For many people who menstruate, it’s a natural and healthy process, but it can also bring physical and emotional ups and downs. Partners of people who menstruate might feel lost, unsure how best to offer support during this time.
Here are 15 things women want men to know
SYMPTOMS ARE DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE
While periods share a common biological process, the experience is highly personal and varies greatly from woman to woman.
“As far as cramps, moodiness, bloating, etc., there is no rule, and it’s not just different for every woman. It can be different for the same woman at different ages.” says one.
PAIN IS UNBEARABLE
For some women, period pain extends beyond mild discomfort, becoming a debilitating experience that affects every aspect of their lives. A user says, “The pain is unbearable, but it also causes insomnia. I’m tired not just from bleeding but because I cannot sleep.”
JELLYFISH LIKE BIRTH SENSATION
While seemingly unrelated, period pain and a jellyfish sting share some surprising similarities. Both experiences involve an intense, localized pain that can be debilitating and significantly disrupt daily life.
A woman says, “Period feels like giving birth to a jellyfish.”
DOCTORS WRITING OFF SYMPTOMS AS PMS
Many women have faced the frustration of having their symptoms dismissed as simply “PMS” by medical professionals. This dismissive attitude can have serious consequences, leading to delayed diagnoses, inadequate treatment, and unnecessary suffering.
A user shares, “Many women have been denied healthcare or misdiagnosed due to the doctor writing off symptoms as PMS or a period. A friend of mine had more pain than usual during her period, and cramps had moved into her thigh; a doctor told her to take more painkillers. He wouldn’t entertain any ideas that the pain was different or more severe. It turned out to be bone cancer.”
MULTIPLE SEVERE SYMPTOMS
While cramps often take center stage, periods can manifest in a multitude of severe symptoms, affecting various aspects of women’s lives.
“It’s not just lower abdomen pain (cramps). It’s also headaches, bloating, constipation, dizziness, nausea, insomnia, mood swings, back pain, and sometimes extreme back pain, dry skin, loss of appetite, or sudden increase of appetite, and sometimes a lot of those combined. For a few days.” shares one.
MANAGING CONTRACTIONS
Period pain can be as bad as giving birth. A user shares her experience; she says, “When I entered labor with my firstborn, the nurse asked if I had contractions. I said, “Not really, just some period-like cramps.”
She looked at the monitor strapped to me and said, “You’re in the middle of a major contraction right now. You don’t feel that?!” That’s when I learned my monthly period cramps are so severe they’re on par with being in labor. Of course, it hurt, but I thought labor was supposed to be worse than my monthly period.”
TAMPONS AND PADS SHOULD NOT FREAK YOU OUT
The natural biological process of menstruation often encounters undue stigma and discomfort, particularly among some men. They feel discomfort in buying period-related items or even talking about it.
One woman says, “It’s just a normal bodily function. Seeing or buying tampons and pads shouldn’t freak you out more than toilet paper.”
INSOMNIA
Often men don’t understand that women cannot sleep peacefully due to discomfort during the period causing fatigue and crabbiness.
“I think one of the things that people who don’t menstruate might not consider right away is how exhausted it can make you feel. It wipes you out. I wake up tired and get more tired throughout the day until I finally go to bed and have insomnia from the pain and discomfort of the other symptoms, and it just repeats like that until it’s finally over.” shares one.
DO NOT GET PERIODS AT THE SAME TIME
This is hilarious. Some men think that all women get periods at the same time. They don’t.
“Women around the world do not get their periods at the same time. True story: My brother-in-law legit thought that when it was “that time of the month,” it meant that all women were getting their period at the same time.”
MORNING BATHROOM EMERGENCY
For many women, waiting to go to the washroom as they wake up in the morning is unbearable.
“Please don’t be in the only bathroom when I wake up in the morning. It’s like my muscles have realized I’m up. It’s time to stop relaxing and gush out some blood.”
PERIOD POOPS ARE WORST
The period stool is not only messy, but it is painful. Some women also experience constipation or diarrhea.
“Period poops. The worst. Also, using the bathroom, in general, is like wiping a marker. Eventually, you give up and say it’s good enough. Or wipe, put the tampon in, then wipe again.” shares one.
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.