For Goodness Sex

Let It Flow: The Menstrual Cycle

• Shyamini and Ellie • Season 1 • Episode 4

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Merry Menstrual Cycle! Here is a little treat for the holiday season. 

Ever experienced menstruation frustration? Became SAME.

Don't worry dolls, we got you. 

Join us as we get up close and personal with the miracle that is the menstrual cycle. 

Find us here!

https://www.instagram.com/fgsx_pod?utm_source=qr

hello@fgsx.community 

Resources and suggestions here!

Menstrual cups

https://nixit.com/ 

https://www.heyzomi.com/

Period friendly clothing

https://www.boody.com.au/

https://hara.earth/

https://www.daysforgirls.org/

Other menstrual advocates

https://www.lucypeach.com/

NB: Menstrual cups can last up to 10 years with regular checks. Businesses will recommend changing them every 1-2 years. Refer to the product information and use at your own discretion. 

We are your co-hosts, Dr Shyamini and Nurse Ellie, and this, is For Goodness Sex xx

SPEAKER_01

Hello, my name is Shamani and I am a co-host of the podcast for Goodness Sex. I am a Fijian Indian woman of immigrant parents and am proud to live, work and play on Wajuknunga Country. This podcast acknowledges the past, present, and future traditional custodians of stolen country and the impact this has had on the health and well-being of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters. Sovereignty was never ceded.

SPEAKER_03

Hi team. Now, whilst we are healthcare professionals, this episode is for informational purposes only and it does not replace personalized healthcare advice. Your health is unique to you. If you have healthcare concerns, please seek out your local health professional.

SPEAKER_01

Nailed it. Nailed it. Nailed it. Nailed it. Absolutely nailed it. Sorrying so thank you, babe. Your sausage always repeats something. Uh anyway. I wish it did. Um anyway. Hello and welcome back to For Goodness Sakes. I'm Dr. Charlie.

SPEAKER_03

And I'm Nurse Ellie.

SPEAKER_07

Hi Ellie.

SPEAKER_03

Hi, baby. It's been too long. It's been way too long. How are you? I'm so good. Good. So, so good. Tell me why. Oh my god, where to start? Um life rocks. Yeah. Life rocks. I love my life. I love my friends. I love my job. Um, sorry, brag. Um it could be the recent breakup, it could be the SSRIs, but I feel better than I've felt ever. Yeah. That's amazing. Yeah, every day's a gift.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, this is so wonderful. Look at your face as beaming. I know. And you look fabulous.

SPEAKER_03

Tell everyone what you're wearing. Okay, yes, very important. Um, for those playing along at home, I am wearing shoe shorts. Otherwise known as short shorts. I was just complaining that shoe shorts together is just shorts. Shorts, but that's okay. Um, yes, these are my shoe shorts. Um, I got them in Japan, because I've just been to Japan. And they have shoes sewn into the side of them. Um these shorts um weighed two kilos. And I had to wear them on every vessel, every mode of transport around Japan because obviously they wouldn't fit in my suitcase and I'd be too over. You didn't just take battery on, did you? Oh no, no, I had 30 kilos. But of course you did. But the they were I was at 30 kilos. You know, I couldn't the shoe shorts were not gonna make the cut. So I wore them on every single vessel, and can I just tell you it was the funniest thing ever. It was just so funny. Running, running through the airport wearing these bad boys that are falling down because they're so heavy, and getting to the airport security, and then being like, Can you empty your pocket? Empty your shoes. Remove your shoes, please. And the other ones. Anyway, so that's me. I love that for you.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you so much. Who are you, darling?

SPEAKER_03

I'm also good. You're also beaming.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I'm good. I've had a some challenges recently. Yeah. Big some big life lessons. Um, but I feel good about it. I feel I feel much better at missed.

SPEAKER_03

So, Charmoni, what are we talking about today?

SPEAKER_01

We're gonna talk about one of our favorite topics. Literally, my favorite topic, the menstrual cycle. Wow. So excited today. We love the menstrual cycle, the energy is up. Um, but I actually thought we would start about talking about our first time we got up here, it's and how we navigated them early on. So, um I just realized it's just the scratching noise from my shirt. Oh my god, I need to stop. Okay, stop, stop making noises. I'm gonna sit in my beer first. Okay, me too. Okay. So, um, I was nine years old. Okay. So I think that was grade. Yeah, I think that was grade five, maybe. Okay, okay. And um, I was on a school excursion as a zert.

SPEAKER_03

Of course, you were. The gods are so cruel.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and it was a really hot day. And I remember feeling just a bit yuck and a bit uncomfortable. Um I knew I needed to go to the toilet, but not to do a Wii or anything. Um but I just remember wiping myself and seeing this light pink blood. And I somehow knew this was a period, but not sure how because I never had the conversation. Um, I was obviously very young and I wondered, I've been thinking about how I knew, and I was like, maybe it was a TV or maybe it was Dolly Doctor. No. Oh my god. So I used to God bless, golly blessed Dolly Doctor.

SPEAKER_03

Got us through.

SPEAKER_01

I used to buy it in secret and like go straight to the sealed section. The very like aptly sealed lined paper seal. Just rip it straight off.

SPEAKER_03

Also, just side note, um, I've got four friends, four girlies, four AFAB queens that are um in a like DJ group and their DJ name as a group is Sealed Section. Oh, love. It's just brilliant, isn't it? It's brilliant. It's brilliant. Yeah, shout out to Sealed Section Girlies, love you.

SPEAKER_01

Shout out to Dolly Doctor, Sealed Section also. So true. Got me through. Yeah, yeah. That can be unsealed. Nice. No, that was so lame.

SPEAKER_03

Shout out to unsealing. Yeah, let's continue. Yeah, okay. Let's continue. Okay, stop.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Um anyway, I remember panicking a little bit and really not knowing what to do. And I remember seeing tampons. Well, I didn't know they were tampons, but I remember seeing them in mum's bathroom. And um she I knew she used them for periods, so I actually rolled up some toilet paper in like a tampon shape, like a little because I didn't know. So I just saw and I rolled it up. You're just a girl. Just a girl. And um I actually like wedged, like I just rolled it and I wedged it in between my labials.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, thank God. I've thought No, I thought that maybe you're gonna like full version of this roller board. I was like, oh no. Disastrous. Okay, but yes. Yeah, and then put my underwear on.

SPEAKER_01

And I know it well. Don't know where I didn't I don't think I know where to put it. I just put it there and I did miss the mark a little bit. And then I remember calling mum from school because I told my teacher, and she was just sort of like, oh, it's okay. And I was like, maybe just a bit of sympathy, but didn't really talk about it afterwards. So she gave me some pads and then she told me that tampons weren't for virgins, so I mustn't use them.

