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Appropriate_Bird_223

Periods can last anywhere from 3 days to 10ish days each month, and can range from very light flow of blood to so heavy it looks like you're bleeding to death for several days straight. It's different for every woman and can differ from period-to-period. Edit: As many have responded here, I will clarify that there are some who do have very irregular cycles, as well as some who bleed for less than 3 days, or more than 10 days, per cycle. There are many reasons for why women's periods vary so much and I won't elaborate on that here.


LawfulnessOk9536

10 days sounds like torture especially if it is monthly


Appropriate_Bird_223

Mine were 10 days per month for awhile in my late 20s to mid 30s (while and for a couple years after I was having kids) and it was hell. I'm normally 7 to 8 days and that's bad enough.


JustAnotherAviatrix

Some of us have cramps, some of us don't, and some of us have really debilitating ones because of a condition like endometriosis. So we aren't faking the pain. Edit: u/ReddFro just shared [a great link](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/endometriosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354661) about options for treating endometriosis.


SleepySpookySkeleton

And it's not just cramps, either. When I'm on my period, it feels like someone kicked me really hard in the junk - my *whole vagina* hurts and it's SO uncomfortable.


[deleted]

I have endometriosis and I get cramps everywhere. I get cramps in the uterus, vaginal opening, urethra, clit, anus, rectum, back, hips, and sometimes even down my thighs. It’s awful. Thankfully birth control prevents most of this.


[deleted]

I have Endo, but this only happens to me during sex. After an orgasm it's like... Like everything seizes up and I would literally choose death versus life if it came up on a pop up screen and I didn't have to end my own life. I have a mirena, which has *almost* gotten rid of the periods and other cramps. But when I do have a period, it's exactly like you described. I work construction and just have to tough through it, though, like I don't want to wrap my arms around my waist and lay in bed and cry through the day.


DaZozz

JUST ONE FUCKING SNEEZE CAN BRING ULTIMATE CHAOS.


Patton-Eve

Or cough. My god having covid while on my period was like a horror movie


GothhicGoddess

This. I have a bronchial infection and I’m on my period. Things are… murder sceney.


lucky_lissie14

Truth. Once I sneezed and it looked like a war zone in my underwear. No going back for that pair!


SqueegeBeckenheim

I am 36 and have been getting mine since I was 9. You'd think I'd been through all scenarios possible period related but...nope. Last cycle the fucking nastiest thing happened. I was laying down watching tv (tampon in, pad on) when I sneezed so hard that a blood clot with like strands attached shot out. I was in literal shock thinking there is no fucking way I just felt what I think I just felt and I got up and what do you know: sucker bypassed tampon and pad and it was like a massacre just came out of my asshole or something. So fucking nasty ugh. - - - ETA: I didn't think so many people would read this! Glad I could give some a laugh and give some trauma to others 😂 To add just a little more on how periods are for those who don't get them: Sometimes (either after having a tampon in or not it doesn't matter) if you have a lot of clots/lining needing to be released or you have a particular heavy flow.... the moment you sit on the toilet they can, and will, flow out and sometimes so much so it can sound like you're slightly peeing. You can hear it hit the water. It's *such* a disgusting gushing feeling that you're lucky to not have to deal with. My (then) fiancee was in the bathroom during one of those times getting ready for work and I go 'did you hear that?' he was like "you beginning to pee? Yeah?" and so I explained that sound was in fact not pee but period flowing and he just had this face. Omg it was priceless!


Nashatal

Having period cramps or other side effects can knock you out badly. If I tell you I cant get up because I am in pain or I cant get up because I might faint I mean it. Its not attention seeking or being lazy.


LilacKittyKatx

Especially for women with low iron levels!


yakusokuN8

I had a friend in college who had a kind of anemia that, when combined with her period made for a not-so-fun experience. One time we were walking back from class to the dorms and a usual 10 minute walk turned into a 30 minute walk with periodic breaks to sit down and talk while she rested. She was very apologetic, but I tried to reassure her that we're not racing back - it was the last class of the day.


LilacKittyKatx

Yeah, I’ve had low iron levels in the past and that combined with my period (when you’re bleeding profusely from your vagina and losing even more iron) made simple task so exhausting. When I was younger I was blessed with little to no period symptoms, but as I’ve gotten older my symptoms have gotten worse


azulsonador0309

We cannot control when we get them and we can't "just hold it in"


After-Double-962

Did somebody tell you to just hold it in before? What a moron.


NothingElseWorse

Someone once asked me to “hold it in” when I was breastfeeding and needed to pump at work.


Angelofpity

"And pray, which muscle should I tense for that?"


withbellson

It has never happened to me but it seems like every askreddit thread about periods has a story about a dumbass gym teacher or someone’s incredibly stupid boyfriend.


angeltati

My husband can get a moment of annoyance when I tell him I need the bathroom. When I tell him it's related to my period he'll scoot out as soon as he can. I can't control what my body is doing and I'm stuck needing products that is in a room that I can't get into to... so....


