dear body

[baratron]

Dear body,

I had got kinda used to the 24 day menstrual cycle. It was annoying, but after 3 months of 24 days, at least I knew when the period was coming. So, just when I'd got used to it, this month you decide you'll make me wait 30 days. What gives? Are we going back to the old 28 day cycle? Are we keeping the 24 day cycle and this one was just randomly late to annoy me? Or are we going to have one long cycle followed by one short cycle for the next few months? Gah.

No love,
h-l.

---

Of course, having waited the extra 6 days, this period is heavy and clumpy and clotty, and I have had really bad pain. As well as pain in my lower belly that's clearly uterus cramps, I get backache and terribly achy joints with periods.

So today was a stunning reminder of what it was like to be much more disabled than I am now. Slept for 12 hours, then had to go out shopping - and I was shuffling around the place with tiny little steps, having to hold onto things so I didn't fall over, and having to sit down. I only went to Waitrose, the bank, Post Office and stationery shop - but it took me a very long time, and every so often the weakness in my legs and pain in random places got so bad everything went all black and swimmy for a bit.

Paracetamol & codeine helped, and after that was unexpected ludy (randomly in London for the day) and not much work (conveniently, I only had two students scheduled today, and one of them cancelled). It could be worse. Having really bad pain and physical exhaustion once a month is better than every day. I mean, I now live in a house with stairs, that I have to go up and down at least twice a day.

Still pretty scary, though.

Comments

[geminigirl]

I'm not sure if your lifestyle is conducive to it, but have you thought about tracking any of your fertility signs? (Basal Body Temp, Cervical position and texture, and cervical mucous) For most people the luteal phase is consistent, and after a few months, you should have a good sense of when to expect your period whether or not your cycle is a regular length. It won't help with the cramps, but it does mean you're less likely to be caught off guard.