Swimming During Period

Question: Can I Go Swimming During My Period?Answer: Yes. Your period should not affect your daily activities. You can continue to exercise, swim, bike ride, and do other fun things. Some girls and women even find that exercising while they are having their menstrual period reduces or prevents stomach cramps and discomfort.

How Your Period Makes You Feel

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How Your Period Makes You Feel

Some young women say they never get cramps with their periods, while others experience severe pain and fatigue every month. Cramps are caused by your uterus contracting as it works to shed its lining. You can try taking a warm bath or check with a parent or your school nurse to see if you can take an over the counter pain killer. Exercise may also lessen the pain of cramps.

See: How to Relieve Menstrual Cramps

You may have heard of something called premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. PMS is a collection of symptoms that some women get around the time of their periods. PMS can include headaches, back pain, irritability or moodiness, feeling sad or emotional, bloating, and breast tenderness. Some women don't have any of these symptoms, while others have all of them and perhaps a few more. There are some over the counter medications that help lessen PMS symptoms (check with a parent or your school nurse). Cutting back on salty foods and caffeine may also help. If you find that they interfere too much with your daily life, ask your doctor about other things you can do to feel better around your period.

More on PMS

Premenstrual Syndrome Forum - A great place to find support and answers to your PMS and period questions.

Maybe you're wondering whether you should be using pads or tampons to absorb your menstrual flow. The choice is really up to you. Read about the Tampon Debate.

See: How to Insert A Tampon Pay attention to your flow so you'll get a sense of how often you need to change your pad or tampon. Using tampons labeled "extra absorbent" are not a good idea. It's better to use a tampon designed for lighter flow and change it more often. You may also wear a mini-pad while using tampons to protect your clothing in case of leakage. Many types of tampons and pads (sometimes you'll see them called feminine hygiene products) are available on the market. With all the choices, it might be hard to know what is right for you. Generally, you can tell how absorbent (how much blood it can hold without leaking) a product is by how it's labeled on the box. Try to match your normal flow and your need for absorbency with the product label. Also read any special recommendations the company has for how to best use their product. After trying a few different types, you will likely find a product that works well for you. Keep a personal calendar where you can mark the first day of your periods and how long they last. You'll get a sense of your cycle and can make sure you have pads or tampons with you around the time when you think your period will start. Be prepared! You might want to have some pads or tampons in your backpack or purse just in case your period starts when you're not home. Even if you haven't had your first period yet, you'll feel good knowing you're ready when your period does start. And if you have a friend who needs a pad or tampon, you'll have one they can use. Your first period may be different from your other periods. It can take several months, or longer, for your period to establish a "routine." Try to be patient with your body while it's entering this new phase of your life, and ask your doctor or school nurse any questions you have. Or you can post your question on our PMS Forum. It's best to use pads or tampons that are not scented with perfumes or other deodorants. The chemicals used in these products may be irritating. Normal blood flow from your period should not cause a bad odor. If you do experience an odor, try to make sure you wash regularly during your period and try changing your pad or tampon more frequently. Ask your doctor about it if it continues. Some women feel shy or embarrassed about buying tampons or pads in the supermarket or drugstore. If you're one of them, try to remember that you're purchasing a product you need for a very normal, natural part of your life.

~Adapted from the Women's Health Information Center

Updated 04/29/06

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Is My Period Abnormal?

From time to time, every women suspects that her menstrual cycle is abnormal for one reason or another. However, often what we think is an abnormal period is actually normal menstruation. How do you know when you're experiencing abnormal periods? What are the signs and symptoms of abnormal periods? You may be experiencing an abnormal period, abnormal uterine bleeding, or an abnormal menstrual cycle if... your menstrual cycle is longer than 31 to 35 days apart, or less than two weeks from day one of your period to day one of your next period. you need to change tampons or sanitary pads after only one or two hours. your period lasts longer than 7 days. you suddenly begin experiencing severe menstrual cramps. While it's normal to experience a small amount of cramping during your period and some women never experience cramps during menstruation, it's not normal to experience severe menstrual cramps. If you suddenly begin having severe cramps you should be evaluated by your health care provider to determine the cause of the increased pain you experience during your period. you see blood clots which are actually clots of tissue in your menstruation -- don't worry, this is a normal occurrence and is no cause for alarm. Blood clots such as these are perfectly normal because menstruation involves the shedding of the lining of the uterus. you have recently experienced the onset of menstruation, don't worry if you skip periods or have irregular periods for the first few years. This is a normal process that most young ladies experience. you're extremely active in sports activities, periods are often skipped for long periods of time. Nobody is sure why this occurs, but it's a normal occurrence for many women who regularly participate in intense sports or other activities. you're a woman who is postmenopausal or younger than eleven should see a doctor immediately if you experience any amount of vaginal or uterine bleeding. you are over 16 and haven't had a period yet. In this case your health care provider should be consulted to determine the cause. One possibility that you should be sure and ask about is polycystic ovarian syndrome or PCOS. Normal menstrual bleeding lasts about 5 days.
The normal amount of blood lost during menstruation is about 2 to 8 tablespoons, although it may seem like more than that.
The average menstrual cycle is 28 days from Day 1 to Day 1 of your period. However, anywhere from 25 to 31 days between periods is considered a normal menstrual cycle.

The best thing to do when you suspect that you're experiencing abnormal bleeding or menstrual cycles is to consult with your health care provider.

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Why Is My Period Late?

One of the questions I'm asked most often is "Why is my period late?". Although, pregnancy is the most common cause of absence of menstruation (amenorrhea), many times, the women will also assure me that they are definitely not pregnant. So, what else can cause an absence of menstruation?

If you have missed 3 or more menstrual cycles, and you haven't already sought professional medical advice, it's time to seek medical care to determine the underlying cause. Only a qualified health care provider can determine the cause of amenorrhea. You should also be alert to other signs that signal a need for medical attention. These signs include:

Your doctor has several choices for diagnosing the cause of amenorrhea. He can do a progestin challenge with 7 to 10 days of medication to see if it triggers bleeding. This will tell him if menstruation stopped because of a lack of estrogen. Thyroid disease and pituitary disorders can be determined by blood testing. Pituitary tumors can be detected with diagnostic imaging equipment.

How absence of menstruation is treated depends on the cause. The treatment can be as simple as lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, stress reduction, or can include hormone replacement therapy, as well as other medications when appropriate.

Source:

Menstrual Disorders. Healthywomen.org. http://www.healthywomen.org/healthtopics/menstrualdisorders. Accessed 08/21/2009.

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