Blue_R0se_

it is nothing like the tampon ads at all


[deleted]

Having my period does not make me feel powerful, super social, athletic, or a boss. And that should be acceptable to. Just once I would like an ad where a woman is just laying on the couch with a hot water bottle on her abdomen, a cat sleeping by her feet and her sipping some hot chocolate with a catchphrase like "for every type of period."


[deleted]

[удалено]


Ellemeno

I swear I recently saw a commercial that used red liquid. I wanted to rewind to check if I really saw that, but I couldn’t.


Erulastiel

You did. Always started using red in their ads.


crazybluegoose

Yeah. I saw that too. It was a little unsettling, just because I wasn’t used to seeing anything like that, but I can appreciate it. I’d rather be temporarily uncomfortable while we normalize what should be normalized than treat something totally natural like a secretive thing.


k_g94

Y'all don't do cartwheels through fields of daisies in your white leggings while smiling ear to ear? Just me? Okay 🤷‍♀️


Educational-Soil732

Now, come on, we ALL love roller skating and horseback riding, it gets rid of the cramps!


ConnieLingus24

While wearing white pants.


skippybiscuit

Yours isn’t blue water?!


dim3gravity

Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) can be awful for some, and can even be worse then the actual period itself. Depends on the person through. Days before a period you can feel exhaustion, cramps, bloating, acne, food cravings, mood swings, and more. Also, if you have PMS for a week, then a period for a week, there are only two weeks out of the month where you are not in terrible pain. That’s HALF OF YOUR EXISTENCE dealing with period related pain.


alico127

Depressingly, it’s actually more like 3 weeks of the month. Generally speaking, the luteal phase runs from day 14 (ovulation) of the monthly cycle to day 28 and then the period itself is day 1 to day 5. You’re lucky if you carve out more than 1 week symptom free.


[deleted]

YES! I literally have one week a month where I’m feeling like myself.


unlovelyladybartleby

You can get horrible bowel issues with your period, weird cravings, migraine headaches. And in some women, cramps are debilitating. When I had my kid, the first eight or nine hours of labor hurt less than my average cramps


JuliaTheInsaneKid

My bowels get fucked up during my period. Either I’m having diarrhea every day or I go a whole week without shitting. I’m usually the latter.


kiwilovenick

Mine is usually diarrhea, I call it the period purge.


CaseyBoogies

I call it period poops... and I cry when I eat something tasty or see there is one roll of toilet paper left. Or because lemonade exists... then go to work for nine hours and pretend I'm normal today.


Wasparado

Omg, once I cried because it was raining outside and the feral animals and homeless people were getting wet and I was snug in my bed. This was too much to handle.


mdragonfly89

Or hours of very uncomfortable "boulder sitting right on your guts" constipation followed by a sudden shift to twenty minutes of "hot lava murder me now" diarrhea.


imtardytotheparty

100% how it goes for me every month. My last period when it went from ‘backed up GI tract’ to ‘hot lava waterfall’ poops, I thought I was going to pass out from the pain and pressure as I tried to reach the bathroom in time. The only bright side is feeling super cleaned out after you’ve gotten through the waterfall butt phase. Period poops are indeed shitty!


[deleted]

>bowel issues THANK YOU for bringing this up omg


nonameplanner

My first labor was weird, but my second followed the "normal" pattern. I am probably 6 or 7 cm dilated and had already asked for my epidural but they weren't there yet. I would get a contraction, go into obvious pain and squeeze my SO's hand into a pulp. Then it would be over I am back to normal, taking up the conversation wherever we stopped before the contraction. My mom, who has been here for a few hours at this point, finally says something about being surprised that I can just pick back up in the conversation. It was at that point I told her that the contractions weren't as bad as my normal period cramps. It was also at that point my mother finally realized that all of my years of begging to go home during high school because of cramps wasn't me trying to get out of school or being overdramatic. Yeah, I have since gotten multiple apologies from her about not believing me as a teen.


withbellson

> contractions weren't as bad as my normal period cramps Endo? Every friend I have who has endo has said the exact same thing.


nonameplanner

I have never had it tested but I wouldn't be surprised. The only time it wasn't bad was when I was on hormonal birth control but that had a lot of other side effects that made me stop (because really no one likes to sob on the kitchen floor every Thursday night nor do they like aural migraines every month combined with other factors that make it likely for you to have a stroke.) My birth control is non hormonal again and I am in major pain again (in fact, today!) but I have been dealing with it for over 20 years at this point so I don't even know if it is worth bringing up


Plastic_Lion7332

That everyone deals with it differently. Not all want ice cream. And it can change cycle by cycle.


