View Full Version : "That time of the Month"
Granola Girl
01-14-2007, 23:05
Nobody talks about this. What's up?
I can not control when my cycle hits. And, when it hits, it really sucks for one day, the other days are manageable. What do I do with my used tampax? Are bears going to be drawn to the scent?
I can only hike a section of the AT one week of the year (due to schooling and a special needs child and due to work schedules, etcetera).
So, do I wait for after menopause? That is not right....
Tell me the trail etiquette for this one!:eek:
Don't worry, you're not alone. This has been discussed at length. One of the great things about this website, you can discuss all that concerns you when it comes to backpacking. There's some great information here, check it out. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=11624
For a quick answer to your questions:
You pack out your tampons, but if you don't want to hassle w/that, check out the diva cup at www.divacup.com (http://www.divacup.com) I have one and love it.
Bears aren't going to be attracted to you anymore than any other time. Now sharks are another story though! :)
The link Namaste provided will probably give you all the info you want.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-15-2007, 13:38
If you are not adverse to using BC pills, you can also use a brand called Seasonale to not have a period the entire time you thru-hike. This has been used in Europe for some time and has proven safe.
Appalachian Tater
01-15-2007, 15:31
Sorry for intruding, but I just wanted to point out that a lot of female thru-hikers stop menstruating.
jewelweed
01-15-2007, 20:27
I put a brown lunch sack in a ziploc in the top of my pack. My two daughters, my friend Nicole and I were all on at some point during our SNP section hike. We just put used items in the bag and when we got to a trash can, emptied it.
Mine really sucks for at least two days, sometimes three. My plan is to stay put wherever it hits for the two days. I'm going to bring a good book to save and read to pass the time. Since I only do five week sections, I'll only have to deal with this once on a trip. If I were to do a thru hike, I'd use the Norplants that are put in the arms. No period for 3 months at a time. But I'm hoping menapause hits before the thru hike. LOL
Granola Girl
01-15-2007, 21:58
WOW! What a great site..... I have some wonderful answers to my difficult question. Thanks everyone!:banana
krazy katie
01-21-2007, 16:38
I just wanted to say to be careful with those "3 month" patches. I would start the patches 3 or even 6 months before your thru hike. Everyone's body acts differently to the different kinds of hormone levels. There have been instances of women that have a period that last a month or more using the depo (shot).
I used The Keeper, which is similar to another product that was mentioned earlier in this thread. It worked great! I never had to pack anything out with me, so there was no need to carry extra baggies.
Oh boy, trust me, we DO talk about this! A lot!
I'm with Michelle on the Diva Cup alternative. In fact, through threads and PMs, Michelle probably knows more about my reproductive cycle than some of my closest friends ;) .
I asked my doctor about Seasonale and he was reluctant to change me to it. He basically said 'if it ain't broke...', i suppose changing hormones is such a crap shoot that if you aren't having problems with what you're on, you shouldn't mess with a good thing. True, I've been on pills that gave me horrible cystic acne and weight gain, so I agreed with him.
He did say that I could just skip my placebos and try to hormone-out my period altogether when I am traveling or hiking. It just costs more money.
Bears aren't going to be attracted to you anymore than any other time. Now sharks are another story though! :)
Oh, and I just have to bring this up... I was the only person in my county last year to be bitten by a shark in an unprovoked attack! It wasn't as cool as it sounds. But I'm mentioning this because I had to fill out a 4 page questionnaire with the ISAF and not once did they ask if I was menstruating! I thought that would have been relevant info! (FYI, I wasn't)
Frolicking Dinosaurs,
You advise (Post #4), “... you can also use a brand called Seasonale to not have a period the entire time you thru-hike. This has been used in Europe for some time and has proven safe.”
I’m way out of line here, but this isn’t the first time. It probably won’t be the last time either.
I’m suspicious of “for some time.” I’m not suspicious of you, FD, but of the popular assertion that something has been proven safe by long term usage. Longevity studies are rare. The studies take "too long" when investors want to make money right now. Most manipulations of female hormones, perhaps all, have proved of more trouble for the woman than they have been worth.
