Period talk: Questions and advice

Jamie Gonzalez said:essentially, it’s just a tiny, sterile sponge...

That sounds exactly like those contraceptive sponges you see mentioned in health articles. Thanks for the heads-up! 😁

goldeneagle5 said:I don't mind being intimate during my period at all, it feels perfectly fine to me... my partner is totally on board with it too... we just end up showering afterward and that’s that... I don't see why anyone would find it gross or whatever... even if we go all the way on the very first day of my cycle... so what... plus we never bother with protection and he always finishes inside me (regardless of whether my flow is heavy or not)
but, I actually have a quick question... I recently had to take those emergency contraceptive pills and ended up getting a false period... so if anyone happens to know, does my fertile window return right after that bleeding stops, or how does it work? if someone knows, please let me know, if not, no big deal😍

hold on a second, if you guys aren't using any kind of protection and he finishes inside you every single time, how haven't you gotten pregnant yet?? I'm not following the logic there, unless you're constantly relying on emergency pills every time?!😕

I've never had sex, so pregnancy isn't even a possibility here.
I'm 16, and my main concern is that my period is totally irregular.
It’s not like I get debilitating cramps beforehand or deal with heavy bleeding; the real issue is that my last period was back on June 14th...
I haven't seen a period in almost two months now...
To make things weirder, I've been dealing with these frequent pre-menstrual style cramps over the last three weeks, and my breasts are actually tender to the touch. I brought it up with my mom, and she suggested it might just be some kind of inflammation... I know that sounds a bit irresponsible, but I do spend quite a bit of time standing around in wet clothes sometimes🙄...
Honestly, I'm freaking out—what could be going on??

p.s. This isn't the first time my cycle has been off; once it skipped an entire month and a half, but that was strictly due to stress from some family issues...

Why haven't you scheduled an appointment with your OB-GYN yet? Dealing with cramps and breast tenderness for three weeks straight without your period starting is far too long. It’s also possible that wearing a wet swimsuit might have irritated things if you're prone to sensitivity in that area. I would strongly suggest seeing a doctor if this persists and your period still hasn't arrived. The sooner, the better. An exam isn't nearly as scary as people make it out to be—it takes about two minutes, and at least you'll finally have some answers. Don't let fear hold you back. 😉

I know, I know, this question has probably been circling the drain for a hundred years, but I couldn't find it in the old threads fast enough...
So, I'm heading out on a trip in a couple of days and it would totally suck if my period decided to show up right during those 7 days (according to my cycle, it could happen anytime) — and this trip is gonna be super active and adventurous.

Is there any way to push it back without being too aggressive?
Like, some natural remedy?
An old-school grandma trick?
Maybe Reiki?
Literally anything?
Thanks!!
🙏

slyseal11 said:I've never had sex, so pregnancy is definitely off the table.
I'm 16, and my period has been super irregular lately.
Usually, I don't get bad cramps before my period or deal with heavy bleeding. My main issue is that my last period was back on June 14th...
I haven't had a period in almost two months now...
The thing is, for the last three weeks, I've been getting frequent cramps—like the ones right before a period—and my breasts are sore to the touch. I talked to my mom about it, and she suggested it might just be an infection... I know that might not be the most responsible take, but sometimes I end up standing in a wet swimsuit for too long🙄...
Honestly, I'm terrified. What is going on??

p.s. This isn't the first time my period has been late—once it skipped an entire month and a half—but that was due to stress from some family stuff going on...

Stress definitely hits your cycle hard—diet plays a huge role too. Still, you really should go get checked out. If you aren't sexually active and your hymen is intact, doctors can use what they call "baby speculums" during an exam so nothing gets damaged.
Either way, bring someone you trust along. You mentioned you already talked to your mom and she thought it might be an infection—so just go see a doctor.
If it makes you feel more comfortable, find a female gynecologist, though it doesn't really matter which one you see.
I'm sure everything will be fine; your body is going through massive physical, mental, and hormonal shifts right now. These kinds of changes are totally normal, but you still need to pay attention to them.

By the way, infections don't happen just because you wore a wet swimsuit. Every infection has its own specific cause that either attacks you or just waits for your immune system to dip.

Hey everyone! So, I wanted to pick your brains about fertile windows and all that. Basically, yesterday was the last day of my period, and I ended up sleeping with my boyfriend without protection. Since my cycle has been pretty much on schedule for the last three months, I guess I'm wondering—could those be my fertile days?

Melissa Kern55 said:Hi everyone! I wanted to ask about fertile and non-fertile windows. My period just ended yesterday and I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend. Since my cycle has been pretty regular over the last three months, could those be my fertile days?

Look, nobody here can give you a definitive answer.
Why? Because according to the textbooks, it shouldn't be possible—but textbooks aren't reality, and biology is unpredictable. I actually got pregnant during that exact window myself. 🤷 Anyway, have you been tracking your basal body temperature at all over the last six months or a year?
If you have, then I can help you figure it out. If not, I'm sorry, but even with all my professional knowledge and experience, I wouldn't dare give you a guess.