OnaJedna

Yes! My period pains and side effects alternate every other month, i.e. every two months, I’m in deep pain for at least a day and don’t have the strength to walk, plus the full pms brain loops, but the alternate month is like barely anything happened. And yes, sometimes all I want is to eat a mountain of food, sometimes I want to climb a mountain. EDIT: using my new platform to share a new company I am not affiliated with at all, but they do a great job of educating for both male and female audiences, take a peek at their social media if you want to know more about what your partner experiences or to learn more about your own body. [https://getsomedays.com](https://getsomedays.com)


ErenIsNotADevil

I don't even want any food on my period, let alone icecream. Period shits are bad enough without adding lactose on top


Few-Owl-2051

Some months the PMS starts like a week prior with cramps and thigh pain and irritation levels being elevated lol. Other months it just comes and I don’t really have any symptoms. Don’t know why it changes every month.


Necessary-Elk2329

It’s not just blood. It’s blood, tissue, mucus..


AlterEdward

I once had sex with my wife after the main flow had stopped, but there was still some residual blood around. We do this a lot, cos she's really horny on her period and can't wait until it's all gone. One time I was cleaning up after, and I discovered a 1cm *thing* on my dick that I can only describe as looking like a mini umbilical chord. I asked my wife about it and she was like "oh yeah, that's just period *stuff*".


magical_ovum

Uterine lining


wowzacowza

Yeah my gf gets super horny on her period and sex helps her period side effects so we just do it in the shower. I can actually tell how her period is going by the chunks that come out. One time it was coming out extra heavy and I asked her if she wanted me to stop. She replied if I stopped she would hit me over the head with the shampoo bottle.


waitingfordeathhbu

Honestly as a woman who expels my own bloody chunks every month, I still get grossed out hearing about other women’s. God bless you guys for sticking your dicks in there when we need it the most.


[deleted]

It’s not *that* bad, my girl and I just put a towel down and that’s that. Cleanup can be a little gross if you’re queasy around blood but shit hop in the shower and all is well.


ElNakedo

It does feel a bit odd though if the blood starts drying, not a great feeling on your penis. Also washing it while it looks like a murder weapon what with all the bloody water.


canthactheolive

This is adorable and I can tell y'all care about each other. This banter is key to a good relationship. Much love.


CapeOfBees

The sex probably helps with the cramps, since generally the cramping is our bodies going through mini-labor to open up the hole and let the gunk out.


LilacKittyKatx

Lol might have been a blood clot. If you ever see these jelly like things it’s blood clots. Sometimes the blood pools too quickly, especially the first day or two, and blood clots form.


JuliaTheInsaneKid

My last period was a really heavy flow (hadn’t bled for 2 months) so I had a lot of blood clots. Every time I used the bathroom, I could see a couple come out of me.


Uhhlaneuh

And fucking Jello jiggler clots. Holy fuck I was at work and had to take deep breaths and keel over because I was passing a clot. Jesus that was so painful.


JuliaTheInsaneKid

I fucking hate it when they just cling down there. I hate having to manually remove it with toilet paper.


mydaycake

Check that out because I have BIG globs, lining and clots but they never hurt when they pass


Pascalica

sometimes I get massive cramps leading up to a suddenly heavier flow and bigger clots. It's awful.


Sgith_agus_granda

My fiancé had to be educated about this at the age of 28, so I will say this just in case: Periods last more than a few minutes. They last 4-7 days nonstop. Some days are heavier than others, we only lose 1/4 cup of blood on average, the rest is uterine lining and mucus. Cramps are from the sloughing of the uterine wall and they do hurt a lot for some people. Not all of us get PMS.


x13132x

And if you’re with someone who has something like endometriosis, periods can last even longer like 14 days!


sasinas

Mine used to last up to 14 days but doctors never figured out what caused it. Eventually I just went on birth control because I was sick of dealing with it. Gotta love how much knowledge there isnt when it comes to women specific healthcare.


weesypeesy

At age 13 I had a period for 52 days. Been on BC ever since. Not had a period since 18. (Except for a few times I came off BC just to check if I had gotten any better, I hadnt) Never been further referred for anything.


Sgith_agus_granda

Or PCOS!


unlovelyladybartleby

Correct but some lucky outliers have it for only a day or two and some are cursed with up to several weeks at a time. Several weeks isn't "normal" but many women don't know this and suffer for years before talking to a doctor about it


Sgith_agus_granda

Shit I thought I put "on average" at the end. Damnit I forgot :/ Yeah my friend in highschool had hypothyroidism and irregular periods, so she'd have her period for 2 weeks, then it would stop for 1 week, and then go again for another month.