Menstruation while hiking seems more an inconvenience or embarrassment than something requiring medical intervention.
Hey, I’m a guy, what do I know?
I only know, I would object to my wife deciding so casually about something having potential long term adverse implications when there are alternative remedies readily available.
Now, some female physician will come along and post that all this has been proven beyond any dispute. It’s just my luck.
Keep healthy.
VictoriaM
01-21-2007, 21:22
Now, some female physician will come along and post that all this has been proven beyond any dispute. It’s just my luck.
No, you're right about hormonal treatments not being good for women. That's been proven well enough with estrogen to treat menopause. Birth control isn't much better. However, when you're out hiking long distance, hygiene is difficult at best. Having a period during this time isn't just inconvenient, it can be unsafe if you're not careful. Getting an infection during a time that the uterus is open and actively bleeding could potentially be life-threatening (in extreme cases, but still). That's not to say that it's something women should worry over excessively, but taking a little extra hormone to avoid periods for a short while shouldn't be a problem either.
VictoriaM
01-21-2007, 21:23
I wanted to add that I'm not a doctor, but have worked in various health care roles for six years, and keep up with women's health issues.
Another woman also shared some advice to take 2 Diva cups (which I am). That way I can always have one "at the ready" and take plenty of time to properly clean the other. This will allow me to spend less time w/my trousers around my ankles in the woods! :D
Oh boy, trust me, we DO talk about this! A lot!
I'm with Michelle on the Diva Cup alternative. In fact, through threads and PMs, Michelle probably knows more about my reproductive cycle than some of my closest friends ;) .
LOL!!!! All of us gals need to help each other out you know?! :D
Oh, and I just have to bring this up... I was the only person in my county last year to be bitten by a shark in an unprovoked attack! It wasn't as cool as it sounds. But I'm mentioning this because I had to fill out a 4 page questionnaire with the ISAF and not once did they ask if I was menstruating! I thought that would have been relevant info! (FYI, I wasn't)
Are you SERIOUS!!! Where did you get bit and how big was the shark? That's crazy!!!! And even crazier that they didn't ask you about that. How did something that has happened with women's bodies since the beginning of time become so taboo? Glad you're ok.
Jan LiteShoe
01-21-2007, 21:56
Actually, I want to hear the shark story!
:)
The subject in question was simply a non-issue on my thruhike.
Pack it in, pack it out. Easy-peasey. Cramps are minimal because you're fit, toned and exercising. Don't give it two thoughts.
Oh...forgot to say that I know first hand that many of us will either stop menstruating completely or it will be very short and light. That happened to me when I went to USMC bootcamp. In 3 months, I had only 1 (very light) period. I think this is probably more common, however, for those of us that don't stick to an exercise regimine in our normal lives, and then suddenly start hiking everyday which shocks our bodies.
Thank god there were more funny things about my shark story than not. Here it is, the very abbreviated version:
It happened while I was working. I was canoeing with about 20 kids and we were swimming around in the shallow water off one of the nearby islands. I never saw it coming, just felt thrashing and pain in my back, near the surface of the water. Fast forward 20 minutes, we finally pulled it off (it was a very small nurse shark, under 2 feet!), it took 2 adults to get it off of me and all of this done without the kids having any idea!
I found out later that nurse sharks are responsible for more bites than any other shark in the US because people think they are docile and they mess with them a lot. I am guilty of stroking a large nurse shark on the tail as it swam past me once when I was diving (NEVER AGAIN!). But my case was pretty rare because nurse sharks, especially very small ones, aren't responsible for many unprovoked attacks.
Also, it had latched onto my back because nurse sharks don't have jaws like your more traditional sharks. They have strong suction to suck up crustaceans and shellfish, which they crush in their mouth. So my wound wasn't like tooth punctures, it was more like a hickey where someone sucked my skin off!
It gave me quite a reputation in the workplace, especially since I had to be cleared for duty by a worker's comp doc. He said "well this is a first!"
I also realized later on that no matter how small the shark is, or how minor the injury, there is no good way to tell your mom that you got bit by a shark.
