Women's health (TW)

[avant-garde]

@Patches59 thank you for being so honest and real with us. 

It's hard when you don't know what's going on with your body and there is no one you can ask or can tell you. 

I was in my early 20's when I had what felt like then as my first period, I had no memories then of when my first actual one was or of any of my childhood really. 

I had to take progesterone tablets to kickstart it because my body had adapted to consistent pregnancy hormones to not get a chance to experience the appropriate hormones for many years.

My mum never taught me anything, I had someone in my life then who taught me what pads were and tampons and what was actually happening to my body, it lasted 10 days with a lot of cramps.

@Appleblossom @tyme @Till23 @outlander 

[Patches59]

@avant-garde   It was interesting the timing of your post as parts of this subject were briefly touched on in my last psychologist session.

I remember waking one morning feeling like I’d wet the bed, stomach cramps and feeling physically ill.  My mum pulling the blankets off me whilst telling me to get out of bed.  All of a sudden she stopped, threw the blankets back over me saying she had things in her room to get.  I was in early teens and had no idea what was going on.  I was handed bag of pads, told how to use them, to clean myself up and to get ready for school.

due to spinal injury that happened when I was in form 1 I wasn’t allowed in the school gym so used to go to the library.  It was amazing the books I found to read through which I started to learn things my parents hadn’t taught me (and never taught me).  

big thanks to @avant-garde @Appleblossom @Dimity for sharing their experiences when younger, I don’t feel as uncomfortable to talk about women’s health

[Dimity]

@Patches59 I'll have to read through this thread. My mother never talked to me about reproductive matters apart from a cryptic remark before my periods starting then giving me pads the day they started. She thought I never had another period for more than two years because I bought my own pads from savings although I had no pocket money.

[Appleblossom]

@Patches59 @I am glad you got some support after your surgery 

Yes… for libraries … 

@avant-garde your story is unique 

i hope you do find the right support to help you negotiate it… moving forward 

[Dimity]

I feel quite vulnerable atm. I had a hysterectomy 4 weeks ago and had a heavy fall and blacked out my first night home. Then became psychotic over the next few days. 3 hospitals later I'm home.

My prolapse was much worse than average and I don't know why my former gp ignored all my requests for help. It amplified my feeling it was a taboo subject. 

Hugs to you @Patches59 I hope you're keeping well now after such bad experiences. 

[avant-garde]

@Dimity I'm glad they're your "former" GP now! You deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and they failed their duty of care by ignoring your requests for help! 

How are you going finding a new GP?

How are you going now that you're home? 

Oh hun *sitting with you*

@Snowie I keep checking my health record to see if my results have been unlocked for my screening test... it said 7 days from upload, that's today...

@balance37 how are you going?

[Snowie]

@avant-garde I hope your results come through soon. I guess sometimes no news is good news.

[Dimity]

Fingers crossed you don't have to wait much longer and the results are the best possible - or workable/manageable @avant-garde .

Thanks, I'm feeling pretty anxious about being home and having to rethink things I used to do on autopilot. It's not easy as both physical and mental healing are happening but I'll try to ride it out. Family rallied while I was in hospital but I'm back on my own now. 

[avant-garde]

We're right here with you @Dimity 

Please take it easy

[Dimity]

You too @avant-garde