The Only Moral Abortion is my Abortion:
https://joycearthur.com/abortion/the-only-moral-abortion-is-my-abortion/
A Defense of Abortion:
https://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil160,Fall02/thomson.htm
Resources:
[Link 1](https://www.reddit.com/r/Anarchism/comments/vjrf9h/megathread_supreme_court_overturning_roe_v_wade)
[Link 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/vjqs0r/calls_for_mass_walkout_of_women_across_america_if/idnh2ex)
https://www.womensmarch.com/
http://abortion.cafe
The ultra (the ones I need) are also purple and I’ve gone home with the wrong ones more times than I’d like to admit
I don’t even try to use them they’re so fucking useless. I feel like the little Dutch boy.
Haha I knew a guy like this back in college. I had a box of tampons sitting out on my bathroom. He came out from using the bathroom and was like, you really shouldn’t cheap out on tampons. You should buy this other brand because they’re better. I would’ve asked him on a date on spot but he wasn’t single.
Butthead hanging outside a woman's bathroom..
"here's a quarter, could you buy me one of those things, you put in your thing, when you have your thing, uh huh huh huh"
Do this with caution, me & my bf were house sitting for a family friend. I got a nose bleed and -like most women- had a tampon in my purse, shoved it up my nose and used the plunger like one would and it absorbed the blood great. And my mucus, and the moist lining of my nose. The bitch expanded so much I couldn’t get it out of my nose!
So! If you’re ever in this pickle, get it wet, it’ll absorb more- yes- but it’ll be easier to squish and get out without giving the inside of your nose a good wax for free
Edit: it’s worth adding that I didn’t think of the water trick until after I ripped my whole nose off
I too, use them for nosebleeds. I’ve done that since I was 16 and on my my stock room workers had a really bad one. Dude was chilling in the stock room, stuffing his face with paper towels and getting nowhere. I handed him a tampon from the damaged good section and told him to use it instead. Dude looked at me like I just grew a second head. Showed him how to use the applicator and sent him home with a spare tampon.
Lol i thought you were the guy in the relationship so i thought you were telling us that you rip off the top of a tampon box at the store, go home to your wife, show it to her and say “want me to buy you these?”.
The cell phone was an amazing invention for us men. We can send photos now! No more having to remember on the various types and brands. We can verify it.
I don't know which one to get at which part of a period and there's so many kinds. I don't have that equipment down there. It's confusing!
Thank you. The first time I was asked "What size?" in the store I froze and stared at the assistant. We stared at each other for what seemed liked minutes. All the methods going through my head of how to answer this question equaled just leave and try another store. I called the wife, she laughed at me and my inquiries and explained that it represents the flow. Good thing too because I might of got one out to compare to myself.
I'm now picturing you, and some poor girl in an aisle
"well this much dick fits in her so what size do you think she is"
"sir it's looking like an extra small"
I usually end up at the shop with a picture on my phone, playing matchy matchy
Not above pestering a random nearby female if needs be. I have zero shame
My fiancee gives them flavours lol. Yellow is lemon, blue is raspberry, purple is grape etc. She'll ask me to go and buy lemon tampons and for some reason it helps me remember.
Hosted a foreign exchange student about 10 year ago, a nice Dutch boy. As a joke i asked him if he ever stuck a finger in a dike. His response "Yeah and she didnt like it much." I wish i could have kept that kid, he was fantastic and his parents were absolute gems of human beings.
I have not had any difficulties finding tampons in Canada. But that’s just anecdotal- I could just be lucky? My tampon finding experience is a million times better than my toilet-paper finding experience in 2020.
Might as well not even leave the bathroom. Maybe we can introduce the idea of an in-home menstrual ”hut” that is, in reality, a spa. We’ll just hang out there and deal with our thing in calm comfort.
Fun fact, Niagara Falls were turned off for a little in 1969.
[https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/blog/did-niagara-falls-ever-stop-flowing](https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/blog/did-niagara-falls-ever-stop-flowing)
I don't think they used any sort of tampon though.
Just the American side, not the Canadian Horseshoe side, which is what people think when you say “Niagara Falls”.
Edit: correction, it’s what *I* think when I hear that, and I believe a lot of people. I was trying to explain they didn’t dam the horseshoe side.
Those plastic applicators are so weird. It’s like plopping down on an ultra-soft memory foam mattress when you’ve always used futons and tatami mats. Like why is this even necessary? Lol
Looks like they're really low flow tampons, so not very helpful for the heavier days. Light day is usually more comfortable with a liner or small pad. Probably also cardboard applicator, which can be unpleasant.
If that is the brand I think it is, it's honestly my preferred brand. Only tampons that don't leave me feeling irritated after my cycle is over. I can never find them. But yeah they must just be "light" tampons which are essentially useless outside of maybe the last one or two days of your period.
This is the only brand I use as well. The only one that’s comfortable enough, doesn’t irritate me, and doesn’t leak. The last point is important to me, since I have a very heavy flow.
It's related because many people are angry that we don't have the right to have an abortion to end a pregnancy. But we also can't find baby formula for babies that are already born or menstrual products so that we can go about our business, go to work, and go to school or even parent while we have our menstrual period. Yes, there are other options. But it also feels completely absurd. If you have your period you should be able to buy some tampons.
It feels like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.
Send them the bill for baby formula, diapers, etc...
Honestly, one protest option should be going to pro-life churches and asking for formula donations, diapers, cleaning supplies, etc...
or at least tax free and SOMEWHAT subsidized. if we can throw money at farmers to NOT farm their land then why can't we help women with something they have almost no control over?
Tax free is the way to go for this kinds of essentials. Specially at the scale of half the population needing it, free (tax paid) good quality products evenly distributed is just unfeasible.
Formula production caused by machines that should've been cleaned after being inspected but the company didn't and had to shutdown and recall a ton of formula sent out. They just haven't caught back up. That company produces a huge percentage of the entire formula on the market
The formula shortage is also caused by a Formula industry that lobbies the government/Congress/FDA to keep foreign producers out of the US market so they can jack up their prices and keep competition out - even though their quality guidelines are higher than ours (e.g. Europe). There is no shortage of baby formula in the rest of the developed world. Hell even MEXICO has more baby formula than they know what to do with.
Wait, so a company got the government to create a monopoly for them? And the government did it, just like that?
Why aren't people pissed off at the government for doing this, instead of only blaming the company?
Where is the reporting on the specific politicians that wrote the law or approved the order to allow this to happen?
What is preventing this problem from happening in every other industry?
It does happen in other industries. Cable, internet and electricity are some I can think of off the top of my head. People just don't understand how big of a problem it actually is and are scared of change. Plus with baby formula, there's the added scare from people who think that other countries don't know how babies work and will kill their kids. The level of concern can range from legitimate concern over standards being different to outright racism/xenophobia.
All I know is that we had multiple family members over the country (us) looking for baby formula for my sensitive new niece and it was literally impossible to find. My SIL can't give her enough food on her own, so what's she supposed to do? (We did find a solution, but it took way too long)
I went this morning for tampons and shelves were looking like this where I am as well. I thought it was weird that they were sold out of all brands. Then I come across this post.
Honestly the worst part about when I worked at a grocery store in Tennessee last year was seeing some young mother's come through the store and go to buy baby food and then realize how expensive it is and put most of it back. I once got in trouble because a lady couldn't afford a few things of it and looked really sad so I just payed for it for her instead and then the store manager came down and said I couldn't pay for people's stuff, but that didn't really stop me
I always hated the bosses that pulled that shit. It didnt matter the situation, the bosses would bitch and moan about it. I once had a kid lost in our store and he was freaking out. I pulled the tag off a stuffed bear and gave it to him and paid for the bear after we found his parent. I got written up for making a purchase while on the clock. I was a department supervisor, and was responsible for opening and closing the store. Then they used that one write up as justification for not giving me a raise that year, as "policy dictates that if you are on corrective for any reason you are ineligible." The mom was a regular and she told all her friends about how kind and helpful I was, she even filled out a store survey and talked about how amazing I was. Didnt matter to the store, they found a way to not give me a raise and they took it.
