Kind of OT - a "female" whine

[yasmina]

Ok, that time of the month is due for me on Monday. We leave for the World on Wednesday. The last couple of months, my "friend" has arrived several days early, and boy, I sure was hoping she would do the same thing this month. But of course, not a sign of her

My cycles, now that I'm in my forties, has become miserable. When I was younger, I used to sail through my period with very few problems. Now - watch out! Sometimes I wonder who that mad woman is who has taken possession of my body. Occasionally I get migraines (man, I hope that doesn't happen on the trip), I get wretched cramps, and it aggravates my already excrutiating back pain. Mostly these happen during the first 3 days.



I really wanted to have the worst of it over with before the trip! With my luck, she'll show up on the plane during landing when I won't be able to do anything about it right away.

Oh well, at least I'll still be in Disney!

 

[dementia412]

When I was younger I wondered why women always complained about their periods. The only problem I had was not having a clue it was coming. it was not regular, and I had nothing to warn me.. no bloating, no pain, nada. After I had three kids that all changed... now I get gas, my back hurts so bad, I get super bloated, headaches... Aunt Flo also tends to stick around longer. I've been stuck with her for over a week a couple times. When I was younger it was never more than three days. I could almost wish for early menepause (sp?)

 

[K and K's Mommy]

When I was younger I wondered why women always complained about their periods. The only problem I had was not having a clue it was coming. it was not regular, and I had nothing to warn me.. no bloating, no pain, nada. After I had three kids that all changed... now I get gas, my back hurts so bad, I get super bloated, headaches... Aunt Flo also tends to stick around longer. I've been stuck with her for over a week a couple times. When I was younger it was never more than three days. I could almost wish for early menepause (sp?)

This is me too. My doctor told me to stay on the birth control pill. It has helped me tremendously.

 

[bluejaygirl]

Ugh, I'm sorry! Its such a pain to deal with ( literally) and it does get worse with age! I guess you should just wear something on the plane just in case

I get the migraines. Every month. For 1-3 days in length. Now I get them sometimes when I ovulate too, as well as cramps worse than at "that time".

What is worse though, was my poor DD11 having hers at Disney world. Can't get the hang of tampons, so no pool for her the last part of the week, no waterparks.

 

[graygables]

I feel your pain. I do scrapbook shows and inevitably, TOM shows up somewhere about when I hook up my cargo trailer. This last show was so bad, I was BEGGING for menopause. My doc put me on that 4 times a year pill and it threw me completely out of whack. I had a period for 9 months (NINE), non stop, nothing they could do would stop it. Since then, it's been irregular and miserable. My face (never broke out as a teen) is a connect the dots and my head spins around several times during PMS Week (or h-e-double-hockey-sticks week as DH calls it)

Be proactive and go prepared. Are there any meds or herbs that you take that can help relieve some of the symptoms? Maybe all the extra pixie dust floating around will keep the worst at bay.

 

[dementia412]

Don't want to think about birth control pills... I took them for about three months (the only time I ever took them), and it was terrible. I was regular, but had long painfull periods. Looking back it might have been just the fact that I had been pregnant then breast fed, then pregnant again, then more breast feeding... so I hadn't had one in oh say 2 and a half years. Maybe it wasn't the pills making me feel like I was dying

 

[daisyduck123]

In early May, we headed down to WDW for a 9 day trip.

I'm 40ish, starting menopause, & hadn't had a period in a few months.
Well, on our trip down....driving somewhere thru the Carolinas...we stopped at a rest stop and lo and BEHOLD....it came! I couldn't believe it!!

Well, I haven't had another period since that trip & we're leaving for WDW this Wed. night...with my luck, guess what will happen on the drive down?!!

 

[daisyduck123]

.

What is worse though, was my poor DD11 having hers at Disney world. Can't get the hang of tampons, so no pool for her the last part of the week, no waterparks.

Oh, I feel for you.

My DD12 has been that way since she was 10yo.
We leave on Wed. night for a 9 day WDW trip. DD will be having her 13th b-day during our trip & we'll be at the Dolphin & then BCV. I'm bringing tampons "just in case". All we plan on doing in the summer heat is swimming every day. I'm hoping and praying she won't get it until we get home.