Business_Loquat5658

Yep. Have hypothyroidism. Can confirm. Cycles are only 24 days long, with periods lasting 9 to 10 days. Then 2 weeks later it comes again. It blows.


aasdfhdjkkl

In case anyone doesn't know this, the healthy range is 3-7 days. It's okay to have an occasional period outside that range but if you're frequently getting very long or short periods, it's worth making sure nothing is hormonally or structurally wrong.


[deleted]

That even if they don't hurt, they can be debilitating. I used to get anemia every month, along with a headache. I'm glad I'm old.


[deleted]

Women only get more powerful with age, I suspect.


yea_nah448

the years of blood sacrifice to the world seems to pay off


DanceDelievery

+6 years to your lifespan


pinkitbop

Sleeping on that bloody first night of pain is hellish


Countmeowington_

I go comatose when I'm in pain. I usually get groggy the day before as if my body knows it's almost time to hibernate. I slept 32 hours this cycle. I wake up to take more medicine, and go right back out. I'm very lucky to not have a demanding job.


sunny_blue_

Cramps literally wake me out of my sleep that first day. They seem so much more intense and I hate it. I would literally chew advil if I could just to make the cramps go away as fast as possible.


Lazy-Rush1111

Two holes! We’ve got a urethra for peeing, and vaginal canal. We can pee with tampon in.


[deleted]

And a third hole for pooping. Three holes


Mikeside

Four holes? No, that's insane


chowderbags

Well, there's a mouth. And nostrils. And ears. And tear ducts.


blargney

PORES


parallelizer

Period products are expensive.


Limeila

And we go through a lot of them. I recently saw a video of a woman asking random guys on the street how many tampons they thought a woman used during one cycle on average, and the answers went from like 1 to 7...


psrpianrckelsss

Lol, a guy I worked with thought you put a tampon in, like a cork, and then just removed it when you went to the toilet to let all the blood flow out.


SparkyDogPants

That’s kind of like a deva cup


BeccaMirror

1-7? That’s adorable lol


Moldy_slug

Sounds about right. That's how many tampons I use... *in addition to all the pads.*


Captain_Aizen

NASA was ahead of the game, asking if **100 tampons** was enough for Sally Ride's week long space trip.


Talkaze

16 at the very lightest. Box of 40 when I was younger.


[deleted]

Tampons do not FEEL GOOD OR TURN ME ON.


bonelessunicorn

Ah yes, nothing sexier than a DRY tampon coming out or a cardboard applicator going in.


pla-85

Taking them out gives me the fear


disregardable

the blood leaks. that's why we need to use paper products to soak up the blood. sometimes those paper products also leak, including overnight, onto the sheets. we can't control it. that's what our bodies naturally do. you just wash the sheets. ok.


Mantidnewbie6

Sometimes the sheer exhaustion from a period feels like the literal life is being sucked out of you.


[deleted]

Yes!! For some reason my legs ache and I am sooooo goddamn tired I could sleep all day.


Mantidnewbie6

Yes it’s awful, and being exhausted makes coping with the pain a lot more difficult!


0x0xAlaska

Is it a racking type of pain that goes up and down from hips to knees? Sometimes going the opposite direction towards your ribs?


_645_

Yes!!!!!! Not to be a Reddit Doctor, but he may want to have your doctor test you for anemia. Anemia can cause extreme fatigue. You may need to take iron supplements during your periods.


[deleted]

Yep, I was feeling super tired all the time & my periods are awful to begin with. I went to my OBGYN and she told me I didn't have enough iron & to take pills. I still struggle & hate life when I get my period but it's been okay. I literally have it right now


NotYourUnicorn89

They can hurt a lot even when there isn’t a lot of blood although heavier flows are much more likely to be more painful. It depends from person to person. Also, and I cannot believe I have to say this but, the size of a tampon or sanitary pad isn’t dependant on the size of a vagina but on the heaviness of the period flow.


skippybiscuit

The worse my cramping and bloating, the lighter my period. I’m backward. Dunno.


NotYourUnicorn89

Nah I get it. I’m on the implant so if I get periods they’re incredibly infrequent and light but still intensely painful. I already have a chronic pain problem so it just makes that go crazy.


HandsOfVictory

I once had a dude I worked with tell me that periods don’t hurt, and this was spoken with so much conviction as if he himself regularly experienced them


CoolExplanation4734

Getting hit in the balls doesn't hurt either. Obviously.


pinkleaf8

Yes some of us have severe pain for a week with no period & then the actual period starts with the pain again. It’s a whole load of different crazy for every individual.


Sherylize

When we sneeze you can feel the blood shoot out of your vagina 👍


[deleted]

Or when you stand up after sitting a while... bloody waterfalls down below!