Jan LiteShoe
01-22-2007, 18:03
Thank god there were more funny things about my shark story than not. Here it is, the very abbreviated version:
It happened while I was working. I was canoeing with about 20 kids and we were swimming around in the shallow water off one of the nearby islands. I never saw it coming, just felt thrashing and pain in my back, near the surface of the water. Fast forward 20 minutes, we finally pulled it off (it was a very small nurse shark, under 2 feet!), it took 2 adults to get it off of me and all of this done without the kids having any idea!
I found out later that nurse sharks are responsible for more bites than any other shark in the US because people think they are docile and they mess with them a lot. I am guilty of stroking a large nurse shark on the tail as it swam past me once when I was diving (NEVER AGAIN!). But my case was pretty rare because nurse sharks, especially very small ones, aren't responsible for many unprovoked attacks.
Also, it had latched onto my back because nurse sharks don't have jaws like your more traditional sharks. They have strong suction to suck up crustaceans and shellfish, which they crush in their mouth. So my wound wasn't like tooth punctures, it was more like a hickey where someone sucked my skin off!
It gave me quite a reputation in the workplace, especially since I had to be cleared for duty by a worker's comp doc. He said "well this is a first!"
I also realized later on that no matter how small the shark is, or how minor the injury, there is no good way to tell your mom that you got bit by a shark.
Great story! That's one you can tell for a lifetime.
You may come to regret revealing it here though.
A trail name like "Shark Hickey" could be hard to live down.
:)
Thank god there were more funny things about my shark story than not. Here it is, the very abbreviated version:
It happened while I was working. I was canoeing with about 20 kids and we were swimming around in the shallow water off one of the nearby islands. I never saw it coming, just felt thrashing and pain in my back, near the surface of the water. Fast forward 20 minutes, we finally pulled it off (it was a very small nurse shark, under 2 feet!), it took 2 adults to get it off of me and all of this done without the kids having any idea!
I found out later that nurse sharks are responsible for more bites than any other shark in the US because people think they are docile and they mess with them a lot. I am guilty of stroking a large nurse shark on the tail as it swam past me once when I was diving (NEVER AGAIN!). But my case was pretty rare because nurse sharks, especially very small ones, aren't responsible for many unprovoked attacks.
Also, it had latched onto my back because nurse sharks don't have jaws like your more traditional sharks. They have strong suction to suck up crustaceans and shellfish, which they crush in their mouth. So my wound wasn't like tooth punctures, it was more like a hickey where someone sucked my skin off!
It gave me quite a reputation in the workplace, especially since I had to be cleared for duty by a worker's comp doc. He said "well this is a first!"
I also realized later on that no matter how small the shark is, or how minor the injury, there is no good way to tell your mom that you got bit by a shark.
OH MY GOSH!! I'm sorry...I can't stop laughing due to the picture I have in my head right now! I just never ever ever knew a person could get a hickey from a shark!! Sorry to be at your expense, but that made me laugh so hard, my neighbors are wondering what's going on over here. So I take it some base and a blemish stick didn't do too much to cover that one up huh? :D
On a more serious (and mature note) I am VERY glad you are ok...and that the injury, which must have been incredibly painful, was not more serious. And I thought my story about completely stripping from the waste up while running down the road due to being chased by a swarm of bees was bad......
Michele,
You advised (Post #21), “... I thought my story about completely stripping from the waste up while running down the road due to being chased by a swarm of bees was bad......”
You take your clothes OFF when chased by bees?
BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ!
P.S. You know, "Buzz" wouldn’t be the worst Trail Name. It's a lot better than "Shark Hickey." __________________
“The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to earth. ...
Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”
Michele,
You advised (Post #21), “... I thought my story about completely stripping from the waste up while running down the road due to being chased by a swarm of bees was bad......”
You take your clothes OFF when chased by bees?
BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ!
P.S. You know, "Buzz" wouldn’t be the worst Trail Name. It's a lot better than "Shark Hickey."
Hammock Hanger
01-22-2007, 19:51
Frolicking Dinosaurs,
You advise (Post #4), “... you can also use a brand called Seasonale to not have a period the entire time you thru-hike. This has been used in Europe for some time and has proven safe.”