 

[StrollPatrolMom]

I have a Mirena IUD. It might be a consideration for you. I have no periods, and the hormones are not systemic, so it doesn't cause the same sorts of problems many women see on the pill. I am still breastfeeding my son once a day, but my period returned at 5 months post partum with my daughter so I dount thats why....for many people with the Mirena you have little (like 3 days of spotting) to no period after an initial period of spotting/bleeding.

 

[yasmina]

What is worse though, was my poor DD11 having hers at Disney world. Can't get the hang of tampons, so no pool for her the last part of the week, no waterparks.

Oh, I so sympathize! I took a group of 90 middle school kids (grades 7 & 8) to Quebec in June. On our 1st day, on the drive up, a 7th grader got her period for the first time ever! I felt bad for her. She was very shaken, eyes watery, lips quivering. You know, something like this, you want MOM with you! Educationally, she was prepared - knew what is was and all, but hadn't brought any supplies with her. Fortunately, we alway pack supplies in our bus kit, so it was no problem helping her out. We also made sure she called mom that night, and we got permission to give her Tylenol or Motrin as needed.

The next morning, she came to me and asked what she should do about blood on the sheets, was there a washing machine she could use or should she just wash them out in the sink? God bless her! I told her, honey, housekeeping has seen that and worse, so don't worry at all about it! I went out and bought her a package of heavy flow pads to use.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

When I was younger I wondered why women always complained about their periods. The only problem I had was not having a clue it was coming. it was not regular, and I had nothing to warn me.. no bloating, no pain, nada. After I had three kids that all changed... now I get gas, my back hurts so bad, I get super bloated, headaches... Aunt Flo also tends to stick around longer. I've been stuck with her for over a week a couple times. When I was younger it was never more than three days. I could almost wish for early menepause (sp?)

I am the total opposite! I had terrible periods as a teen! Nausea, cramps. migraines. I often had to stay home from school loaded up on ibuprofen and heating pads...But after my first child, they haven't been nearly as bad! (minus a birth control depo shot that made me bleed for 3 months straight! ) Good luck and I feel for you! That time of month is no fun and home, let alone the Happiest place on earth when you are feeling more like Grumpy. (Or the wicked queen, more liking alternating thru both with a little Mad Hatter in there somewhere! )

 

[pooksma]

I'm right there with you! I'm lookig at the calendar and sometime the frst week we are there I should have a visitor. Not looking forward to it. Sometimes I miss the days when I was on the pill and could have Flo come a few days early. Darn this age thing.

 

[mama4]

Ok, that time of the month is due for me on Monday. We leave for the World on Wednesday. The last couple of months, my "friend" has arrived several days early, and boy, I sure was hoping she would do the same thing this month. But of course, not a sign of her

My cycles, now that I'm in my forties, has become miserable. When I was younger, I used to sail through my period with very few problems. Now - watch out! Sometimes I wonder who that mad woman is who has taken possession of my body. Occasionally I get migraines (man, I hope that doesn't happen on the trip), I get wretched cramps, and it aggravates my already excrutiating back pain. Mostly these happen during the first 3 days.



I really wanted to have the worst of it over with before the trip! With my luck, she'll show up on the plane during landing when I won't be able to do anything about it right away.

Oh well, at least I'll still be in Disney!

My sis and I joke that when Auntie Flo leaves my house she heads to my sisters to visit. Seriously, no matter WHEN I get mine (not totally regular)- my sis gets hers a week later. And mine went from bad (as a teen) to worse (4 kids later and age 35). I still have cramps but now I have terrible moodiness, longer periods and the worst leg pain I've ever felt (sort of like sciatica I had when pregnant) Also, I was lucky enough to not have a period for close to a year after each of my boys were born (I breastfed for over a year with each) but with my latest (my daughter) I got it back when she was 9 mths. That wasn't so bad though- the bad part was that Aunt Flo decided to visit the exact night before I was to leave for an overnight TENT camping trip with my extended family. ARRRGGGH! 18 mths with no period and she decides to come NOW??!!! I hadn't been camping in so long (since the kids were still little) but decided to try -even with my 9 mth ol dd. It actually turned out to be a lot of fun ....but driving to the restroom every three hours or so - not so much

 

[yasmina]

It is SO nice to know I'm not I'm not the only one! MF (usually refers to My Friend - but depending on which creature is currently inhabiting my body, it may stand for whatever else you choose ) is actually showing signs of her appearance, so all may not be lost.