SPEAKER_03

Of course, tampons aren't they're not for virgins, they're still on the box.

SPEAKER_01

This is warning. For whores only, right? Yes, exactly, exactly. Um I know. So I don't actually recall ever having the conversation with mum, truthfully. I feel like if I did, I would have remembered. But um we in Indian culture and a lot of cultures, we have period parties. Okay. And I remember her saying to me, We're you're gonna expect a period party. And I was like, no, I'm I like I'm good. Um, and it was the the celebration is like basically celebrating a transition into womanhood, so the ability to procreate, essentially. And I I wasn't keen on it, so I said no, and but I got gifts.

SPEAKER_02

Wow.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so my mum's best friend actually gifted me a necklace. Okay. Yeah. I'm coming around from this period party. And I feel like I was being celebrated for something that was happening to my body that nobody wanted to talk to me about. Very interesting. So it's just so weird. I was like, why are we celebrating this?

SPEAKER_03

There are huge. It was so interesting.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. So um the other thing was I was the first person in my friendship group to really get um her period also to hit puberty. So I'd already kind of felt a little bit othered because I already had boobs, puber care, and was also the only brown person in school. So it was like how to be very different. Um, and it like strangely gave me a bit of street cred, but no information to back it up whatsoever.

SPEAKER_03

And would be gifts, but actually no helpful advice or uh support or guidance during this during this time class.

SPEAKER_01

And like I was I was like, you know, this cool person that like, oh my god, I just got a period, but then I couldn't say anything about it because I didn't know anything about it. Um and now on reflection, I had what I now know to be menorasia, which is heavy bleeding, and dysmenorrhea, which is painful periods. And so early on I used to flood. Yeah, I used to flood through my clothes, have clots, had days where I nearly passed out at school. Oh charming. I know, it's awful. And my school uniform was yellow. Like I tried to see through.

SPEAKER_03

But what what moment to talk about that, police? Yellow. What kind of yellow?

SPEAKER_01

Like a pale yellow. Oh, that's sickly. White, yeah. It was like um, thank god you're brown kid. Yeah, no, pulled it off.

SPEAKER_03

You're the only one in school who pulled that off.

SPEAKER_01

Well, it was funny you say that because we had to we had an underwear rule. Of course you did. That we had to wear white underwear. What the fuck? So because they were a bit see-through. The dresses.

SPEAKER_03

Fucking schools are actually perverted.

SPEAKER_01

I know, but of course, white underwear on a brown person. Jesus is obvious. Oh my god. So I couldn't I I couldn't even wear, I couldn't, I couldn't wear dark coloured underwear. Of course, only now underwear exists in like, you know, brown skin tones, but back then it was like white underwear, nothing. And I used to No, I used to, and I used to like soak through and I I remember soaking through onto a chair. It was just awful. Um fucking hell. Yeah, it was just it was so.

SPEAKER_03

You're the bravest person I know. The fact that you're still here anymore. That's heavy.

SPEAKER_01

It was it's so heavy, and I just remember having to like navigate the types of pads, and I didn't really have any conversations, so I sort of struggled in secret. I would like double up on supers and things like that, and um, I'd make makeshift pads, I'd sleep in dark clothes and like sometimes on a towel because I just like I didn't know if I was gonna flood. Yeah, and just like anxiety is inducing, yeah. And I also remember like navigating showers. Like I was having this conversation with my best friend the other day about she has really light periods, and so I was like, How did you wipe yourself after a shower? She was like, What? I just did. And I was like, No, I was still actively bleeding, didn't matter how much I had wiped, so I would have to like dry myself and then quickly go to the toilet and then wipe and then I've never even thought about that, which is terrible. No, but that's why um I sort of had to navigate it, and then I think mum was quietly observing but didn't really say anything or do anything. And I know and um she didn't really take me to a doctor, but um she did start me. Do you know if you're sorry?

SPEAKER_03

Do you know if your mum also struggled with um painful heavy periods? Nah. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

We don't we haven't had that conversation. Not sure we ever will, actually. Um, but she ended up starting me on the pill um in year eleven or twelve. So I had those symptoms for eight years. Yeah, yeah. Suffering and silence. Yeah, and I I was just thinking the other day, I wasn't sure whether to include this, but like mum used to work on the weekends and dad was often away for work, and when I was having these really heavy periods, my sister was like six or seven or something. And on a Saturday morning, mum would go to work and dad would be away, and it'd be my job to get her breakfast. So on the mornings, though, when I was so like about to pass out in the shower, I would like struggle down the stairs. And my beautiful little sister, she would have her own bowl of cereal poured, she'd put a heat pack in the microwave for me, and she would tuck me into the couch and give me the heat pack. I know. And then she would just have a cereal, and she's like, she's Akka means sister, older sister. She's like, Akka, I hope you're okay. And I was like, I know, it was so beautiful. Oh god, that's so good. It was like the attentiveness, it was just such a special moment.

SPEAKER_03

Bless her. She could obviously see how much she was struggling.

SPEAKER_01

I was in pain, and like mum wasn't there, dad wasn't there, and she just like really stepped up. It was so special. That's so nice. I know, it was actually really special. So yeah, there was a lot of people. Yeah, through that. Yeah, I mean, yeah, it was wild. And I think now I reflect on it. I'm like, that was really difficult to navigate. For a long yeah for like quite a long time. Yeah, and I think even when I was talking to my best friend about this, I was like, I thought at the time what I was experiencing was totally normal. And we're gonna get onto that later, but I think that's why it's important to share these stories because actually a lot of it isn't normal. So absolutely.

SPEAKER_03

Um yeah. Well, what about what about you? Yeah, I mean, to be honest, mine's actually pr I'm pretty lucky. Um I'm pretty chill. My I'm pretty lucky with my period. Um I do remember like first spotting. I can't I was in primary school, I know that much. It must have been maybe year six or seven, I think. Um I feel like a lot of the girls had already got theirs. Um and I remember, yeah, I think I just started like spotting first. It wasn't actually like a proper period. Um and I remember my mum, because I was at home, and I remember my mum just being kind of like, oh no, no, you're too young, like you're too young, like something like that. As I said, I think I was in primary school, but I don't know. I don't know whether um she was just struggling with that. Yeah, I I do always remember that mum just being like, oh no, you're too young. Um from there, I d I didn't really struggle with it to be honest. I remember in high school transitioning from pads to tampons, and that was like just lots of discussions I had with friends. I think Mum must have shown me how to use a pad and a tampon. She must have, god, my brain holes on it. Um but yeah, so she must have shown me, and then um from there I've been pretty lucky. Mine's um it's quite light. Um, I bleed for maybe like four days, four or five days. Um pretty regular. Um, and now I love her.

