When did you start?

day before my 13th birthday! it sucked, i was on vacation in puerto rico with my grandma and couldnt go swimming at the beach because of the sharks... Only vacation ever at that! Worst timing ever!

i had my period when i was 13 . still i remmber that day.

lol, i feel so alone up there on the poll. yup that's right i'm the lonely "1 count" on the age 16-18

racee

perhaps being alone in this particular situation is a
good thing, I think starting when one is older is a blessing

I wish all girls wouldn't start until at least 16-- it can be too much to cope with for a young one, especially in a majorly dyfunctioning family and/or when abused/neglected...*sigh*.....

I was 11. I thought I was going to die. I told my mom I needed to go to the hospital because I was bleeding. She said no you're ok, here's a pamphlet (from a box of pads). Read it and let me know if you have any questions. That was it.

I don't remember the specific day, but it was 7th grade the month before we watched "the movie" (Miracle of Life) and learned about all that...I remember when we finally reached the unit my friend leaned over to me and whispered "Hey! That's what you have!"

I was 11 and it was the first day of 'Thanksgiving break.' I also remember my mom telling me dad, and I was so embarressted.

Periods sound awful! I'm thankful I haven't started yet! -Hugs- always..

Angel
Xx

I remember it was in the summer when I was with my mother visiting my grand parents back in Kansas......on a friday.....the day before we had a fishing trip planned.....I think I was 11, but not really sure to be quite honest. However, I had no idea why I was bleeding & thought I was dying of a kidney infection or some horrible disease that I didn't know about. I took a bath, thinking I could just wash it away to start with. We had the movies in grade school about the girl stuff. but translating it into reality just didn't happen with me.

I was afraid that if I said something about bleeding that I would end up in the hospital or something & not be able to go on the fishing trip we planned.....so I said NOTHING until after we got back from the fishing trip & I couldn't hide the fact that I was bleeding any longer......then my mom said.....duh, it's JUST your period. Shoot, I was a tom boy.....& tom boys don't mess around with the girl stuff & periods. I was really angry about being a girl at that point. Having to deal with it every month.....it was mostly right on within a few days.

Unfortunately, my periods were hard & long & the cramps would make me so sick to my stomach but it was before they had the pill....so there was absolutely NOTHING that could be done to help. After getting married, I tried using the pill, but ended up passing out all the time, so my obgyn took me off the pill & told me it wasn't an option for me.

Think my period was the nightmare of my life. Even the first bout with anorexia at the age of 42, didn't even stop my period & my weight was REALLY LOW. It wasn't until my second round with anorexia that my period finally stopped....but then by that time, I was 52 & it was probably time for it to stop anyway. It started up every other month for a couple of months about 4 years ago.....but stopped as quickly as it started again & never have had a period since then.....what a relief it was to have an end to that nuisance.

Have to admit, the hot flashes weren't pleasant though.....even though they only lasted about a year on & off, I didn't really know wether it was hot flashes or just the hot humidity at the new state I moved to......but not that those hot flashes are gone & my period is gone....life is good again with nothing to bother me. What a wonderful freedom it feels like now...not worring if my period is going to surprise me, or overflow the tampon & pad I had to double up on

Haha, my dad rented that movie for me and my sister I remember how the live birth at the end made us feel sick. LOL

Pretty young actually, age 10. I remember being so scared; I thought I was bleeding to death! XD

Age 10 and a half, it was Labor Day, which I thought was prophetically ironic, but I ended up never having kids! I had just gotten booster shots, and my mother (immigrant, 3rd grade education) said maybe the shots "brought it on." I remember thinking, this woman will kill or paralyze me with her superstitions, I can never confide or trust in her again. We were having a family picnic, just us and my brother's girlfriend in the backyard, playing cards. This is significant because I was never allowed to interrupt her when she was in a card game with my uncles. (Even these past few years, when she would TELL me to call her while she was playing cards, I would be a liitle afraid she would yell at me!) Anyway, I called out the bedroom window to her that I needed her; she refused to come in. I repeated my request; she said she would send in my father! I said, No, it has to be YOU! I think finally my brother's girlfriend came in to me, saw what was going on, and went out and got my mother to come in. Then she told me never to talk to ANYONE about it, and I didn't, not even my little girlfriends. Shame, shame, shame.

I was 12.

I was 13. It was one of the few times my mom was supportive.

aged 8, was best thing to happen to me, finally i was left alone for a week each month, i actually looked forward to it coming! once i sussed out i was safe during period time i used it to my advantage every other week i would tell both my step father and brother that i could not play their games because i was on! it worked for a while until they got wise that i couldn't possibly be on so much! i even saved used pads to show them to 'prove' i was really on!!! gross but when needs must one does whatever one can! I hated pads, the blood on them frieked me out, so as i used to do the weekly shopping i ventured into tampons three months after my first one, they are the best thing since sliced bread! now i have no choice, can't wear tampons as i am incontinent, and it is a waste of time putting a pad in to the 'adult nappy' style things i have to contain my ablutions! i now hate my periods, the blood, the smell, yuuuukkkkkk! roll on the menapause!

My grandmother didn't get hers until she was 16. It could have been due to stress or other factors, since it was during WWII. I don't know how old my mom was. I have heard that girls are getting them younger and younger, though.

The pill is the best thing ever. Even from my first period at 13 they were extremely painful, lasted up to two weeks, and came whenever the heck they felt like it. Sometimes miss it for 4 months, then twice a month. I used to get cramps so bad it felt like my whole insides were trying to ram their way out through the bottom of my pelvis and take the whole outside part with it too. I had cramps so bad I had to get down on my knees at work and deep-breathe. And the irregularity meant I could get it at any time, any incredibly inconvenient and unexpected time. Horrible, crappy. Since I've been on the pill, they have been light and short, and I always know when, so it's easy. Made my life so much better!

Oh yeah... I also don't use disposable feminine products. It's awesome! I use a Diva Cup during my period and Luna Pads for light days afterward. No garbage! Diva Cup can stay in for 12 hours, empty, wash, put back in! Very convenient, don't have to think about it all day. And with the Luna Pads, just throw them in the wash. Keep one in your purse just in case. They even come with a travel pouch with separate sections for clean/dirty. I love these things so much, and I love the fact that there is no garbage for the landfill, and for other people to deal with. I'll post links:

http://lunapads.com/

lots of different types and sizes. I just use the teen size, since it's only for light days, or overnight (mine are light at night, but it's different for everyone, obviously!)

http://lunapads.com/divacup/diva-cup.html

Two sizes available depending on age/circumstances. You can wear it for sports or swimming. Takes a bit of getting used to, but is normal after that. I know a few women who use them and love them too!

Really? I have to sleep with a towel so I dont ruin my bed!

Some of that controversy is involved with all the hormones they pump into cows for continuous milk production. Along with anti-biotics and everything else they put into your meat and dairy, a theory is that these things are causing early development in children, resulting in girls getting periods earlier. Possibly resulting in bigger mood swings, more symptoms of PMS and PMDD and worse periods. The things we do for food....

http://www.livescience.com/1824-trut...y-puberty.html