I use bamboo washable pads and have done for bout five years now. That and a moon cup / menstrual cup. Tampons are for swim days or some exercise activity where I really need it.
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I’m so jealous of all of you who have eco-friendly options. Most of my years, until the Diva Cup arrived, I had no other options than heavily bleached tampons and pads. Yuck.
The good news? You get through! At least, I have! Some stops and starts and hiccups and - the past three months - a full battery of tests and EVERYTHING ultrasound-ed. But the bloodwork says I’m through! Post-menopausal M be freeeeeee!
My doc asked if I still had sweats and hot flashes, and how bad these were. I said I was trying to be curious about them, like a good Buddhist. He replied if that gets old, let him know, as some women report having them… into their 80s.
Uh, nope.
Hang in there, friends! This stuff is one day at a time too. 
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Period panties sound interesting, I kinda forgot they exist. The last time I had to wear pads that felt like a diaper. The really thick ones you need when you’re incontinent, plus tampon.
Wich period panties are good? I don’t know where to start 
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How are these? I’m trying to learn to be a Buddhist here and be curious. 
No holds barred, hit us with your knowledge here. I’m 45 and my Mom’s menopause looked brutal.
I was curious if I was heading into menopause but my hormone levels say no. The time between my periods is getting shorter so I am one of the lucky gals who gets to bleed 2x a month these days.
Consequently I am heading out to get a pizza to devour. The beast must be fed. Ha!
To anyone with cramps today I feel your pain.
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Part of my recovery this year is reclaiming my womb space. Connecting with the magical part of my body that I have pushed away, given away to men and held resentment towards. I have been experiencing a lot of pain due to some ovarian cysts and at first I was hell bent on getting rid if my ovaries. My tune has changed in the last six months, I can see where the relationship with my body has changed as I have slowly learned to love each part of it. I think that I will give my lady bits some more time, speak gentler to them, let them know I’m sorry and that I really do think they are a magical part of who I am.
Lets see if I can fix myself. 
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Ha! I hear they can be a whole lot worse than what I have. I have certainly had some of the 1-4 min episodes of flushing, when my body goes from normal to cranked-up greenhouse in no time, the humidity starts making my hair frizzy a la tropical vacation, heat (steam?) seeks escape from my clothing, of course my face is sweaty… all while, if in a work setting, I pretend everything is normal…
…but most of mine are gentler than that. More like a longer time of wavering between normal and increased temperatures. Jacket on, sweaty brow, jacket off, ooh a chill! Jacket on, (repeat this cycle countless times during the day).
Only a short while ago, while emotionally tucking into a bag of heavily processed organic vegan cheesies (“hippeas”), did I start reading up on how ayurvedic medicine treats hot flashes - they are caused by the normal imbalance between pitta and vata doshas as one transitions. Interesting stuff! (Cheesies of any kind not recommended, no surprise.)
I’m also going to talk to my acupuncturist. Apparently it can help some women.
Reframing my thinking about hot flashes has helped a ton. About the whole transition, to be fair.
One thing’s certain, they sure beat the hell out of a hangover. 
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For me, who’s always cold otherwise, and never sweat it’s definitely interesting waking up in the middle of the night sweating and nearly have a heat stroke 
Last night I put the fan on high and my husband claims that he had to hold on to his blanket to not blow away 
It passes after a few minutes, it can happen sometimes during the day too. Hot drinks seems to be a little of a trigger to hot flashes for me, so now when it’s warm outside I don’t drink them.
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This is super interesting, thank you.
The older I get the better I get at appreciating all the crazy waves that being a woman brings.
I look forward to those waves of heat and hormones more than daily alcohol + hormones any day.
Says the woman with 6 (not kidding) new pimples on my face this cycle. It beats not being able to meet your own eyes in the mirror.
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Spot dots are so good for this, and use a really nice and light water essence to keep the face clean before and after. I get hormonal spots too.
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I’ve heard that the spots might correlate to the ovary that releases the egg. This might be a wives tale but it is lodged in my brain.
I just changed face lotions too so this breakout is particularly bad.
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The big sad almost got me today. Lots of hopeless depressive thoughts in my head so I was pleased to open my period app to see I am due to start tomorrow. I’m not crazy or in a depressive funk, just hormonal.
And now I will eat my body weight in salted in-the-shell peanuts, followed by some cookies. All is well. No meltdown. But for a minute there…
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All the hugs! It will pass 
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Oooh ice cream sounds good. Thanks friend.
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I feel ya, I was like this end of last week.
But my body now loves to make jokes.
Day 1-3: bleeding a little or a little more
Day 4,5: done
Day 5-7: HAHAA, I was kidding! Here you have cramps, the sweats, the 
and don’t dare to sneeze or 
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Hahaha! My body’s new favorite joke is to have my period 2x per month.
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Don’t forget the Funfetti…
I am literally just over a crappy shit show of a period and look at my tracker…“period due in 17 days”. What the fuckety fuck, back off.
Honestly, we get the short straw… It’s infuriating.
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It’s this time of the cycle and I aspire to only three things in life:
- food
- lying down
- entertainment
Everything else can FRO
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I’ve just brought some evening primrose oil as I keep hearing it’s great for PMS and peri/menoP. Apparently B12, B6 too. Cant hurt can it… We will see, I’ll report back after two months taking it.
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Just went down the scholar rabit hole - just a lil bit.
“Majority of the studies showed that not only serum calcium levels are lower in PMS subjects, but also calcium supplementation could significantly improve the incidence of PMS and its related symptoms. This systematic review suggests a beneficial role for calcium in PMS subjects.”
from: Beneficial Role of Calcium in Premenstrual Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Current Literature
“Calcium carbonate should be recommended as first-line therapy for women with mild-to-moderate PMS. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be considered as first-line therapy for women with severe affective symptoms and for women with milder symptoms who have failed to respond to other therapies.”
from: Premenstrual syndrome. Evidence-based treatment in family practice
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