With luck, she'll appear by tomorrow, and the worst will be over by Wed. or Thurs.

Thank you all for your empathetic comments. I love DISers!

 

[jennifer293]

EWWW...just a few short months ago I was in this same boat as you...Dr. wanted to put me back on the pill and I said NO!!!! I am done having kids and I am done having periods..so since my insurance would not pay for a hysterectomy I had an endometrial ablation done along with a D&C and Hysteroscopy. It is the best $$$ I have ever spent. I still get a little bloating and a few cramps in my legs and "ta ta's", but NO BLEEDING whatsoever!!! It has been the greatest!!

I pray you get it before you leave..nothing like a vacation with aunt flo tagging along..she is such a NAG!!!

 

[LisaRay]

For those of you with young daughters who are affraid to use the tampons. I was in the same boat with my DD about 3 years ago! However, she was going on vacation with her grandparents for 2 weeks to stay at a condo on the beach! Well there is nothing to do but swim and swim some more! We knew she was due to start during that time so I went out and bought her these supre TINY little tampons that i always say look about the size of a cigarette!! (ok, maybe a little bigger) But i gave her a lesson on how to use them and she was NOT happy about this at all but she also didn't want to have to explain to grandpa why she couldn't swim for half of the beach vacation so she finally tried it and after using it 2-3 times she got the hang of it.

Then fast forward to fall when school started and i can't tell you how many phone calls i got from moms of girls in her grade wanting to know about these tampons! (mostly for kids playing sports). I couldn't find them everywhere but we bought them at walmart and i can't for the life of me think of the name! But it was a very small little box and they were so small.

Anyway she is now 16 and has graduated to normal ones but it didn't take her long to figure it out and she was VERY timid about it but so glad that she gave it a try. Saved more then one vacation over the last few years.

 

[daisyduck123]

We knew she was due to start during that time so I went out and bought her these supre TINY little tampons that i always say look about the size of a cigarette!! (ok, maybe a little bigger)

Then fast forward to fall when school started and i can't tell you how many phone calls i got from moms of girls in her grade wanting to know about these tampons! (mostly for kids playing sports). I couldn't find them everywhere but we bought them at walmart and i can't for the life of me think of the name! But it was a very small little box and they were so small.

Oh I wish you knew the name of these...was it Playtex Slimfits, by any chance?

I ask because those are super tiny (almost like a pencil) & two years ago when DD first got her period, I bought a box. Well it's still under her bathroom sink because she couldn't get the hang of them and doesn't want to try (says she can'e do it)!! Fast forward to this summer...I went out looking to buy another box because I was hopeful that this summer she'd use tampons. I couldn't find them anywhere, even on the Playtex website, so I'm assuming they're discontinued.

I'll check Walmart. Hopefully what you had was something even smaller than these.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Hopefully she'll come a bit early so you can get it over with during the early part of your trip. I am in my early 40's now and mine is still pretty regular -- every 24 days, with a light day, 2 heavy days and a spotting day. I hope it stays like that until it ends for good. My dd23 is very irregular -- she never has a clue when she's going to start - and it could last a day or it could last a week. But it never fails - if we go on a trip, we will both start. We went away for a weekend trip last weekend to an indoor water park -- not only did we both start but dd23's best friend did too. She had never used tampons so my dd took her to the gift shop, helped her pick out a box, went through the directions with her. Her mother doesn't approve of them but the young lady sure does. Hopefully when dd3 gets old enough her's will be regular like mine and not like her sister.

T.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I don't know if its a wives tale or not but I seem to remember taking very warm baths when I was young to speed things up and it worked once or twice. Besides, it might help with the backache.

Aleve helps with the back-ache & cramps, Excedrin Migraine helps lots of people with Migraines and avoiding caffeine the whole week before I'm due goes a long way in reducing my irritability.

Good luck

 

[bluejaygirl]

I looked and looked for those teeny tampons and couldnt find them. I ended up with Tampax Lites.. they are pretty small, but have the cardboard applicator which I dont think helps matters. I did find some tampax pearl lites which might be better.

I guess I will just have her try again if she is willing. I know it'd make her life so much easier if she could use them! Especialy with these swimming vacations, and with competition cheering.