Yep, that word... sorry gents although this might be helpful around your lovely woman and daughters.
Period...
That thing you cannot wait to happen... and let’s face it, the minute it does... you cannot wait for it to end.
As a teen, it did not bother me too much! I mean, it was a hassle, but, being on the pill meant I did that (probably not recommended) but batching, so when it was due; say when on holiday or any other time you just couldn’t face it, you could overlap your pill to stop it.
As a youngster, I would get uncomfortable here and there but overall, it did not faze me.
Apart from the fact it now makes sense why I was a crazed psychopath while on the pill... What is in those things?!!!
Skip to before my 30’s, I stopped the pill when we began trying for a baby. I then experienced a ‘real’ period in over 15 years and one word!!!
OUCH
(By real I mean not using any contraception for myself)
Luckily, a few cycles in and we fell pregnant!
9/10 glorious no period months, I mean it was replaced with a list of all pregnancy-related things, but I would take that over a period.
Having real periods before my son and again, cycles before and after having my daughter seem to be more aggressive.
It seems not using contraception to control them has meant they hurt a lot more.
I have now not used the pill or coil or anything in 6/7 years and I dread them every month.
I either feel awful the week before or during, but, it is like my tummy is having a moment.
Not to mention the hormones
Wow... please tell me I am not alone!
I feel them coming like a cloud, my Husband and I joke now... 5 days and counting
So, he knows to play nice or else!!
I use an app to keep track, but my body certainly tells me when it is due.
I seem to suffer more as I get older and I hope this is not a sign of the next phase…the M-word!!
I have that feeling of being urgh and just wanting to lie down with a hot compress and wishing the time to hurry up.
I feel for the guys, as they have absolutely no clue how this feels or why/what.
They just want to run and hide by the mere mention of this
Do not get me wrong there are many many women out there who are struggling way more than I am, I can still function.
But something has shifted, and it is certainly more painful and more noticeable in my mood.
It impacts my decisions and feelings.
This surely is not what we are supposed to go through!
Isn’t it mad that for a long time... its looked as women’s problem and even the products we need are not recognised in the same manner as other medical-related things!
It was something the PE teacher laughed at if you said you did not feel great.
Even in the workplace, it is not recognised really!
Being comfortable writing about my experiences, is all down to fellow women talking about this and its empowering, its always that hushed under the breath conversation.
When this happens to every woman on the planet (unless of course, you can not have them for certain reasons)
There is a sense of feeling awkward even with friends, you may not go into detail, there’s usually a blanket statement, like “I’m on” and this usually covers it... woman and men alike know what this means.
Even down to feelings, its brushed aside, when in fact, the changes in the cycle, can really impact your thoughts and feelings, usually in a negative way. I am personally getting a blood test via the GP to check my levels, as my hormones fluctuate so much and its something I had probably brushed off as it is just something women have so you don’t think there could actually be a problem with them.
Yet like the menopause, which is widely discussed and thankfully so, as for us ladies when the time comes, the wealth of knowledge and information will be out there as opposed to it being a quiet topic like it’s been for our mothers and maybe more our grandmothers.
So with more women discussing topics like this, it helps not only us but our daughters, like there is a lot I will talk to my daughter about and the choices she can have, How to be careful with some pills as this changes your cycle but also your moods, how tampons and pads are great, but maybe not from a planet point of view and each woman uses a hell of a lot, and actually there is a huge amount of other options now, cups are a great alternative.
There are herbal remedies which can aid in feeing better, hot compresses and other things are about to make those days easier.
Then even feeling ok about asking your GP for blood tests if it just doesn’t feel right and for things to be looked into.
Just by the topic being discussed and experiences being available can only be a good thing.
If we can discuss our pregnancies and labours to help each other, we can discuss our periods too.
