Author Archives: Suzan

About Suzan

menstrual activist , alternative product advocate, TSS survivor

Morning After Pill Goes OTC for Ages 15 and Over

The Morning After Pill is now available over the counter for purchase by those age 15 and over, with proof of age at check-out.

Previously, it was restricted to those 17 years of age and older, and sold only from behind the pharmacy counter, after showing proof of age.

With morning after pills available to younger women, and more readily available, it is period wise to understand what morning after pills are and how they can affect your cycle.

First, let me say that morning after pills are NOT for monthly use – but rather for emergency use. High levels of hormones are present in the pill – far higher than in birth control pills – and when used in a way not intended can cause health problems, especially for teens.

Second, hormonal intervention (whether in the form of birth control pills or morning after pills) alters the menstrual cycle and can be detrimental to a teen’s physical and emotional health.

An interesting article about how morning after pills affect your menstrual cycle is on The Emergency Contraceptive Website of Princeton University and is well worth the time it takes to read it. It offers important information about the pill, your cycle after taking the pill, and research done on the differences in the combinations of hormones in various morning after pills.

Researchers have conducted three studies designed specifically to find out how progestin-only emergency contraceptive pills (like Plan B One-Step or Next Choice) affect women’s bleeding patterns. Although the results were somewhat different, each found there were often changes in a woman’s monthly menstrual cycle.

It’s important to note that after taking morning after pills,

you should have a normal period within the next month,
it change the length of your cycle, making your next period come a week earlier or a week later than usual,
it can cause unexpected bleeding,
and you might consider getting a pregnancy test If your next period is late.

For more information on these studies and concerning changes in menstrual cycles, or bleeding patterns, after taking the morning after pill can be found in this thorough, up-to-date academic review on emergency contraception.

Be period wise if / when using emergency contraception.

Period Wise Pin-ups

Pinterest interests me.

I’ll admit – I can lose hours there looking at things, reading about topics, learning, engaging, enjoying things period wise and period wise things.

Period Wise on Pinterest is a work in progress. I’m always looking for new things to pin, period wise.

So far, there are 27 boards and over 1,600 pins – most of which pertain to or remind me of menstruation.

If you are on Pinterest, please drop by and visit. I’m open to any and all suggestions of period wise pins to add to my Period Wise collection.

If you are not yet following, please do! I’d love opportunity to pin some of your goodies on my Period Wise boards, but I don’t know who you are if you’re not following me on Pinterest. 😉

Pin, period wise.

There’s No “What? Empty Again?” When You’re Prepared

Amy Meyer starred in an EWU student-made video in which she attempted to obtain feminine hygiene products from restroom dispensers.

I learned through @re_Cycling_SMCR, Society for Menstrual Cycle Research, of an accompanying article to Amy’s video.

In her follow-up piece, Amy shares her experience and what she learned. And, she provides a chart in which she shows which buildings on campus failed. Note that I said “buildings” and not “restrooms.”

The Easterner found twelve buildings on campus with absolutely no working feminine hygiene machines. The machines were either absent, empty, broken or ate quarters without producing a product.

Twelve BUILDINGS.

When researching, if we found a working machine in a building, we moved on to the next building without checking the other dispensers in other bathrooms. We were looking for one working machine per building.

One working machine per building…I was shocked to see how many buildings lacked ONE working machine.

Considering that a little over half of the students enrolled at Eastern Washington University are women, menstruation is a big deal to more than just a few people.

Wow – a little over half enrolled there are women and a little under half of the buildings failed.

Amy didn’t just report the problem. She took steps to correct it by talking with Karen Wichman, director of facilities services.

The greatest takeaway from this piece is the importance of being prepared.

Darrel Greene felt it was a good idea to keep a spare pad handy in case you need it. He also said: “It’s also a good thing to do in case you encounter someone who needs one.”

It’s period wise to keep a pad or tampon in your pocket, purse, or backpack. You never know when you (or someone else) may need it.

What?? Empty Again?!?!

What do you do when your period starts and you are away from home and unprepared?

Ask your friend for a tampon/pad?
Use toilet paper?
Purchase a box of pads/tampons?
Purchase a tampon/pad from a dispenser in a restroom?

If you depend on obtaining what you need from a restroom dispenser, you might want to rethink your decision.

Take 3 minutes and view the video below.

When is the last time you attempted to purchase a tampon/pad from a dispenser in a restroom? Did the restroom have a dispenser? Did it work? Were you able to obtain one?

If you come across a dispenser that is not working, or that’s empty – will you bring it to the attention of management and request that it be fixed/filled?

Be period wise – for yourself and for others.

DYK – Adolescents with Disabilities

Did you know adolescents with disabilities have more menstrual issues than most?

