I was catching up on Kiky's blog recently when it all came coming back to me, the embarrassment the distress, the back-to-front skirts, strategically placed long notes, and sweaters draped around the waist. It was a post on leak proof Dear Kate panties, which are supposed to protect women during that time of the month from over flows and spills caused by Aunty Flo.
Who even labeled it Aunty Flo? BTW, if you're a guy and still wondering what this is about, you may want to stop reading now. If you're a 'lady', you may also want to read something else, like my wedding page :)
When I was growing up, I first knew it by the biological name, menstruation. It started around the first or second year of secondary school. Mine showed face in my third term JS3 and then stayed away for the longest. In JS2, it came back with a bang. I was in class, when I stood up to go get something, someone called my attention to the patch on my skirt. I'd kind of felt the wetness, but it was a hot day, and I thought it was sweat. That was just the beginning of my woes.
By the time I got to senior secondary school, I'd learnt the name period, but only because I frequently had a large red period on the back of my skirt every once in a while. Even worse, my uniform now wasn't the navy blue of Queen's School, but the pale green of Science School. On more than one occasion, I wanted to sink into the ground and never appear again.
Of course, I've heard other people's stories of their monthly period mishaps. But I think mine is just extreme. I'm surprised when I'm still standing after each period. They last for seven days sometimes, and I lose what seem to be buckets of blood. I'm serious. I lose like 2 pounds after each episode.
Then the spills and overflows. Almost every other month, I have an incident, sometimes, a full-blown accident. I tried using tampons once upon a time, what a joke. The biggest size I bought didn't last an hour, and that panty did not live to tell the tale. Nights are the worst. No position is safe, I have to wake up almost every thirty minutes to be sure the bedspread hasn't become the red sea.
OK, I know I'm grossing out even the thick skinned people still reading, lol...
I'll stop now. Just had to get that off my chest. I have just put in an order for a couple of Dear Kates, and I just wanted to share with others who have the same problem. Or am I the only one?
PS, this is not a review or promo, paid or otherwise, I do not know the people behind the panties. But if I do use them and have a good experience, I won't mind being their brand ambassadors. For free. In your face, Aunty Flo!
Lucky me, i don't have the overflow problem and haven't had an embarrassing moment just yet(fingers crossed)... I only get knocked out by cramps. I guess i should be thankful for that.
ReplyDeleteI hope you never do, though the cramps are nothing to joke about it. I keep mine in check with light painkillers.
DeleteI had a few embarrassing moments in Secondary School. Myne, you are one Oyibo that may not even take me seriously. However, I will still spill. Try drinking raw ugu juice like two days before and during your periods, you will thank me dear. Sorry, you may not get ugu leaves where you are. OK, try wheat grass. Raw green leafy veggies don't taste good at all, but, you have to hold your breath while drinking. Try it and remember to thank me o:)
ReplyDeleteUgu leaves before your period ke,I thought you take those when you have a low level of blood and you are weak. Wont it increase the flow and even make it seem like someone is draining blood out of you? Just me sha, I wont recommend it before but after would be better.
DeleteFor mine, i drink coke on the first day *covers face* if I cant work out because it will increase the flow and in 3 days anti flo is gone:D
@Eya...are you sure you are not trying to set @Myne up. Are you sure drinking Ugu before Aunty Flo's arrival is good? I know Ugu juice is for anyone trying to increase blood level .....please enlighten those of us struggling with overflow.
DeleteI read in a book written by a female Doctor, that drinking fresh unsweetened green juice helps to control the flow. I didn't believe until I tried and it worked for me. I was shocked at the rate of effectiveness. Ugu juice reduced even the number of days from five to three. The juice helps you to produce more and also helps to store it in your body. Helps a lot with blood clotting. Works for me.
Delete@Eya...thank you so much. I definitely will try it.
DeleteThat makes a lot of sense about the blood flow and clotting. I do have to take iron to prevent anaemia. I will look for the fresh ugu or mint to take, and see if that will enable me stop taking the pills.
DeleteThanks, Eya.
Myne, mine was almost as bad as yours, i say almost, cos mine usually was six days, i didn't have many episodes of being stained during the day but at night was a different story, i had all sorts of tricks to prevent the bed from turning into 'a sea of red' ....i never slept well either during my periods, always waking up every 30 mins or so to check, i usually wear double pad or tampon and pad plus shorts under my nightwear and still ...o the horror!..i remember the first time i stained the bed as a newly wed, i was so embarrassed, my husband was amused and assured me it was not a big deal.. (God bless him).... But after having my child, salvation has come, my period can actually be called LIGHT... i still cant believe the drastic change, i have a 4 day period now and i can actually use panty liners on the last two days.. hurrah!
ReplyDeleteWow! I really thought it was just me. I remember too my first night accident, I was so embarassed, oh my, bless our men o. Hmmm...you're lucky.
DeleteMine was not that bad though i started in SS2 but it was too long for my liking,i was doing 7days non stop,i thought it was abnormal until i see a doctor.then i had a LONG break for 12month which include 9month of pregnancy and 6 month of after birth.the period is not stable yet but it now comes with cramps i now do 4days on a lighter level
ReplyDeleteOK, I heard sex will decrease heavy periods, it didn't work for me. I hope one day to have the same testimony as you, fingers crossed :)
DeleteOh Aunt Flow. Sometimes the awful cramps that come with her presence are worse than the embarrassing blood stains!
ReplyDeleteIndeed they are, we women and out monthly wahala. Can't live with Aunty Flo, can't do without her either!
DeleteMine is does not last for so long it only lasts for 5 days but it flows in torrents and its so bad that I won't go out during this period if I could get away with it. At work I have to keep checking every hour if I don't want spills or overflow and tampon is a definite no-no. At night I've devised methods of sleeping but I don't sleep well during that period.
ReplyDeleteTorrents is the word, chai. For me, that is one of the perks of working from home. No one has to be looking at me as I get up from my seat every hour :)
DeleteOh Myne I'm glad to know that I'm not alone. I have fibroids and thus get heavy, painful 7 day long periods. Sometimes I have to stay home from work to avoid embarrassing situations. And I don't sleep at night either...I set my alarm for every hour so I can go change. Oh and I use a super plus tampon AND a pad at the same time. Womanhood is so not easy.
ReplyDeleteMy dear, you are not alone. From the comments you can see we plenty. It is not easy at all.
DeleteI started when i was 10...the day before 5th grade started and it was a nightmare for a long while. But I really haven't had any issue (other than the cramps and the fact that this is something i have to deal with month after month lol) since like high school. And even then, most of the issue was caused because teachers just refused to write a freaking hall pass so a sista could go to the bathroom and handle her business.
ReplyDeleteMy issue now is that i'm living at home and my mother and pre-menopausal pheromones have been throwing off my cycle. Before, you could literally set your watch to my menses. Now its a toss-up every month lol.
my sis has fibroids and gets heavy discharges too. As for me lips sealed cos I hate aunty flo
ReplyDeleteI can deal with Aunty Flo. Its the PMS that gives me Wahala. I get emotionally strung. Oh and the diarrhoea. To be a woman adighi ofele
ReplyDelete