I was reading Harry Benjamin's work with (a scant) 20 transmen and it got me wondering about this. I'll start.

Also, moods, dissociative states, pain levels around that time: Would you say you suffer badly?

interesting. around the same time. i started at 11 and Mother started at 12.

I picked the last option because although I do, I've no idea when my mother started.

My mom and older sister started at 10, and my little sister started at 11.

I started at 13.

i don't remember when my mom did, but i think it was about the same...i don't remember a lot from the few years surrounding that.

and related: anyone have PMDD or severe PMS with bad depressive episodes? i don't mean bipolar, but depression that stems from hormonal changes during your cycle?

i haven't been officially diagnosed but i'm pretty sure i have PMDD...some months i dont notice it and some are horrible, just for a few days before.

Again, Benjamin's sample is small but he asserts across-the-board: "Menstruation constitutes a psychological trauma to the female(sic) TS." This may be related.

I know that I start getting bad about 2 weeks before i'm going to go there (and no, after 10+ years and being pregnant) it's not regular. The really crucial point is probably that week before though.

And then it comes and ...i'm just...not there.

My mom was 11... I was 10 1/2. It was horrible. Every time I went through it, it was agonizing... I had awful back and stomach pain and always felt not myself for the week before and week of. When I was 17, the pain got so bad the doctor prescribed me some "horse pills"... huge pain-relief pills because advil and tylenol no longer did the job.

When I was 23 and finally in treatment for my bipolar depression, I realized that my lows always began about a week before my period started, got the absolute lowest for the last 3 days of it, then went into hypomanic once it was over. It was a pretty clear sign that, while I am bipolar, the depressive cycles were concurrent with my hormones. Funny that... now that I'm on T (half of my reason for which being the abhorrent menstruation), my depression has lessened incredibly, to the point that I can be completely off my meds for months with no symptoms. Prior to T, I would start to cycle back into depression within 2 days of going off my meds.

Quote from: freespeechz on November 08, 2008, 11:26:14 PM
I picked the last option because although I do, I've no idea when my mother started.

i added an "I don't know" option, thanks for that.

I started at 12, dunno about anyone else in my family..
I remember the first time, I almost fainted cause I thought I was sick or something... I had no idea what a period was even tho my mom told me over and over about it. I just couldn't comprehend, how something so horrible could happen to someone every month!

Periods really, really bring me down. Just the stuff alone coming out of the hole, makes me feel extremely depressed. Sometimes, I just have the impulse of stabbing myself down there (not that I really would), especially when I get a surprise visit.....and I have to use 100 wipes to be completely clean down there every time i use the toilet.. grrr
and the pads, they never cover enough, and they itch and poke!!
I can't count the days I skipped school on my period, and when I did go, I would be in constant fear of it dripping down my legs or going thru my pants, or if someone could see the pad thru my tight girl pants..
and the hormones, I can just feel them drenching my body, and it feels just so, painful..

Call me weak but... I can't take it anymore!!!!! 

Quote from: perfectisolation on November 09, 2008, 04:05:01 AM
I started at 12, dunno about anyone else in my family..
I remember the first time, I almost fainted cause I thought I was sick or something... I had no idea what a period was even tho my mom told me over and over about it. I just couldn't comprehend, how something so horrible could happen to someone every month!

Periods really, really bring me down. Just the stuff alone coming out of the hole, makes me feel extremely depressed. Sometimes, I just have the impulse of stabbing myself down there (not that I really would), especially when I get a surprise visit.....and I have to use 100 wipes to be completely clean down there every time i use the toilet.. grrr
and the pads, they never cover enough, and they itch and poke!!
I can't count the days I skipped school on my period, and when I did go, I would be in constant fear of it dripping down my legs or going thru my pants, or if someone could see the pad thru my tight girl pants..
and the hormones, I can just feel them drenching my body, and it feels just so, painful..

Call me weak but... I can't take it anymore!!!!! 

Yes. is yours extraordiinarily heavy? frex days 2-3 i'll go through an overnight in a couple hours.

started at 11 my mom I think around 12.  I inherited the heavy bleeding too.   I tend to also go through overnights within a couple of hours.  I don't even buy regular pads because they don't work well enough not to mention I'm always self conscious about leaking.  And wear about 2-3 layers of underwear, first 2 being tight underwear to keep from shifting.