I’m way out of line here, but this isn’t the first time. It probably won’t be the last time either.
I’m suspicious of “for some time.” I’m not suspicious of you, FD, but of the popular assertion that something has been proven safe by long term usage. Longevity studies are rare. The studies take "too long" when investors want to make money right now. Most manipulations of female hormones, perhaps all, have proved of more trouble for the woman than they have been worth.
Menstruation while hiking seems more an inconvenience or embarrassment than something requiring medical intervention.
Hey, I’m a guy, what do I know?
I only know, I would object to my wife deciding so casually about something having potential long term adverse implications when there are alternative remedies readily available.
Now, some female physician will come along and post that all this has been proven beyond any dispute. It’s just my luck.
Keep healthy.
My daughter has been using "Seasonal" since they came out with no bad effects. While it scares the hell out of me, she says that she loves it.
Michele,
You advised (Post #21), “... I thought my story about completely stripping from the waste up while running down the road due to being chased by a swarm of bees was bad......”
You take your clothes OFF when chased by bees?
BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ!
P.S. You know, "Buzz" wouldn’t be the worst Trail Name. It's a lot better than "Shark Hickey."
LOL...call it reflex, but they were all over my shirt and stinging me, so I just ripped my shirt and undershirt off and kept hauling ass down the road. My friend, who was sitting in front of the living room window of my house said all she saw was this blinding white streak flying past the window! I never recovered the shirt and that was the beginning of my bumble bee phobia! I believe I'm going to have an interesting hike. :D
Shark Hickey! I like it!
Once we got past the whole "oh *****" of the situation, we couldn't stop laughing at the absurdity. One of my co-workers said "it's pretty messed up that I'm jealous, right?" And when my boss found out he said, "Mary! You're a statistic!"
But back on the topic of our lady issues... I have a question about phyisical activity and menstruation cessation. Does this happen even when you are on the pill, and you're sort of forcing the issue hormonally? I'm asking because I've never skipped, maybe once in my life, even when training for a marathon. I've always wondered if that's because I'm like clockwork because of the pill.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-22-2007, 21:34
Re: Vi+'s comments about Seasonale - before reliable BC, women had far fewer periods and far more children :D... some docs believe that the rise in uterine cancer over the past 50 years or so has been because we finally figured out how to keep from having so many youngsters and started making and shedding the uterine lining more during our childbearing years. If this is the case, then Seasonale may not only be safe, but even safer than the alternative.
Michele,
“(The bees) were all over my shirt and stinging me, so I just ripped my shirt and undershirt off and kept hauling ass down the road. My friend, who was sitting in front of the living room window of my house said all she saw was this blinding white streak flying past the window!"
I remember pulling an old awning from the garage. I had faced away from the garage, shouldered the awning, and walked out into the yard pulling the awning from above the garage rafters behind me. I noticed yellow jackets flying about but it was such a pleasant sunny day I didn’t pay much heed. I came to appreciate their significance as their numbers grew and, turning, I saw them flying out the other end of the rolled up awning.
I made three laps around the house, screaming for my wife to open the door. Had I slowed I would have been stung many, many, too many times. Every yellow jacket in the universe had arrived and was hot after me. There were so many yellow jackets I could see their reflection from the windows I ran passed. On the third lap I ran through the door opening, slamming it behind me, suffering only half a dozen stings.
Whew.
Wait, wait. Do you hear that, Michele? BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ! BZZZZZZZ! It's growing louder. They’re coming. QUICK, take off all your clothes!
Michele, would you object if I begin calling you “Buzz?”
Frolicking Dinosaurs,
You advised (Post #28), “... before reliable BC, women had far fewer periods and far more children ... some docs believe that the rise in uterine cancer over the past 50 years or so has been because we finally figured out how to keep from having so many youngsters and started making and shedding the uterine lining more during our childbearing years. If this is the case, then Seasonale may not only be safe, but even safer than the alternative.”
SOME docs MAY be right, “... Seasonale may not only be safe, but even safer than the alternative.”
