about two tablespoons per day at least. And I bleed for a total of four days.

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yeah, I used to get rectal cramping too. and my back would ache so much I could barely stand up straight. of course I'm probably massively overexagerating since I haven't had a period in over 5 years now. god I love my contraceptive (depo).

course when I wanna have kids I'll probably have to wait another 5yrs after stopping the drugs to be fertile again, but meh, get there when I get there.

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Wow, what kind of contraceptive are you on?? (Depo, obviously - but what is it?)

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uhm, I think I'm on depo ralovera. it's an injection of progesterone (i think? no idea) that you have once every 12 weeks.

1/3 lose their period completely, 1/3 have continual spotting, 1/3 have normal periods (with the same benefits as the pill of lighter/less painfull).

of course you still have the stack on a tonne of weight thing, which sucks, but hey, I don't have to remember to take a tiny pill every single day (hence why I changed, coz I kept forgetting, and this was prior to the discovering thyroid issues have to take a little pill everyday for the rest of my life thing)

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So it causes a noticable weight gain? I'm just reading that there's a significant chance of bone density loss whilst using Depo-Provera (possibly the US name?) and that the US FDA has recommended that it not be used for more than 2 years.

(I suck at taking the pill every day)

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depo_Provera)

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provera is the brand name, ralovera is a cheaper alternative AFAIK

the FDA has also banned vegemite because it has folate and "folate is bad for you"

I'm pretty sure it has the same bad things as any contraceptive. my doctors have no issue with me taking it so i dont eitther.

the pill gave me noticable weight gain too.

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The pill gives me.. well, yes and no. Not a noticeable weight gain, but maybe a kilo or two? I remember when I went back on it years ago, and thought "Hmmm" but I was in the middle of losing a stack of weight, so I didn't think much of it.

Gees. I love vegemite. They can get stuffed. LOL

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when I first went on the pill when I was 16 I didn't notice any weight gain, but you know, I was 16 at the time, so of course I didn't gain any!

second time on the pill when I was 18 I stacked it on majorly, about 5kg, and when I swapped from the pill to depo I gained about 2kg. of course those weight gains could have easily been attributed to the stressfull things going on in my life at both of those times.

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I looked it up.

OH MY GOD why isn't this a more widely used contraceptive?!?!? Why isn't this offered?? I've never had this offered! Then again, I've only talked to a doctor once about alternative forms of contraception, and this definitely wasn't on the cards!

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i said what can i have other than the pill, they said injection or implanon. didn't want some yucky implant so went with injection.

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I'm going to ask that question too.

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sakurakiss.livejournal.com

Yea...I hear ya. Mine were starting to get worse and worse over the last 6 months, as if my hormones were going batty. And since endo runs in my family I was starting to get panicky about the whole thing. My period only lasts 2 days, but it got the the point where I couldn't get out of bed the pain was so bad.

But the boy somehow fixed it. I can't explain it better than that, but it's like being with him and all my hormones balanced themselves out. I even lost 6 lbs the week we were together. XP

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purrdence.livejournal.com

And then there's the people that just don't belive you could really be in *that* much pain when the cramps hit.

There was this one time that my period hit the same time I was involved in a final clean of a place I was moving out of. That particular period I got terrible, terrible cramps - probably due to all the stress I was going through with the move - and the painkillers just didn't work. I had no access to a hot water bottle and the only way I could cope was to lie down with my legs up against the wall.

You should have seen the filthy looks I got from some of the ex-housemates. They thought I was faking it to get out of the work... never mind that I'd been doing a big chunk of the housework (ESPECIALLY at inspection time) because of other housemates' illnesses. Oh no, period cramps didn't count for them.

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Fuckwads. Usually I'd be more diplomatic when talking about people I don't know but right now that just pisses me the fuck off.

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gemfyre.livejournal.com

I know you're not keen on a cup, but have you considered cloth pads? They don't yank at the hairs (Man I HATED that!), and are cheaper and friendlier for the environment and your cooter.

AND you can get them in awesome patterns!

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Oh, no, I couldn't imagine the smell. And washing them would be an absolute horror! I know I'm ruining the environment but when I'm that sore and constantly exhausted, I don't want to think about washing cloth pads. :( I'm just going to try skipping the periods with birth control, I think.

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kateshort.livejournal.com

I have to agree with you on that. Same reason I don't cloth diaper-- when it's dirty, you still need to take it home and wash it! Fine if you're totally a stay-at-home mom who only ever goes 30 mins from home, but otherwise? uhn-unh.

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Have you thought about getting a Moon Cup? Although you still have to rinse.

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Having anything in my vagina during my period just hurts. A little tampon gives me the most horrid cramps, I'd hate to think what a rubber cup would do.

I am going the Mirena route. Stop the fuckers so I don't have to guddle about anymore.

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Good idea. :)

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likebunnies.livejournal.com

Oh man. I was wondering when your endo would do the sore and cramping rectum thing. Yeah. Been there for years and years. The pain has been so bad that I have been frozen in place trying to figure out how not to scream. Also, when I was in labor, the epidural didn't even make that pain go away. Couldn't feel my uterus but I could still feel those other cramps. No fun. Oh, and they occasionally show up during sex. More fun.

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cedargrove.livejournal.com

They also don't tell you the shame and embarrassment that comes with any sign that you have your periods. Like, a tampon falling out of your purse.

As someone who has literally /just/ (yesterday) taught the sex/health ed lesson on Periods, I have to say that I was impressed that our curriculum (I work in a Catholic school, and as a non-Catholic I stick to the booklet to the letter so as not to screw up with what I'm allowed/not allowed to say) /does/ have a section on sensitivity/embarrassment. Dismayed at the rest of it, but that part - yeah. I was impressed.

We have a video to watch, and part of it shows a girl going to get something from her bag, and her box of pads falling to the floor. A passing boy bends down to pick it up - freeze frame - discuss.

The discussion in my classroom was quite grown up and sensitive - I was impressed at that too, with the children I have it could have been a lot different.

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purrdence.livejournal.com

Do people still carry *boxes* of pads?

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I have a little baggie for mine.

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Ahh, the winds of change are upon us. Thank you, God!!

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shrydar.livejournal.com

I'm kinda bemused at other boy-people considering it to be something that they "shouldn't have to hear about". Can they all grow up now please?

I remember learning about TSS when I was about 13 by reading the leaflet in the box of tampons mum kept in the loo...

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What did you think of that? I freaked out when I read about it, but then I had it explained that it was not a common thing to happen.

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shrydar.livejournal.com

Well, the leaflet did give the impression that it was avoidable - but it was still something of an eye opener.

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leviathan0999.livejournal.com

You know what? You just might like my story "Harry Potter and the Unwinnable Fight" (http://www.thequidditchpitch.org/viewstory.php?sid=3134) just for Harry's shock when he learns about Hermione's period.

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... HAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAAHAA!!!! I'm going to HAVE to read that!!

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