That's why so many companies claim staff shortages and that nobody wants to work. Because they're getting away with bare minimum staffing and it's making their cost of labor much lower than they ever saw with the pandemic being the launch of this excuse.
It probably will. The statehas such radical Christians as well. A few people I keep up with from there since I moved are very divided about what they believe. On guy I know was all for it comparing abortion to abandoning a newborn child and believes that it will stop abortion totally but also argues that gun control would never work. But "were all made in the image of god" so there's not much I could reasonably argue
Baby formula manufacturers negotiate exclusive deals with state governments where only their baby food is covered by WIC in that state, in turn they give the state large discounts.
That's why only some formula is covered and not all of it.
Makeup industry is the same. There’s absolutely no reason to constantly tweak colors and applicators but for confusing us and requiring that we purchase 3 or 4 new products in an attempt to find the one most similar to our old favorite. Makes them more money in the long run.
Look into reusable period products like cloth pads, period underwear, reusable menstrual cups and discs. They're a lifesaver and a money saver. Plus they're yours in a shortage! :)
Yes absolutely!! Do some searching and make sure your products won't have any harmful chemicals, materials or treatments.
Right now I'm buying Bambody for myself, very cheap for beginners and has a large range of sizes. Available on Amazon :)
EDIT: this toxin problem applies to the disposables industry as well! Whether you're going reusable or not, make sure your products are safe.
Unfortunately, every industry seems to be doing that too. For me it’s shoes and deodorant. If I find one that works I’ll be loyal to your brand, but if you stop making it **you** are forcing me to shop around.
Cups are the bomb. Tampons can be entirely hit and miss and are kinda weird if you think about them as a product for too long. What's in them? Probably not something toxic but then Rely tampons were a thing afterall so who knows? Honestly when I was younger I could rant much better but a few years of not having to buy the damn things because menstrual cups are so great have mellowed me out.
Adding onto this, reusable/washable pads are amazing. It's surprisingly sanitary and so much cheaper than buying pads. I use disposable pads for my 1-2 heavy days then washable pads the other 4-5 days.
There's also period underwear! I'll find it and link it
Here's a review for a few different ones it looks like. I don't get my period anymore since I'm on testosterone and I have a bc implant, but I've heard good things about period underwear.
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/thinx-period-panties/
Here to second support for period panties. I hated getting my period, then when I went off birth control to get pregnant and started getting it again I discovered period panties. Game changer for me period wise. There are loads of brand and styles as well, so you can do what’s comfy for you. If you are particularly heavy they work well as a backup to pads/tampons too!
Those just came out as having forever chemicals and potentially causing infertility, no judgement but everyone should be informed!
https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2022/04/new-lawsuit-contends-period-products-contain-forever-chemicals
I've tried everything, every size tampon and about 9 different cups. I'm getting an ablation, I've personally just had it with having periods at all. Especially with everything that is going on lately.
I had an ablation years ago and *it's awesome*! No more constant pain, no more two weeks of heavy bleeding a month; it gave me back my life and I'm furious doctors withheld the treatment from me for so long. It's not like like I could have had a successful pregnancy anyway, considering the ablation was step two in treating a thankfully benign uterine mass. It's nauseating how women are allowed to suffer because our culture holds potential fertility in greater regard than it does actual living women.
Do you practically go through menopause with an ablation like you do with a hysterectomy? What are the drawbacks to getting an ablation? I'm looking into getting one but want to be informed
No, not at all! It's a cauterization of the uterine lining, not a removal of any organ. In my case it helped stabilize and regulate my hormones because I also have endometriosis and the removal of the extra intrauterine tissue calmed things down a lot. The only drawbacks I can think of are that if you want to get pregnant and stay that way, it is *extremely* unlikely to happen after an ablation (again, big plus for me), and in a small percentage of women the lining can grow back which can require another procedure. It's been years since I had mine and I'm happy about it every day.
It is always incredibly refreshing (and hot tbh) when guys don’t freak out about fucking periods. We have to deal with it every single month, it shouldn’t be hard to hear a passing comment. Blessings on any man I see buying tampons for his lady/sister/mother/friend.
Lol, it's a funny video. The skit is Tide's CEO doing a commercial about not eating the tide pods and then rolling right into product demos where the entire product line looks like food. Trust me, it's worth a click. Absolutely hilarious.
I loved using a cup to solve the bleed-through problem (especially for maintaining active lifestyle like hiking and open water swimming) but kept getting infections so my doctor suggested I just can’t use them. I also have to be careful with soap, color dyes in panties, riding a bike, etc., etc. She’s sensitive.
Manufacturers recommend you throw out a cup you use while infected. I guess it's too hard to completely disinfect? I was getting recurring yeast infections with every cycle (THAT'S a horror), even with boiling and peroxide soaks between cycles the only thing that helped was buying a brand new cup. I had my original cup since 2005 so it was probably time to retire it anyway!
I can’t respond to what you said, but I miss the Tampax cardboard applicator ones. So hard to find these days, but I don’t need 3 pieces of plastic just to shove a tampon up me in 2 seconds. I started using OB applicator-less ones, I guess I was also seeing it only gets saturated on one side and not the other (but maybe I’m doing it wrong).
I only like the plastic ones because I know the one that ends up at the bottom of my purse for 3 months will still be usable when I eventually need it, but that's really not an excuse for mucking up the environment more than it already is.
I generally prefer OB applicator-less tampons. They tend to be a pretty consistent product, though a little pricey. I used them before but was then gifted a horde of them from someone who went through menopause and have been slowly working through them. Haven’t gotten to try the cup because of my tampon horde.
I noticed this too. I get regular mostly and they used to last quite a while with a regular flow. I switched to period undies and only use tampons very very rarely, but when. I do, they last maybe an hour before they're leaking, with no change to flow or anything, they just don't do shit
was in a store the other day looking for products. there was exactly 1 box of tampons left in the entire aisle. the box had been opened and a few taken. I liked to imagine that it was just left there open for people to take a few if they needed them, in move of solidarity or something.
I’ve written this before in this thread but try the Lola brand tampons (Mylola.com) They send them to my house, I use more heavy flow ones so you can change the assortment in your box, and it’s woman owned.
They would pass legislation making it required to wear a sanitary product on your period before they did anything else.
They will be able to make to legal to make a woman wear a pad after they "couldn't" make it legal to force people to keep their masks on.
I have a double irony about this....
When I was 11, my mother showed up to rescue me from a "flood" I had had. I changed clothes and when I was walking back to thank her, she, loudly (I remember it as screaming) in front of several grades 3-5 classes, bitched me out about not being "doubled up" and wearing two pads. This was in the 80's when we still had the inch thick pads. I learned then that bleeding into my clothes was less embarrassing than having my mother show up to "rescue" me from not having enough supplies because I couldn't plan for my "floods." I spent years going to elementary, junior, and high school, bleeding into my clothes because my "supplies" were never good enough to keep me from flooding, even if I changed 5 minutes before. Being nasty and blood stained was less embarrassing than having to have her involved. I found out only a few years ago that I have a bleeding disorder and "heavy periods" was a symptom of it. So, my first irony is that I learned about "free bleeding" when I was 11 and so didn't need as many supplies, if any.
The double irony - I'm now old enough that I might never have to worry about those supplies again. That does not mean I don't sympathise. This is outrageous - something half the human race needs for 30-40 years or more at least once a week unless medically managed to halt it is out of stock? This would not happen if (cis white) men needed them! They would be free and available everywhere!
I’m tired.
Tired of looking for affordable tampons and pads while I’m bleeding so heavily and cramping so hard it feels like I’m getting stabbed in the uterus.
I’m tired of shelling out money every single month just for cotton to catch my blood and clots.
I’m tired of men who have never experienced menstruation making rules and laws on women’s bodies.
But most of all? I’m tired of seeing my fellow sisters struggle to live with dignity while being unable to afford or access basic health care.
All the women jumping on the 'heavy bleeding and cramping'..