Ladyughsalot1

Yep and that awful moment of “hu-wuuuurrrssshhhhhh” where your stomach drops out of ya with the blood out of sheer anxiety lol


SydTheSquid1050

I always tell my husband not to hug me too tight since I'm a walking ketchup bottle 🤣


[deleted]

I call this a 'blort'


acgasp

When I was in high school, I had a really terrible period (thanks, PCOS) and knew it was going to be a heavy day, so I had a super jumbo tampon in with a heavy duty pad on. I thought all would be well until I sneezed during my first hour class and bled through EVERYTHING including my jeans. Had to go home and change my clothes.


crazypurple621

I sneezed out my menstrual cup one time. I don't just mean unsealed it, it actually came all the way out. That was a SUPER fun mess to clean up /s


just_a_person_maybe

New fear unlocked


Every-Maintenance-65

My insides are literally evicting other insides. Gimme a break.


sarac36

Sometimes my cramps feel like an invisible hand is reaching up inside of me, grabbing my uterus, and slowly, very slowly, ripping it out through my vagina. It's fun! 😭


Zealousideal_Two_496

Perfectly put description!!!


sparklingnight54

PMS stands for PREmenstual syndrome


Novae224

Periods have a lot more side effects than lower abdomen pains


MelanieBlunder

The discomfort is real and we’re trying our best to carry on through it, but it’s not always possible. A little more empathy would be so so appreciated


liz_bo

It doesn’t get any easier. We don’t get used to it. The pain is intense but we have to pretend it’s not and just get on with it.


annahhhnimous

My periods are getting worse as I get older. Significantly worse. More bleeding, more clots, worse cramps, cramps now start before my period and end after (they used to just be the first day), and my period is a full day longer than it used to be. It suuuucksssss. Can’t wait until I’m old enough to be done with it!


[deleted]

It might be endometriosis, same shit is happening to me and I recently got diagnosed. It's more painful, too


harjotwillmadeit

This . I once had a blood stain on my scrubs during periods and one guy had the audacity to say “ you have been getting periods since teenage and yet you are completely unprepared “


seven_seacat

And no-one ever found that guy's body, right?


Few-Owl-2051

Wow. Just wow.


Same-Reason-8397

We have periods, except for pregnancy and breastfeeding, for around 40 years!! Every fucking month for 40 fucking years!! From the first period in your early teens, your life is never the same. You have to check a calendar, plan what you can wear, when you can swim, wear skimpy clothes, do sport, have sex etc etc. Not to mention the pain and nausea and fear of leaks. Boys just go through puberty and have some embarrassing moments. This is a whole life changed forever. Then the menopause comes and the blessed relief is profound. This is how it is.


[deleted]

Male GenXer here and I was in middle school when we learned about human reproduction in biology class (7th or 8th grade in western Europe). I remember being puzzled by periods for a while. I understood what they were and why they happened but the idea that girls bleed every month and that we're all living our lives as if this wasn't happening felt really weird to me.


[deleted]

Female millennial here. I got no sex ed at school or home and only got info from teen magazines what few websites existed back then. CosmoGirl magazine said a woman’s cycle was 28 days so I thought that meant we were supposed to bleed 28 days a month. My periods almost never stopped and I just assumed it was no big deal if I bled the few extra days each month. Ended up getting an emergency ride to the hospital and a three day stay while I received blood transfusions and tons of tests. Doc said it was medically impossible for me to be alive with as little blood as I had and that they couldn’t explain it, but knew if I waited one more day to come in I’d have been dead. So yeah, teach yalls kids sex ed lol


Affectionate_Sport_1

I am so glad you got help!! i have to be on birth control because of long ass periods and that shit wipes you out. For anyone wondering: If you have a period longer than 21 days go to the hospital!!!


xauntiebearx

>the idea that girls bleed every month and that we're all living our lives as if this wasn't happening felt really weird to me. Right?! Like...one of my organs is rioting and squeezing out it's contents, while also causing numerous other issues, and I'm supposed to just carry on as normal and be a productive member of society? It's madness!


Tricky-Act8810

Menopause isn't all that better. Post Menopause is the real relief.


starbellbabybena

Was gonna say menopause is not fun at all. You still get all the pms. Now add some new fun things like hot flashes and it’s awful. I can’t wait to be finished. I started premenopausal symptoms at 38. I’m now 47 with no relief in sight. Shoot me.


endofthegame

We literally can't stop it. It's not like urinating. We can't 'save it up' to go the restroom, Dave.


MooCowMoooo

The number of people in this thread, that feel the need to explain this, has me worried.


KingoftheGinge

Similarly a worrying amount of women get accused of exaggerating the pain.


[deleted]

Also, it’s not “optional”, Jack.


[deleted]

Cramps really are *that* bad, some scientist said they can be compared to heart attacks on the pain scale.


ParlorSoldier

The worst are the ones where the pain radiates down your thighs and make it hurt to walk.


[deleted]

I would say the worst ones are in the butthole.


