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I don't understand those period ads (Thinx)


August

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You've probably seen the big kerfuffle over the New York subway not allowing ads with the word period in them. The product is waterproof underpants with some small amount of absorbency (the one I saw held the same as one tampon). I gather they're for spotting or backup or in case of emergency.

What I don't understand is that the ads feature a raw egg being all gloopy. It's a way more accurate and amusing analogy for a period than a beaker of blue fluid, so yay for them. But their product can't deal with the sort of period that can be approximated by a raw egg, so it's an instant reminder that they aren't all that useful. 

Or am I missing something?

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I think it's just meant to draw a comparison of 'icky liquid' and be vaguely edgy, not necessarily to make a qualitative statement about the product.

I'm torn between laughing and being squicked out by that imagery, myself - it never occurred to me that it could or would be interpreted as 'this product can absorb an entire egg's worth of liquid.'

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They actually look pretty cool!  I liked their story on their website.

They had a style that can hold 2 tampons worth of liquid, so I'd think that could be an egg's worth.  Possibly TMI, but I have issues with extremely heavy flow, and "an egg's worth" is an accurate description of what can suddenly happen on my worst days.

According to Cosmo, the ads have been approved and will be running on the subways.

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The egg part of the ad reminds me of how someone once described the sensation of sneezing while on your period - like giving birth to a jellyfish.

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The egg part of the ad reminds me of how someone once described the sensation of sneezing while on your period - like giving birth to a jellyfish.

that is the best analogy ever

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The egg part of the ad reminds me of how someone once described the sensation of sneezing while on your period - like giving birth to a jellyfish.

You win the internets. 

 

The truly sad thing about remarkably heavy periods is that you can't remark on it to anyone. Like those clots you have to physically break up to get down the shower drain. Sometimes I miss middle school. I totally could have told my best friend then that I used four tampons and three pads in two hours. And she even would have checked my skirt for me, too. But if I emailed that to her right now she'd think I was weird. (yes, same person, we've been friends for 30+ years.)

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You win the internets. 

 

The truly sad thing about remarkably heavy periods is that you can't remark on it to anyone. Like those clots you have to physically break up to get down the shower drain. Sometimes I miss middle school. I totally could have told my best friend then that I used four tampons and three pads in two hours. And she even would have checked my skirt for me, too. But if I emailed that to her right now she'd think I was weird. (yes, same person, we've been friends for 30+ years.)

If you (or anyone else) is passing clots bigger than a quarter, you should see a doctor. That's not normal. It seems like I've been reading a lot of posts about period clots lately (here and elsewhere) and a lot of people have these huge clots. 

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If you (or anyone else) is passing clots bigger than a quarter, you should see a doctor. That's not normal. It seems like I've been reading a lot of posts about period clots lately (here and elsewhere) and a lot of people have these huge clots. 

I've got this, I saw the doctor, and I have adenomyosis.  Apparently, it is extremely common among women in their mid-40s, esp. those who have had c-sections.  The meds I got were only slightly helpful, I'm worried that the Mirena will give me hives since I have dermographism which gets worse in the 3rd week of my cycle and is likely triggered by progesterone, and I'm not sure if I'm prepared to go all the way and get a hysterectomy.

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I've got this, I saw the doctor, and I have adenomyosis.  Apparently, it is extremely common among women in their mid-40s, esp. those who have had c-sections.  The meds I got were only slightly helpful, I'm worried that the Mirena will give me hives since I have dermographism which gets worse in the 3rd week of my cycle and is likely triggered by progesterone, and I'm not sure if I'm prepared to go all the way and get a hysterectomy.

I had adenomyosis as well (mid-40's but no history of c-section.)  It caused my anemia due to severe menorrhagia - the hematologist was surprised I didn't have any organ damage due to the anemia being so severe for so long before I did anything about it.  Some clots were the size of my fist and I actually had contractions and had to push...much like having a really small slippery child birth with no baby.  Super fun when it happened at work because the hemorrhaging can take a while to stop.

Average period was 2 of the Always overnights overlapping, 2 super plus tampons (one after another - not side by side), and changing every hour in the begging/end when lighter and as often as every 20-40 minutes when heaviest.  And regularly going in to actively pass clots because the small ones (silver dollar sized) can get past the tampons and pads won't absorb them so if your panty elastic isn't on the job it's a scary walk to the bathroom.  For ladies dealing with this I suggest puppy pads for under your fitted sheet - protects the mattress.  I have NEVER understood the feminine hygiene commercials which implied it was either tampon or pad...since period one I've always needed two lines of defense...but nothing like when this adenomyosis took over.  That was a whole 'nother war against bloodshed.  

Of course there are different levels of severity and certainly not everyone needs a hysterectomy, but I would strongly advise anyone with this to make sure they are watching their blood counts because as I was told by multiple doctors it's impossible to have excessive blood loss like that so often and not be anemic and anemia can be more dangerous than people think. 

Some collateral benefits for me after the surgery was the unexpected cure of  my really frequent back pain, digestive issues which we thought were maybe IBS, and frequent urination to the point where it was disrupting my life.  Turns out my uterus was so big it was wreaking all kinds of havoc in there.  

