Menstruation & sick days

Cloud · 10-17-2007, 07:08 PM

Warning! Topic for the ladies! (duh)

I think half my sick days (of which I probably take more than I should) are related to periods. Particularly the first day of grinding pain and/or the second day of uncomfortable gushing.

I'm sure (tho I haven't researched it) that women miss more work days than men. Do you tend to take sick days on particularly bad months?

Just wondering.

I am SO ready for the whole process to be over with. Almost there.

but not quite.

Aliantha · 10-17-2007, 07:11 PM

I don't think I've ever taken a sick day because of my period.

I know during pregnancy I took a lot more days than usual though.

Cloud · 10-17-2007, 07:16 PM

okay then, maybe I'm just a freak.

or lazy as a cat, which I already knew.

Aliantha · 10-17-2007, 07:23 PM

lol...well maybe, but I doubt it. Some women have more problems than others. I've just been pretty lucky I think. I used to get really bad headaches on the first day of my period, but they went away after I had accupuncture for the migraines I used to get once a week or so.

Things are starting to change for me now though. The headaches are coming back a bit - which means I need to go get pin cushioned again - and my cycle is different. Much more virulent. Fortunately for me though, my lifestyle has changed and I just take it easy for those couple of days.

You're not a freak Cloud. I think it's a good question actually. I'll be watching this thread to see what the other girls have to say.

Cloud · 10-17-2007, 07:29 PM

actually, when I was younger I didn't have a problem. Only after having my children, did my periods seem to get more painful. I tend to spend my first day in bed now. Generous handfuls of ibuprofin help, but sometimes not enough.

Aliantha · 10-17-2007, 07:33 PM

Same here about the after having kids thing. I haven't stayed in bed at all though. I usually find if I move around a bit it helps. It's like, if I just lie down, it'll last longer. I suppose in my mind I think of the cramping as my body trying to expel the stuff it doesn't want, so if I keep moving and stretch them out, just as an athlete would do, it helps.

I find that when I get a bad cramp, it's usually followed up by a fairly heavy flow for a few hours.

SteveDallas · 10-17-2007, 08:02 PM

1. You probably already know this, but the FDA has approved pills (basically birth control pills if I understand--and IANAD) to reduce and/or eliminate the frequency of periods.

2. An early argument against allowing women to attend college (or at least college with a real academic curriculum, as opposed to overgrown finishing schools) was that they would literally injure themselves by doing demanding schoolwork on top of their periods, which were seen by many [male] doctors as being a debilitating weakness.

Stormieweather · 10-17-2007, 08:20 PM

Well my monthlies are downright nasty...gut-wrenching, tearing pain, headaches, nausea and massive flooding but I've never missed work because of it. I rarely ever take any sort of medication, for anything. I save my once-in-a-blue-moon painkiller for when my carpel tunnel syndrome is really acting up.

I'm much more likely to call in when stress gets to be overwhelming, so I can take a much-needed 'mental health' day and center myself.

Also, my menses have worsened with each child's birth. They have gotten longer, more painful, and messier. Ugh!

Stormie

Cloud · 10-17-2007, 08:27 PM

funny nobody ever mentions that.

ravenranter · 10-18-2007, 06:43 AM

Most of the sick days that I ever took were because of my period.
It was awful working with the public and having mood swings, heavy flow, strong cramps and pounding headaches.
My flow was a monster: I needed to carry lots of protection, lots of ibuprofen, extra underwear and emergency clothing.
Last year, I had an ablation and it has helped a lot.
I still have a lot of pain during my period, but it doesn't last as long as it used to and my flow is nearly gone. I wish I'd done it sooner!

DanaC · 10-18-2007, 07:13 AM

Some months are worse than others, but I've always had really bad periods. For me the worst day is usually the second day. On that day I feel like someone is trying to drag my insides out and feel nauseous and weak. I have often missed days of work because of that. Having said that I have also gone into work when I have been very ill with eczema/skin infection so I think it probably balances out in the end.

LabRat · 10-18-2007, 08:44 AM

When I was younger, (pre-pill) I had cramps enough that the Gynie prescribed me 800mg ibuprophens that helped a lot. I needed them for multiple days. After going on the pill*, I occasionally needed 2-400mg, usually just for one day. *Just the plain ole' 21 days on, 7 days off pill. Changing prescriptions due to acne didn't change my cycle.

Post partum, went back on the pill, and again, maybe needed a couple ibuprophens, but essentially no change in cycle.

Now that I've been off the pill for 10 months, the cramps are getting stronger, but still not to the point that a couple 400mg doses can't get me thru the worst day. I have never taken a sick day for menstral issues. Mental, yes.

My cramps are all in my lower back, and always have been. (I never had traditional braxton hicks, or any frontal contractions during childbirth either!! Everything for me is in my lower back. Yeah, I was the lucky one who suffered through hours of back labor before being whisked off for an emergency C-section

) They are the worst right before the flow actually starts, and the first day. My periods have always been 3-4 days of bleeding, (reg tampon changed every 4 hrs with just a pad at night) and 1-2 days of spotting at the end (just a pantyliner). They vary in intensity from month to month, with a heavy month pretty much always following a light month.

