[Aunt Donna]

For the past two and half years I have had a cycle only about twice a year. Now since losing weight I am back on a regular monthly cycle. I have always bought my feminine products in large quanities so I don't have to buy when that time comes around. I went to the store today and was dumb-struck about how the packaging had changed. I showed my mother the packaging and the nice little packets inside. She said that things have came a long way since she used them. My niece looked at me like "Really Aunt Donna, aren't you up-to-date?". I had to buy plenty because she is here for the summer and needs to use them, also. I like to keep plenty on hand because when I was growing-up, my sister and I had to ask for them each month and we only got barely enough to make it through the cycle. I don't like that feeling, so I usually buy enough for a few months. Maybe it is just me. I wished they had the ones in the different colored wrappers when I was in school so it wasn't obvious why you were going to the bathroom.

[AAAAA]

There are some new products out there that I have no idea what they even are! Let alone how they’re different than the previous model. Are they candy? Feminine hygiene products? I don’t know!

My daughter is home from college for the summer and I went to the store to pick up her type of supplies and really had no idea what to get! All of these brilliantly colored packages and choices. I actually had to call and say “give me a brand name and color.”

I have to say those panty liners for thongs really cracked me up. Really, all you have for underwear is a string and there’s a pad for that? I almost bought a package just to see what the heck they actually are.

[Aunt Donna]

Now you have me curious. Pads for thongs? What do they attach to? LOL
I went for the brand I normally use even though the packaging is different. I felt safe with the brand. I wonder if one of my nieces wear thongs so I could buy a package and pawn them off on them saying I made a mistake. A lot of females are using tampons but I had an allergic reaction to them when I tried them as a teenager. Thankfully my next door neighbor was a nurse and was able to help me without me going to the ER. It was very embarrassing to say the least.

[Indie'sOK]

Why would anyone want to wear a thong during their period anyway? I tried wearing thongs but they just aren't comfortable in my opinion.

[splitimage]

Personally, I love all the choice there is now. Back when I started my period, my mother who was not the most progressive creature on the planet would only buy these really thick pads that you wore attached to a belt. Talk about leakage potential. Whoever invented wings is an unsung hero in my opinion. And having different lengths too is great, I'm on the large size, plus I tend to have heavy periods so being able to buy the extra long is a major bonus.

I'm with you though on always have to stock up lots to have on hand. My periods are really irregular due to the meds I'm on, so I often don't have a clue when they'll start and I'm lucky to not get PMS so I don't even have that as a warning, so I always carry 1 -2 pads for emergencies in my purse. I love that they're discreete little wrapped squares.

--splitimage

[Fresia]

They've come along way and I appreciate the choices though daunting as it may be trying to find the right one.

How times have changed... I was at my grandmothers for a visit and my cycle came really early. I wasn't prepared. It was really late at night and was about to head to the store when my grandmother pleaded w/ me to please not to go out out so late, large city and not safe to be alone at night. They would never go out. In my mind, I have to. From the bathroom, she pulls out a hand towel and says we can make strips. I was mortified and chuckled but this is what they did. In the end we agreed to go together. She was then curious about the pads when we got home and was amazed saying no wonder you wanted to go out; I would too. Some advances in technology can only be appreciated by looking back.

[AAAAA]

Oh I have to disagree with you Splitimage. I MISS those pads with the belts or that you pinned to your panties. I’ve always had extremely difficult heavy periods, so I was never able to comfortably wear tampons. I miss those big heavy pads at night. I wouldn’t want them during the day of course.

When the ones with wings came out, I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread!

Before I came to the conclusion I couldn’t use tampons, I tried them all. When OB came out, a friend suggested I try them because they were smaller and more comfortable. I couldn’t get beyond the insertion without the applicator, but it appears that is very common now. I don’t understand the logistics.

[Evening]

Originally Posted by faylowell

Now you have me curious. Pads for thongs? What do they attach to? LOL

They even have black ones so they are more 'discreet' when wearing black underwear. DISCREET! If anyone can see it in the first place the last thing you really want to be worrying about is whether or not it matches your underwear.

[Aunt Donna]

Originally Posted by AAAAA

Oh I have to disagree with you Splitimage. I MISS those pads with the belts or that you pinned to your panties. I’ve always had extremely difficult heavy periods, so I was never able to comfortably wear tampons. I miss those big heavy pads at night. I wouldn’t want them during the day of course.

When the ones with wings came out, I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread!

Before I came to the conclusion I couldn’t use tampons, I tried them all. When OB came out, a friend suggested I try them because they were smaller and more comfortable. I couldn’t get beyond the insertion without the applicator, but it appears that is very common now. I don’t understand the logistics.

If you are lucky, you can find someone who works for a hospital and you can still get those big pads. They are simply wonderful at night. The one with wings are terrific. During really heavy flow though when I am afraid of messing up my clothes, I use the adult pull-ups. I know it is an extreme but I rather wear them with a pad instead of having an accident in public and everyone noticing.

