#i can't focus and i'm balls deep in a depressive episode

[messengerhermes]

Normal vs. Problem Period Things

Hey so, I know periods are not explained well and any potential medical issues around menstruation are often minimized, so as someone who didn't get a diagnosis about my Mystery Murder Periods every month until I was in my late 20s (and then that diagnosis came about not because of my pain, but because my doctor thought I was *hairier* than I should be) I wanted to make this short, not comprehensive list.

"Normal" menstrual things (ie things that aren't a sign of medical trouble):

Cramps that are uncomfortable but not overwhelming (you may move slower than usual, feel cranky, but you can stand, sit, and move around without fear of fainting, vomiting, or being overwhelmed by the pain)

Small blood "clots" in your menstrual fluid (as in, an inch or less)

Blood that is brownish, purplish, red, or rusty colored

A small amount of fatigue, emotional rawness, etc (as in, you have a harder time waking up, need to go a bit slower, but you can still think pretty clearly, complete your usual to dos for the most part, and only get a little teary thinking about kittens or whatever your equivalent of kittens is)

Need for more fluids and iron (leafy greens, red meat, legumes, etc)

Not Normal Menstrual Things:

Pain that begins days before your actual bleeding starts, either in the form of consistent cramps or sudden shooting pain that happens in short bursts

Cramps that make it difficult to stand, move, or sit. Pain that reaches a level where you have to stay completely still until the episode passes.

Pain that extends past your pelvic region to shoot down your legs or up into your rib cage.

Faintness that makes you afraid of falling or injuring yourself when standing/getting up

Mood swings that begin days before your bleeding starts and include a sudden, intense magnification of depression that can look like deep sadness, fearfulness, anxiety, anger, and struggling to regulate your feelings (basically, if all your problems go from emotionally doable to "holy shit, I can't handle any of this why is the world so big" and that happens every month...that's not a typical period experience)

Feeling significantly weaker, shakier and unable to focus on tasks (forgetting what you were doing, struggling to follow along with reading, not being able to complete a recipe you make all the time without double checking something)

Intense hot flashes, or bouts of feeling too cold, especially if that doesn't match up with the temperature aroung you (ie, you're outside in summer and can't get warm, or you need to strip off in winter because you're sweating like a horse)

Massive bloodclots that are golf ball sized, especially if you get more than one and they are accompanied by pain that makes you want to stop what you are doing and curl in a ball

Odor like rotting meat or fish, a smell that is rank

Fever

Periods that do not come somewhat regularly if you've already been having them for several years and are an adult (ie once a month around the same time each month)

If you have one or more of the not normal period experiences, bring them up with a doctor. And keep bringing them up with doctors until you find one that listens. Some conditions like PCOS can only have their symptoms managed by various treatments, but others like Endometriosis can have their symptoms stopped or reduced significantly with various treatments. These various not normal things can also be indicators of toxic shock syndrome, bacterial vaginosis, yeast infections, an untreated STI like chlamydia or syphilis, or signs of certain cancers. I'm not saying that to scare the hell out of you, but to highlight that all of those things are treatable in one way or another, and are best treated quickly before they can worsen. You deserve help. You should not suffer every month just because bio-essentialism and misogyny have deemed periods unworthy of sincere medical attention.

#medical #periods