But they may also be wrong, or they could be right only regarding uterine cancer. We may not discover other risks for some time, as has been the history of good medical intentions which later proved detrimental.
We’ve been around about 100,000 years (or a few thousand years if you’re of certain religious persuasions). Regardless, our medical self-manipulation is quite recent. The results of our interventions, long term, are largely unknown; we didn’t begin these particular interventions all that long ago.
A woman I know said, about the new foods coming out, “If it wasn’t here when I was born, I’m not eating it.” This sentiment can be taken too far. I wouldn’t want to avoid benefitting from the great strides we’re making in medicine. Alternately, if I don’t NEED it, I’m going to remain a bit skeptical for a while.
My concern is calculating whether there's an equation balancing the degree of need, the probability of success, the probability of adverse consequences (unknown), and the degree of damage resulting from adverse consequences (also unknown).
Re: Vi+'s comments about Seasonale - before reliable BC, women had far fewer periods and far more children :D... some docs believe that the rise in uterine cancer over the past 50 years or so has been because we finally figured out how to keep from having so many youngsters and started making and shedding the uterine lining more during our childbearing years. If this is the case, then Seasonale may not only be safe, but even safer than the alternative.
Or maybe the rise in uterine cancer is due to better diagnostic tools?? I have always wondered, when someone claims that a certain disease is on the rise, if it really is on the rise, or are we just getting better at diagnosing the illness.
Spirit Walker
01-23-2007, 18:12
But back on the topic of our lady issues... I have a question about phyisical activity and menstruation cessation. Does this happen even when you are on the pill, and you're sort of forcing the issue hormonally? I'm asking because I've never skipped, maybe once in my life, even when training for a marathon. I've always wondered if that's because I'm like clockwork because of the pill.
I think it's an individual thing. I have always been erratic when my life was in transition. I studied in France for a year in college and only had two or three periods. Same thing when I went overseas in the Peace Corps. It had nothing to do with physical exertion - more emotional stress.
When I hiked the AT I didn't bleed for the first few months. I was on the pill for the last three hikes - it didn't make a difference. I still skipped several periods.
Now I'm perimenopausal so I only get one period a year, and a very short one at that -- even though I'm still on the pill. I got lucky last year - I started the day before we reached a trail angel's house - and she had a college age daughter. A little toilet paper did the job until I reached Pie Town. I was surprised, my previous once a year events were 1) just before going on vacation and 2) the day of the pool party. I keep hoping this year will be the last - but we'll see what happens when we go hiking this spring.
mambo_tango
01-23-2007, 20:26
A trail name like "Shark Hickey" could be hard to live down.
Although very original and unlikely that there would be two people walking around with that trail name.
Although very original and unlikely that there would be two people walking around with that trail name.
LOL!!!!!!!
Lilredmg,
You suspect (Post #31), “I have always wondered, when someone claims that a certain disease is on the rise, if it really is on the rise, or are we just getting better at diagnosing the illness.”
Improved communication is another confounding variable.
Television and the internet have broadened and accelerated the dissemination of news. If someone molests a child in Anus, WY, people all over the country quickly hear about it and react as if a pedophile was discovered just a few doors away.
Years ago the country was alarmed by the sharp increase in teen suicides. A friend demonstrated in his doctoral dissertation that teen suicides were actually in decline. People had learned, through improved communication, that suicide is more widespread than they previously presumed. Family members, friends, health workers, and police didn't shield others from the stigma of suicide, as much as they had. Suicides were simply reported more frequently.
Scientists and medics now exchange information more freely, having learned the value of hearing from others. In addition to improved diagnostics, the reporting of uterine cancer may have increased.
Oh...forgot to say that I know first hand that many of us will either stop menstruating completely or it will be very short and light. That happened to me when I went to USMC bootcamp. In 3 months, I had only 1 (very light) period. I think this is probably more common, however, for those of us that don't stick to an exercise regimine in our normal lives, and then suddenly start hiking everyday which shocks our bodies.