I am like Indy in the fact who would wear a thong on their cycle. I haven't heard of the colored ones. What happens if you have an allergic reaction to the dye? I don't even want to think about it.

Thanks everyone for helping me not to feel alone in this. I appreciate all of you. To put it in southern language, I appreciate y'all. (sorry it is the way I really talk. southern through and through. I do speak correctly when dealing with business. Don't want anyone deducting IQ points. LOL).

[eskielover]

Ah yes, I remember those days......glad they are in the past now. I also was at my grandparents house for the summer when my period started & I had no idea what it was.....I just thought I was bleeding to death & I was darned if I was going to tell anyone & ruin my fishing trip with my grandpa.....figured I would die later...lol. My Mom was with me at my grandparents (our annual summer trip to Kansas each year). I finally said something & then they informed me that it was my period.....duh.....all that wonderful teaching in grade school so we would understand what was going on & they never included the practical information about what it was supposed to look like Even with all my straight A's in school, I wasn't able to put 2 & 2 together to figure out what was going on with me.......really duh. All I can say is that it's a good thing that my grandmother & mother didn't think that starting my period was something to celebrate because I would have bopped them both over the head with the sanitary napkin box & told them where they could shove it cause it wasn't anything this tomboy wanted to celebrate & was nothing but a dang nuisance all my life.

Just my luck, I wasn't able to use the pill either.....blood clot problems. Then after the birth of my only child (daughter), I had an almost endless period for almost a year. Guess it felt the need to make up for lost time Ugg, the whole mess was nothing but a nuisance because I wasn't wanting kids in the first place. Thought how wonderful it would have been if there could have been a switch we were born with to only turn it on when we wanted to get pregnant & have it switched off the rest of the time (ah, if only God has asked women how she would have liked to be created...lol).

All they had in those days was the belt & the large pads. I always had problems with heavy periods also & it would always leak no matter how hard I tried to catch it before it did. When they finally came out with the OB's & other tampons before that, I would use both that & the pads & then the pads with wings as thick as possible. I have to agree with AAAAA about the OB tampons, or tampons in general. I always had a problem getting them or only getting them in part way & then they wouldn't go the rest of the way in. Wasted more tampons that way only ending up needing to use a pad anyway, so always needed to have both on stock just in case

Strange thing was even the first time I dealt with anorexia when I was 43, it had no effect on my period....it just kept coming(just my luck).....it wasn't until my last go round with anorexia when I was 51 that it finally stopped. When I was able to gain some weight back, it started back every few months then poof, just went away(finaly I felt lucky me). Not sure the exchange for the hot flashes was worth it, but they were much less of a nuisance than my period any day & only hit occasionally even if the occasion was at the most inopportune time. Right after I was showered & dressed to go somewhere or in the middle of the night..I would end up completely drenched This lasted for about a year on & off. The one good thing is that I no longer have the need to buy any of those feminine products.....but I still have a whole bunch of them kicking around at the time if was for the "just in case".

Interesting thing is that when I fell off the horse I was riding a few months ago, there were little signs of bleeding again. I was stressing about that for a couple of weeks. I have no idea what internal damage was done...bruised kidney or bladder, shook up ovary's......whatever it was, as soon as I stopped hurting from the fall, that went away also.....so figured it was related & not a problem unless it shows up again without an accident

[feddy]

Let me put myself out there because I suspect I might be able to make you ladies laugh. I am the woman who wears a thong during my period. Seriously, if you're wearing a tampon, it doesn't really matter anyhow! The thong liners are to help when my flow is really heavy just in case I leak a little bit. And personally, I thought that they were g-d's gift to women when they first came out!!!!! They are phenomenal. I also use them at the very end of my period when it's just about over and I'm down to the final bit of light spotting.

Yes, I am that woman. I don't know how to function in a normal pair of underwear. During the day, I only wear thongs!!! (And yes, once you get used to them, they are perfectly comfortable, I swear!)

[Aunt Donna]

Originally Posted by feddy

Let me put myself out there because I suspect I might be able to make you ladies laugh. I am the woman who wears a thong during my period. Seriously, if you're wearing a tampon, it doesn't really matter anyhow! The thong liners are to help when my flow is really heavy just in case I leak a little bit. And personally, I thought that they were g-d's gift to women when they first came out!!!!! They are phenomenal. I also use them at the very end of my period when it's just about over and I'm down to the final bit of light spotting.

Yes, I am that woman. I don't know how to function in a normal pair of underwear. During the day, I only wear thongs!!! (And yes, once you get used to them, they are perfectly comfortable, I swear!)

Thank you so very much for your reply. I was curious. In fact I was going to go out on a limb and ask my oldest niece who wears thongs. You saved me from seeing her eyes roll up at me. (It's that you are so out of touch with things look). I know she uses tampons. It makes sense now that you explained it. I know a lot of women who wear thongs but I never really thought of how they handled things during that time of month. Thanks for letting me know and saving me from embarrassing myself because of curiousity.