I hope they can get yours under control without surgery,  I tried different bc and ablation first and would have been thrilled to have been able to resolve it without major surgery - but for me nothing worked.  

 

 

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I only pass large clots while on birth control. Rarely are they larger than a quarter, but one time one was. I knew I couldn't have been pregnant, so I just went on with my life. Now I use BC to get rid of my periods.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I had adenomyosis as well (mid-40's but no history of c-section.) 

Of course there are different levels of severity and certainly not everyone needs a hysterectomy, but I would strongly advise anyone with this to make sure they are watching their blood counts because as I was told by multiple doctors it's impossible to have excessive blood loss like that so often and not be anemic and anemia can be more dangerous than people think. 

I hope they can get yours under control without surgery,  I tried different bc and ablation first and would have been thrilled to have been able to resolve it without major surgery - but for me nothing worked.  

SNIPPED, kinda.

YES, THIS!!!  I lived in misery for years and I was not officially diagnosed until they did the pathology on my removed uterus.  I tried ablation, no help, and I was at the point where I was on medicine that basically knocked me out for the duration of my period - and missing a week at a time from work.  I had a lapro hysterectomy which CHANGED.MY.WORLD. 

Clots that grow every year from raisin, to grape, to orange sized... and THE PAIN.  My uterus was the size of a 12 week gestation - I was exhausted all the time - things were not good. I thought I was alone with the period misery - thanks for sharing your story - and for anyone else suffering, please seek medical advice - there ARE options other than suffering!

 

 

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My husband and I were just talking about this over the weekend - about how I had no idea how bad it was until it was better.

At the worst of my anemia I would literally sleep 18 hours on Saturday to make up for dragging myself through the week and I remember trying to do something as simple as laundry or making my bed on Sunday and just weeping because I was so tired things like that seemed impossible to accomplish.

And...trying to be delicate on a TMI topic, but women who haven't gone through this don't know the constant and sometimes crippling fear of leaking.  Being unable to go out alone because you need someone with you to look at your butt so assure you nothing leaked while you were driving.  Being in a meeting and feeling the gush and having to linger behind "organizing your notes' until everyone leaves so you can tie your sweater around your waist and get to the bathroom where you have an extra pair of black pants/panties in your drawer and praying it didn't hit the chair.

After I had mine the first thing I did was buy pretty sheets.  Light colored beautiful sheets that I knew wouldn't be ruined in a month.  It's not an exaggeration to say that my period dominated my life and I had no idea to what degree until it was over.  

Although I still get raging PMS, breast pain, and all the other super fun pre-period crap at least it's not threatening my health anymore.  

I do wonder, though, how I'd know when menopause would have happened.  Mood swings?  My God, nothing can rival my PMS so that's no help.  I do still get the little mild crampy pinches when I ovulate...so maybe when that stops?  Or when the PMS stuff isn't like clockwork anymore?  

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I am peri-menopausal, but I have night sweats and hot flashes from time to time, too.  I kept my ovaries, so menopause is supposed to still happen... 

I also thought I was the only one who hurt when they ovulated.  I have never met anyone that admitted to it.  Yes, it is a real thing.  Ouch.

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I am peri-menopausal, but I have night sweats and hot flashes from time to time, too.  I kept my ovaries, so menopause is supposed to still happen... 

I also thought I was the only one who hurt when they ovulated.  I have never met anyone that admitted to it.  Yes, it is a real thing.  Ouch.

My daughter can feel it too - by body has always been super screamy to let me know I'm ovulating...in various ways.  I'd have made an awesome quiverful if I had gone that way.

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This thread makes me think, once again, about what we endure as women. I have had three c-sections, a tubal ligation and a hysterectomy. That's it. All because I'm female. 

By the way, I can't tell you much better I felt after my hysterectomy. It was also very liberating. I actually just wished I'd had it sooner.  

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What? Not using the word period in ads? That's nuts. Are we supossed to be ashamed of it or what? 

My daughter can feel it too - by body has always been super screamy to let me know I'm ovulating...in various ways.  I'd have made an awesome quiverful if I had gone that way.

Same here. Not always as intense, not always can i actually notice it. And is not nearly as bad or as long as when i get my period.

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My daughter can feel it too - by body has always been super screamy to let me know I'm ovulating...in various ways.  I'd have made an awesome quiverful if I had gone that way.

I'm pretty sure I could feel my ovulations some of the time when I was younger, but then it stopped happening. (The feeling, not the ovulating.) I think I'm mostly grateful for that.

I've had a few ovarian cysts. After the first ultrasound with our first child, my OB asked if I was prone to cysts, because I had 2 showing in the ultrasound. (One was bigger than the baby at that point.) I told him I hadn't even been aware of those 2 until he told me. I had another cyst when my youngest was 2. Let me tell you, I could feel that one! Yikes!

I don't know if not being able to feel my ovulations anymore coincided with my not being able to feel other ovarian cysts, but if the 2 are related, I am nothing if not grateful to be ovarian/ovulation numb!!