A recent review in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist reminds us that what works for one does not necessarily work for all when it comes to managing menstruation (and the menstrual cycle) in disabled girls and young women.

If you prefer an easier read, RedOrbit has a great overview of the review. Here are some of the highlights.

Menstrual problems in girls with disabilities are often unique to the population and can cause significant disruption to their lives, states the review. Symptoms such as restlessness, aggression, hyperactivity, increased agitation and self-mutilation can be common. The review also highlights parental and carer concerns regarding menstrual management and hygiene, including vulnerability to sexual abuse and pregnancy, as well as inappropriate behaviour, especially if the adolescent is in residential care.

In addition, adolescents with disabilities are more likely to have menstrual problems than the general female population. Previous studies have shown that up to 18% of adult women with disabilities have premenstrual syndrome, compared with only 5% of the general female population. Women with epilepsy have a higher incidence of polycystic ovarian syndrome and hyperprolactinaemia and irregular bleeding is also more common in girls with Down’s syndrome as they have a higher incidence of thyroid disease.

Be period wise. Know the facts.

Late Bloomers

Holly and Charisse of Ask Mom direct a delightful YouTube video to girls who feel they are “late bloomers.”

Girls who experience puberty’s changes later than their friends often .

feel they are changing too slowly
wish they were more like their friends
worry because they don’t have the same interests their friends have
feel left out

If you were a late bloomer, or your girl is, take 3 minutes and view the video below.

Be period wise about your individuality. Acknowledge it. Embrace it. Understand it. Delight in it. Lean fully into it.

If you have or know of a late bloomer, acknowledge their concerns, encourage patience, and reassure them that all is well.

Is PMS Bad for You?

A recent post by Alanna Nuñez for SHAPE.com asked and answered the question: Is PMS bad for you?

Cramping, cravings, and exhaustion tend to be expected by women before Aunt Flo’s visit, but more and more experts agree that these symptoms aren’t normal. In fact, some think that what passes for PMS may be a hint that something’s off in your body.

Life without PMS. Is it possible? For many women the answer is YES.

In her article, Alanna provides an overview of the menstrual cycle. She also talks about what’s normal and what’s not. And, she gives advice for getting back in balance.

I know, from personal experience, that dietary changes can make a drastic difference in the severity of PMS symptoms.

If Men Had Periods

So what would happen if suddenly, magically, men could menstruate and women could not? Clearly, menstruation would become an enviable, worthy, masculine event: Men would brag about how long and how much. – Gloria Steinem – If Men Could Menstruate – Ms. Magazine, October, 1978

Imagine a world in which the men you know menstruate. What would it be like?

Choosing the Best Period Panty

If you use pads for your period, then you deserve amazing period panties (and the same is true for your daughter!). When it comes to choosing period panties both fit and style are essential.

Fit. Go snug (or super snug). When wearing a pad (or a liner) it’s important that your panties are tight (some girls and women even opt to go a size smaller than their everyday panties) to help eliminate shifting, bunching and gapping (all of which can lead to leaks!).

Style. Choose granny (brief) or bikini over boyshorts or other cuts.

Recommendation. Pay as much attention to choosing your panties as your pads; they work together to offer you the coverage and protection you want.

Starting Point. Regardless of your age, flow, or size, Always Infinity is a great place to start if you prefer disposable pads. Why do I prefer Always Infinity?

Absorbency. Infinity are among the best for catching the biggest gushes while also providing the best overall absorbency at each flow level.

Shape. Infinity are tapered rather than rectangular to match your shape and that of your panty (and super thin, too!).

Wings. Infinity feature double wings that allow for a near perfect cling to your panty while offering total leak protection.

Period Stash

I came across a YouTube video of a girl’s updated (menstrual) product storage. It’s a little long, but if you will do as I did and just briefly scan through it, it’s easy to get a quick glimpse of the variety of products she has available. I have to admit, I was drawn to all the colors and the way she has them organized.

After viewing the video, I glanced into my period stash to see how mine compares to hers. And, I looked at my daughter’s, too.

Mine are organized in similar fashion to the video, but Daughter’s are tossed into a drawer and mingle with deodorant, toothpaste, brushes, hair doo-dads, etc…total disarray.

Watching the video made me want to run out to my local Wal-mart and pick up a few of the newly minted products in the cool colors and sizes. Though I have much of what she showed, for some reason hers looked flashier, newer, more colorful than my own.

There’s nothing like buying and checking out new products.

And, there’s nothing like trying new/different products to gain insight into our flow, period wise.

I wonder…

What does your period stash look like?
When was the last time you updated it?
When was the last time you really looked at all the neat things your local store offers period wise?
When was the last time you stepped out of your menstrual comfort zone and did something really wild for your period?
How many of the items in her stash do you recognize by brand/type/size, or have in your own stash?
How period wise is your period stash?