I had one friend in HS whose periods were debilitating, and after going on the birth control pill were much better.

Wow. anything else you want to know?

CutiewithaCairn · 10-18-2007, 01:11 PM

I totally know where you're coming from Cloud. I have missed work as well as school when I was younger.
I've been on birth control since I was 13 because I've had so many problems. I'm now 23, and I am still on birth control because I still have problems. About 2 years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS, which explained those problems. I have most of the symptoms, but I haven't had an ultrasound to see if I actually have the cysts. It includes heavy flow, tons of pain, as well as being overweight and the possibility of infertility.
Over the past year, I've noticed that I'm bleeding for a straight 7 days (still on the pill!), and they are much more painful than they have ever been. I've always gotten migraines, but they are worsening as well.

Anyone else out there with this??

Clodfobble · 10-18-2007, 02:05 PM

Welcome to the Cellar, Cutie. I, too, went on birth control pills at the age of 15, just a few months after my periods first started. Unmedicated, they were about ten days long and came every two weeks. The cramps were nothing terrible, but the flow was so heavy I would sometimes have to leave class more than once in the same hour just to go change tampons, and some of the teachers didn't believe me. Going on the pill was a godsend. When I eventually decided to try to have kids, I had infertility problems and was unofficially diagnosed with PCOS--as in, they could never find any cysts with the ultrasound, but going on Glucophage (a treatment for PCOS) helped me to start ovulating, so the diagnosis was confirmed that way.

If your cycles are still bad, you should look at changing brands of pill. When they were trying to scale mine back to a more reasonable level, Loestrin was what worked for me, but that was over ten years ago so I don't know if it's still commonly prescribed or has been improved upon or whatever.

Sundae · 10-18-2007, 02:31 PM

Wow, I forget how lucky I've been sometimes, thanks for the reminder!
I have taken far too many duvet days, but I've never missed a day at work because of a period - I got cramps of course, but never bad enough to do more than take an OTC painkiller.

Then as soon as I switched to the 3 monthly injection I stopped getting periods altogether, and this has continued (or not!) through my first 3 year implant and now into my second.

I have known women with absolutely crippling pains, and the rest of the bag of fun that comes with them. Ladies, you have my sympathy.

10-17-2007, 07:08 PM	#1
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Menstruation & sick days Warning! Topic for the ladies! (duh) I think half my sick days (of which I probably take more than I should) are related to periods. Particularly the first day of grinding pain and/or the second day of uncomfortable gushing. I'm sure (tho I haven't researched it) that women miss more work days than men. Do you tend to take sick days on particularly bad months? Just wondering. I am SO ready for the whole process to be over with. Almost there. but not quite. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-17-2007, 07:11 PM	#2
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	I don't think I've ever taken a sick day because of my period. I know during pregnancy I took a lot more days than usual though. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-17-2007, 07:16 PM	#3
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	okay then, maybe I'm just a freak. or lazy as a cat, which I already knew. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-17-2007, 07:23 PM	#4
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	lol...well maybe, but I doubt it. Some women have more problems than others. I've just been pretty lucky I think. I used to get really bad headaches on the first day of my period, but they went away after I had accupuncture for the migraines I used to get once a week or so. Things are starting to change for me now though. The headaches are coming back a bit - which means I need to go get pin cushioned again - and my cycle is different. Much more virulent. Fortunately for me though, my lifestyle has changed and I just take it easy for those couple of days. You're not a freak Cloud. I think it's a good question actually. I'll be watching this thread to see what the other girls have to say. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-17-2007, 07:29 PM	#5
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	actually, when I was younger I didn't have a problem. Only after having my children, did my periods seem to get more painful. I tend to spend my first day in bed now. Generous handfuls of ibuprofin help, but sometimes not enough. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-17-2007, 07:33 PM	#6
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Same here about the after having kids thing. I haven't stayed in bed at all though. I usually find if I move around a bit it helps. It's like, if I just lie down, it'll last longer. I suppose in my mind I think of the cramping as my body trying to expel the stuff it doesn't want, so if I keep moving and stretch them out, just as an athlete would do, it helps. I find that when I get a bad cramp, it's usually followed up by a fairly heavy flow for a few hours. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

10-17-2007, 08:02 PM	#7
SteveDallas Your Bartender Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Philly Burbs, PA Posts: 7,651	1. You probably already know this, but the FDA has approved pills (basically birth control pills if I understand--and IANAD) to reduce and/or eliminate the frequency of periods. 2. An early argument against allowing women to attend college (or at least college with a real academic curriculum, as opposed to overgrown finishing schools) was that they would literally injure themselves by doing demanding schoolwork on top of their periods, which were seen by many [male] doctors as being a debilitating weakness. Last edited by SteveDallas; 10-17-2007 at 08:21 PM.

