Hey Lady Pandas, Share Your Experiences With Periods (Closed)

Also to any younger readers I just have to say how much easier periods are when you use tampons. For the first few years I only used pads which was awful during a heavy flow, especially in school. Tampons were a game changer for me.

I got mine for the first time in June, on Father's day, so that was awkward. But I went to the bathroom like the second it started (not sure how that happened) so that was good at least!

Unlike most people, I just stop eating. I will eat maybe 3 thing in the week before and after, and 1 or 2 the week of. I hate it because I normally have the metabolism of a hummingbird

I started on Thanksgiving day when I was 16. That first year I had horrible cramps that would not ease with over the counter pain meds. Mom thought I was overreacting because she didn't have cramps.

Don’t be afraid to ask for supplies or to tell your parent(s)/guardian(s)

Here’s my story :)

I got my first period in grade 6, during lunch recess. I freaked out in the bathroom and nobody was around. After I had not come out for a while, my friend came in to check on me. I remember crying and telling her what happened, and all she said was “Be right back!” She left for a minute or so, and returned with some pads. I got cleaned up (luckily I was wearing black pants) and we went back outside. I immediately told all my friends so they would know that I was “officially a grownup”

On the drive home from school, it was just me and my mom in the vehicle because my siblings were sick. I very nervously said “I got my period today” my mom was shocked but was happy to explain everything and what I had to look forward to in the future!

My periods were a nightmare from the first time I started at age 10. It was painful, but I didn't have another til I was 13. Then, I didn't have another til I was 16. My family doctor claimed all this was normal. Then, every few months I would have an extremely painful period. This went on for years. Birth control made me regular, but if anything, the pain and bleeding got worse. I learned to schedule around at least the first four days of my period. NOTHING helped the pain. I was accused of faking it. Saw several different doctors and was given a myriad of medications to try. Nothing helped. It got to where I was anemic from bleeding constantly, and the pain was unbearable. I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis. I underwent a complete hysterectomy at age 28. My gynecologist was horrified when he opened me up. He had to bring in a pathologist to help him figure out what parts were what. It was as if someone had dumped a bucket of hot glue on my insides. My doctor was amazed that I could even walk, let alone function on a daily basis, with that kind of damage. Turns out I wasn't faking after all.

I had to share how awful periods and difficulties a young girl can go through, do I went ahead and write all about my experiences which I had never mentioned to anyone. Somehow what I was writing just disappeared, and I don’t have it in me to explain it again - at least right now.

I lost a lot of blood when I'm on periods. So I'm easily tired , and sometimes nauseous. But in february and march (2022) , i had anemia because of this. The time between my periods beeing too short, my quantity of blood cells didn't get the time to totally renew ( english is not my mother tongue, is this word correct?), and i was weak and often sleepy . I had to take a break from work. I work in a kindergarten and knew that if something happened to me while in class, it will be bad for the kids.

The cramps... The pain... The flow... It all went away after I had my kid but it's slowly creeping back now. But now I have other symptoms - PMS is a b**ch, I am pissed off all days I'm late for no apparent reason, I'll cry for the smallest of things and my mind is constantly foggy

Okay so under 16 so this could all change but I consider myself so fricking lucky so far. For me I never know when it's gonna happen, maybe I will go a month without one then have two in a month it's super irregular. It's a constant guess if I'll have any of the usual symptoms. Maybe I'll have cramps one month, and be totally fine the next. The only constant for me at least is that I'm always tired during it and thus have little to no tolerance. No clue if this is common or rare or what but hey I'm not complaining.

nothing special but i’ve vomited from cramps before. it makes me really mad when men act like women are the weaker sex bc period cramps would decimate them. some people pass out from cramps.

I'm pretty lucky and I'm not. Mine last around 4 days with a little bit of cramps. However, I have the heaviest flows ever. I have to wear these big pads (since I don't wear tampons) so I don't "leak" blood on the sheets. Before that, I wore regular pads which ended up with blood on the sheets. I'm pretty sure that happened twice. Then I came up with the towel method where I layed out a towel while I slept in case I leaked blood again, which it did. Now, periods are not much of a hassle anymore, just an inconvenience.

I got mine at home when I was 11. I remember the day before that, my doctor said my periods would star soon. I didn’t know how soon. The first time I saw the thing on my underwear I was scared to tell anyone. The next morning I realized it was periods and told my family. But my friend got it in school and we had it in control and we’re going to the bathroom with a change of pants when her brother saw it and totally freaked out. He fell to his knees and hugged her and was all like “nooo someone call 911 my sister is dying!!! Keep breathing ok? Get a stretcher!” Everyone crowded around and we had to explain that no, no one was dying, it’s just periods. Then some boys were like, “ what’s that?”

I'm a trans guy so having my period gives me more dysphoria than usual. I get really bad cramps and am always tired

Excruciating agony for 30 flippin' years and I just want it to end.

The vast majority of doctors - of all ages and genders - don't understand just how horrific periods can be. From the PMS which makes you either suicidal or homicidal (or both) while being unable to stop binging on junk food, to the acne and hirsutism and scarring from said problems that takes years and literally thousands of euro to try and "fix" and still comes back every time the pill fails and I'm forced into menstruating, to having to get a medical judge to intervene so I can have the pain relief that actually works, all while living in a country that only allows hysterectomy if it's going to prevent physical death.

I'm this close to finding a clinic in Spain that will take my life savings and cut the f***ing thing out.

I got mine during my 6th grade orchestra concert, WHEN I WAS SITTING AT THE FRONT OF THE STAGE! Thankfully I was wearing black.

I cry over everything, get ultra moody, and have pretty bad cramps.

I have quite a few period horror stories to share *shudders*. But I'll just tell you about my saner/mom related ones 😃.

When I was younger my mom used to tell me about how unprepared her parents left her and how sad it made her (they gave her a biology book and $5). So she told me for years about how she set up a basket for me with all of the "girl stuff" I'd need (pads, tampons, waxing strips, heating pad, etc.). Anywho, I got my period a month after she left us (it's complicated) and was totally unprepared. I told my dad about it and the basket. He texted my mom and she said there was a pink bag under the sink with all my stuff. Turns out, she lied. There was a bubble mailer with a few tampons, cigarettes, and a bunch of used wax strips (eww). Luckily my grandma came to the rescue (she lives with us) and explained things to me, but I was so freaking mad at my mom. I was 12.

The first time I stayed with my mom (after the divorce) she decided to tell her roommates (3 guys and 2 girls) about how I was finally a woman. And proceeded to ask me a bunch of questions about my cycle in front of these strangers. I told her I was uncomfortable, locked myself in the bathroom, and called my dad to come pick me up.

Stayed at my mom's place a bit last summer only to find a bunch of my stuff missing (hot water bottle, tampons, razor, deodorant, etc.). Asked my mom about it and she said she must have accidentally threw it all away. Which was really weird because my bathroom is attached to my room so there's no reason for her to even be in there. After some further prodding I found out that she's trying to go all "natural" with free-bleeding, no shaving and all that stuff. We fought about it for a while until she agreed to compensate my stuff as long as I stopped wearing deodorant and using tampons. I have not talked to her since.

mood swings especially when me and my sister’s cycle collide . If out of stock brother to the rescue 😅 then recently migraine arghh

Well I just finished my 5th one in the last 2 months, so there's that...