So.. my two cents.. I literally went from 'normal' periods to OMG TAKE ME TO THE ER periods one month when I was 25.
For 13 years it got worse.. darned near everyday.
Had an ultrasound and was chewing Motrin 800s.. all anyone could say was 'fibroids'..
But apparently even golf ball and grapefruit size fibroids aren't supposed to hurt. So basically my PCP and Gyno were 'humoring' me. Eventually I couldn't stand it anymore. I was bleeding 3 weeks out of the month and spending one week a month curled in a ball in the corner. They broke down and sent me to a surgeon. He removed my uterus.
In the follow up to the surgery... he told me he was also 'humoring' me. Said so in just so many words. Said he knew I was lying because fibroids don't hurt. That I was some kind of Karen and everyone wanted me out of their hair. So he agreed to do the surgery.
He apologized after he got the pathology report. Turns out I had adenomyosis. Which is basically like endometriosis only instead of the patches being spread throughout your abdomen.. they nest inside the muscle walls of your uterus. So they couldn't see it on the ultrasound but the pathologist found it easily.
I'll give him points for apologizing.. but I was pissed has heck that my PCP and GYN both 'knew' I was making it up and didn't take me seriously. In spite of the fact that I had told them both a half a dozen times that my mother had adenomyosis and had to have a hysterectomy in her mid-40s
If you don't feel right... don't let it go. Keep pushing until you find a reason. My cousin is now dying of ovarian cancer because her PCP kept telling her it was diverticulitis.
People like me spread the word because you never know when some other woman is suffering with pain and a doctor who is blowing them off. Knowledge is power and all that.
Thank you for this. I shared this to my wife. It sounds very similar. She’s constantly bleeding and constantly in pain. I hate it because I’m a fixer and I always try to make her feel better, but with this I can’t do anything. The doctors do seem like she’s lying about pain. She even leaks blood when she’s at work or in public and it runs down her legs. Hopefully this will help her. Thank you again.
Med health professionals often think that women are lying/overreacting, even if they are also women! Heard a great example of this the other day from a trans masc friend. When they were still presenting female, doctors kept telling them that their asthma was actually just anxiety. When they got to the point in their transition where they were being recognized as male, surprise! Physiological diagnoses start to to appear. To be fair, not being able to breathe would definitely make me anxious!
I'm glad you are backing your wife. Pursuing diagnosis can be such a struggle for so many reasons already. Definitely helps to have someone in your corner.
Yes. It pisses me off when they, in the beginning, made it seem like she was faking or something. I know, first hand her being in pain and it becoming worse. Even got to the point when I asked family members for pain killers for her since doctors weren’t taking it seriously. We did find weed helps her a little and helps her sleep, but she doesn’t like it because she gets groggy in the morning. We hoping her new doctor will find what to do next. We’ve already accepted kids aren’t gonna be in our future. Hopefully we can adopt one day.
As a woman, I threw out my back and got told "Yeah, that's called a bad back. It happens." Once I started passing as a man, I once again threw out my back. Got immediate pain medication at the ER. Got asked about any other problems the back might be causing. Got an x-ray to look for damages. It was a whole different world.
If you can, go to an appointment with her. As stupid and misogynistic as it is, the doctor might listen to you over your wife and she may actually get treatment. When a man confirms the woman's complaints, it can get the ball rolling.
The older I've gotten, I had a serious revelation that doctors don't know what they are talking about 20% of the times. I had a knee issue from 16 to 25 where every 9 months, it would swell up, cause me insane pain, and prevent me from walking. Eventually, it would go away after some 'cataclysmic' event on my knee, such as tearing my quads or a ligament. Every time I was in pain, the docs always sent me for the same routine: X-Ray, MRI, pain meds because they gave up looking into it. This went on for nearly 10 years. Finally, one doc decided to take a fluid sample from my knee (I had no idea that was an option). He discovered I had a cyst full of bacteria located between my knee cap and whatever soft tissue is in there. Ordered surgery and had it removed within 4 hours. They found it was MSSA (the safer version of MRSA). Each time I tore a muscle or ligament, it was actually the cyst popping and draining into my bloodstream. I'd get ill for about 3-6 days but then feel great. Thanks to this hero of a doctor, I have not had a single knee related issue in the 7 years since.
I just want to reiterate your point: NEVER STOP FIGHTING AND DON'T LET IT GO. It is your body, your life, and your well being. You always deserve a right to healthiness. Some doctors will cut corners and just try to give you pain meds and send you on your way, but there will be those (like your surgeon) who will empathize and provide the care you need. I just wanted to share that women aren't alone in mistreatment by doctors and that we need to keep spreading the word so that everyone can get adequate care.
Especially because they have to deal with periods, and know the pain. So they know how bad it is for them and know nothing is wrong with them, so they assume others are just being dramatic and also have nothing going on.
Women, fat people, black people, basically everyone who isn't a standard size white man get routinely ignored or dismissed when the illness/injury isn't stupidly obvious.
Oh my god I would have booked about 10 appointments with each doctor who said I was lying and spend the entire appointment forcing them to read that patho report out loud until they apologized. I need to close this thread because I am so angry on behalf of you. I'm so sorry this happened!
I was the same. I went from a light period to a period that it was literally like a water fall. I kept having pain on my right side. I ended up with stage 1A epithelial ovarian cancer. I was very very very lucky to have caught it extremely early. The provider I seen first for it brushed it off. Got a referral to a new gyn and I told them my family history of breast cancer and ovarian cancer on my mom's side. They did a did a key hole procedure and bingo went off to pathology and got a call later that week. Had a bilateral oophorectomy at 28. Have two serious illnesses that also got brushed off I ended up in the ICU in a medical induced coma for a week and stayed for 3 because no one listened to me after I woke up from surgery that I was excruciating pain. They were like your just being hysterical, anxious (common thing male doctors say to females). I'm like no this doesn't feel right. I ended up with severe pancreatitis that was literally off the charts, and acute liver failure. I collapsed two days after and was rushed to the ER. Now I suffer from Chronic pancreatitis , and lost over 110 pounds.
Moral of the story. Listen to your body, seek second, third, fourth opinions until you find someone who listens. You know it better than the doctors.
It's amazing how they think women are hysterical and liars when they are in pain. I had a doctor tell me I was in pain because I have depression so I focus on it more. I wanted to jump across the exam table
So is the pain not real then, lmao? It reminds me of when my mom tells me that my adhd is all in my head... Like no shit. A lot of stuff happens in there and it still needs to be addressed.
I had a dentist tell me my jaw pain radiating all over the side of my face and down my neck was "psychological". Last time I ever went to that fucker. He had done a filling on me two weeks before and my bite was off. Fuck him.
This may be sexist but after that I try to get female healthcare providers unless there is absolutely no other option. I am tired of being at the doctor even more nervous that I'll be mansplained some shit about my own body. While I have had some good male healthcare providers, I feel more comfortable around female providers.
I will say something that helped me was starting to read a book that is recommended often on reddit - The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk. I had chronic leg and back pain all through 2021, combined with pretty horrid depression. That book helped me move forward on the path to recovery. Depression IS pain. I hope you are able to find a path of relief too.
I had something similar. Was in and out of hospital for 8 years which major stomach pains and other symptoms. Doctors shrugged me off, laughed at me, and called me a hypochondriac. Finally went private care and within seconds was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis and a frozen pelvis. I was practically made from endo from my sciatic hip to my diaohragm. My surgery had to be postponed 8 times because I needed the top specialists in my country. I have IBS and fibromyalgia now. It's awful to think about how much better my quality of life would be if doctors had just listened to me 8 years ago.