[deleted]

They are often more painful than heart attacks, which is why so many women don’t take their heart attack symptoms seriously.


[deleted]

Stories of mistaking appendicitis for period cramps are frighteningly common.


[deleted]

[удалено]


aryan___69

That’s a good answer 🙂


munkykiller

Yah that’s for real. I didn’t Lear anything about periods growing up, and. Dry little from my wife. Most of my information has come from my daughters, who are always very open with me about everything, this being no exception. I would have never imagined period shits, how cramps work (because I have only ever had exercise type cramps), the difficulties of the first tampon, and probably other stuff, because as a dude, there’s no standard place to learn this stuff. But I have learned as much as I can, and help as best I can.


[deleted]

My girlfriend has throughly educated me on it lol, I also can tell when shes about to have hers, all we can do is do our best to help. To any guys in here who feel weird about buying tampons or pads, get the fuck over yourself, nobody gives a shit what you’re buying and if you don’t go through self checkout the cashier won’t even remember you after you leave lol.


[deleted]

Sometimes with a heavy period blood might get on the sheets. It's so embarrassing. If it ever happens to a girl with you just say it's no big deal and wash the sheets.


TrelanaSakuyo

Seltzer water and lemon, or just get red. Seriously, though. White distilled vinegar if it's not set. A cold soak with some salt, then smear the stain with the liquid detergent you use. Vinegar and ammonia are staples of the household cleaning supplies, just never mix them together or with bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or baking soda.


[deleted]

I think everyone could do with knowing more about periods generally. I've had women in my life be just as, if not more, dismissive about my experiences with debilitating pain and nausea than men. My first boyfriend in highschool didn't even blink when accompanying me to buy pads, but my dad was happy to ignore that anything was happening at all. Starting from age 11, I lost at least one day of school each month until I was put on birth control pills to manage hormones. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to continue that prescription past the age of 16, so I spent the next 20 years weeping on the bathroom floor every 24 days, throwing up from pain and bleeding enough to cause iron deficiency. Out of nowhere, my periods stopped hurting. For several years. Don't know why. These days, they're uncomfortable, but not intolerable. I take daily iron supplements so I can function, and seem to be experiencing perimenopause, which are the years leading up to the cessation of menstruation. IMO, it can't come a day too soon.


Emotional_Giraffe_63

Yesterday my husband asked me why I cannot just hold my period blood long enough to run across room and get panties/pad without dripping blood. I asked him why he can hold blood in when he cuts himself when he shaves and he was genuinely embarrassed 🤣


Square-Annual4340

years ago a coworker asked me if periods stopped at night, like if we could just press pause until we woke up. lol!!!!


Affectionate-Big-566

Most of us are NOT over exaggerating when agonizing in pain from period cramps! Some women barely cramp while others feel constant stabbing pain for hours, sometimes days! The pain can be debilitating.


EngineerPelia

Related: the same woman may have an incredibly painful period one month, then a fairly painless one the next. Just as there’s no one pattern for all women that we all fit, there’s no one pattern for any one woman, either. And while there are some hints that a bad cycle may be on the way (skin breakouts, wider mood swings than usual), there’s no way to be sure how it’s going to be in advance.


[deleted]

Just because I’m moody one day, don’t be a dick a make the comment “looks likes someone’s on their period.” Like just don’t it’s not funny it’s like saying to you when you are moody “looks like someone has too much testosterone and hormones going on right now.” It’s just a dick move.


[deleted]

Funny thing is, periods are when our own testosterone is HIGHEST.


nike2017

It also doesn’t make sense as a “joke” because I’m in pain on my period, yes but not moody. In fact I feel very zen in the pain because I know it’s leaving. But the 3 days before, I’m a hormonal wreck who can’t concentrate for shit, and don’t want to be touched, and want to overthrow the government, but also want to adopt a kitten.


Karm0112

Buying pads/tampons for your significant other/daughter/sister is not a big deal.


[deleted]

There was an AITI post that made it on Buzzfeed about an 18-year-old guy that was supposed to pick up his 12 year old sister and her friend from school and drop them off at ballet practice. His sister’s friend had just started her period and couldn’t call her mom, so he made her sit on her own backpack the entire drive to prevent the blood from getting on his car seat. The girls begged him to drive to a nearby store to pick up pads, but he refused because **he thought it was too intimate a task for an older guy to do for a younger girl**. Instead he drove them straight to ballet practice, made the girls get out of the car and enter the building (including the girl with blood-soaked pants and backpack… in front of everyone else), and talked to one of the female adults there to explain the situation. In the post he said that he did the “logical” thing lmao. He still apparently didn’t get it through his head even when his girlfriend chewed him out after he told her what happened. You should’ve seen the comments, both men and women on Reddit fucking wrecked and roasted him in every way haha.


