Understanding your Periods

• Pain medication – Using medication like Paracetamol and ibuprofen can reduce the pain, For them to work in the best way you should take them as soon as you feel the cramps.
• Applying Heat – Placing a heat source like a hot water bottle or hot wheat bag on your stomach or back can reduce the pain as it improves the heat flow, also a warm bath can help.
• Changing your position - When lying down positioning yourself on your side or on your back with a pillow under your knees can relive the pressure on your stomach.
• Changing your Products – Using pads or period underwear instead of tampons and menstrual cup can sometimes relive the discomfort.
• Moving around – Light exercise like a walk or swim can help with blood flow which can relive the pain.
• Sleep – Getting sleep and rest can relax your body. 7 to 9 hours is recommend espcaily on your heavier period days.
• Eating well – Avoid foods that cause water retention and bloating, such as fatty and salty food, Fizzy and/or Caffeine drinks
• Hormonal contraception – Some hormonal contraception like the pill, patch, implant and IUD can reduce the pain and period flow.

If you ever feel like this then you should seek medical advice from your GP:

• don't feel better after trying home treatments
• can't do your usual activities because of your symptoms
• have symptoms that don't go away after the first few days of your period
• feel very sad or hopeless
• ever think about hurting or killing yourself

Stress –In the same way that other bodily functions can be affected when you’re stressed (like your sleep or your bowel functions), your period can also be affected. A good place to start if you haven’t gotten your period in a while is to check in with your body about what might be causing you stress.

• Have you been staying up late studying every night?
• Have you been constantly worrying about something going on in your home or University life ?
• Are you worrying about family?
• Are you balancing homelife, University, and work?

Eating - Have you been skipping meals so your body doesn’t have enough energy to do processes important for your health like having a period? Or have you been over-exercising and not letting your body recover physically between sports practices? It’s really important to talk to someone about this, even if it seems normal to you. It’s a lot easier to talk it out and figure out what’s healthy early on, rather than continuing down a vicious cycle. You can consult with a trusted adult, a doctor, or speaking to the health and wellbeing team.

Pregnancy - If you have had penetrative sex since your last period, and now your next period is late, you could be pregnant. It can be scary, but it is super easy to take a pregnancy test, and then you’ll have more info about what might be going on. The sooner you take it, the more options you have, and it will always be up to you what you want to do next.

PCOS - PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. This is a very common disease where a woman’s hormones are unbalanced, meaning she might not get her period and she might notice excess body hair (for example on her face) or be gaining excess weight. It can make it harder for a woman to get pregnant when she wants, and it can increase the chance of diabetes. You should feel free to ask your doctor to help you figure out if you might have PCOS, because there’s various medications and lifestyle changes that can help! For example, starting a birth control pill could make your periods more regular.

Contraception - Different types of contraception methods can affect your period in different ways. People who have the hormonal IUD often won’t get their period anymore. That's totally normal and safe, but also it’s totally up to you—if you prefer to get your period every month, your doctor can provide you with other options.

What is it?

If you’ve had your period, you may have experienced cramps, been a little more tired than usual, or been a little more short tempered than usual. PMDD is similar to PMS (Pre-Menstrual Syndrome, which is experienced by most people that have periods) but presents with much more severe symptoms.

Symptoms

Like PMS, symptoms of PMDD usually begin 7-10 days before your period, although some experience symptoms as early as 2 weeks before the start of their cycle. These symptoms must be present to confirm a PMDD diagnosis.

One or more of the following:

• Extreme mood swings, increased sensitivity to rejection
• Irritability/anger and more fights with your friends/family than usual
• Depressed mood or self-deprecating thoughts
• Higher anxiety, tension, and feelings of being on-edge.

At least 5 of the following symptoms:

• Less interest in normal activities
• Difficulty with concentration
• Fatigue / tiredness
• Change in appetite: either overeating or undereating
• Hypersomnia (sleeping a lot) or insomnia (sleeping very little)
• Being overwhelmed or out of control
• Physical symptoms (weight gain, breast tenderness, back pain, etc.)

Diagnosis

Doctors may ask you to track your symptoms in a journal for a few months and will compare them to the criteria listed above. PMDD can be diagnosed by healthcare providers such as GP or gynecologist/.

Treatments

Treatment for PMDD could include taking medication such as antidepressants, changing your diet or taking supplementary vitamin pills, and therapy. You should talk to your doctor to create a treatment plan that works for you.

What is it?

PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a disorder where your body produces too many androgens. Androgens are the male sex hormone and are usually present in females in small quantities, but a lot more is produced in people with PCOS. A person with PCOS may have many small cysts in their ovaries, producing even more androgens.

Symptoms

While the cause of PCOS is not known, you may be more likely to have it if other people in your family have it. Other symptoms include:

• Missed/abnormal periods
• Excessive body hair
• Weight gain
• Skin tags or dark skin patches on the back of neck, under the armpits, or below the breasts
• Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair

Diagnosis

PCOS is diagnosed through ultrasounds and blood tests for androgens.

Treatments

Treatments include birth control, diabetes medication, changes in diet, and more. PCOS can lead to the development of other serious health problems, so talk to your GP to create a treatment plan that works for you.

What is it?

Endometriosis is a gynecological disorder (relating to the reproductive system) that affects about 20% of people who menstruate. During your period, you shed the tissue lining their uterus, called endometrial tissue. People with endometriosis develop this tissue outside their uterus like in their upper and lower stomach areas. Every month, this external tissue breaks down in response to hormonal changes, which can lead to bleeding and swelling in the lower stomach area as well as scarring of other tissue. Endometriosis can range from minimal to severe.

Symptoms

• Excessive menstrual cramps
• Heavy or abnormal menstrual flow
• Painful urination and/or bowel movements during your menstrual period

Diagnosis

Endometriosis can be diagnosed through a minor surgery called a laparoscopy. A doctor inserts a thin camera and tube into a small incision where they can examine tissues and the size of growths. They take a biopsy of tissue they suspect to be affected, and examine it under a microscope. Doctors may also choose to use ultrasounds, CT scans, and/or MRI scans to aid their diagnosis!

Treatments

Treatments depend on the extent of illness and can include pain medication, hormonal therapies, or surgeries to reduce growths and pain. As always, talk to your doctor to determine the best way for you to receive treatment.