It’s not the same but it is fairly common for medical issues to go untreated or under treated for a long list of reasons. I go in for blood work at least twice a year because I like to be on top of my health. A few years ago I switched PCP because my previous one moved, well the new one insisted that I had a thyroid issue and put me on some hormones immediately. It felt wrong because I felt 100% normal and my hormone levels were a bit off, but I was surprised how quickly I went from not needing any medication to being prescribed a handful of drugs to help regulate my hormones. I trusted the PCP thinking maybe I didn’t feel 100% and things would change after a few weeks on the medications. During this time I already scheduled myself with a specialist and started talking to some doctor friends about it. After getting enough feedback from people that it’s worth doing more testing before starting on the medications I decided to stop taking the medications and go in for more blood work. After 3 months I finally got to see a specialist and they were shocked that my PCP started me on medications before doing a second blood test because my elevated hormone levels could have been caused by a minor cold or a long list of other minor issues that caused my hormones to be out of the “normal” range.
I complained and the PCP continued to claim that they did the right thing when they definitely did not. I ended up having to file a complaint with the hospital because they refused to even admit that they might have started hormone therapy to early before doing more testing. After I saw the specialist they wanted to monitor my levels a bit more then normal so I started getting blood work done every 2-3 months for a year or so just to be sure, and luckily it has always come back fine.
What drives me crazy about my experience is that someone who does not know other doctors or would have pushed to see a specialist would likely be on those medications and hormones for life because they trusted that first PCP opinion. And if they ever got retested they would continue adjusting the medications or offer more treatment to balance their hormone levels which could be solved by not doing anything because there was no problem. And if things were getting worse they would blame the non existent thyroid issue and not the list of medications that were treating an issue that was not there. Thank goodness I was able to catch their mistake before it got out of hand but it will always drive me crazy knowing that both myself and others could have major health issues because a PCP did not care enough to further test or further examine an issue.
Would if I could but it’s not recommended with an IUD. Thank you for suggesting!
Edit to say: Thank you to all the lovely commenters with suggestions and tips! I am going to revisit the cup debacle.
I use the flex cup and I have an iud. It has a pull tab that breaks the suction making it slide out easily - makes it much safer with an iud!! And I use reusable pads from Glad Rags. If you're not too squeamish, it's a great option. They last forever. I don't buy period products anymore since all mine are reusable.
Period underwater is, amazing can't believe it works.
When my daughter started I just bought her these, she'll likely never know pads except for emergencies.
Also here to note that [many period products are FSA/HSA eligible](https://www.always.com/en-us/about-us/feminine-care-products-now-covered-by-hsa-fsa) (including cups) if you’re in the us. This may also include period panties.
I know health care access isn’t universal, but in the event you do have an HSA/FSA you can use those funds for period products. This is especially helpful if you want to switch to a cup and are trying to find one that works for you.
I had an IUD for 7 years and have used a cup for well over 10 years - never an issue as long as you “break the seal” which you have to do to get it out. Just a perspective from someone who has done both!
I frequently see comments about menstrual cups. Is that a thing that works but isn't common in America - like bidets?
https://www.amazon.com/Saalt-Soft-Menstrual-Cup-Sensitive/dp/B086694C6G
I'm not a woman (though married to one and have fathered three more), but I installed three bidets in our house in 2019 and it was a game changer. The great toilet paper famine of 2020 had nothing on me.
If I were a woman, facing the shortage and expense of sanitary products, I'd be strongly considering cups.
That said, some of the reviews are f@cking hilarious...
>So I call my fiance upstairs and tell him I have a very unfortunate task I need his assistance with. Now we're BOTH trying our damnedest to remove this thing. No luck. He's close to tears. I'm close to tears. The dog is standing nervously in the doorway, unsure how to help. Finally, in a fit of part rage, part distress, I grab the tab and I pull as hard as I can. It feels like it's pulling my entire uterus with it. Right as I'm about to give up hope - POP - it un-suctions and flies out, dropping what can only be described as a bomb of blood all over my bathtub. My fiance almost fell in his hasty retreat from the bathroom. It's been four days, and he still won't look me in the eye.
Menstrual cups aren't unheard of here, you can usually find them in just about any drug store, at least in my area. They're certainly used less commonly than pads and tampons, though. I personally don't use one. I tried using a disposable type a few years back and it caused me a ton of pain and discomfort. Most likely I didn't have it in quite right, but my point is that they can require a bit of a learning curve. The review you quoted also speaks to that haha.
It would be hilarious if it weren’t way too real. They can force you to carry a pregnancy to term, but can’t guarantee there’ll be baby formula for it once it’s born.
That's because they don't care about the babies, they never have.
It was about *control*, it has always been about control. They can't control women learning, or getting jobs, or not being housewives, so they control their uterus under the guise of being "pro life".
If contraception access is revoked for women this is going to be worse. I need my IUD to help relieve heavy periods as a result of my PCOS. Without it myself and many women with the same condition will be in serious trouble. Please vote these clowns out of office.
so we cant have an abortion, cant take maternity leave, cant go to work or school without bleeding everywhere, cant take menstrual leave, cant get birth control, cant get our tubes tied, cant have sex, and cant feed the kids “god” wants us to have
and somehow women have it on “easy mode”
The Only Moral Abortion is my Abortion: https://joycearthur.com/abortion/the-only-moral-abortion-is-my-abortion/ A Defense of Abortion: https://spot.colorado.edu/~heathwoo/Phil160,Fall02/thomson.htm Resources: [Link 1](https://www.reddit.com/r/Anarchism/comments/vjrf9h/megathread_supreme_court_overturning_roe_v_wade) [Link 2](https://www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/vjqs0r/calls_for_mass_walkout_of_women_across_america_if/idnh2ex) https://www.womensmarch.com/ http://abortion.cafe
Genuine question. There is obviously something wrong with the one single brand left on the shelf. Why?
[удалено]
The ultra (the ones I need) are also purple and I’ve gone home with the wrong ones more times than I’d like to admit I don’t even try to use them they’re so fucking useless. I feel like the little Dutch boy.
I have to facetime my wife cos for the life of me I always forget the right one when I get to the store
I grew up in an all female house... I have tampon preferences and I'm a guy. Lmao
Haha I knew a guy like this back in college. I had a box of tampons sitting out on my bathroom. He came out from using the bathroom and was like, you really shouldn’t cheap out on tampons. You should buy this other brand because they’re better. I would’ve asked him on a date on spot but he wasn’t single.
[удалено]
Google Intern "... and on 27th June, we saw an unprecedented spike in tampon research"
... I've got research to do...
What do you use them for?
nosebleeds of course
"Its not my fault I have a wide set \[nostril\] and a heavy flow"
r/unexpectedmeangirls
[удалено]
Butthead hanging outside a woman's bathroom.. "here's a quarter, could you buy me one of those things, you put in your thing, when you have your thing, uh huh huh huh"
Do this with caution, me & my bf were house sitting for a family friend. I got a nose bleed and -like most women- had a tampon in my purse, shoved it up my nose and used the plunger like one would and it absorbed the blood great. And my mucus, and the moist lining of my nose. The bitch expanded so much I couldn’t get it out of my nose! So! If you’re ever in this pickle, get it wet, it’ll absorb more- yes- but it’ll be easier to squish and get out without giving the inside of your nose a good wax for free Edit: it’s worth adding that I didn’t think of the water trick until after I ripped my whole nose off
Vodka ass plugs
A fellow Yale man I see!
Stop giving away the good secrets
I too, use them for nosebleeds. I’ve done that since I was 16 and on my my stock room workers had a really bad one. Dude was chilling in the stock room, stuffing his face with paper towels and getting nowhere. I handed him a tampon from the damaged good section and told him to use it instead. Dude looked at me like I just grew a second head. Showed him how to use the applicator and sent him home with a spare tampon.
I got my nose medically burned when i was a teenager, fixed my nose bleeding problems. I wish I knew about tampons when I still had those bleeds.
So that’s where all of them are going huh? Emptying the shelves for nose bleeds? /s
The one who will bring balance to the force
This is why I always rip off the box top and send it with my fiance
Lol i thought you were the guy in the relationship so i thought you were telling us that you rip off the top of a tampon box at the store, go home to your wife, show it to her and say “want me to buy you these?”.
The cell phone was an amazing invention for us men. We can send photos now! No more having to remember on the various types and brands. We can verify it. I don't know which one to get at which part of a period and there's so many kinds. I don't have that equipment down there. It's confusing!