[Typo]

oh good I"m not the only one that finds that aisle daunting!

so much confusion over that aisle, you would think it would be a rather simple thing.

Since I've started birth control my periods are super light (something I am not use to) so I am having to figure out what to replace the pads I usually use with, (the super duty ones )

I haven't tried to use a tampon since, well forever, and all the diffrent pads, and hell they come in all these diffrent colors, when did that happen? Why does one's feminie hygiene product need to come in a rainbow of colors?

[Indie'sOK]

I haven't bought them in awhile...they come in different colors now? I'll have to check it out. I don't like to wear pads much, they're too bulky in my opinion. Switching to super tampons was a good move since I'm a bit heavier and probably bleed more than the average teenager.

[venusss]

I hate when these products are packaged in bright colors. I tend to get more anxious and irritated on my period than I am usually... so I always feel that these scream: I HAVE A PERIOD!!!!!! from my shopping cart.

And as for tampons, they are a Nobel-price worthy invention.

[feddy]

Faylowell, you're most welcome. And Indie, the super-tampon is the best invention EVER! I have an IUD so my flow is super-heavy (hence the need for the thong liner) and the super tampon makes it slightly less painful to manage.

I'm glad I was able to help.

Feddy

[Christina86]

TOOOOOOO many decisions and colours. It's like walking into a freaking rainbow down the aisle.

At least the different companies stick with the same colours (generally) depending on the strength ...

green = extra strength I think
yellow = regular?

and I'm not at all sure about the rest.

Too many decisions, tooooooooo many!!

[Evening]

Originally Posted by feddy

Let me put myself out there because I suspect I might be able to make you ladies laugh. I am the woman who wears a thong during my period. Seriously, if you're wearing a tampon, it doesn't really matter anyhow! The thong liners are to help when my flow is really heavy just in case I leak a little bit. And personally, I thought that they were g-d's gift to women when they first came out!!!!! They are phenomenal. I also use them at the very end of my period when it's just about over and I'm down to the final bit of light spotting.

Yes, I am that woman. I don't know how to function in a normal pair of underwear. During the day, I only wear thongs!!! (And yes, once you get used to them, they are perfectly comfortable, I swear!)

I'm more of a boyleg person myself, they're the greatest damn underwear ever invented, especially for someone with a big old cellulite *** like mine...

[RomanSunburn]

I'm a little late to the game, sorry...

But, I actually prefer to wear thongs on my period. Call me crazy, but for some reason, a tampon and a thong make me feel free and clean...

I also decided that tampons at night during my period were even better than pads with wings. That commercial where the girl would only sleep in certain positions while on her period totally hit home for me. Though it took me a long time to get used to tampons (still have trouble).

I'm jealous of anyone who can wear boyshorts. My bum is too small and they don't fit right and ride up and you get the picture...

Now, I have my own really awkward, slightly embarassing question... Does anyone else where panty liners all the time, regardless of whether it's that time of the month or not?

And after that question.. I'm going to scamper away!

[Miracle1986]

Originally Posted by RomanSunburn

Now, I have my own really awkward, slightly embarassing question... Does anyone else where panty liners all the time, regardless of whether it's that time of the month or not?

I don't as of yet, but I have seriously considered it, because I am very bad about remembering when I had my last cycle and trying to figure out when I will have my next one. It seems like wearing a panty-liner all the time would just make things easier. Never have to worry about going to restroom and discovering that your panties are red! I hate when that happens! (or even worse... my back of my pants)

[AAAAA]

I wear panty liners every day, without them a cough or sneeze would ruin my day.

[thine_self_untrue]

I wear pantyliners every day. Just makes me feel cleaner.

I use a mix of pads and tampons depending (hilariously and stupidly) on my mood. Sometimes I want nothing touching me and need a tampon and others I feel "safer" with a pad.

[CherryDropz88]

Yeah I like to switch it up as well. It's about 50/50 with me between using pads or tampons. I like to swim so tampons have been my best friend lately. But pads do come in handy because like someone else said I do feel safer and more secure with them... sometimes at night I will wear a pad and a tampon in case of leakage. Ugh, that time should be coming next week...

[feddy]

HATE pads. But again (sorry if this is simply too much information) with the IUD sometimes I simply can't make it through the night in a pad because I am just too heavy, especially at the beginning of my period. Then, I break my rule and wear normal underwear (*gasp*) and have to wear both a pad and a tampon to bed. So gross. Otherwise, I wear a tampon 95% of the time, day or night. I just find it so much more hygenic and clean. I hate using pads and just find that not having to see the mess is so much more appealing to me. Truthfully, it's personal choice which is why (I guess) the aisle looks the way it does, LOL.

Man, I miss the pill. I went off of it because I wanted to get away from the hormones, but I had almost no period while I was on it. The IUD is a KILLER!!!