SPEAKER_01

And that's great. I love her so much. It's okay to have a good cycle.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And that's great. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I'm glad. Thank you so much. That's good. Is it still normal? Are you still having normal periods? Still normal, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_03

Well, um I yes, it's can be it, it's it's it can be a regular like um a regular give or take a few days. But still comes, yeah monthly. Um, although it was 12 days late in Japan. Yeah. Stress. Um, the stress was real. Um I was like, okay. But no, I think that was just traveling. Um so no, still regular. Um, obviously you removed my IUD, how many remember that?

SPEAKER_06

I did. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Special moment. A special moment.

SPEAKER_03

I had a real triple whammy then, remember? I was brush BB and herpes outbreaks all in one. And I was held sad. Remember, I thought it was the hormones that were getting too. You were, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

And I remember you were really stressed about the removal, and then you were like, okay, I feel better as soon as I took it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I cried. I had a little cry. Remember? I remember. But no, loved the marina. Loved IED. Brilliant device. Um great. So that's sharing. Oh my god, thank you for sharing. I remember we love sharing. Sharing, sharing, sharing.

SPEAKER_01

So we are gonna talk a bit about the cycle itself. So in this discussion, the use of the term female will be used to describe the reproductive anatomy of those who are assigned a female at birth. So just full disclosure. So when I'm discussing the cycle, that's how we're gonna use the terminology just for the sake of this. Um but we acknowledge that everyone can get pure. Correct, yeah, yeah. Which we we are gonna touch on later. So it's fine, it's fine. But yeah, just for the sake of this um description. So the menstrual cycle is the cycle of the female reproductive system that essentially enables conception. Okay. So our very first period is known as menarchy, and our very last one is known as menopause. Yeah. It is essentially a cycle of hormones in our body that prepare for a sperm to meet an egg and implant in the womb to then support pregnancy. The average length of a menstrual cycle, so that's from the onset of your period to the next period, uh, is 28 days. I often have patients describe the cycle in the days that they bleed rather than the days in between.

SPEAKER_00

You two.

SPEAKER_01

So it is important, it's an important distinction. So whilst the average is roughly 28 days, it can vary from 24 to 38 days.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah. Mind usually is like um a bit longer. I think it goes from like 28 to 32 days. Yeah, yeah. So just to clarify, day one would be first day of bleed. Correct. And then all the way through your entire cycle. Yeah. So of the month.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, exactly. Beautiful. So the cycle is divided into two phases, the follicular phase, followed by the luteal phase. Yeah. The follicular phase starts from the first day of our bleed until ovulation. This I like to call the feel-good follicular phase. Oh, I like it. So estrogen is high, you feel great, you feel on top of the world, ten out of ten, nothing can stop you. And whilst you're feeling fab, the estrogen is also increasing the lining of your womb, known as the endometrium, to prepare for pregnancy. Okay. On average, between day 10 and 15 of your cycle, you ovulate an eager spoon. Woo! Actually, you you some some people notice when they ovulate, right? So they can feel it. Yeah, they can do a bit of pain. Have you ever Yeah, I have, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

It's called Mittelschmirk. Stop it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, there's a name for it.

SPEAKER_03

Say that word again.

SPEAKER_01

Mittel schmirts.

SPEAKER_03

Like Mittel schmirk.

SPEAKER_01

Mittel schm.

SPEAKER_04

Excuse me, I just have to go mittleschmirz. Oh god, you just made me mittel schmirk. You're kidding.

SPEAKER_03

I've never heard of mittleschmirks. I love mittleschmirz. I love that. Yeah, yeah. So it's the pain of ovulation. Oh, among other things.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. And so other things are you do get that clear egg white like discharge. And your libido also goes up significantly during this time as well. So an egg is released from the ovary, one or the other doesn't necessarily, not both at the same time. There's no specific pattern. And then it makes its way down the tubes, anticipating sperm. And when the egg does not meet the sperm, your body's like, okay, not this month, which is totally fine. And then so comes in what I like to call the low down low-teal phase. Oh my gosh, she's good. So this phase this phase is dominated by the hormone progesterone, which promotes changes in the eat endometrium that are secretory in nature. So during this phase, it's normal to feel bloated, some breast tenderness, fatigued, a bit moody. You might get some food cravings, some abdominal cramping, all the way until you have your next period where the follicular phase starts again.

SPEAKER_03

Round two, baby, let's go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So two things.

SPEAKER_04

Another one. DJ Khaled. Another one. We love you, DJ Khaled.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. So that's that's in general terms. That is your menstrual cycle. So it has a very specific biological purpose, I suppose. But um so we are going to talk a little bit about some disorders of menstruation. And then we'll touch on some social stuff too, I think, which is very important. Love that. So there are symptoms that are that indicate disordered menstruation. Okay. Okay. So one of them is called.

SPEAKER_03

And I think this is important because, as you said, I feel like there's so many people out there who assume that their cycles and what or experience is normal when it's actually not. And there is some ways to manage it if if they're willing. Absolutely. Thank you so much, Dr. Shamani.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, so welcome, Nurse Ellie. No worries at all. Um so one of the symptoms is called amenorrhea. Yes. So that is essentially absent menstruation for three months after a previously normal and regular cycle. Okay. Or six months following irregular cycles.

SPEAKER_03

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Yep. Um, and if this is consistent over a period of time, this is called oligomenorrhea, which is less than nine cycles a year.

SPEAKER_03

Okay. Okay. Oligomenorhea. So amenorrhea, absence of cycle for three months after regular. Yep. And or six months after irregular. Yep. Um, and then olig oligo. Oligo. Oligoman rare is is is ex ex um less than nine.

SPEAKER_01

Less than nine sides. Okay, okay, thank you. And these are important because we've just discussed that the cycle is supposed to be regular. So if it's not, there may be an underlying cause that needs to be looked at, right?

SPEAKER_03

Visit your local GP or sexual health. Have a yarn.

SPEAKER_01

And another one, which I mentioned earlier, is menorasia. So that's heavy menstrual bleeding. And objectively, this is greater than 80 mils of blood. But that's really hard to measure.

SPEAKER_03

Very hard to measure.

SPEAKER_01

So basically, if it's heavy for you, it warrants looking into. Yes. Do you know? Like to don't like if if you're ever thinking, I just don't know if it's heavy enough, don't be silly. Just come in. Like it's probably heavy. Just a bit silly. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I guess you easy to better easier to uh measure with a menstrual cup, I guess. Yeah. Like some that's good to try and guess. But otherwise, yeah, really hard to know. Really hard to know.