10-17-2007, 08:20 PM	#8
Stormieweather Wearing her bitch boots Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Floriduh Posts: 1,181	Well my monthlies are downright nasty...gut-wrenching, tearing pain, headaches, nausea and massive flooding but I've never missed work because of it. I rarely ever take any sort of medication, for anything. I save my once-in-a-blue-moon painkiller for when my carpel tunnel syndrome is really acting up. I'm much more likely to call in when stress gets to be overwhelming, so I can take a much-needed 'mental health' day and center myself. Also, my menses have worsened with each child's birth. They have gotten longer, more painful, and messier. Ugh! Stormie __________________ "First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi

10-17-2007, 08:27 PM	#9
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	funny nobody ever mentions that. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

10-18-2007, 06:43 AM	#10
ravenranter Mystical Miscreant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: asteroid B-12 Posts: 46	Most of the sick days that I ever took were because of my period. It was awful working with the public and having mood swings, heavy flow, strong cramps and pounding headaches. My flow was a monster: I needed to carry lots of protection, lots of ibuprofen, extra underwear and emergency clothing. Last year, I had an ablation and it has helped a lot. I still have a lot of pain during my period, but it doesn't last as long as it used to and my flow is nearly gone. I wish I'd done it sooner! __________________ "One never ought to listen to the flowers..." - The Little Prince

10-18-2007, 07:13 AM	#11
DanaC We have to go back, Kate! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 25,964	Some months are worse than others, but I've always had really bad periods. For me the worst day is usually the second day. On that day I feel like someone is trying to drag my insides out and feel nauseous and weak. I have often missed days of work because of that. Having said that I have also gone into work when I have been very ill with eczema/skin infection so I think it probably balances out in the end.

10-18-2007, 08:44 AM	#12
LabRat twatfaced two legged bumhole Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 3,143	When I was younger, (pre-pill) I had cramps enough that the Gynie prescribed me 800mg ibuprophens that helped a lot. I needed them for multiple days. After going on the pill, I occasionally needed 2-400mg, usually just for one day. Just the plain ole' 21 days on, 7 days off pill. Changing prescriptions due to acne didn't change my cycle. Post partum, went back on the pill, and again, maybe needed a couple ibuprophens, but essentially no change in cycle. Now that I've been off the pill for 10 months, the cramps are getting stronger, but still not to the point that a couple 400mg doses can't get me thru the worst day. I have never taken a sick day for menstral issues. Mental, yes. My cramps are all in my lower back, and always have been. (I never had traditional braxton hicks, or any frontal contractions during childbirth either!! Everything for me is in my lower back. Yeah, I was the lucky one who suffered through hours of back labor before being whisked off for an emergency C-section ) They are the worst right before the flow actually starts, and the first day. My periods have always been 3-4 days of bleeding, (reg tampon changed every 4 hrs with just a pad at night) and 1-2 days of spotting at the end (just a pantyliner). They vary in intensity from month to month, with a heavy month pretty much always following a light month. I had one friend in HS whose periods were debilitating, and after going on the birth control pill were much better. Wow. anything else you want to know? __________________ Strength does not come from how much weight you can lift, or how many miles you can run. It comes from knowing that you set a goal, and rose to the challenge. Strength comes from within.

10-18-2007, 01:11 PM	#13
CutiewithaCairn Person Who Has Posted Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Indiana Posts: 2	I totally know where you're coming from Cloud. I have missed work as well as school when I was younger. I've been on birth control since I was 13 because I've had so many problems. I'm now 23, and I am still on birth control because I still have problems. About 2 years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS, which explained those problems. I have most of the symptoms, but I haven't had an ultrasound to see if I actually have the cysts. It includes heavy flow, tons of pain, as well as being overweight and the possibility of infertility. Over the past year, I've noticed that I'm bleeding for a straight 7 days (still on the pill!), and they are much more painful than they have ever been. I've always gotten migraines, but they are worsening as well. Anyone else out there with this??

10-18-2007, 02:05 PM	#14
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	Welcome to the Cellar, Cutie. I, too, went on birth control pills at the age of 15, just a few months after my periods first started. Unmedicated, they were about ten days long and came every two weeks. The cramps were nothing terrible, but the flow was so heavy I would sometimes have to leave class more than once in the same hour just to go change tampons, and some of the teachers didn't believe me. Going on the pill was a godsend. When I eventually decided to try to have kids, I had infertility problems and was unofficially diagnosed with PCOS--as in, they could never find any cysts with the ultrasound, but going on Glucophage (a treatment for PCOS) helped me to start ovulating, so the diagnosis was confirmed that way. If your cycles are still bad, you should look at changing brands of pill. When they were trying to scale mine back to a more reasonable level, Loestrin was what worked for me, but that was over ten years ago so I don't know if it's still commonly prescribed or has been improved upon or whatever.

10-18-2007, 02:31 PM	#15
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Wow, I forget how lucky I've been sometimes, thanks for the reminder! I have taken far too many duvet days, but I've never missed a day at work because of a period - I got cramps of course, but never bad enough to do more than take an OTC painkiller. Then as soon as I switched to the 3 monthly injection I stopped getting periods altogether, and this has continued (or not!) through my first 3 year implant and now into my second. I have known women with absolutely crippling pains, and the rest of the bag of fun that comes with them. Ladies, you have my sympathy. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

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