Quote from: Aiden on November 09, 2008, 12:13:58 PM
started at 11 my mom I think around 12.  I inherited the heavy bleeding too.   I tend to also go through overnights within a couple of hours.  I don't even buy regular pads because they don't work well enough not to mention I'm always self conscious about leaking.  And wear about 2-3 layers of underwear, first 2 being tight underwear to keep from shifting.

I hadn't thought of that last bit! maybe i should i try that.

Yeh it helps.  Usually under mens underwear have pair of tight spandex girls underwear and tight girls boxer briefs.  I hate wearing girls underwear lol  but men's is a little to wide between the legs for the padd to fit on correctly.

I didn't start menstruating til 15. It's probably because I have sickle cell, I hit puberty later as a result. I didn't start puberty til 14.

Mom started at 12. I don't know when my sister started. We all have sickle cell though, I just have anemia, mom has trait.

Quote from: Aiden on November 09, 2008, 12:19:12 PM
Yeh it helps.  Usually under mens underwear have pair of tight spandex girls underwear and tight girls boxer briefs.  I hate wearing girls underwear lol  but men's is a little to wide between the legs for the padd to fit on correctly.

OK so you know i'm an ecofreak right?

Plus the whole "buying paper pads is just WRONG" thing?

KK so a female friend of mine gave me the greatest solution ever.

Are you ready?

DIAPER PADS. Washable diaper pads! And they're wider so they fit in mens underwear too! (of course this requires very careful pants management because they are kinda...visible, they're very long). For me who wears nothing but baggy jeans right now (ugh ugh ugh) it works. But still wearing 2 or 3 pairs of unders might help.

i was adopted, so i dont know about birth mom.  but i started at 14.  pretty late compared to (the few of) my friends that were girls.  i get pretty horrible back pain and bleed pretty heavily through mine.  i went into like mental numbness the first time i got mine.

Quote from: Sebastien on November 09, 2008, 12:54:19 AM
My mom was 11... I was 10 1/2. It was horrible. Every time I went through it, it was agonizing... I had awful back and stomach pain and always felt not myself for the week before and week of. When I was 17, the pain got so bad the doctor prescribed me some "horse pills"... huge pain-relief pills because advil and tylenol no longer did the job.

When I was 23 and finally in treatment for my bipolar depression, I realized that my lows always began about a week before my period started, got the absolute lowest for the last 3 days of it, then went into hypomanic once it was over. It was a pretty clear sign that, while I am bipolar, the depressive cycles were concurrent with my hormones. Funny that... now that I'm on T (half of my reason for which being the abhorrent menstruation), my depression has lessened incredibly, to the point that I can be completely off my meds for months with no symptoms. Prior to T, I would start to cycle back into depression within 2 days of going off my meds.

dude, me too. a few years ago i thought i was bipolar cuz i didnt realize that my cycle and the depression were linked. seconded on the "not feeling myself" on the week before thing

I have no idea either. However I do know that I would used to "come on" around the same days as my sister and my mother...

Hmm, I got it when I was 12, which was also my first year of home school (I did it for 3 years before going to highschool at 15) I was relieved I was at home at the time since it was around midday and I would of had it at school otherwise.

I'm pretty sure my Mum started at a similar time... my lil sister started at 10-11ish I think, and my older sister around 12-13.

My period has never really bothered me... usually lasting around 3 days and as far as I'm aware of, is regular every month (I don't usually pay attention). Sometimes it gets painful, usually it'd be a very hot kind of pain with a strong aching sensation. I always disliked when I could feel pain around the vagina itself -_- the most I've ever really done about it is a few aspirin. My kiwi upbringing is basically 'tough it out, get over it.'

Once though when I was 18, I had the most awful, awful cramps. I've never had it bad before or since. We thought something was wrong because I was doubled over and crying pretty much. It was a Sunday so my Mum took me to the after hours medical center. The doctor asked (quite legitimately I suppose)

"Now, is it possible you are pregnant?"

Apparently my look of absolute disgust and outrage was hilarious.

No effin chance of that buddy!

Wow you guys all started early. I was 17. No idea how old my mother was. I think it'd have been way more emotionally difficult if I'd started earlier.

Dennis