I started the trail on the second day of my period. It lasted the normal 5 days or so.....and then I didn't see it until about 2 months after I stopped hiking (6 months in all)
One thing that I did read recently is that heavy athletics, such as long distince hiking, my have a negative effect on fertility. I've also noticed that I now have more painful periods then I did pre hike. I feel like a dam teenager again!
Now, after all of this, am I hoping that I get my period while hiking this year? Heck no! It was great!!!!!!
Blissful
01-24-2007, 15:35
I started the trail on the second day of my period. It lasted the normal 5 days or so.....and then I didn't see it until about 2 months after I stopped hiking (6 months in all)
!!!
Wow, sure hope that happens to me.... Mine is supposed to come about the time I start my hike. Then again my system is weird anyway. You aren't supposed to have a period when you breastfeed either and I did (ended up in the ER too). So who knows.
You suspect (Post #31), “I have always wondered, when someone claims that a certain disease is on the rise, if it really is on the rise, or are we just getting better at diagnosing the illness.”
Improved communication is another confounding variable.
Television and the internet have broadened and accelerated the dissemination of news. If someone molests a child in Anus, WY, people all over the country quickly hear about it and react as if a pedophile was discovered just a few doors away.
My friends work with autism a lot and that's exactly what they say: it was never diagnosed like it is now.
I've been to Anus, WY. Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
I bought a Diva Cup and I was excited about using it on the trail, but after a lot of trying, it seems that my anatomy will just not allow it to work.
I was just put on a higher-dose BCP because of ovarian cysts and now I'm wondering if I'll be able to find places to refill it on the trail. My insurance company won't let me get more than one refill at a time so I may have to shell out full price for a 6-month supply before I leave.
Blah. I'm not looking forward to all the hassle.
Blissful
01-29-2007, 14:31
I bought a Diva Cup and I was excited about using it on the trail, but after a lot of trying, it seems that my anatomy will just not allow it to work.
I was just put on a higher-dose BCP because of ovarian cysts and now I'm wondering if I'll be able to find places to refill it on the trail. My insurance company won't let me get more than one refill at a time so I may have to shell out full price for a 6-month supply before I leave.
Blah. I'm not looking forward to all the hassle.
You don't have anyone who can fill it for you and then mail it to you when you need it? Usually I haven't had a problem getting a prescription filled using insurance when I have about 7 days left. It then it can be mailed priority. Also, can you get a 90 day refill? Sometimes the MD can rewrite the prescription for that.
I was just put on a higher-dose BCP because of ovarian cysts and now I'm wondering if I'll be able to find places to refill it on the trail. My insurance company won't let me get more than one refill at a time so I may have to shell out full price for a 6-month supply before I leave.
Here's what I'm doing, though this won't work for everyone.
I don't recommend going on and off the pill but this year I had to go off for a few months (doctor's orders, because of a suspicious breast lump - 2 biopsies later and it's harmless, WHEW), and since I am single and planning a thru-hike, I just stayed off. I still go to the pharmacy to pick up my packs and I'm hoarding them. They don't expire for years.
I'll have enough hoarded up so I can get back on them well before my thru, so I won't have to deal with screwing up my hormone levels at the same time I'm starting a big life change.
This is especially nice for me because I will have to give up my excellent benefits package to hike the trail. :(
Mrs Baggins
03-08-2007, 17:12
I'm 51, no sign of menopause anywhere in sight. I have 6 mos. worth of Desogen (BC pills) and will take them continuously to avoid a period. I've done it on vacations overseas and it works perfectly. My doctor agreed that there is no reason for me to have to put up with this anymore! And 6 mos worth of pills is a whole lot easier to pack than tampons, pads, the trash bag to keep the used ones in (ick), etc.