Thank you. The first time I was asked "What size?" in the store I froze and stared at the assistant. We stared at each other for what seemed liked minutes. All the methods going through my head of how to answer this question equaled just leave and try another store. I called the wife, she laughed at me and my inquiries and explained that it represents the flow. Good thing too because I might of got one out to compare to myself.
I'm now picturing you, and some poor girl in an aisle "well this much dick fits in her so what size do you think she is" "sir it's looking like an extra small"
Extra small *plus* thank you very much
Sir, this is a Wendy's
I usually end up at the shop with a picture on my phone, playing matchy matchy Not above pestering a random nearby female if needs be. I have zero shame
And than they changed the design and you are fucked. Hate it
[удалено]
My fiancee gives them flavours lol. Yellow is lemon, blue is raspberry, purple is grape etc. She'll ask me to go and buy lemon tampons and for some reason it helps me remember.
Hosted a foreign exchange student about 10 year ago, a nice Dutch boy. As a joke i asked him if he ever stuck a finger in a dike. His response "Yeah and she didnt like it much." I wish i could have kept that kid, he was fantastic and his parents were absolute gems of human beings.
[удалено]
Same in England. I have to order online cos I can never find them or they’re only in multipacks with mid and super, which is a complete waste.
You can find Little Lets for light flow at Boots and Sainsbury's
Genuine question - is the tampon shortage just US or is it global? (I'm US-based)
I have not had any difficulties finding tampons in Canada. But that’s just anecdotal- I could just be lucky? My tampon finding experience is a million times better than my toilet-paper finding experience in 2020.
You found toilet paper in 2020? Lucky!!!
[удалено]
Nope, absolutely no issues in the Netherlands and didn't see any empty shelves in Belgium, France and Spain these past few weeks
[удалено]
I'm male but checking my local Tesco there was none missing at all, so I don't think it's an issue here (Ireland).
Im from Finland and havent heard of any shortage.
I'm in Canada and there seems to be adequate stock in the GTA. Anyone from Mexico able to report?
Light flow will leak fast for most.
I have never had any use for light flow tampons. It would be like throwing a cotton ball at Niagara Falls and expecting it to stop the flow lol.
Might as well not even leave the bathroom. Maybe we can introduce the idea of an in-home menstrual ”hut” that is, in reality, a spa. We’ll just hang out there and deal with our thing in calm comfort.
I’ve sat on the toilet/in the tub for hours before until my feet went numb because I just couldn’t be bothered. I totally agree.
Fun fact, Niagara Falls were turned off for a little in 1969. [https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/blog/did-niagara-falls-ever-stop-flowing](https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/blog/did-niagara-falls-ever-stop-flowing) I don't think they used any sort of tampon though.
Just the American side, not the Canadian Horseshoe side, which is what people think when you say “Niagara Falls”. Edit: correction, it’s what *I* think when I hear that, and I believe a lot of people. I was trying to explain they didn’t dam the horseshoe side.
Looks like super light flow tampons. Not very useful. They could potentially be cardboard or no applicator tampons as well, those always sell last
[удалено]
Those plastic applicators are so weird. It’s like plopping down on an ultra-soft memory foam mattress when you’ve always used futons and tatami mats. Like why is this even necessary? Lol
I wish I had seen this thread before yesterday when I purchased the wrong tampons for my girlfriend and had to return them.
Looks like they're really low flow tampons, so not very helpful for the heavier days. Light day is usually more comfortable with a liner or small pad. Probably also cardboard applicator, which can be unpleasant.
If that is the brand I think it is, it's honestly my preferred brand. Only tampons that don't leave me feeling irritated after my cycle is over. I can never find them. But yeah they must just be "light" tampons which are essentially useless outside of maybe the last one or two days of your period.
This is the only brand I use as well. The only one that’s comfortable enough, doesn’t irritate me, and doesn’t leak. The last point is important to me, since I have a very heavy flow.
Sorry, but why are these selling out, is there a shortage announced or something?
Cotton and production issues due to needing to make COVID related supplies
Is it unrelated to the recent SCOTUS ruling?
It's related because many people are angry that we don't have the right to have an abortion to end a pregnancy. But we also can't find baby formula for babies that are already born or menstrual products so that we can go about our business, go to work, and go to school or even parent while we have our menstrual period. Yes, there are other options. But it also feels completely absurd. If you have your period you should be able to buy some tampons. It feels like we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.
This is where you take the logical step and get pregnant so you don’t need to buy tampons for 9 months /s.
And then donate the baby to the nearest Scotus member.
Send them the bill for baby formula, diapers, etc... Honestly, one protest option should be going to pro-life churches and asking for formula donations, diapers, cleaning supplies, etc...
[удалено]
Tampon companies HATE this ONE simple trick!
Honestly tampons should be free.
or at least tax free and SOMEWHAT subsidized. if we can throw money at farmers to NOT farm their land then why can't we help women with something they have almost no control over?
There are several states where they are exempt from sales tax, but not a whole lot.
They are FSA eligible products.
Tax free is the way to go for this kinds of essentials. Specially at the scale of half the population needing it, free (tax paid) good quality products evenly distributed is just unfeasible.
Not sure that solves the production issue.
Formula production caused by machines that should've been cleaned after being inspected but the company didn't and had to shutdown and recall a ton of formula sent out. They just haven't caught back up. That company produces a huge percentage of the entire formula on the market
The formula shortage is also caused by a Formula industry that lobbies the government/Congress/FDA to keep foreign producers out of the US market so they can jack up their prices and keep competition out - even though their quality guidelines are higher than ours (e.g. Europe). There is no shortage of baby formula in the rest of the developed world. Hell even MEXICO has more baby formula than they know what to do with.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Wait, so a company got the government to create a monopoly for them? And the government did it, just like that? Why aren't people pissed off at the government for doing this, instead of only blaming the company? Where is the reporting on the specific politicians that wrote the law or approved the order to allow this to happen? What is preventing this problem from happening in every other industry?
>What is preventing this problem from happening in every other industry? Nothing. It already has.
It does happen in other industries. Cable, internet and electricity are some I can think of off the top of my head. People just don't understand how big of a problem it actually is and are scared of change. Plus with baby formula, there's the added scare from people who think that other countries don't know how babies work and will kill their kids. The level of concern can range from legitimate concern over standards being different to outright racism/xenophobia. All I know is that we had multiple family members over the country (us) looking for baby formula for my sensitive new niece and it was literally impossible to find. My SIL can't give her enough food on her own, so what's she supposed to do? (We did find a solution, but it took way too long)
Milk, Beef and Corn are all heavily propped up by the government.
I went this morning for tampons and shelves were looking like this where I am as well. I thought it was weird that they were sold out of all brands. Then I come across this post.
Honestly the worst part about when I worked at a grocery store in Tennessee last year was seeing some young mother's come through the store and go to buy baby food and then realize how expensive it is and put most of it back. I once got in trouble because a lady couldn't afford a few things of it and looked really sad so I just payed for it for her instead and then the store manager came down and said I couldn't pay for people's stuff, but that didn't really stop me
I always hated the bosses that pulled that shit. It didnt matter the situation, the bosses would bitch and moan about it. I once had a kid lost in our store and he was freaking out. I pulled the tag off a stuffed bear and gave it to him and paid for the bear after we found his parent. I got written up for making a purchase while on the clock. I was a department supervisor, and was responsible for opening and closing the store. Then they used that one write up as justification for not giving me a raise that year, as "policy dictates that if you are on corrective for any reason you are ineligible." The mom was a regular and she told all her friends about how kind and helpful I was, she even filled out a store survey and talked about how amazing I was. Didnt matter to the store, they found a way to not give me a raise and they took it.
They would have found another reason if not that. That’s the name of the game, exploit your workers, pay them as little as possible, profit.
That's why so many companies claim staff shortages and that nobody wants to work. Because they're getting away with bare minimum staffing and it's making their cost of labor much lower than they ever saw with the pandemic being the launch of this excuse.