SPEAKER_01

Um other indicators of heavy could be passage of clots, flooding, pasture period products. Um and I guess any bleeding that's really affecting your quality of life is is considered menerator. Okay. Then the next one is dysmenorrhea, which we also mentioned, which is painful menstrual bleeding. It's actually super common. So it affects 50 to 90% of people who who menstruate. And some people don't know that their degree of pain is not within the realms of normal.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. Okay. Can I please unpack this? Please. Because I have had um like clinicians um tell me in the past that like periods aren't meant to hurt.

SPEAKER_01

Is that true? Well, I think there is a degree of how is that possible? Like, do you see what's going on down there? Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think this is again, so pain is an entirely subjective symptom, right? Yes. And um I guess any muscle that's cramping is going to cause a degree of pain. Yes. Not always for everybody, but it can. I guess when we look at um dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation, it's often if it's causing a significant functional impact. So I think it's important to note that if a patient is coming to you, any any clinicians who are listening to this, and they're telling you that their pain is dysfunctional for them. Yeah. So like they're unable to do their normal activities, they or they're stopping them from going to work, that kind of thing. Then it's a problem for them, right? Not like, oh, it's supposed to be painful. Just grin embarrassing. Just grin it. That's that's not because there are some people that will have cramps and then go, I'm actually managing okay. And that's good. And that's good. So it's it's an important distinction to note, is this having a functional impairment? And that's a way to kind of gauge whether this is within the realms of normal for that person, right? Again, everyone's individual. It's different. So it's so hard for me to say, Oh, that sounds normal, but if you're telling me it's impacting you, then it's it's not, right?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, absolutely. It's like, okay, um, maybe sometimes you might feel a bit of cramps, bit of discomfort, take some nerve, and you know, pop, still go to work, you know?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and it's and it's a couple it might be a couple of days, might be less than, it's not noticeable. Um but I think that's so many people sorry.

SPEAKER_03

No, please. So many people suffer. Yeah, like so many people. So many clients that just suffer.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, exactly. Because they think, oh, this is supposed to be normal. And again, normal is a bit subjective, and I just it's it saddens me that people don't have the discussion if it's impacting them. Yeah. You know, we know that people miss school, work, um, it has like economic impacts and things like that. So I think you know, social, emotional things. So it's just if it's doing that. So I mean, just tangent. No, no, no, no, that's all right. You tell me what you think.

SPEAKER_03

I mean I think it's pretty cool. I do think it's pretty cool. Um I guess, yeah, especially for those that do suffer. Um I think it's just nice to have there as an option.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's a recognition of of an impact of something that's very normal. Yes. For people to have, i.e., a period. Yes. People take leave for colds, yes, gastro, you know, all sorts of stuff. This is for a lot of people debilitating. Yes. And they cannot function at school or work. They shouldn't be penalised for that because it happens to them every month. Yes. So it's tricky. It's tricky. Um, but yeah, I think the the key message that I want to get across is like, just don't tolerate it if it's if it's really impacting you too.

SPEAKER_03

Things we tolerate.

SPEAKER_01

Carry on. Anyway, anyway. Um so the the last thing I want to talk about, which might be an indication of disordered menstruation, is something known as premenstrual syndrome. Okay. So it can be dismissed as normal because we say, oh, I'm just PMSing. Um, but it could even be something called premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

SPEAKER_03

PMDD, baby.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. I'm sorry. I'll allow it. Um which is essentially a severe form of PMS. Um so PMS symptoms, um, we described earlier in the low-down luteal phase. Low-down luteal phase. Um is, I guess, again, subjectively within the realms of normal. If it's not impacting you in a way that's meaningful, then it's probably within the realms of normal for you. But it can be quite severe in 20 to 40% of people and disabling in roughly 2 to 9%, with significant mood disturbances. Um, and it can exacerbate some underlying mental health conditions, and people can be quite suicidal as well. So it's like every month, and it's so it's just awful. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So and is it true that some people um actually just go on antidepressants for that week?

SPEAKER_01

Yes, yeah, that's that's true. No, that's true, Nurse Ellie. Well done. No, this this is good. I'm glad you're asking the question. Yes, it is a treatment. So um treatment for um PMDD is um cyclical use of um a medication called SSRIs. So um there are they're a class of antidepressants and you can use them two weeks on, two weeks off. Yeah, absolutely. Or consistently throughout your cycle. Um, it won't necessarily treat the other changes that you experience in terms of the hormonal shifts, but um, it can help with mood, definitely.

SPEAKER_03

I've actually got a friend who's a sexologist who did her paper on PMDD. Oh wow. We should get her in sometime. Yeah, that would be cool. We'll do that. Yeah, we'll do an episode on it. That would be great. I'd love that. Actually, yeah, yeah, that'll be good. Um I find that like um every few cycles I tend to get like a bad one, like in terms of mood. It's not every time, but every few months I I feel like it will hit me quite hard. Um and I always used to think during my um bleed, um like say I was having issues in a relationship, um, and this this would come up during my bleed, and I used to use uh my period as an excuse. Um I used to be like, oh, it's just probably because I'm bleeding, right? Probably because I'm on my period, probably because I'm PMSing, rahda rah, rahda. No. But um actually, yeah, during that time is when you are the most intuitive. Correct. Okay, during your bleed. So if these messages are coming through to you and you're noticing they're coming up every bleed, don't blame the bleed. The bleed is signposting you. That's what I learned.

SPEAKER_01

But yeah, and and also just like you can't essentially gaslight yourself for your mood symptoms. Well, that's me. That are actually as a result of a hormonal shift. Yeah. Like you can't do anything about it. Like that's actually happening to you. So when you go, oh, it's probably just my period. Yeah, like it is, but it doesn't mean it's not impacting you. It's it's just wild, the things that you go, oh, it's probably just that. I know. Or like people say, Oh, my period can't that's why. It's like, no, no, it still was impactful things. Like, so just change the dialogue around this. Can we please? Please, which is what we're doing. Um, so they're the main disorders of menstruation I want to talk about. But I did just want to um chat a bit about period products that are available. Yes.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

Um, so I'm gonna start with pads. That's okay. So we probably most of us probably know that these are um products that go inside your underwear. They can have wings to kind of secure around or they can just sit there. Lots of sizes, regular to super. Um, and the thing I just want to add is I often like to ask, or we often like to ask rather, how many pads you use in your first few days, how many you change. Um, it can kind of help us quantify and qualify if it is menerasia, if you're not sure, because a lot of people go, I don't know if it's heavy.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, and then we can before it's hard to quantify, but um asking how many products people go through is a really good way to sort of gauge. Yeah, yeah, exactly. And it's because sometimes I'll be like, oh, so is your would you say your periods light, moderate, heavy? And then they'll be like, it's pretty light, like I don't know, like I'm I'm changing my cup like three times a day, and I'm like, oh that's actually that's actually a lot. Yeah, so a lot of as you say, people don't know what is normal and aren't even sure don't even recognise that they their periods are heavy.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so if you do come in to talk about your periods, just have that information handy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

What else can we use? So yes, we've got pads and panty liners as well. I've never I'm as I said, lucky with a light bleed that in the last few days sometimes I can just get away with a liner.

