periods

[kittylover]

how do you guys feel when you get them? (or how did you feel if you don't have them anymore because you take T and/or had a hystorectmy). I got mine today and it makes me feel sort of deppressed, but I don't feel like I want to die like I've heard some ftms describe. I'm not sure whether I want T at some point and I feel like stopping my period would be a plus, but then again I don't think anyone who has periods really likes them (unlees their worried about whether their pregnant I guess) so maybe how I feel about mine has nothing to do with being trans...

[2fish]

I'm due to start T later this month. I honestly can't stand getting them. They make me feel weird. I get very moody and unpleasant to be around. I can't wait for the T to finally stop them from coming. I really can't take it anymore.

[David27]

Initially when I got my 1st one I was majorly depressed as it was like the nail in coffin saying now your a woman. However, when I was pre-T they didn't seem to bother me, but now that I'm on T it would bother me a lot if they came back.

[mm]

I never like getting mine and look to the day when i can start T to end them.  When I got my first it was just one more way of saying I was not like the boys, my chest had just started to enlarge too.  I get cramps for a day before I start each month which just adds to my dysphoria every month.  I hate blood flowing out of me that I can't control, I use tampons which helps that I don't have to see and feel pads down there.  I use the men's restroom now so I do have to change them in there some days when I have a heavy flow.  I have never liked mine at all.

[AdamMLP]

I can't deal with the smell mostly, both the smell of it and the products to deal with it.  The smell of the products seems to stay on my hands and follows me everywhere, even after I've washed them.  It normally makes me shake with dysphoria and discomfort.  The whole thing normally leaves me craving for a way of escape, and doesn't help my issue with alcohol.

I never used to be this bad, although I have always hated them.  The more it happens the worse my reaction to it gets.

[bucks]

i've always hated getting my period, and i never really fully understood until i realised i was trans. luckily mine only last 3-4 days but whenever i know one is coming up i always get really nervous and often pretty depressed, it really sucks. its one of the main attractions to be about going on T tbh

[MacG]

Always hated the painful things from the first time. Had a hysto in 2009 so that's been great.

[Gothic Dandy]

I hate my period, but for the inconvenience, not because it affects my gender identity at all. It does feel a little awkward having one now that I think of myself as male, though. It's like I'm both.

I know of some groups of women who LOVE menstruation as a symbol of their womanhood. It's a huge part of their identity, the fact that they bleed every month. Personally, I think most cis women feel like I do!

[Ayden]

I never cared so much in regards to my identity, but I've been without them for nearly three years so I would probably feel different now. I never had bad cramping save for a few occasions, it was mostly just inconvenient since I was always really active. When I first started when I was 9, it was terrifying. I was raised by mostly men and I thought I was dying. My best friends dad was the one who explained to me what was happening.

[King Malachite]

I hate my period.  When mine is on, I try not to think about it.  I just try to bleed it out as soon as possible.

[Bimmer Guy]

I have twisted it in my head as the bleeding being a "manly" thing, or something along those lines.  Somehow I just don't see it as the same process/having the same purpose, as my girlfriend's (and other women's), periods.

Somehow I reframed it.  I see it more as this blood pouring out of me periodically that I have to take care of, rather than it being connected to being a woman with reproductive capacity.

It is an annoyance, but somehow I just see what my girlfriend experiences (her menses) as a whole separate issue/thing...not the same as to what goes on with me (bleeding) periodically.  Weird, I know, but it works.

Mine will stop at some point, now that I am on T.

[adrian]

I hate it, always have. My dysphoria skyrockets and I also have endometriosis, so the cramps are pretty bad.

Sorry, this may be tmi (don't read on if you don't want to hear about the "product" I use)....
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... the dysphoria has decreased a little for me since I started using those silicone cups. I just shove it in and forget about the crap for the rest of the day.

[littleredrobinhood]

I do worry that some people would take my gender less seriously if I uttered the words "I'm on my period", and it is an annoying reminder that I'm not a cis man - or at least haven't transitioned to the point of not having to deal with them. But beyond that.. menstruating has never been a big source of dysphoria for me.

Honestly, I'm more dysphoric about things going in than things coming out (with the exception of childbirth). Which, unfortunately, means I'm unable to use tampons. 

[Ayden]

I have twisted it in my head as the bleeding being a "manly" thing, or something along those lines.  Somehow I just don't see it as the same process/having the same purpose, as my girlfriend's (and other women's), periods.

Somehow I reframed it.  I see it more as this blood pouring out of me periodically that I have to take care of, rather than it being connected to being a woman with reproductive capacity.

It is an annoyance, but somehow I just see what my girlfriend experiences (her menses) as a whole separate issue/thing...not the same as to what goes on with me (bleeding) periodically.  Weird, I know, but it works.

Mine will stop at some point, now that I am on T.

Actually, that's a very interesting way to view it, and I wanted to thank you for that. I had never viewed it outside of a reproductive thing, but the fact that you're able to see it that way is pretty dang cool. In the event that I end up with them again (a possibility with my current situation) I think I may try and think in the same terms.

[Edge]

I used to have some morbid fascination with the blood while I was on it, but was relieved when it was over and would spend the rest of the month forgetting it happened.

[And_go]

I really hate having mine and always have. They're just really inconvenient and I think I've always viewed mine as completely unnecessary since I know I don't ever want to be pregnant.

The products you have to use are another issue. I hate going down the aisle to get them in the supermarket. Just feels wrong. Like someone else said, I don't like things being inserted, so I'm stuck with pads.

Once I worked out I was trans my thoughts about periods just seemed to make so much more sense.

[Tossu-sama]

They were a terrible thing when I still had them but I managed to develop my own kind of attitude towards them which made my reactions go from "OH NO, NOT AGAIN" to "...well s*it, let's just get this over with". I suppose I would've gone crazy if I had spared too many thoughts to them.

[kieranDS]

I go through a denial phase until the cramps set in and then I'm just moody and intolerable and I hate it. It's so humiliating. Most of the time I can pretend what's going on down there isn't what it is until something so obviously female starts happening. I can't wait to start T or get hysto. Both hopefully.

On the bright side I feel like I have a higher pain tolerance than most cis men. Me and some buddies all got tattoos at the same time and they were all like "This sucks owe!" and whining and I was just like so what? lol I deal with worse pain than this three days of every month. So I felt totally badass for being able to sit there without flinching which was cool. When I'm really down I just try to remember that feeling.

[jamesdoran]

I didn't mind that much pre-T but the two I've had on T so far were disappointing because I know some guys who start T and never bleed again. I was hoping that would be the case for me, but nah. It's not like...so bad I can't deal tho

[kittylover]

I noticed I am also more grossed out by my period blood then I was before and don't want to get it on my hands...