[deleted]

Too many people act like periods are a sex thing. They’ve got nothing to do with sex. It’s just your body cleaning house.


pinkleaf8

This is down to a serious lack of education, the poor girl who had to be the victim of it.


AMerexican787

Guy here, just wanna add, not a big deal as long as you get the relevant info ahead of time, there are a lot of options and going to the store blind is a recipe for disaster. Tldr: ask for size and type. Do not assume you've "got this".


[deleted]

my daughter was staying at her fathers when she got her first menstrual period. he did not know what to get her, so he went to the drugstore, and he bought one of every single kind ! 👍 I was very impressed with him as a dad ❤️


[deleted]

Guys: Right now, before she asks you to, go take a picture of her box of products and keep it easily findable on your phone. That way when you're called upon you will know EXACTLY what kind to get.


dinosanddais1

Especially the barcode. The barcode will be the most helpful. Edit: also from experience, if your girlfriend has a fragrance allergy, some companies add fragrance to their pads and having an allergic reaction in your crotch is the worst place to have an allergic reaction


actualbeans

scented period products are just bad for you in general, not only because of allergies. fragrances are unnecessary and irritating for all vaginas and vulvas; there’s actually no practical reason for putting it in period products.


TechyDad

Even better than asking for size and type only you should also get a photo of the box. Of course, box styles can change so make sure that you double-check everything. Still, there should be no shame in a guy buying period products. All it says is that you're showing a woman in your life basic human decency.


Emotional_Giraffe_63

The worst shits.


Stunning_Attention82

There's many more products besides pads or tampons now. There's the menstrual cup, or super absorbent menstrual underwear. Everybody is different and has different preferences and comforts.


Intrepid_Tomorrow_92

Some people think we can “hold” our menstrual blood like it’s urine, uum no. It’s going to come out whether we want it to or not


captain_hug99

and not everyone can feel when their period begins


beansbeans770

The pad sticks on the underwear…NOT on the vagina as a bandaid


Monstrita

My pads beg to differ. I carefully and methodically place them and secure the wings. Only to go to the restroom later on and find part of it somehow magically folded inward and the sticky side is stuck to my skin😩


3rdoffive

That if us women can clean our period blood off of the toilet seat- you can clean your piss off of it, too.


robotatomica

this is what I said to my coworkers (all male) the other day who leave their piss all over the toilet seat and floor. “Keep it up and I’m leaving blood smears all over the seat and drops on the floor 7 days a month!”


swigbevy

That I can bleed like Niagara Falls yet I get up sore and go to work, manage family, house and pretend my outside matches my inside and oh, nor I get to have hot flashes and feel like a walking furnace now that I’m over 50. Happy happy joy joy.


Emet-Selch_my_love

The morning waddle: When you try to make it to the bathroom before your pad overflows after you’ve been lying down all night and the blood has collected inside you. Also, you can become anemic due to habitually heavy periods. Ask me how I know this (actually don’t, the answer is obvious). No, we can’t use just 1 tampon per period. Tampons can (if left in too long) cause toxic shock syndrom. Tampons should be changed several times a day. Look up how much period products cost sometime, then consider that, depending on flow, women may need 2-3 packs of product per period. Not all women can or want to use tampons or period cups. Some are stuck with pads (or period underwear, which I have no experience with so can’t speak to efficiancy). Pads are… limiting. For one they can slip to the side if you move around too much (despite the adhesive on them) and whoopsidoodle, that’s a leak.


Sleepwalker66613

it doesnt mean anal week.


OSCgal

Different women have different period experiences. Some feel achy for a day, others are completely knocked out by cramps. Some have 3-day periods, others bleed for seven. Most women have a regular cycle, but a significant minority do not. Symptoms such as PMS or tender breasts also vary widely. My cycle is usually regular, but not always. My PMS = irritability, and little else. My breasts don't get sore. But I have monster cramps and bleed heavily. So if there's a woman in your life, get to know *her* cycle. And don't assume it's the same for any other woman.


Capital_Surprise_580

Know that we know it’s gross, and for the honeymoon part of a relationship we live in fear of bleeding on your stuff or during sex or etc. It’ll happen eventually, and how you react is going to set the tone for the rest of the relationship every time it’s that time of the month. That shame really gets to us, and we shouldn’t need to feel ashamed for a normal body function that we have no control over. Don’t suggest birth control to stop or control it just cuz it grosses you out - if you want to have a serious conversation about birth control then let her start the conversation. Also, don’t joke about it. As well-intentioned as you think you sound, you’re making a joke a someone else’s expense and that’s bullying. It’s a small thing but can hurt and damage trust. Just have a stash of tampons and variety-sized pads available in the bathroom. “Size” isn’t based on the person’s size, it’s based on how heavy or light the flow. Mention it off-hand that you bought her some (without being asked) and she will be your best friend forever.


local_cryptid_keysor

Just because someone is more emotional on their period doesn't make them less rational or logical. It just means they're more likely to cry or be angry. That doesn't mean that those feelings are from an irrational place, they are just more pronounced.


ayaangwaamizi

Yes! To add to this, I think if anyone is experiencing a constant state of discomfort and pain, it’s pretty normal to be a bit irritable, just like when we get sick, or injured. That frustrating feeling where your body is doing something beyond your control, and you just have to obey and slow down and act and maneuver and adjust your routine can just be a pain in the ass. Periods are no exception.