SPEAKER_05

Yep.

SPEAKER_03

Um also worth noting, um actually we might have spoken about this in the previous podcast, but um because Consolidation is key. Oh, I love it. Um some people wear liners like every day because um they feel like their discharge is dirty and um we would not recommend doing that. No. Um just because you just gotta breathe.

SPEAKER_01

I know, and and we're gonna talk in detail in future about vulval care.

SPEAKER_03

But yeah, vulvo care. We'll come to you. No, sorry.

SPEAKER_01

Wow, that was super is the crowd gonna go wild again?

SPEAKER_04

The crowd's already going wild, baby.

SPEAKER_03

Um then we have tampons. Um these also come in a range of different sizes. So you can get mini, um, regular or super, um, and obviously many, many different brands, but um yeah, tampons are a are another option. Um and actually you said a new trick about using an applicator.

SPEAKER_01

Oh yeah, so some tampons um will come with a little applicator device or just on their own. And um a friend of mine shared, which I didn't know, is that if there's a a tampon with an applicator, just pop a bit of lube on the plastic bit.

SPEAKER_03

It just makes sense.

SPEAKER_01

Makes so much sense. Don't put lube on the actual tampon, uh, but um on the applicator. No, it's a good tip, good tip. Great tip. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

So yes, there can be an applicator, otherwise you can just insert it with your fingers, wash your hands before and after. Um you shouldn't be able to feel it once it's in. Yeah, good. Yeah, exactly. Tuck that string up into your butt crack or wherever you like into the buzz. Um but yeah, if it's in properly, you shouldn't be able to feel it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so don't forget it's it's in there.

SPEAKER_03

It's in there. Yeah, I've got to I've done that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, it does happen.

SPEAKER_03

I've done that for days when I was when I was at a wee, a wee tot. Yeah. And I only found it um because a boy fingered me.

unknown

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So I could not see him again.

SPEAKER_03

It was pungent.

SPEAKER_01

Sorry. Fine.

SPEAKER_06

Scream him in it.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I think this this is the key that I'd like to. It it can be dangerous leaving a tampon in there for too long. No, it can.

SPEAKER_03

I accidentally I I I think um I was about 18 and I'd been drinking and I accidentally inserted a sec like a second one while one was in there. That's how I pushed that one up and forgot about it. So yeah, be careful with that and um try not to what max eight hours? Yeah, actually, I actually don't know. I do think it's max um eight hours for God, I I'll I'll should I fact check that? Dana, can you fact-check that us for us? How long can is is it maximum eight hours for a tampon to be in?

unknown

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03

Thank God for Dana.

SPEAKER_01

Thank God for Dana. Eight hours. Eight hours. Yeah, sunny, eight hours. Yeah, I should back myself.

SPEAKER_03

You should. You should. I should. And then there's also, which it's nice that um now they're bringing out sort of all sorts of new well, you know, there's there's other options for us than just the pads and the tampons. So now they also have menstrual cups. Um tell us about those. I'm very used to them. I love the menstrual cup. Obviously, some people um it does take a little bit of getting used to, and I would recommend sticking with it. Um, because it's like anything, you just you get used to it, and then once you get used to it, it's they're quite easy to use, and I just find them really, really handy. Um, the other thing I would recommend is like shop around. I've definitely had some cups that have a much more difficult um and others that I've found more easy to insert and remove. So also ask your friends. Me and my friends often have period cup chats and about what's best. Um but yeah, so essentially um it's a silicon cup that you insert up into the vagina and it sort of suctions around your cervix, and uh you can leave that in for about 12 hours. Um if if you know some people have to change it if they're um if they have a heavier flow and it leaks, but yeah, um it's just handy. And once again, once it's in, you shouldn't feel it. Um and it's just a brilliant little nifty device, and then yeah, removal, you just have to sort of break the seal by pinching the sides of the cup and remove and then you empty it.

SPEAKER_01

Do you do you rinse it out afterwards? Or where so you empty it into the toilet? Yeah, yeah. This is important.

SPEAKER_03

This is very important because this is how I got my first BV. Um yes, you I boil mine every time now. Okay, I boil it pr pretty much every time that I check. But once again, I'm lucky because I can go all day. So more morning, put boil it, put it in the shower, take it out in the shower. So yeah, I'm lucky that I can do it in the shower, but um otherwise, yeah, usually in the bathroom, and you definitely don't have to boil it every time. So it just just w washing it would be okay if you were like not at home. But um, I do recommend boiling it like as much as you can.

SPEAKER_01

And do you dry it before you put it in or do you just put it in wet?

SPEAKER_03

No, I put it in wet. Okay. Yeah, yeah. And it sort of you pinch the sides, and yeah. Some people can find it uncomfortable, but um like yeah, but you do get used to it.

SPEAKER_01

And you and how long can you keep one for? Do you need to keep rebuying them or how long does one last for? Do you know?

SPEAKER_03

Oh, that's a really good question. I've had mine for years. Oh, okay. It is now brown.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_03

But I boil it every time. But um, yeah, that's actually a really good question. Yeah. Yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

It's not also it's not a form of contraception either if you're covering a cervix, just to be clear. Um so it's only for only for blue.

SPEAKER_03

Really good, really good to know. Yep, yep. And um caution when using when having the IUD. Um because you don't want to accidentally suction the IUD out, which can happen. So, you know, you can still use them, but just really make sure you break the seal.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Give it and give it some time after insertion. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

It's about eight weeks after insertion. Beautiful. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Um, but otherwise, another hot tip which a client just told me about this week is a new um suction-free cup called the Nick Nixit. Nixit. Um so it's a suction-free cup. It's like a disc that I think just sits over the cervix. So she swears by it. She's like, I tell everyone. Great. Um, so that's really good for people with IUDs. Um because look, yes, there is um, there has been some challenges. Sometimes it can um I've I've had a friend remove my suction cup for me before, good friend. Um and sometimes it can like I don't want to scare people off actually.

