Personal ladies question

[littleviolet]

This is a bit embarrassing, but I'm worried that I will be on my period on my surgery day. Do any women on here have any experience with this? Will it be a problem? Do I need to tell my surgeon or nurse about it?

[belistic10]

i am not sure of this answer entirely as i havent ever had surgery before, but i wouldnt think it would make any difference to a surgery

[littleviolet]

Thanks I hope it's not a problem I have been waiting for months for my surgery! I've hear that you have to wear cotton underpants during surgery. I'm not sure if I would be allowed to wear a tampon or pad. I also hope I'm able to go to the toilet on my own during recovery. It would be too embarrassing to use a bed pan or catheter During that time of the month! I don't want nurses to have to change me lol that would be horrible.

[belistic10]

yes i can understand your stress!! i would feel the same way, and its one of those things you dont really want to have to ask!! if your on the pill why dont you halt your cycle for a month?? or if your not on it maybe you could go on it now and use it to delay the cycle a bit?? if unsure i would ask one of the nurses or something as i am sure they would be very nice about it and have probably heard it asked before anyway!

[littleviolet]

I'm not on any birth control... That would be a good idea though lol my surgery is only a month away so it's a bit late to start, the doctors probably wouldnt give it to me just for the purpose of stopping a period, I don't think?

Yeah I will just have to talk to a nurse about it, I'm sure they have delt with worse problems! Lol

[Minerva]

I would neither introduce the pill to my body, nor would I intentionally mess

with my period a month prior to surgery .

Your body will be going through enough as it is.

My 2 cents.

[littleviolet]

Yeah I know I'm not going to. It would be nice if I could stop it though lol its a bit inconvenient.

[angelstrings]

No worries. Nurses see so much of bodies and the stool, urine, emesis, and blood that come forth from them that we don't give it a second thought. And I've been on both sides of the gown...If you're bleeding, they'll place a chux under you so your bedding doesn't get bloody. That's what they did for me when I had my tubes tied.

Before surgery, I'd think your surgeon would get a Hemoglobin and Hematocrit count on you to make sure you aren't anemic. If those readings are normal, then I would think there'd be no worries with the slight amount of blood that is lost during the monthly cycle.

Good luck!

[littleviolet]

Thanks for your reply angelstrings so I won't be allowed to use tampons or pads? Just a cloth under me? I will be so embarrassed lol

I do usually feel quite sick during my period, I get bad cramps and have very low energy. I hope it won't make my recovery more uncomfortable. I guess the strong pain meds will make me forget about it though lol

[keeponsmiling]

This was one of my concerns when I got my surgery date! I totally understand not wanting to take birth control pills as I wouldn't want to mess up my body right before surgery either, but a briliant alternative is a drug called Norethisterone (at least that's the UK brand - it's basically a progesterone pill). It isn't birth control, but you take three pills a day starting three days before you are due on and your period will be delayed until you stop taking it. Kind of hard to take it once your jaw is wired (!) so I'm planning on taking it next month to 'shunt' my cycle along by a few days and give me max recovery time after my surgery in January. It has an added benefit that your first period after you stop taking it will probably be a lot lighter than normal - but you may pay for that the following month. Anyway, doctors in the UK seem very relaxed about prescribing it, I usually get it so I don't have period hassle on holiday, and the side effects are minimal.

[Dani73]

I've had my period when I've had other surgeries and they have told me to use a pad, not a tampon.

As for when you have jaw surgery, you might be better using a pad as you will be too uncomfortable to put your head foward - even just a little bit! Don't worry about the nurses, they've seen it all. If you are still too embarrassed maybe change the pad whilst you are 'sitting' down. As for the pain, you won't feel it because of the drugs they give you for the surgery!

Oh the joys of being a female! HTH

[coffeecupcakes]

Argh I was typing a comprehensive answer to this question but I closed the page... So excuse me if I make this shorter/quicker lol.

I just had the surgery 5 days ago, and my period came immediately after finished surgery. You throw up alot of blood in the first 2 days of surgery (some are lucky and don't, but many do). That was horrible. You also feel VERY weak, light headed... when you have period at the same time, you're bound to be lacking blood/iron / water!!! I felt like I was on the hugest ugliest rollercoaster of hormones ever... and I never have complaints about my period usually!

That being said, it's day 5 and I've survived. My period has just about stopped and I feel a gazillion times better. Seriously!


Just warning you, you will definitely need to expect the worst feelings ever... positive mental preparation... hopefully someone (ie your mom?) to take care of you... I couldn't have done it without mine. She helped hold icepacks, helped me change my underwear (it was hard to tilt my head even slightly without feeling sick or getting a nosebleed, and its hard to breathe with a jaw wired shut + cloggy nose).


So yeah it's possible and you might be unwilling to wait.... but if I had a choice, I would NOT have done it. I was just unlikely it decided to catch up with me 1 week too early. I would have delayed until my period was over - not to mention apparently thats when the female body is at it's 'strongest'.


(good luck with your surgery and remember, positive mental preparation! If you happen to feel as bad as I did, just remember by the time your period is over you will feel infinitely better.)

[angelstrings]

Hey Littleviolet--When we send people off to surgery, we require them to remove all clothing, undergarmets included, as well as jewelry/all piercings. So, that rules out wearing a pad. As far as a tampon goes, I wouldn't want to leave one in for the duration of surgery, since leaving them in can lead to toxic shock syndrome. Better just to leave under you the chux. But any questions you have, just be frank with your surgeon and the nurses. They've heard it all, seen it all, and this isn't a big deal to us. I remember thinking the same thoughts though when I was a patient, but seeing things from the other side has shown me how non-judgemental we are when it comes right down to it. We all have bodies, we rock'em hard, and sometimes they need TLC. That's what we do Best of luck girl.

[littleviolet]

Thanks for the advice everyone

keeponsmiling, thanks for the info about the drug. I might ask my doctor about it.

dani73, yeah I know nurses have seen everything but it's still embarrassing to me haha I would hate it if someone had to change a dirty pad for me I would feel disgusting lol. Yeah I don't think I will be experiencing any period pain on the strong pain meds, so thats a plus!

coffeecupcakes- I have been waiting for a long time for my surgery & my surgeon is booked out. So I have to take this date, cant really change it now. But wow that sounds horribe glad your feeling better now! I am only having lower jaw surgery & I will have elastics instead of being wired shut, I heard the recovery isn't too bad for my type of surgery (wont effect my nose & breathing etc) so hopefully I'll be okay... I would hate it if I had to rely on my mum to do everything for me! especially if she had to help me wash, get changed, go to the toilet and things like that, I would be so embarrassed! im sure my mum wouldn't care though

angelstrings- what is the reason for patients to remove all underwear for an operation? I am not comfortabe with being THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. THIS IS SPAM PLEASE REPORT IT TO THE ADMINISTRATOR. in front of others that is why I am so embarrassed about being on my period for my surgery (incase someone has to help me change a pad or something lol)

[Marian]

Hi Littleviolet

I'm not if you are in the UK (like I am). I had my surgery at the end of September and was asked to leave me knickers on for surgery.

And don't worry if a nurse has to change your pad - I had surgery a few years back now and had a similar situation. the nurse was very discreet and had me all fresh again within seconds. At the end of the day you'll only be in hospital one or two nights, and from the day after surgery you should be able to go to the loo with minimal help so you'll be able to sort yourself out.

I hope this helps put your mind at rest.

Best wishes, Marian