#period flu

[musingsofanaroace]

Period Simulators Don't Simulate Periods

I've seen some YouTube videos where biological men get hooked up to a period simulator to see if they can handle period pain. And spoilers, a majority of them can't. And then they go on to talk about how they can't imagine experiencing such pain for days at a time every month. Like pain is the only thing you experience while on your period! Oh boy, do I have some news for those dudes. A period comes packed with a whole host of other adverse symptoms besides pain.

In this post, I'll be talking about my own experience with periods as an agender individual who also has AuDHD.

Since pain seems to be the most known symptom, I'll start there. Here's how I describe the pain. It feels like Freddy Kruger is inside me, tearing up all my innards with his knife-like fingers. The pain radiates down my legs and sets the muscles on fire. It also radiates up my back. If you touched it, it would feel burning hot. It usually takes four or five 220 mg naproxen sodium tablets to ease the pain. Not to eliminate it but to take the edge off.

For me, the worse symptom is gender dysphoria. My brain refuses to believe that I have female reproductive organs even though I logically know that I do. Most days, my brain can ignore this objective reality by hiding behind a glass mirror. But then the period comes along and shatters this mirror, driving home the truth. And when this happens, my brain has a bit of a freak out. It dials up the anxiety to a ten, and the gender dysphoria to a hundred. During this time, I feel incapable of socializing or performing any daily task. Instead, I just want to crawl under my blanket and disappear from the world. Basically, I have an autistic shutdown. I know this may seem illogical and over the top, but that's gender dysphoria for you.

The next horrible symptom is period flu. Every muscle in my body aches. The world takes on an underwater appearance, and I feel extremely nauseous. It's hard for me to eat anything for a good day or two.

Then there's the migraine I get a day or two before my period starts. It feels like someone took a hammer and smashed the right side of my face. I see swirling pinpricks of various colored lights, and sounds become louder. Also, I feel like I'm on a rocking ship or Tilt-a-Whirl. And since I have motion sickness, this makes me feel extremely nauseous. Dramamine Natural and Nauzene are lifesavers.

Next, it creates mood changes. "Things fall apart; the center cannot hold" - William Butler Yeats. I feel this crushing sadness that paints the world in storm clouds. Everything I do is wrong, and everything is horrible. Every polite request seems like a demand, and every unkind word feels like a rapier to the heart.

And lastly, the blood. Since I have severe gender dysphoria in regards to what's down there, I can't use tampons. I must use pads. But using pads aggravates the sensory issues I have related to autism. I don't like the feel of the pad down there, especially when it gets wet with blood.

Also, the blood doesn't always like to absorb into the pad. Sometime it glides over the surface and ends up onto my undergarments or thighs. The feel of the sticky blood on my skin is one of the grossest sensations ever. When this happens, I must take a bath pronto.

In conclusion, period simulators don't simulate periods. If they did, the world would be a more sympathetic place.

Well, that's all I have for today. Until next time, take care and stay curious.

[strawberry-squidkid]

Who decided PMS should induce flu like symptoms??? I was not wanting to throw up yesterday, but i did.

5 times.

[angelictrancy]

If I could not feel like absolute shit every time I get my period that would be great.

My whole body aches so bad, I'm freezing, like I deadass have my heated blanket on hi a quilt on top of that. A fleece blanket wrapped around me and a fuzzy jacket on.... and this cough 😑 😒 period flu/ cold is no joke.

Now excuse me while I go cry.

[theknittinggoblin]

My body has forsaken me

[introspectivememories]

okay so i know that dash baxter barely gets any character development in the show but like the idea that danny hates dash? boo, lame, overdone!!!! danny who can beat dash up and dash knows this and everyone knows this but by god danny needs something normal to cling on to so dash shoves him in a locker everyday?? yeah that's the good shit

[bumblingbabooshka]

How many times do you think Tuvok used the Tarkalean flu excuse before Janeway started going "Hmm..." Seven years is a long time and I'm certain that the first few times Tuvok got the 'flu' Janeway didn't remember or think much of it. Especially depending on how common the Tarkalean flu is (it'd be much less notable if it was the equivalent of being out sick with 'a cold') At what point do you think Janeway went "Let me make a note of this..." and then the next time his 'flu' rolled around, seven years later, she went back to confirm that note. But a good scientist needs more consistent results than that - so it really took a third period of seven years to fully cement this knowledge as fact in her mind. Meanwhile Tuvok's making detailed psychological notes on her. They're a perfect team!

[amber-isnt-a-precious-stone]

I'm watching Emma (2009) and I've previously seen the 2020 movie, and I always can't help but aro-code Emma! As someone who is grey-aromantic, I see myself in her. She questions what love feels like, often questions whether she's in love (captures that platonic, infatuation, sexual or romantic attraction confusion) and in general, is perfectly content with remaining unmarried and never being in a relationship. I relate to horror, confusion and somewhat romantic repulsion when someone confesses they romantically like her. Also, it goes without saying that grey-aromantics can experience romantic attraction, and she falls in love with only Mr Knightley, which is a nice example of an aromatic person being in a relationship while retaining their lgbtq identity

[ameba-from-space]

Today in thing I should have learned in sex ed: Being in your period lowers your immune system and you're more likely to get sick during it, and some women experience something called period flu which happens during the cycle and mimics the symptoms of a normal flu

[tiredghostness]

Getting sick twice a week is crazy right?

[lanabenikosdoormat]

wow, what a surprise, living up to my url again

[bereft-of-frogs]

It should be illegal to feel ill on one of the last summer weekends of the year

It’s 80F and sunny and yet I am inside because my skin hurts 👍

Luckily I mean September can usually go either way, we can still have a few good park weekends. Tomorrow is also supposed to be good and I have Thursday off. Trying to be forgiving of myself for spending the whole day in bed. At least I have big windows and a view of a tree? That’s the same thing as going to the park, right?

[cancerian-woman]

Rebekah is not wrong for wanting to be human and have a life for herself. There isn’t anything wrong with desiring motherhood. However, the way she discarded Hope for years and Hope having to call her out on her family’s abandonment. Does aid in my belief she only wants a baby and not a kid-through adult. That being said if Rebekah was around more and made some friends I think someone should’ve told her she doesn’t know what it’s like to be human anymore.

Klaus told her he’d watch her die basically but that was just him being an asshole. He was not trying to give any real advice lmao.

[doinggreat]

i just cried over the fact that i feel like shit and now i feel even worse

[nicistrying]

Am I about to go to bed at 8.15pm because I am just Too Overwhelmed? I think I might be

[greenqueenhightower]

There is nothing like watching all of Alicent's scenes as an antidote to every ailment

[scottymacs]

booked my covid flu AND tdap vaccines for next tuesday can’t wait for my brain to be SOUP