SPEAKER_01

Oh no, no, no. I I think but this is a this is a good topic to consider that we are sharing all this, these, these options, assuming that everybody is able-bodied and has the dexterity to do so. So I think that's a consideration to make is that um not everybody has the dexterity in their in their limbs and and they're also familiarity with their genitals. So I think this is why, again, this is why we're doing this, is just to encourage the conversation and just seek help if you're struggling. Absolutely. Both of us would be happy to guide you through using that and finding a way that works for you. Um so again, a lot of these products are for the privileged who can afford them and have access to boiled water and can know how to use them and put them in. So it's so true. Yeah, just that's just something to consider. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Um, and I guess leads me to the other period product that I love.

SPEAKER_01

I kind of wish I had a period to use these, because I I don't. Um but the period undies, right?

SPEAKER_03

Period undies, brother.

SPEAKER_01

I've heard good things about them.

SPEAKER_03

Oh my god, life's data's at the corner kissing. Kissing sky. Period undies rock.

SPEAKER_07

Okay, so like I've heard they're great. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

You can get all different kinds now. You can get G-strings. Um, you can just get normal briefs, you can get boxes, you can get, I have like a my large, like my what's this, because you can get like super ones for heavy flow so they absorb. Yeah, my like larger, most absorbent one is this like big nanny, like brief that I wear to bed. So we're that to bed. Um and then I have some smaller ones um that I just wear throughout the day. So um and I like to wear them with my menstrual cup just in case there's sometimes a bit of leakage, or if it's if it's not sitting in right. Um obviously like rinse and wash them after every time for use, the the period undies. Um, but um I don't notice like any smell and it doesn't feel like feel like there's no heaviness down there, or no, well as I I once again I'm I'm quite lucky in a light period. Um for me it feels way better than the feeling of a pad. Um it yeah, obviously it's yeah, it's still not the most comfortable thing in the world, I guess. Um, but I feel safe and secure in them and yeah, it absorbs like into the pad and um it doesn't feel like you're sitting in wetness. Oh good, yeah, that's the concern. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um I've had a few patients ask like how to like do you have a few over a period of time? So I've suggested they just get some based on their flow. So they have a few at the start that are might be heavier and then kind of transition because they're like, oh, do you buy one or two pairs? I'm assuming that you can have multiple pairs obviously for each each of your days. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

I have I have about three. Um, because yeah, I don't wear them every day. Yeah. But yeah, you could definitely have one a day of your cycle for sure. Um so yeah, I have about three pairs. Um, and yeah, I I should I could probably could probably get more to be honest, because they're just so handy. Um, and I use booty. So B double O D. Well, I use them for actually all my undies because they do bamboo underwear, which is nice. Um, so yeah, but you can get them um anywhere now, which is nice, even in the supermarket. But um, yeah, love the period undies. Great. Yeah, so good. So good for making movements. We sure are so good. So actually, I just remembered um like years ago, um me and a group of nurses did a trip to Nepal for Days for Girls. Yeah. Um, so we made got heaps of um menstrual packs made up, which are like cloth menstrual packs. Um and we went trekking through Annapurna on a 10-day hike and went from village to village um with Days for Girls, which is a group of um Nepalese educators that um so we would go and deliver the products while their educators um went to all the villages and educated on the menstrual cycle because amazing. Yeah, it was so cool because it was um still quite taboo.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I mean it it's yeah, I mean it's wild that it the the cultural context of periods. You're having period parties and others are getting shunned to huts. It's crazy, right? I know, I know. Um yeah, I think we've come like my mum used to use um cloths. Yeah, wow. So she'd have a I think she described it as like a single towel that she would kind of put just underneath like this and then wrap a string around and tie it tightly. Right, yeah, okay, yes. And then wash them. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Um because they didn't have disposable pads. Yeah. It's crazy. I think. And here we are talking about different styles of period undies.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I know. It's wild. That's wild. I think I remember my Nan talking about washing her mum's. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I do. Yeah. Yeah. That's a crazy thing. Wow. So yeah, we are very lucky. We're lucky with our products that are available with us today. Those that can afford them. Because yeah, costly. Again, tricky. So tricky. Tricky, tricky.

SPEAKER_01

Um do you have any tips for managing periods? Just some general tidbits if you've got any.

unknown

Mm-mm, mm-mm.

SPEAKER_03

As I said, mine is um very manageable. But I love um I do love just like tracking my whole cycle. Um and I guess just listing. Just getting to know it and listening into where I'm at through through each phase. I'd only, as you say, like I didn't know anything about it growing up. So it's been really empowering to learn about it. And I actually love Lucy Peaches. Yes, I do know Lucy. Yeah, yeah, yeah. She said, Love you, Lucy. She has a podcast and Fringe Show and a book called Period Power. Brilliant book. So reading that I loved. And yeah, it's and it like we've had the discussion where I've asked that we can schedule the podcast around my cycle just because like I want to be in the I want to be in the feel-good folliculous phase, baby. So I can feel charming and funny. So I love that that that part of it. And I also love um not that I need a reason to rest, but you know, we do like for ourselves. It's um it's nice to sort of take that week of bleeding or leading up to my period where I'm like, okay, this is my time to slow down and just have some me time. So um I love it in that sense.

SPEAKER_01

Um like a recognition of your cycle is an important part of you know, managing your periods, I suppose. Yeah, yeah. Um I guess the other thing is make sure you use the right product for your flow. So don't persist with something that isn't working for you. So I used to like put multiple regular pads in a line in a line because I was like snappy bum. Particularly if I was like this is this is weird because the flow was so heavy that if I was like lying on my front while I go to sleep, if I didn't have the pad kind of further up the front, it would just leak over it. It was just so just making sure you have that, but also just having much like condoms, just having them in multiple locations so you don't get stuck.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. Um having some panodol and neurofin or neproxin if you haven't heard of neproxin. If you do get if you do struggle with period cramps, um Naprogeesic on a proxin, you don't need a script for any chemist, it's just targeted at period pain.

SPEAKER_01

Yep, yep, definitely. Um have a little kit, and then you might have someone near you that needs it too, which is really helpful. That's so nice. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. My mum actually got me a tiny, like a mini electric blanket. Oh. So it's like just the size, like probably of this laptop. So like it's the size of a tablecloth, let's say, and it plugs in. I love her. Because I'm just getting to bed if I have my period, I just plug it in, I just lay it across my tummy. I've taken it into work sometimes and plugged it in at the desk and just wrapped it around my tummy. I love that. Yeah. So good. So yeah, that's the thing as well. Because I do love a heat pack. That's my favourite thing for crampies.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, heat packs are good. Hot water bottles, hot showers, baths. Yeah, we're gonna talk a bit about that um as well. Oh, I can't wait. Um so I thought we would maybe finish up with some Mythbusters.