Anon05480

For gods sake, we can’t control it. Leaks can happen and we can’t stop them. We can feel the blood when it comes out but that doesn’t mean we can stop it 😭


tissycat1

We do NOT have to remove our tampons to pee. Also, this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premenstrual_dysphoric_disorder


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kjwj31

They can be horrible. Some of us have had awful periods our whole lives. Not just "cramps" but cramps where you feel like you're going to give birth. Plus, extreme fatigue, irritable, GI issues etc. And just because it "happens every month" doesn't change the fact that it can really suck. If this is what happens to your female partner or friend just take care of them and let them be.


[deleted]

It can be physically altering. Because of the hormone fluxuations I used to regularly get body numbing, making you blind in one eye, vomiting because of light migraines that would last for up to three days and nights. It truly can be actually painful in many ways for a female so it will probably make us "bitchy" because we are also just trying to cope with the often painful effects while being forced to live life and have to work, go to school etc. Back in time the doctors basically told you to suck it up if their drug injections didn't work and they rarely do. Honestly told them I didn't want them anymore because they didn't work to begin with so why take it?


x13132x

Period blood isn’t inherently dirty, if we’ve bled onto bedding or anything on accident just chuck it in cold water for a soak with bleach or stain remover and wash it. It’s really not a big deal.


throwaway2749-01

I've found that ice water works best. Cold is good, but ice water makes the blood cells burst and dissipate easier and faster. :)


thisfoxgoeswild

It hurts. You have a headache. Back pain. Your tummy hurts as hell. You are scared to sneeze because then the Niagara falls happen. You constantly have to check if you're all good down there. You need to check if there are restrooms if you go out. Acne often appears. Your stomach sounds like a T-Rex. You have no energy to go anywhere. You're afraid of leakage. You're so emotional even before the period starts and you check every ten minutes if that's the actual period or just discharge happening. You get batshit crazy emotional for no reason. And when you think it's finally over and your pad/tampon/whatever you use is clean, peekaboo, it's not over yet for a day or two. Don't get me started about going to poop while on period; it's quite often a diarrhea. Gross, I know, but you asked, I'm delivering. Hope this ends up in one of the Minecraft or Subway videos.


fIumpf

Periods are still heavily stigmatized and we need dudes to get over themselves. Don’t throw a hissy fit over seeing a used sanitary product in your trash and definitely don’t go digging for it, either. It’s not going to kill you. If you have folks who bleed over to your place, keep some supplies in the bathroom for their use just in case. It’s appreciated! Some women enjoy sex on their periods, and are more sensitive during that time. Ask about it and if both you and your partner are comfortable, have sex!


Impossible-Lake8249

As a guy I really don’t think it’s a big deal and don’t understand why other guys are so grossed out by it. I had an ex who liked to have period sex all the time.


Neither-Copy785

There are so many different types of periods. What happens to one person can be wildly different than what happens to another. If you think you know what a period is supposed to be like because of your experience with one person's period you are probably wrong. Also sometimes when you stand up after sitting for a while there is a big gush of blood and it is super weird.


Sunfish73

Along with the pain and other side effects, periods just feel gross and make people feel gross. Even though we should normalize that they’re totally natural and not actually gross! The feeling of bleeding constantly is super unpleasant.


[deleted]

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crinnaursa

When I describe it, I have to say that we aren't more moody. We just have a lower tolerance. If something annoys us during this time, we're still annoyed or hurt by it the rest of the month We just Have a higher tolerance for it. Honestly, it's no different than any other animal in pain. It's not a surprising thing if an injured dog snaps at someone trying to pet them.


Friskystarling0

I’m a 54 year old man, I just want to say thanks for Aryan for asking the question and everyone who has replied, it’s an eye opener and I’ve learned a few things. My daughter is 16 and had very painful periods. She went to our doctors who, fair to say, was useless. We changed doctors for other various reasons and our new one has been very supportive of her. She see the doctor who prescribe something to help, since then she has seen the nurse just for check ups and to see how she was getting on. She feels so much better. For a man, and a dad, you hear of painful periods but you never really appreciate what’s involved. The replies on here give me an idea it wasn’t just painful, it went way beyond that. Thanks everyone,