When did you start?

i started when i was maybe 10 or 11

Eleven years old. My mom started at 10, and my aunt started at 14, which I always thought was strange because I started so early. lol

I was just over 12 and a half by like a month and a couple weeks. I remember this because I was in 7th grade. I was sitting on the bench taking a rest at a basketball game, and I thought I was going to die...The pain was so bad, I thought I was going to throw up...Then I got home and figured out why I felt so sick.

I told my mom right away, and she showed me where everything was at. She never really talked to me about it though. She just threw a book at me and wanted me to read about it. Yeah right, I didn't even like reading at that point... Now, I actually talk to my dad and brother more about it than my mom...Strange huh. My brother doesn't appreciate it, so I do it just to give him a hard time. Like when he asks why I took a half hour long shower I'll be all like, "Because I'm on my period and the hot water feels amazing!"

And just giving my two cents worth on the whole "being an athlete may make you have a later period" comment...I have been playing sports since the age of 3 or so, starting with whiffle ball. (I am now going to college to play softball.) I still got mine in junior high, even though I have been a three sport athlete for most of my life. I was in basketball, softball and soccer until about 12, then i went to basketball and softball, now to basketball, softball and track and field. So, I'm pretty active. My aunt, however, was very active also, and has always had a TON of issues with hers, including consistency, fertility and miscarriage.

And I feel extremely fortunate. My periods have NEVER been awful, other than the first one, and I have an extremely low pain tolerance as it is. I get cramps a little before hand, and it's a good warning for me. Then they are basically exactly a month apart. I get bad cramps for the first day or two, then it's easy sailing. And they're super light at night. Apparently nobody else is like this though, because in the locker rooms I hear a lot about "I just had my period two weeks ago! I thought birth control was supposed to help..." And other stuff like that. I've never had to be on birth control, it's nice...

Anyways...I'm done rambling.

Thanks for reading this all if you got that far.

JDA

December 15, 2012. I was terrified. I'm still kinda new to this whole woman thing. And 'feminine hygiene products'. Me and my older sister refer to this whole thing as "the hawk". And when it's that time of month again we say, "the hawk is in the nest" so our mom won't know what we're talking about.

Oh and also, the 'big day' I 'ruined' a pair of undies....in 5th grade they gave us "the talk" and they showed us a video and it said for the first time you should find little droplets....HELL NO NOT FOR ME it was like I pissed my pants...I had never felt so scared in my life...that was the LAST thing I ever wanted to see in my pants

I was 14 the summer of my freshman year, wow at least I was home, my mom was no help and I didn't know what to do. Pads she said no tampons i was too young umph I had to wait till she forgot and left some in the bathroom and I tried them out without permission which was a big thing at my home.

how did you hide something like that for that long?!?!?!?

I started when I was about 11. I noticed blood and I cried and told my mum.

I was 12. It was April vacation, and I was with my grandparents. Just about to leave for a trip down to Mystic, CT. My grandmother, had some extra supplies in the home, and it was exciting for me! Until, the entire drive from Maine to Connecticut was concerned. Wow...but still an exciting time in my life! Called my mom, before we left too!!

I'd been asking, when? When? When? Well, my mom, once told me, that about a year after I needed to start shaving under my arms, would be around the time I would get it!!

She was 12. My grandmother was 13. As her mother was 12.

I remember, when I was 14, and was at my friends' home and another friend was there. My 1st mentioned friend's mom, had to show the second mentioned friend how to use pads. Seriously, this friends' mom just didn't talk about such things! I remember, feeling, bad for her, because talking about these things, is bonding.

Thanks for pointing out - very true.

My late mom did not talk about that either, and even though I figured out the practical side on my own (it is trivial enough), we never got a chance to bond.

I was 11 and so was my daughter - guess it runs in the family! Neither one of us was happy about it at all.....

I was 13 and it came while I was at school one day. Went to the washroom and found out I had started. I freaked out and told my English teacher I wasn't feeling too well and wanted to call home. Was too embarrassed to tell her that I started even though I'm sure she had herd it already from lots of girls. Was so awkward telling my mom and I remember me not wanting my dad to know about it at all.

Wow. I read all the posts and found them so touching.

I was 14 and some girls at school were giving me a hard time because I wasn't "a woman."

Well I've been a "woman" for almost 46 years now and by golly, I won't miss it one bit should it end anytime now! Fifty is old enough for them to stop. I am really sick of it!

I started at 10 years old. I had spent the night at my grandma's house and it was the next morning and we were getting ready to go to my cousin's birthday party. My aunt was staying over and told me to start getting ready. I went to the bathroom and saw the blood. I became extremely frightened and started crying and was too ashamed to tell anyone. My aunt kept yelling at me to get in the shower or we would be late, but I refused. For some reason, I was afraid to get in the shower while I was bleeding. I guess I thought I would bleed to death if I did. Finally my mom came to get me and I told her what was happening since I couldn't tell my aunt or grandmother. (I was ashamed and embarrassed and didn't want ANYONE to know.)

I begged her not to tell anyone. She immediately took me home and made me get in the shower. I did and cried the whole time I was bathing. When I got out of the shower I was getting ready for the party in the bathroom. Still sobbing and insisting I didn't want to go anywhere. I just wanted to stay home while I suffered this horror. While I was sobbing, I suddenly heard my brother outside the bathroom door laughing and making fun of me. I was shocked and horrified. I had begged my mom not to tell anyone because I was so embarrassed, but she told and now I was being laughed at for it. I was humiliated.

I finally calmed down and agreed to go to the party if my mom PROMISED not to tell anyone when we got there. (It was a huge extended family party) She promised me she wouldn't. So, I went to the party and half way enjoyed myself thinking no one knew. The next time I went to my relative's house, my cousin walked up to me laughing and said, "You don't know what that thing at the end of a sentence is." I had no idea what she was talking about. I said, "A period?" All bewildered. She started laughing and said "Yeah, I heard you started screaming and crying when you got yours before the party." She laughed some more. I was once again humiliated and being made fun of. I knew then that my mom had told everyone as soon as we got to the party despite her promises to me. For me it was traumatic.

Had my first when I was 15. Was at school, had no idea what to do. Had a few female friends though so I got a bit of help from them.

I didn't get it again for ages, though, and it wasn't regular until I was like 19.

I started when I was 11. I noticed blood and I told my mum and I cried. When I was younger, my periods were a lot heavier. I could feel the blood coming out and my pad felt damp and wet. Now at 20, my periods are regular and not so heavy as they were when I was younger. I've stocked up my period supplies because I like to be prepared.