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On 11/30/2015, 4:00:42, HerNameIsBuffy said:

And...trying to be delicate on a TMI topic, but women who haven't gone through this don't know the constant and sometimes crippling fear of leaking.  Being unable to go out alone because you need someone with you to look at your butt so assure you nothing leaked while you were driving.  Being in a meeting and feeling the gush and having to linger behind "organizing your notes' until everyone leaves so you can tie your sweater around your waist and get to the bathroom where you have an extra pair of black pants/panties in your drawer and praying it didn't hit the chair.

 

Oh, and THIS.  Everything was scheduled around The Period. I had to scrub my office chair once, and I was mortified.  I had to leave work more than once for leakage.  Was completely bled thru at a family event, and didn't know until ... halfway thru the picnic, and ran.  It was awful.

Also, I had gas like no one's business during the periods.  Like, where is this even coming from kinda gas?!  And not the kinda gas that swells you up - the kind that keeps coming out.  From the basement.

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16 hours ago, MarblesMom said:

Oh, and THIS.  Everything was scheduled around The Period. I had to scrub my office chair once, and I was mortified.  I had to leave work more than once for leakage. 

I know this feeling. I have been mortified on several occasions. And no amount of feminine hygiene product of choice is going to keep you from feeling like you aren't about to make a mess of everything.  I know it's tmi but at least I feel like I'm not the only one!  

We don't have nice sheets anymore. I can't. I've ruined so many of them. I'm terrified to sit on our couch for fear of leaking through. This is also why I wear mainly black bottoms. I wouldn't dare buy a light coloured skirt or pair of pants. I don't even bother with jeans half the time anymore.  

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14 minutes ago, Jeebusismycopilot said:

I know this feeling. I have been mortified on several occasions. And no amount of feminine hygiene product of choice is going to keep you from feeling like you aren't about to make a mess of everything.  I know it's tmi but at least I feel like I'm not the only one!  

We don't have nice sheets anymore. I can't. I've ruined so many of them. I'm terrified to sit on our couch for fear of leaking through. This is also why I wear mainly black bottoms. I wouldn't dare buy a light coloured skirt or pair of pants. I don't even bother with jeans half the time anymore.  

Little tip for those still going through this, puppy pads are awesome for keeping in the car and  the house for plopping under you on furniture, etc.. Barrier on the bottom keeps anything from staining the seat, fold up in the size you need them.  

Not something you want to explain to company, but it was nice to be able to watch a movie without worrying about the couch.

also when it happens at work (for some of is its not if, it's when) always keep a full cup of coffee or dark juice/soda and if you have to knock it over onto the chair.  I know - but yeah I've done it as I'd rather be seen as clumsy than the alternative.  

 

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1 minute ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Little tip for those still going through this, puppy pads are awesome for keeping in the car and  the house for plopping under you on furniture, etc.. Barrier on the bottom keeps anything from staining the seat, fold up in the size you need them.  

I have used similar. We have disposable bed pads that my mother used to use when changing my dad's urostomy pouch. They do work quite well at home, although as you said, not so great when company is over. I bought a dark blanket and I keep it on the couch for company visits and sort of perch myself on that in hopes it will work as a temporary measure. At work I have a plastic chair which wipes easily but the tough part is trying to do that quick spot check of the seat before getting up in front of a room full of students. 

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I urge you all to consider a Mirena.  I used to have really heavy periods, though not to the extent that some of you are describing.  They really impacted on my life though, and they were just getting heavier.  I had the Mirena inserted 4.5 years ago, and had cramping and spotting for a while, but no periods for 4 years now.  It's due to come out in March, and my doctor has advised a blood test to check my hormone levels to see whether I need another one (just turned 49, occasional hot flushes).  

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On 11/30/2015, 4:22:39, MarblesMom said:

I am peri-menopausal, but I have night sweats and hot flashes from time to time, too.  I kept my ovaries, so menopause is supposed to still happen... 

I also thought I was the only one who hurt when they ovulated.  I have never met anyone that admitted to it.  Yes, it is a real thing.  Ouch.

 

Oh, gosh yes. I have always had it -- it's called mittelschmerz. 

re: clots -- I get really large clots but usually only when I've been sitting for a while. I chalked it up to ... sitting, which sort of obstructs the flow or something. I prefer to use tampons whenever possible to avoid the big gush when standing, but I tell you what, even they can't stop it entirely. There's nothing worse than being out somewhere only to feel that gush. It's like insta-panic. Even though I use backup with tampons (always!), there's nothing worse than the sensation that things are going to overflow. 

(Sorry about the graphic imagery. Heavy periods have been the bane of my existence for 30 years now. They got better after I had kids, but they're still fairly heavy the first few days of my period). 

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I have the Paragard, and while I love the no hormones, it does seem like my entire uterine lining comes out in two or three large chunks on a monthly basis. My period lasts only about 4 days, but the clots are enormous. I've talked to a few doctors. I'm not anemic. It's just how I've reacted to the IUD. We no longer have stain-free sheets, because even sleeping on dark colored towels for a few days a month doesn't always contain the deluge.

My period did get a LOT more manageable after I lost a bunch of weight. I was having it for 10+ days every 2-3 months, but now that I'm down 60 lbs, I'm on a trackable 34 day cycle.

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