SPEAKER_03

Myth Busters. No. What's that? That's fine. No, that was Batman. That was Batman. That was Batman.

SPEAKER_01

Myth Busters. Yeah, that one. Mythbusters. Oh, yeah, Mythbusters. We can get it, we can get it. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03

We'll do a sound by that. Very excited. I wonder if you're gonna bust any of my myths. I I doubt it.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think you know all the facts. Um but full disclosure, this is there's a lot of myths out there. And it's also very culturally specific. So there's so many myths and superstitions around the world about periods. But we're just gonna mention some common ones in the Western world, okay? Just to just to sort of narrow it down because there's quite a few. Um so the first one is you can't use a tampon if you're a virgin or never had sex. Papa, that is a myth. Believe it or not, you can. Yeah, yeah, there's some fear of breaking hymen's and things. It's not a thing, guys. Just use them if they work for you. They're um yeah, that's that's definitely a myth. So if anyone is telling you that, they're wrong.

SPEAKER_04

They're wrong. So you're wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong. Uh we're very musical today. Oh, every day. Every day, actually. Every day, that's what I love about it.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And just a side note, another myth, um, which I hear all the time, you can still get an IUD, even if you've never had a child. If you have never given birth. Good point.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, yeah, absolutely. You can. You don't need to have had a child to have an IUD. No, just ask for the green visible. Okay, we'll talk about that later. Come on, yeah, we will we will get to that. Um, the second myth, you can't get pregnant whilst menstruating. Oh, I think that's true, Shaman. Come on. That's what I tell myself anyway. Now, this is largely, this is largely true. Okay, so we've we've done a little education session on the endometrial lining and the shedding and all that sort of stuff, but you actually can get pregnant while you're menstruating. I know, I know. But um fun. I know. This is because sperm actually lasts for seven days in the body. This is fucked. It's wild, isn't it? What the fuck? So if your womb, you know, seven days in the womb, right? So if your cycles are not typical or they're changed, or your ovulation window has shifted from the typical, you know, 10 to 15 days, there may be a chance. So it is a myth. Sorry, team. Suckers. I know. What are they doing in there? Okay, seven days hanging out.

SPEAKER_03

God, they're insufferable. I know, I know. Oh my god, they're like cockroaches.

SPEAKER_01

Um, so a lot of people have period sex, which is totally fine and totally great.

SPEAKER_03

Love period sex.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but you just have to be mindful.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, be careful, be cautious, kings and queens. Um, if anyone's seen the movie Babe, and if you haven't, you should. No, maybe it's that.

SPEAKER_04

That means that Ellie's really going off on a tangent this time. I've got to have a reeler back in.

SPEAKER_03

It might be babe. Ah Rabbi. Okay, no, that movie's actually Lisa. Yeah, it's actually Lisa. Let's not talk about that. Okay, sorry. It's it could be Babes with um Alania Alana Is it Glazier Glazier? From Broad City. Uh, brilliant movie, you should watch it. It's great, it's about friendship, really. But she she does not spoiler, but she falls pregnant from this. From from having sex in her period, so great movie. Um but yes, really good point. Um and I was going to make another point which was important. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Um I got you thinking about babe the pig.

SPEAKER_04

Because now it's all single tears just dropping from charbon.

SPEAKER_01

And I don't wish to. Uh the third myth is it's unsafe to skip your period. Oh my god. That's myth of the myth, myth, myth. Myth, myth, myth. You actually can't. I haven't had a period in three years. That's great. Is this I um can I ask? Yes, please. Yes. Are you on the IUD? Is this the pill? This is the pill. Okay. Um and I'm perfectly safe. I have a great GP who um always checks in on me and makes sure. And it's actually fine to to skip it because um it's is as I said, it's a common method um to use to relieve the symptoms of heavy bleeding and painful, painful periods. So um I tell my clients this all the time.

SPEAKER_03

And they're like, Really? Yeah. It and it actually improves the effectiveness of the pill as well.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah. So your lining doesn't actually build up. People think that they're full. The worm is collecting blood slowly. Um, it's it's that's not the case. The way they work is they thin the lining of the womb, the endometrium. It's always there. It's just not priming itself for um implantation of the of the pregnancy. So it's perfectly safe. So good to know. 10 out of 10, safe. So good. Um lot of people want to skip their periods for social reasons. Also, fine. Go for it. Do what you want, right? Yeah, yeah. Um the fourth myth, which we've touched on already, it's okay to dismiss your feelings when you're on your period. No.

SPEAKER_03

We really need to get some sound bites in here. No, no, no, wrong, wrong.

SPEAKER_01

If you continue to tell yourself it's just hormones, you may be misleading yourself into believing that your severe mood symptoms are normal.

SPEAKER_03

Listen to your home. Listen to your universe when he's calling for you. I don't know why I said he's like, but also, whatever. I don't want to assume any of this is gender. Bah, rabble.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know what's going on here. But please stop dismissing yourself, dolls. Just get it looked at. Dolly doctors. Honestly, honestly. Um myth number five. Period pain is the same as any other pain. Again, no. If it's painful for you, do not dismiss this. Just don't. Again, we just spend so much energy being like, oh, it's just this. No, absolutely not. Things can be better.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, you don't have to suffer dolls. You don't have to suffer. Well, I'm not about suffering anymore. Suffering's out. We've I mean, I guess this is tricky because suffering is the point of life, isn't it? But we'll I won't get philosophical.

SPEAKER_01

Very existential of you. And yes, suffering is subjective and quite drastic for a lot of people. But um in the context of periods which can be addressed, unlike many wars that exist in life. Uh we we can we can we can address this very very easily. The things that we can control and manage, shall we? We should. I think the things that are in con in our control, we should. Yeah, I think that's important. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love you. I love you. And I love periods. Even though I haven't had one in three years. Because I also love not having them too, truthfully. I'm not gonna lie. I'm not sure. Live your truth. Right.

SPEAKER_03

Once again, whatever works for you. Yeah, everyone is different. Everyone's different. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

You know, I don't I I'm not here to yeah. Absolutely. You do you, both. You do you? Okay, myth number six. Oh period blood is dirty. Again, that is a myth. It's a myth. It's not flushing toxins. In the shower. It's not flushing toxins or our body rejecting anything. It's just normal. It's not, it's not dirty. Okay. Myth number seven. Only women get periods wrong. Wrong. This is not true. Transgender and non-binary people also get periods. So this is not just a inadverted commas, women's issue. This is an everyone issue. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04

Everybody. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Right? So everyone's on that.

SPEAKER_03

Even if someone doesn't have a menstrual cycle, they damn sure know and love someone who does. Absolutely. So learn about it. So learn about it. Also, you're here because of it, brava. Yes. Jesus.

