Periods: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

By Camille

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Menstruation. Even writing down the scientific name for periods never fails to invoke painful memories of my last cycle. I wrote this article to educate both sides: anyone with periods, and anyone without any. Anybody with a uterus will tell you that bleeding down there, accompanied with cramping is not a fun ordeal. Menstruation occurs once a month, and normally lasts from three to seven days. Before I get into how to deal with cramps, let’s talk about why we even have our period.
 
The reason people with uteruses deal with the curse is because every month, our bodies prepare ourselves for pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, then our uterus sheds its lining which is where the blood comes from. But hey, at least you can dance because you are not pregnant. How can we stop the curse? Get pregnant or go through menopause. While you may not have a period throughout the duration of your pregnancy, having a child is a big responsibility, and on top of that, the first period after birth is absolutely horrid. As for menopause, you cannot force that upon yourself, that comes with age. I suggest constantly changing your pad, so you do not feel icky down there, and there are methods that supposedly cause your period to end faster. Essentially not having a period will bring other consequences.
 
Another big thing that comes from periods are hormones. The hormone changes that accompany the menstrual cycles typically indicates to other people that we are on our period. When our emotions change and they influence us heavily, people label that as “PMS-ing”. PMS stands for premenstrual syndrome, and the biggest symptom is irritability. The PMS cycle is caused through changes in three hormones: estrogen, serotonin, and progesterone. Before you use   PMS-ing as an insult, remember that changes in our hormones are out of our control. I unfortunately do not have any advice from this one because my emotions take a big hit when it is that time of the month.
 
As if bleeding through the most intimate part of our body and hormone changes are not enough, cramps make themselves well known during menstruation. Cramps can range from mild to severe and are typical indicators for most people for when they start bleeding. During the menstruation cycle your uterus is contracting to help shed its lining. When the uterus is contracting, it releases a compound known as prostaglandins, when you have an excess of these compounds, cramps can occur. Personally, birth control has been a big help since it can help you have less periods per year, and cramps do not occur as often and severely.
 
For the people who do not suffer from periods but buy period products for loved ones, brand and type matter. After experiencing menstruation for years, people with vaginas learn about which period product works well for their body. There are a lot of brands and types to choose from: diva cups, tampons, pads, etc. So, before you complain or chastise someone about their preferences, you need to realize that they are only asking for what is making them comfortable. Personally, I find thin pads to be the best for myself because they feel as though they are not there. But make sure to experiment to find the most comfortable products.
 
As someone with a vagina, I totally get the struggle of menstruation. We are stuck dealing with it for years before we are thrown into the throes of menopause. On top of the advice I have sprinkled throughout this article, I have included some websites that help alleviate the stress and pain that comes with periods. Whilst these articles are good for reference, they unfortunately do not sponsor TWE. 

• yourperiod.ca – This website was put together by Canadian experts whose mission is to educate those on periods.
• tampax.com ­– Tampax is one of the world’s biggest period product brands. Clicking on this link will take you to a website that will help you keep track of your period for free.
• womenshealth.gov ­– This link takes you to an informational website that talks about what is and is not normal about periods. 
• medlineplus.gov – This website not only provides information, but treatments, therapies, and certain health issues regarding the uterus.

 
As people with vaginas grow older and go through puberty, we have to deal with menstruation. As explained above, menstruation is accompanied with vaginal bleeding, premenstrual syndrome, and cramps. So, for anyone that does not suffer through periods, please refrain from commenting on our complaints because this is something we go through 12 times a year. And for anyone that does suffer from periods, please take care of yourself and watch out for any abnormalities. Periods are not easy, and I commend every single person who combats it while continuing to live their life.