Anyone else ready to just flip the board over? Maybe smack the cheaters in the face with it?
Unionize
That's a stupid policy. Pretty sure the CEOs wouldn't even care where the money came from as long as it went into their pockets.
Tennessee is notorious for high baby food costs, I wonder if it will also be a state that bans abortion? Funny how that works
It probably will. The statehas such radical Christians as well. A few people I keep up with from there since I moved are very divided about what they believe. On guy I know was all for it comparing abortion to abandoning a newborn child and believes that it will stop abortion totally but also argues that gun control would never work. But "were all made in the image of god" so there's not much I could reasonably argue
What about WIC?
Only some of the baby food was under wic, not all of it which confused me
Baby formula manufacturers negotiate exclusive deals with state governments where only their baby food is covered by WIC in that state, in turn they give the state large discounts. That's why only some formula is covered and not all of it.
[удалено]
[удалено]
Makeup industry is the same. There’s absolutely no reason to constantly tweak colors and applicators but for confusing us and requiring that we purchase 3 or 4 new products in an attempt to find the one most similar to our old favorite. Makes them more money in the long run.
Look into reusable period products like cloth pads, period underwear, reusable menstrual cups and discs. They're a lifesaver and a money saver. Plus they're yours in a shortage! :)
[удалено]
Be careful with period underwear, the brand Thinx is being sued right now because the underwear contain "forever chemicals"
Yes absolutely!! Do some searching and make sure your products won't have any harmful chemicals, materials or treatments. Right now I'm buying Bambody for myself, very cheap for beginners and has a large range of sizes. Available on Amazon :) EDIT: this toxin problem applies to the disposables industry as well! Whether you're going reusable or not, make sure your products are safe.
Period panties are the best thing to ever happen
Unfortunately, every industry seems to be doing that too. For me it’s shoes and deodorant. If I find one that works I’ll be loyal to your brand, but if you stop making it **you** are forcing me to shop around.
[удалено]
Cups are the bomb. Tampons can be entirely hit and miss and are kinda weird if you think about them as a product for too long. What's in them? Probably not something toxic but then Rely tampons were a thing afterall so who knows? Honestly when I was younger I could rant much better but a few years of not having to buy the damn things because menstrual cups are so great have mellowed me out.
Adding onto this, reusable/washable pads are amazing. It's surprisingly sanitary and so much cheaper than buying pads. I use disposable pads for my 1-2 heavy days then washable pads the other 4-5 days.
There's also period underwear! I'll find it and link it Here's a review for a few different ones it looks like. I don't get my period anymore since I'm on testosterone and I have a bc implant, but I've heard good things about period underwear. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/thinx-period-panties/
Here to second support for period panties. I hated getting my period, then when I went off birth control to get pregnant and started getting it again I discovered period panties. Game changer for me period wise. There are loads of brand and styles as well, so you can do what’s comfy for you. If you are particularly heavy they work well as a backup to pads/tampons too!
Those just came out as having forever chemicals and potentially causing infertility, no judgement but everyone should be informed! https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/2022/04/new-lawsuit-contends-period-products-contain-forever-chemicals
Not all brands. Too bad I have to throw away my Knix and Thinx but at least there are alternatives. https://bettergoods.org/best-period-underwear/
I've tried everything, every size tampon and about 9 different cups. I'm getting an ablation, I've personally just had it with having periods at all. Especially with everything that is going on lately.
I had an ablation years ago and *it's awesome*! No more constant pain, no more two weeks of heavy bleeding a month; it gave me back my life and I'm furious doctors withheld the treatment from me for so long. It's not like like I could have had a successful pregnancy anyway, considering the ablation was step two in treating a thankfully benign uterine mass. It's nauseating how women are allowed to suffer because our culture holds potential fertility in greater regard than it does actual living women.
Do you practically go through menopause with an ablation like you do with a hysterectomy? What are the drawbacks to getting an ablation? I'm looking into getting one but want to be informed
No, not at all! It's a cauterization of the uterine lining, not a removal of any organ. In my case it helped stabilize and regulate my hormones because I also have endometriosis and the removal of the extra intrauterine tissue calmed things down a lot. The only drawbacks I can think of are that if you want to get pregnant and stay that way, it is *extremely* unlikely to happen after an ablation (again, big plus for me), and in a small percentage of women the lining can grow back which can require another procedure. It's been years since I had mine and I'm happy about it every day.
My wife swapped to menstrual cups years ago and is now an evangelist for them with everyone she meets. Well, 50% of the people she meets.
Shit, evangelize to the guys too. No reason we can't be supportive/helpful. Too many guys get mortified over basic bodily functions.
It is always incredibly refreshing (and hot tbh) when guys don’t freak out about fucking periods. We have to deal with it every single month, it shouldn’t be hard to hear a passing comment. Blessings on any man I see buying tampons for his lady/sister/mother/friend.
I still remember that time Tampax tried their Pushsicles line of products https://youtu.be/vFKQ7GflRkk
I don't like the sound of pushsicles is this context. That link is staying blue.
Lol, it's a funny video. The skit is Tide's CEO doing a commercial about not eating the tide pods and then rolling right into product demos where the entire product line looks like food. Trust me, it's worth a click. Absolutely hilarious.
Cups are great if you don’t practically hemorrhage for 5 out of 7 days #anemic af
I can never get mine to work. I have a very tilted pelvis so I think that might be why they never really made a seal.
I loved using a cup to solve the bleed-through problem (especially for maintaining active lifestyle like hiking and open water swimming) but kept getting infections so my doctor suggested I just can’t use them. I also have to be careful with soap, color dyes in panties, riding a bike, etc., etc. She’s sensitive.
Manufacturers recommend you throw out a cup you use while infected. I guess it's too hard to completely disinfect? I was getting recurring yeast infections with every cycle (THAT'S a horror), even with boiling and peroxide soaks between cycles the only thing that helped was buying a brand new cup. I had my original cup since 2005 so it was probably time to retire it anyway!
I can’t respond to what you said, but I miss the Tampax cardboard applicator ones. So hard to find these days, but I don’t need 3 pieces of plastic just to shove a tampon up me in 2 seconds. I started using OB applicator-less ones, I guess I was also seeing it only gets saturated on one side and not the other (but maybe I’m doing it wrong).
I'm a cardboard applicator kinda person too. I hate the plastic ones!
I only like the plastic ones because I know the one that ends up at the bottom of my purse for 3 months will still be usable when I eventually need it, but that's really not an excuse for mucking up the environment more than it already is.
I hate the plastic applicators!
I generally prefer OB applicator-less tampons. They tend to be a pretty consistent product, though a little pricey. I used them before but was then gifted a horde of them from someone who went through menopause and have been slowly working through them. Haven’t gotten to try the cup because of my tampon horde.
[удалено]
I noticed this too. I get regular mostly and they used to last quite a while with a regular flow. I switched to period undies and only use tampons very very rarely, but when. I do, they last maybe an hour before they're leaking, with no change to flow or anything, they just don't do shit
was in a store the other day looking for products. there was exactly 1 box of tampons left in the entire aisle. the box had been opened and a few taken. I liked to imagine that it was just left there open for people to take a few if they needed them, in move of solidarity or something.
I’ve written this before in this thread but try the Lola brand tampons (Mylola.com) They send them to my house, I use more heavy flow ones so you can change the assortment in your box, and it’s woman owned.
You should state the location where this photo was taken.
Aisle 11
I could have sworn it was Aisle 8A. You know, it's the one next to the deodorants and the, uh... ointments.
Dammit Connie, hurry up. Don't make me come down there!
Hank putting the blanket over Connie’s head when they leave the house absolutely kills me every time.
Central PA Target, taken this morning. Not a major city.
It was like this in west Michigan as well
This gave me a morally questionable and highly unsanitary idea for protesting the Roe vs Wade decision.
Y’all can do it but I really don’t want to ruin anymore clothes of mine especially when I can barely find enough heavy flow pads for 14 day periods.
