Starting Menstruation

Hide Video Transcript

Video Transcript

: When I get together with my girlfriends we talk about all kinds of things. When I started my period that's who I wanted to talk about it. They could answer a lot of questions that I had, but not all of it. Is it going to hurt when it like happens? It doesn't hurt, it's awkward. And if you get cramps, the cramps hurt a little bit. Like it doesn't hurt and you don't feel -- Yeah you don't -- you're not like consciously like oh no I'm bleeding down there.

Caitlin
Swimming in the ocean on your period will get you eaten by sharks... (laughter) Yes, it will.. Jaws! I never heard this.. that you shouldn't wash your hair..

: (laughing)

Katie
A lot of the information that I got on the internet was really goofy, so my mom's friend who is a doctor said we could talk to her about it.

Caitlin
Okay let's just call her on the computer.

: (computer dialing)

Katie
Hi Dr. Lisa, my mom told it would be okay if I called you.

Lisa Flowers, MD
I'm glad you got a chance to give me a call, what's your question?Katie

Katie
So I haven't started yet is there anything that I really need to know?Lisa Flowers, MD

Lisa Flowers, MD
typically your mensies can be as early as 8 years of age and typically by 15 young girls have had a menstral cycle. Average age is 12 years of age, so as long as you're within that age range, you shouldn't have to worry about whether your period has started or not. Another clue to when you should expect your period is really two to two years-and-a-half after you start developing breasts. So, if you've noticed that three years, four years have passed after breast development then you may want to see a gynecologist.

Caitlin
It's like a pending doom if you haven't started it yet. (laughting)

Emma
It's not that big a deal as it sounds, I promise.

Lisa Flowers, MD
One of the key thing is not to be really afraid of getting your menses, it's an important time in your life, a lot of hormones are going to kind of make you feel little bit unbalanced, within one or two years you'll find that your menstrual cycle will regulate itself

Margaret
Is it better to use pads or tampons when you first start?

Lisa Flowers, MD
Well, it depends on how active you are, actually both are really great to use for your menstrual cycle if you are pretty active and you are on a sports team, you then want to probably wear tampons just to prevent a little bit of leakage on the side and not to be uncomfortable with a pad. The key is if you're going to wear a tampon, make sure that it's appropriate to the amount of bleeding you're having. So if you're having light bleeding, use a smaller tampon versus if you're having heavy bleeding, use a heavier tampon.

Katie
And then one of the last questions we have is where does the pain come from when you get cramps?

Lisa Flowers, MD
Oh that's an excellent question. It actually comes from a couple of reasons. So the first one really is prostaglandin, which actually causes a lot of uterine contractions and it's the result of the pain. The other thing is really the tissue and the blood passing through the cervix causing a lot of the pain from your menstrual cycle.

: Thank you….Thank you.

Lisa Flowers, MD
Thank you for calling me, anytime feel free to call.

Caitlin
We definitely will.

Lisa Flowers, MD
I’m glad we were able to discuss these important issues.

: Bye…. Bye.