Lillianp
03-27-2007, 22:55
When i went hiking last year, I got lucky enough (I was only going for three days) to end up having my period the first two days. However, I brought along baggies, and put crushed aspirin in there, because I read in Beverly Hugo's book that that's a good way to prevent smell. It worked fine. *shrug*
For me when I was younger it was alot tuffer... hard cramps etc....I reember on the Pct, climbing Sonora pass at the top, about 10,000 ft I began just writhing on the grd. I can laugh now but it was sorta awful. The guys were like " what is wrong ? are ya Ok ?..." They are sitting on thier packs and I am around thier boots just moaning . I told them I was having my period and they all about fell over themselves trying to get outta there !..lol....when I saw them on the road they felt sorta bad for leaving .. little did they know I was bleeding all over the cooler in the van.. UGH ! I just sat there till everyone left then tried to clean it up with some ice ...YUCK..lol..... the altitude effects you too...also, I didn't sleep that well when I was having my period. I didn't want to bleed on my bag .. or shorts . I am not a shelter dweller but I KNOW that ripping a tampon in the middle of the night is not too much fun...:)and then trying to actually use it can be a challenge..
Well, you probably didn't want ALL that info but that is my story and I am sticking too it !
bearbait2k4
05-06-2007, 11:44
Nobody talks about this. What's up?
I can not control when my cycle hits. And, when it hits, it really sucks for one day, the other days are manageable. What do I do with my used tampax? Are bears going to be drawn to the scent?
I can only hike a section of the AT one week of the year (due to schooling and a special needs child and due to work schedules, etcetera).
So, do I wait for after menopause? That is not right....
Tell me the trail etiquette for this one!:eek:
So....you only hike for a week at a time, each year? Is that what you are preparing for?
Technically then, all you need to worry about it what goes on during that week, and a lot of other stuff (stopping periods, low cramping, 3 month hormone patches) kinda seems irrelevant.
I'm assuming that, if this is correct, the 1 week a year that you are able to get out into the woods for hiking is dead-set, and you can't shuffle it around, say, wait until next week, or go out before? If there is a little leeway, I'd say just wait until after your period hits.
Also, when you say that you can't control when your cycle hits - this can either mean that you have a highly irregular cycle (as in you literally don't know when it will hit, sometimes 28 days, sometimes 13) or you just simply are not and will not take any hormones that can allow you to control (to an extent) when you are getting your period. If it is the former, then - hiking aside - hormone therapy probably would actually benefit you, as your cycle should be somewhat regular, and that chronic irregularity in your cycle could be symptoms of a larger problem. If that is the case, then you should discuss this with your gyno at length, both for on and off the trail. Just my 2 cents....
If it's the latter, then you'll have to decide what is more comfortable with you. Some have suggested the diva cup - I haven't used this personally, but it seems like something that would work, without having to carry any used, soiled products with you. If you're just more comfortable with tampons, then you'll have to deal with packing them in and out. The best thing to do, in that situation, is to just keep them sealed in a ziplock, and wrap them up with a plastic grocery bag. If you are concerned about the odor (which, don't worry - I don't think it will have an effect on the bears - I was on my period during my time through the Shenandoahs, and didn't have any incidents), then throw a couple of dryer sheets into the bag.
The best thing about hiking when you're on your period is that it is, really, more regulated than when you're at the office, sitting down all day, to an extent. When you are stationary, the fluids tend to build up and pocket themselves, only to really flow down and be absorbed fully (or, in some cases, overflow - which will immediately cause a leak) when you get up and move around. When you spend your day mobile, you will have more of a gradual absorption, so you typically won't suddenly have a mess to deal with.
So, if you have any small wiggle room at all in your weeklong hike each year, just have the period at home. Honestly, I've never really looked forward to my period on the trail, so I can't see that anyone else would eather. If not, then just be prepared to either test out some new products, or just go with old faithful, and be prepared to carry it out with you.
Good luck!
bearbait2k4
05-06-2007, 12:24
Frolicking Dinosaurs,
You advised (Post #28), “... before reliable BC, women had far fewer periods and far more children ... some docs believe that the rise in uterine cancer over the past 50 years or so has been because we finally figured out how to keep from having so many youngsters and started making and shedding the uterine lining more during our childbearing years. If this is the case, then Seasonale may not only be safe, but even safer than the alternative.”
SOME docs MAY be right, “... Seasonale may not only be safe, but even safer than the alternative.”
But they may also be wrong, or they could be right only regarding uterine cancer. We may not discover other risks for some time, as has been the history of good medical intentions which later proved detrimental.