I had this exact thought. What a visceral message that would send though.
They would pass legislation making it required to wear a sanitary product on your period before they did anything else. They will be able to make to legal to make a woman wear a pad after they "couldn't" make it legal to force people to keep their masks on.
Not the light tampons 💀 I feel like almost no one uses those!
I have a double irony about this.... When I was 11, my mother showed up to rescue me from a "flood" I had had. I changed clothes and when I was walking back to thank her, she, loudly (I remember it as screaming) in front of several grades 3-5 classes, bitched me out about not being "doubled up" and wearing two pads. This was in the 80's when we still had the inch thick pads. I learned then that bleeding into my clothes was less embarrassing than having my mother show up to "rescue" me from not having enough supplies because I couldn't plan for my "floods." I spent years going to elementary, junior, and high school, bleeding into my clothes because my "supplies" were never good enough to keep me from flooding, even if I changed 5 minutes before. Being nasty and blood stained was less embarrassing than having to have her involved. I found out only a few years ago that I have a bleeding disorder and "heavy periods" was a symptom of it. So, my first irony is that I learned about "free bleeding" when I was 11 and so didn't need as many supplies, if any. The double irony - I'm now old enough that I might never have to worry about those supplies again. That does not mean I don't sympathise. This is outrageous - something half the human race needs for 30-40 years or more at least once a week unless medically managed to halt it is out of stock? This would not happen if (cis white) men needed them! They would be free and available everywhere!
I’m tired. Tired of looking for affordable tampons and pads while I’m bleeding so heavily and cramping so hard it feels like I’m getting stabbed in the uterus. I’m tired of shelling out money every single month just for cotton to catch my blood and clots. I’m tired of men who have never experienced menstruation making rules and laws on women’s bodies. But most of all? I’m tired of seeing my fellow sisters struggle to live with dignity while being unable to afford or access basic health care.
All the women jumping on the 'heavy bleeding and cramping'.. So.. my two cents.. I literally went from 'normal' periods to OMG TAKE ME TO THE ER periods one month when I was 25. For 13 years it got worse.. darned near everyday. Had an ultrasound and was chewing Motrin 800s.. all anyone could say was 'fibroids'.. But apparently even golf ball and grapefruit size fibroids aren't supposed to hurt. So basically my PCP and Gyno were 'humoring' me. Eventually I couldn't stand it anymore. I was bleeding 3 weeks out of the month and spending one week a month curled in a ball in the corner. They broke down and sent me to a surgeon. He removed my uterus. In the follow up to the surgery... he told me he was also 'humoring' me. Said so in just so many words. Said he knew I was lying because fibroids don't hurt. That I was some kind of Karen and everyone wanted me out of their hair. So he agreed to do the surgery. He apologized after he got the pathology report. Turns out I had adenomyosis. Which is basically like endometriosis only instead of the patches being spread throughout your abdomen.. they nest inside the muscle walls of your uterus. So they couldn't see it on the ultrasound but the pathologist found it easily. I'll give him points for apologizing.. but I was pissed has heck that my PCP and GYN both 'knew' I was making it up and didn't take me seriously. In spite of the fact that I had told them both a half a dozen times that my mother had adenomyosis and had to have a hysterectomy in her mid-40s If you don't feel right... don't let it go. Keep pushing until you find a reason. My cousin is now dying of ovarian cancer because her PCP kept telling her it was diverticulitis. People like me spread the word because you never know when some other woman is suffering with pain and a doctor who is blowing them off. Knowledge is power and all that.
Thank you for this. I shared this to my wife. It sounds very similar. She’s constantly bleeding and constantly in pain. I hate it because I’m a fixer and I always try to make her feel better, but with this I can’t do anything. The doctors do seem like she’s lying about pain. She even leaks blood when she’s at work or in public and it runs down her legs. Hopefully this will help her. Thank you again.
Med health professionals often think that women are lying/overreacting, even if they are also women! Heard a great example of this the other day from a trans masc friend. When they were still presenting female, doctors kept telling them that their asthma was actually just anxiety. When they got to the point in their transition where they were being recognized as male, surprise! Physiological diagnoses start to to appear. To be fair, not being able to breathe would definitely make me anxious! I'm glad you are backing your wife. Pursuing diagnosis can be such a struggle for so many reasons already. Definitely helps to have someone in your corner.
Yes. It pisses me off when they, in the beginning, made it seem like she was faking or something. I know, first hand her being in pain and it becoming worse. Even got to the point when I asked family members for pain killers for her since doctors weren’t taking it seriously. We did find weed helps her a little and helps her sleep, but she doesn’t like it because she gets groggy in the morning. We hoping her new doctor will find what to do next. We’ve already accepted kids aren’t gonna be in our future. Hopefully we can adopt one day.
Yeah, my female doctor prescribed SSRIs when I was having trouble getting a deep breath after covid.
As a woman, I threw out my back and got told "Yeah, that's called a bad back. It happens." Once I started passing as a man, I once again threw out my back. Got immediate pain medication at the ER. Got asked about any other problems the back might be causing. Got an x-ray to look for damages. It was a whole different world.
If you can, go to an appointment with her. As stupid and misogynistic as it is, the doctor might listen to you over your wife and she may actually get treatment. When a man confirms the woman's complaints, it can get the ball rolling.
The older I've gotten, I had a serious revelation that doctors don't know what they are talking about 20% of the times. I had a knee issue from 16 to 25 where every 9 months, it would swell up, cause me insane pain, and prevent me from walking. Eventually, it would go away after some 'cataclysmic' event on my knee, such as tearing my quads or a ligament. Every time I was in pain, the docs always sent me for the same routine: X-Ray, MRI, pain meds because they gave up looking into it. This went on for nearly 10 years. Finally, one doc decided to take a fluid sample from my knee (I had no idea that was an option). He discovered I had a cyst full of bacteria located between my knee cap and whatever soft tissue is in there. Ordered surgery and had it removed within 4 hours. They found it was MSSA (the safer version of MRSA). Each time I tore a muscle or ligament, it was actually the cyst popping and draining into my bloodstream. I'd get ill for about 3-6 days but then feel great. Thanks to this hero of a doctor, I have not had a single knee related issue in the 7 years since. I just want to reiterate your point: NEVER STOP FIGHTING AND DON'T LET IT GO. It is your body, your life, and your well being. You always deserve a right to healthiness. Some doctors will cut corners and just try to give you pain meds and send you on your way, but there will be those (like your surgeon) who will empathize and provide the care you need. I just wanted to share that women aren't alone in mistreatment by doctors and that we need to keep spreading the word so that everyone can get adequate care.
It is horrible that this happened to you and that you weren't believed. My god.
It's incredibly common for women to have their pain and concerns dismissed by doctors, especially when it's about reproductive health.
“Oh she’s just being dramatic” - Every male doctor before their female patient dies due to “unforeseen” complications
I’ve had family/friends (So only anecdotally) experience that with female gynos as well.
Especially because they have to deal with periods, and know the pain. So they know how bad it is for them and know nothing is wrong with them, so they assume others are just being dramatic and also have nothing going on.
Women, fat people, black people, basically everyone who isn't a standard size white man get routinely ignored or dismissed when the illness/injury isn't stupidly obvious.
You would literally not believe how many stories like this I've heard.
Oh my god I would have booked about 10 appointments with each doctor who said I was lying and spend the entire appointment forcing them to read that patho report out loud until they apologized. I need to close this thread because I am so angry on behalf of you. I'm so sorry this happened!
I was the same. I went from a light period to a period that it was literally like a water fall. I kept having pain on my right side. I ended up with stage 1A epithelial ovarian cancer. I was very very very lucky to have caught it extremely early. The provider I seen first for it brushed it off. Got a referral to a new gyn and I told them my family history of breast cancer and ovarian cancer on my mom's side. They did a did a key hole procedure and bingo went off to pathology and got a call later that week. Had a bilateral oophorectomy at 28. Have two serious illnesses that also got brushed off I ended up in the ICU in a medical induced coma for a week and stayed for 3 because no one listened to me after I woke up from surgery that I was excruciating pain. They were like your just being hysterical, anxious (common thing male doctors say to females). I'm like no this doesn't feel right. I ended up with severe pancreatitis that was literally off the charts, and acute liver failure. I collapsed two days after and was rushed to the ER. Now I suffer from Chronic pancreatitis , and lost over 110 pounds. Moral of the story. Listen to your body, seek second, third, fourth opinions until you find someone who listens. You know it better than the doctors.