Donna Cooper98 said:Look, nobody here can give you a definitive answer.
I mean, why? Because according to what they teach you in school, you aren't supposed to, but school is one thing and real life—especially when it comes to women—is another. I actually ended up pregnant right around that age myself. 🤷 Anyway, have you been tracking your basal body temperature or anything like that for the last 6 months or maybe a year?
If you have, then I might be able to help. If not, I'm sorry, but even with all my experience and training, I wouldn't dare give you any advice without that info.

No, I haven't, mostly because, honestly, I never thought this would actually happen to me. I'm heading to the doctor tomorrow to get emergency contraception; they told me I have a 72-hour window to take the first dose. Also, does anyone know if stomach pains could be related to this? I know this isn't really the place for that kind of stuff, but I just need to vent a little since I've already been so careless... 😢

Melissa Kern55 said:Honestly, I wasn't even expecting this to happen—it totally caught me off guard. I’m heading to my doctor tomorrow to get the emergency contraception; they told me I have a 72-hour window to take the first dose. Does anyone know if stomach pain is a thing with this? I know this isn't exactly the right place to ask, but I just need to vent a little since I was already being so careless... 😢

What kind of stomach pain?

Donna Cooper98 said:What kind of stomach ache?

I don't know, honestly. Right now it just feels like a typical, sneaky little stomach ache—nothing super intense, but it's definitely there. I guess I'm not sure if it's just my anxiety since I've been stressing about this all day, or maybe it's an actual stomach thing. I don't even know what to think anymore...

Melissa Kern55 said:Honestly, I’m starting to feel like it’s just one of those typical, sneaky little pains—you know, the kind that feels like a dull stomach ache but isn't exactly intense. I can't tell if it's all in my head because I've been obsessing over it all day, or if it's an actual stomach issue... I'm just stuck thinking about it.

It could be psychological—or maybe you just ate something bad or hit the junk food a bit too hard. I don't know, sorry, it's impossible to say for sure.

Donna Cooper98 said:Maybe it’s just psychological, or maybe you ate something bad or just had way too much junk food... I don't know, I'm sorry, it's hard to say for sure.

I get it, but thanks anyway. You definitely calmed me down a bit, so I guess I'll head out to grab the morning-after pill tomorrow... But, uh, do you happen to know what the side effects are? Like, will I still get my period even though yesterday was my last day? I heard some girls deal with nausea and dizziness too...

Melissa Kern55 said:I know, but thanks anyway—you've definitely calmed my nerves a bit for tomorrow. I'll go grab those morning-after pills then... Do you happen to know what the side effects are? Like, will I still get my period regardless of the fact that yesterday was my last day? I heard some girls deal with nausea and dizziness too...

Look, I’m going to be brutally honest with you. Personally, I haven't used them because, for me, it feels basically like an abortion—but hey, I’m not here to lecture anyone. Everyone has the freedom to make their own choices, and I’m certainly no smarter than anyone else with a different opinion.

BUT

From everything I’ve heard from girls who have used emergency contraception—whether it's pills or shots—it’s like their whole body just flips upside down. It's usually pretty unpleasant. The more sensitive ones said they felt like they were actually going to "die" from the stomach cramps, though I honestly think they might be exaggerating a bit. I was with one girl for three days after she took them, and yeah, she felt sick and had stomach pains, but that's kind of how it goes for women when they take something like a strong laxative, so... 🤷

Look, it’s definitely not exactly sunshine and rainbows, but you'll get through it. 👍

Donna Cooper98 said:And look, I know it's probably not milk and honey, but it'll work. 👍

Totally, I get that. But I just can't risk anything right now. I'll admit I messed up, and honestly, I'm way too young to be dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. Thanks so much for everything! :*

Melissa Kern55 said:Totally, I get that. But honestly, I just can't take any chances right now. I'll own up to my mistake, but I'm way too young to be risking an unplanned pregnancy. Thanks so much for everything! :*

Look, I took the morning-after pill once and didn't feel a single thing... So yeah... 🤷

I feel the same way; it happens to everyone, provided you don't start relying on it as a form of birth control.

So, I ended up having three around 9:30 this morning, and I’ve still got another three lined up for 9:30 tonight. Honestly, I can't really say I'm feeling any major side effects, though my stomach is acting up a bit. But then again, my stomach's been bothering me for like three days already, so I'm guessing it probably isn't even from this...

My period has been running pretty late lately, though that’s usually just how things go for me during the summer months🙄. Anyway, I noticed today that I have this thick discharge going on, and my stomach is killing me. It’s actually making me a little nervous because I’ve never dealt with anything like this before.
I’m not on any birth control, and I’m definitely not pregnant. Has anyone else gone through something similar?

Thanks in advance🙂

goldenotter6 said:My period has been quite late, though that usually happens to me during the summer months🙄. Anyway, I noticed today that I have some thick discharge and my stomach is hurting pretty bad. It’s worrying me because I’ve never had this kind of discharge before.
I'm not on birth control and I'm not pregnant. Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

Thanks in advance🙂

You'll probably start your period tomorrow or the day after.