SPEAKER_01

Look at you. Circling back. This is just wow. Wow. You're adorable. Love that. Everybody should know about it. Yes. Yes, absolutely. Um, myth number eight. You cannot swim during a period. That is a myth. You absolutely can. You just need the wrong product. Yeah. Yeah. You also don't have to if you don't want to. We're going get in. We're going to a pool. Get in. Get in.

SPEAKER_04

Are you bleeding? You're bleeding. Get in. We're going to the pool. 50 laps.

SPEAKER_01

Well. You know, but but you can. You can be in bodies of water and other myths are, you know, you shouldn't have a bath and that sort of stuff. But baths are really helpful. Water's lovely for that sort of stuff. So you just you can swim, you just need to find the right product, but you also don't have to. You actually don't have to do anything that you don't want to.

SPEAKER_03

But these are just a finish concept. Isn't that what? That's great.

SPEAKER_01

You don't have to do anything you don't want to. Your body, your choice.

SPEAKER_03

Huge, huge, huge, huge.

SPEAKER_01

Wild, right? Thank you. Wild. No worries. I can repeat it anytime you like. Um, myth number nine, you shouldn't exercise during a period. It's a common one. Yes. Um, but actually, exercise is really helpful. It's so good for cramps. I know, no. No, but just movement of any kind. Yeah. Of any kind. Absolutely. Um, I think we all tend to go, oh, you know, it's it's that time and we've got to rest and relax, which is fine. But also exercise is really helpful for cramps. So if you want to exercise, do it. Absolutely. There's a lot of new evidence emerging around exercise in the menstrual cycle and how to maximise athletic performance, which we're not going to touch on, but we can in the future. And how um with the change in the cycles, people's performance will shift. Um, and we're now recognising that um as impactful and just kind of maximising athletic um training schedules based on their periods. That's great. As they should, but that's great.

SPEAKER_03

So exercise is important. Yes, because it is, yeah, it is important. Um yeah, I find that if I'm bleeding, um, I might like not go as hard or as heavy as I usually would um like during a gym session or whatever, but still go, maybe just take it a bit easy if I'm feeling a bit more weak. Yeah. And then when during ovulation I'm feeling we're super strong, and like then I can, you know, you can tailor it toe cycles or whatever feels good for you. Totally. Some days I'm like, all I can do is stretch. Um, as long as I'm moving my body in some way. I think it's a walk, you know. Whatever you can do is is is more than enough. Totally.

SPEAKER_02

You are more than enough.

SPEAKER_03

You are.

SPEAKER_02

No, you no direction.

SPEAKER_01

Sorry, sorry. I need to stop. That's all I can see in my head right now. Oh my god, I wish I never said babe. Um, yeah, so in the low down lutile phase, your performance can drop a little bit. So it's just again, a length lot of the messaging that we're trying to get is just listening to your body, right? Don't let anybody around you tell you that you shouldn't shouldn't be feeling a certain way. Just and I I really, yeah, I I just hope that um clinicians out there, which uh you know, we are, that we we we are. Believe it or not. Believe it or not, believe it or not. You can look us up on UPRA.

SPEAKER_06

We'll put it in the show notes of registration. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um is that this none of these things should just be dismissed. It's just it's so important. It's gonna stop people from coming in and talking about it. Um so having this guy, I like I have whole consults just on this cycle. Lovely. Yeah. I just love it so much. And just re-educating people, it's just so beautiful. It's beautiful, um, particularly in contraception. Yeah, and just explaining why, explaining why we're making this decision, but also just saying you also don't have to if you don't want to, but these are the options, right? So this is great. So nice. Um, the last myth is starting your period late means you're immature.

SPEAKER_03

As in like getting getting your first period, right, right, right, right.

SPEAKER_01

Not the cycle. Sorry, I was like, wait, what? Sorry. Menarchy. Menarchy means you're immature. This is this is not the case. Right. So I was nine, Ellie was someone. We don't know. I mean, that's fine. How old are you in? Yeah, don't worry. It's fine. Um, so this is all highly individualised. Yes. Okay. So, but if you haven't had your first period ever, by the time you're 16, it's just worth getting a little little checkup. Just visit your visit your local GP for that. Um, but they're the top ten myths that I found. I love it, you mythbuster.

SPEAKER_03

You ah, that was brilliant. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01

That's okay. Is there anything you want to add?

SPEAKER_03

I don't think so. I don't think so either. I think we've I think we've nailed it.

SPEAKER_01

I think so too. I think we've covered a lot, a lot of the basics, things to look out for.

SPEAKER_03

I hope you enjoyed. I hope it was helpful. I hope so too. I still think like um the the gap in knowledge is huge.

SPEAKER_01

Huge. Yeah. It's amazing. I'll have like I my young adolescent patients will come in with their mums and they come in with their heavy periods and their painful periods, and I go, right, let's just let's just take it right back and talk about the cycle. And then we go through all of this, and then their mum's like, What? I never knew that. And I'm thinking, wow. Yeah, like the opportunity to to offer that education to both is just beautiful. But I just I was sad too to think that this woman has gone through her entire life not knowing the the details of why she's been on things, or or she's like, oh, and you know, a lot of people will just be put on the pill and not know why they can change. And so it's just you know, using every opportunity as a health education, health promotion opportunity is just so powerful. Absolutely. Oh god, you're such a wonderful clinician. Honestly, anyone would be so lucky right now.

SPEAKER_06

Stop it, stop, it's true.

SPEAKER_01

So um I think in future episodes um we're gonna cover some of the specific conditions, I think, that um can manifest. Uh yes. Oh, yeah, but just yeah, absolutely, just can manifest in these symptoms. So we'll we'll cover some of the big topics um in the future. If you're listening to this and you feel like we haven't covered something, please we've got some questions. We love questions. We love questions. So just send them or feedback. Or little sound bites, or anything, songs, serenading. Also, I'll accept a serenade. We will. Yeah.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, we actually will. We actually will. Actually, this was beautiful.

SPEAKER_03

Oh my god, I can't wait to do this again.

SPEAKER_01

I can't eat that.

SPEAKER_03

What are we gonna talk about next week? Do we know?

SPEAKER_01

I don't know.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, well, surprise.

SPEAKER_01

I think surprise. We could continue on the same theme. Or we could just have a think. Yeah. Just let it flow. Let it flow! Let it flow.

SPEAKER_03

And on that note, goodbye.

SPEAKER_01

Special thanks goes to the Hen House Recording Studios for hosting our recording sessions, our production team, Dana and Louisa, and my good friend Pari Sansonari for our audio.