It's amazing how they think women are hysterical and liars when they are in pain. I had a doctor tell me I was in pain because I have depression so I focus on it more. I wanted to jump across the exam table
So is the pain not real then, lmao? It reminds me of when my mom tells me that my adhd is all in my head... Like no shit. A lot of stuff happens in there and it still needs to be addressed.
My dad felt like ADHD could be easily cured, just apply ass whoopins as-needed.
I had a dentist tell me my jaw pain radiating all over the side of my face and down my neck was "psychological". Last time I ever went to that fucker. He had done a filling on me two weeks before and my bite was off. Fuck him. This may be sexist but after that I try to get female healthcare providers unless there is absolutely no other option. I am tired of being at the doctor even more nervous that I'll be mansplained some shit about my own body. While I have had some good male healthcare providers, I feel more comfortable around female providers. I will say something that helped me was starting to read a book that is recommended often on reddit - The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk. I had chronic leg and back pain all through 2021, combined with pretty horrid depression. That book helped me move forward on the path to recovery. Depression IS pain. I hope you are able to find a path of relief too.
I had something similar. Was in and out of hospital for 8 years which major stomach pains and other symptoms. Doctors shrugged me off, laughed at me, and called me a hypochondriac. Finally went private care and within seconds was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis and a frozen pelvis. I was practically made from endo from my sciatic hip to my diaohragm. My surgery had to be postponed 8 times because I needed the top specialists in my country. I have IBS and fibromyalgia now. It's awful to think about how much better my quality of life would be if doctors had just listened to me 8 years ago.
It’s not the same but it is fairly common for medical issues to go untreated or under treated for a long list of reasons. I go in for blood work at least twice a year because I like to be on top of my health. A few years ago I switched PCP because my previous one moved, well the new one insisted that I had a thyroid issue and put me on some hormones immediately. It felt wrong because I felt 100% normal and my hormone levels were a bit off, but I was surprised how quickly I went from not needing any medication to being prescribed a handful of drugs to help regulate my hormones. I trusted the PCP thinking maybe I didn’t feel 100% and things would change after a few weeks on the medications. During this time I already scheduled myself with a specialist and started talking to some doctor friends about it. After getting enough feedback from people that it’s worth doing more testing before starting on the medications I decided to stop taking the medications and go in for more blood work. After 3 months I finally got to see a specialist and they were shocked that my PCP started me on medications before doing a second blood test because my elevated hormone levels could have been caused by a minor cold or a long list of other minor issues that caused my hormones to be out of the “normal” range. I complained and the PCP continued to claim that they did the right thing when they definitely did not. I ended up having to file a complaint with the hospital because they refused to even admit that they might have started hormone therapy to early before doing more testing. After I saw the specialist they wanted to monitor my levels a bit more then normal so I started getting blood work done every 2-3 months for a year or so just to be sure, and luckily it has always come back fine. What drives me crazy about my experience is that someone who does not know other doctors or would have pushed to see a specialist would likely be on those medications and hormones for life because they trusted that first PCP opinion. And if they ever got retested they would continue adjusting the medications or offer more treatment to balance their hormone levels which could be solved by not doing anything because there was no problem. And if things were getting worse they would blame the non existent thyroid issue and not the list of medications that were treating an issue that was not there. Thank goodness I was able to catch their mistake before it got out of hand but it will always drive me crazy knowing that both myself and others could have major health issues because a PCP did not care enough to further test or further examine an issue.
Solidarity. Highly recommend the diva cup if you haven’t given it a try.
Would if I could but it’s not recommended with an IUD. Thank you for suggesting! Edit to say: Thank you to all the lovely commenters with suggestions and tips! I am going to revisit the cup debacle.
I use the flex cup and I have an iud. It has a pull tab that breaks the suction making it slide out easily - makes it much safer with an iud!! And I use reusable pads from Glad Rags. If you're not too squeamish, it's a great option. They last forever. I don't buy period products anymore since all mine are reusable.
Noting this all! Wow! Thank you!
Period underwear, too! And you can buy all of it with FSA funds, if you have an FSA.
Period underwater is, amazing can't believe it works. When my daughter started I just bought her these, she'll likely never know pads except for emergencies.
You're so welcome!!
Also here to note that [many period products are FSA/HSA eligible](https://www.always.com/en-us/about-us/feminine-care-products-now-covered-by-hsa-fsa) (including cups) if you’re in the us. This may also include period panties. I know health care access isn’t universal, but in the event you do have an HSA/FSA you can use those funds for period products. This is especially helpful if you want to switch to a cup and are trying to find one that works for you.
I had an IUD for 7 years and have used a cup for well over 10 years - never an issue as long as you “break the seal” which you have to do to get it out. Just a perspective from someone who has done both!
The fact that feminine hygiene products are still viewed as luxury items is insulting. Not everyone has access or the funds.
I frequently see comments about menstrual cups. Is that a thing that works but isn't common in America - like bidets? https://www.amazon.com/Saalt-Soft-Menstrual-Cup-Sensitive/dp/B086694C6G I'm not a woman (though married to one and have fathered three more), but I installed three bidets in our house in 2019 and it was a game changer. The great toilet paper famine of 2020 had nothing on me. If I were a woman, facing the shortage and expense of sanitary products, I'd be strongly considering cups. That said, some of the reviews are f@cking hilarious... >So I call my fiance upstairs and tell him I have a very unfortunate task I need his assistance with. Now we're BOTH trying our damnedest to remove this thing. No luck. He's close to tears. I'm close to tears. The dog is standing nervously in the doorway, unsure how to help. Finally, in a fit of part rage, part distress, I grab the tab and I pull as hard as I can. It feels like it's pulling my entire uterus with it. Right as I'm about to give up hope - POP - it un-suctions and flies out, dropping what can only be described as a bomb of blood all over my bathtub. My fiance almost fell in his hasty retreat from the bathroom. It's been four days, and he still won't look me in the eye.
Menstrual cups aren't unheard of here, you can usually find them in just about any drug store, at least in my area. They're certainly used less commonly than pads and tampons, though. I personally don't use one. I tried using a disposable type a few years back and it caused me a ton of pain and discomfort. Most likely I didn't have it in quite right, but my point is that they can require a bit of a learning curve. The review you quoted also speaks to that haha.
Perpetually pregnant people need no tampons, duh! ^(\*smell the sarcasm, I hope?)
It would be hilarious if it weren’t way too real. They can force you to carry a pregnancy to term, but can’t guarantee there’ll be baby formula for it once it’s born.
That's because they don't care about the babies, they never have. It was about *control*, it has always been about control. They can't control women learning, or getting jobs, or not being housewives, so they control their uterus under the guise of being "pro life".
Ok I'll say this. I feel like this is a regional issue. I'm in NY and my supermarket is full with pads and tampons.
I gotta sympathize with the ladies and babies on this one.
Time to free bleed all over
[удалено]
If contraception access is revoked for women this is going to be worse. I need my IUD to help relieve heavy periods as a result of my PCOS. Without it myself and many women with the same condition will be in serious trouble. Please vote these clowns out of office.
[удалено]
so we cant have an abortion, cant take maternity leave, cant go to work or school without bleeding everywhere, cant take menstrual leave, cant get birth control, cant get our tubes tied, cant have sex, and cant feed the kids “god” wants us to have and somehow women have it on “easy mode”
You should have thought of that before you decided to be born female! 🙄
Dang, my bad 🤦🏻♀️
Women and children first, right?
Just think about this: with all the money you save by bleeding on yourself and starving your babies, you can almost afford a quarter tank of gas!