We’ve been around about 100,000 years (or a few thousand years if you’re of certain religious persuasions). Regardless, our medical self-manipulation is quite recent. The results of our interventions, long term, are largely unknown; we didn’t begin these particular interventions all that long ago.
A woman I know said, about the new foods coming out, “If it wasn’t here when I was born, I’m not eating it.” This sentiment can be taken too far. I wouldn’t want to avoid benefitting from the great strides we’re making in medicine. Alternately, if I don’t NEED it, I’m going to remain a bit skeptical for a while.
My concern is calculating whether there's an equation balancing the degree of need, the probability of success, the probability of adverse consequences (unknown), and the degree of damage resulting from adverse consequences (also unknown).
Well, being as how you're a male, if you start needing hormones to regulate your monthly cycle, you should probably place your immediate concerns elsewhere.
....kidding...
I've never been a proponent of hormonal birth and/or period control. To me, it doesn't seem like that should be regulated any more than it is, as long as your period is normal to begin with. Really - going three months without a period, due to taking or absorbing a synthetic medicine, just seems unhealthy - flat out - and there is simply no way that we know what the long term effect are. Seriously - have test subjects even been able to go through a complete life cycle in order to prove these methods to be safe?
However, if a woman's cycle isn't normal, at least by the time you're in your 20's, then intervention may be needed. Not too long ago, I read that abnormal cycles and short cycles can often increase infertility, risk of some cancers, and/or general problems conceiving or carrying up to full term. There could be adverse risks, but there could also be a problem that intensifies if left untreated. Sometimes a woman can get hit with severe cramping and nausea. If your period causes you to throw up every month, then that's probably not good for your body. Is it worse than possible complications that you may receive by taking a synthetic hormone? It depends on each complication. So each person really has to decide for themselves - whether the benefit is worth the risks. And, of course, there is a risk to everything we insert into our bodies, really. Tampons can cause an increase in TSS, and I think can increase the risk of cervical or uterin cancers (typically if there is a lapse in regulated use and removal, I believe) to a degree. Haven't there also been concerns about the growth hormones in our food having an adverse affect on puberty? I do know that young girls are typically starting their menstrual cycle far too early these days.
Really, ANY synthetic medication can cause adverse effects on the body - but the typical measure here is based on long-term usage. Really - aspirin can eat holes in your stomach lining - but typically not if you just take one, every couple of months, for a headache. I have taken birth control pills in the past, which changed my cycle. However, when I stopped taking them, after just a couple of years, it did not take my body long to get back to its natural course. So, perhaps long-term concerns should come with long-term usage, but it seems like most of these women are simply offering a very short-term solution to the problems with having a period, out in the middle of the woods when your resources are stunted even more. Believe me, it's already an inconvenience at time to have my monthly cycle when I'm at home. It always seems to coincide with some kind of stressful episode at work, school, or otherwise. It wouldn't necessarily mean that I would want to make it quit, synthetically, so that I simply don't have to deal with it. However, being out in the woods, and away from the comforts and amenities that you would normally have while on your period, I could easily see why this would become a viable option.
As long as this woman (or any woman)does all her research on her options (which it looks like she's doing), then she will likely make a very informative and wise decision, based on her circumstances and need.
pokeyhontas98
05-07-2007, 01:35
At home I put together little zip lock bags that contained a month supply. The contents were usually 9 O.B. brand Tampons ( they have no applicator, just cotton), 10 individually wrapped wipes, 8 tiny pantyliners, and a good hefty freezer bag. I left the hike with a month supply and then had a family member mail more bags to post offices along the way. My periods were unusually light and I packed everything out. The freezer bag works well for carrying stuff out, keep a little bleach bottle with you to control the smell.
Recently on my trip to Morocco I discovered homemade pads (most Moroccan women use them) this might be a good idea if you don't mind washing them out. Better for the Earth and you could wash them along the way.They wouldn't be hard to make, a light material could be used. The pads the Moroccan women used were two pieces of heavy duty cotton that were seamed around the edges in the shape of a maxi.
Nice one indeed. Thank for it. Well done!
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