Tactile sensitivity and...er, that time of the month

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(being brave and starting a topic, since I wanted a women's forum)

I'm a bit tactile-defensive, in general. I also suffer from occasional dysmenorrhea (ie debilitating cramps and vomiting on the first day of my period). It doesn't happen every month (working out every day seems to make it not happen), but I've noticed that even when it doesn't happen, all my tactile sensitivities are about ten times worse on that first day.

So ordinarily, I can tolerate regular clothes, after I've taken the tags out. But on that day it's strictly cotton knits, no elastic, no tight waistbands, nothing that touches my neck, and I can't put my hair up.

Does this happen to anyone else, and is there anything you can do to make it less of a problem?

I think you are just fine the way you are handleing it.

Thanks. It is really not so terrible if it's on a weekend and I can just stay home. But very inconvenient when I have to go to work, as I am not "ill" enough to feel like I should call in sick, but I can't wear my pyjamas to work, either

I definitely become more sensitive overall, but not quite to that extent.

Since I got my period as a teenager, I have usually coped with those extra over sensitive days by taking paracetamol. I used to think it was bad PMS but now I realise it's Aspieness lol.

I don't know sometimes what you eat can affect things as well.

I get hypersensitive too. Not to your extent perhaps but hormones defiitely make me more sensitive, tactilely and emotionally. So even things that aren't physically harsher, I react to more anyways.

All my aspie traits increase noticibly during pms. Kinda sucks because that just adds to the natural pms irritability, because I'm irritated about how much more autistic I'm acting.

I get more sensitive in general. I have to say for dysmenorrhoea (OK, maybe it's not quite severe enough to count but the idea's there) Ibuprofen has worked for me - I used to get crippling cramps, the runs, hot and cold sweats etc but with Ibuprofen I get only mild cramps at most. I haven't noticed any change in sensitivity though.

I don't get any sort of physical sensitivity problems, and I don't have much to speak of anyway, but PMS definitely sees me depressed more than usual. Or atleast I've noticed that, I don't know if it has to do with PMS but that would probably make sense. DURING it I usually get really horrible cramps for 2 or 3 days - anywhere from really unpleasant (and feeling weak) to downright excruciating. My period time is a definitely TIME OUT for me, I can't do anything until the pain is barable. Does anyone else HATE those pad/tampon commercials where the women are riding horses or playing tennis or whatever during their period? Were these ads made by men or what?!

Pain killers don't help all that much. What I do is take 1 pill of IBProfin and 1 of Tylenol 3. T3 is quite powerful (supposedly) but I was allergic to the codiene in it, and it would make me naucious (not a good trade off!) but my Mom heard a trick from someone that the IBProfin counteracts the codene so you don't get those side effects.

So the combination of those pills and laying downa heating pad helps. But no, I don't think I noticed any other symptoms or any other AS symptoms getting more savere, just the depression getting worse.

During period, there's more to be sensitive about-sensation of pad (or whatnot) and the revolting feeling of gunk slithering out of one's body cavity. Ugh ! It feeds right into my shame about sex, genitals, bodily functions & fluids. I spend rest of month trying to recover from how that makes my brain feel towards my body, then period comes again & I have to start over.
Don't understand how people can be so nonchalant about their periods, pretending nothing is happening-makes me feel even more unusual, since I don't "get used to it".
Don't even get me started on how "society" fetishizes male violence, brutality & gore-yet is utterly squeamish about the natural cycle of women's bleeding.

Hmmm, thanks for that hint. I have tylenol w/codeine rx'd to me for my dental pain, though it doesn't work as well as OTCs. Yet, for my period cramps, it works pretty well. I get terribly dizzy & feel like I'm going to vomit when I've taken any of the tylenol w/codeine mixtures. Sure discourages me from using the meds often enough to control my pain.
I can't separate out f/x caused by hormones (my perception/interpretation) vs. f/x caused by the sheer facts of what I have to experience during my period. I'm grouchy & weepy anyway, that just intensifies for a week. My boyfriend notices patterns (in my behavior/mood) better than I do & he knows how to suggest it as cause of my misery, w/o being offensive or dismissive.

Ever since I hit puberty I only cycled once every three or four months. I swore that the pain during the first day was like all the missed periods had built up to give me a beating in that one day. I couldn't wear anything but jammies and I could barely sit up, let alone walk during the first part of the day. After I started working I realized it was better to take off of work than look like a hypochondriac. After all, every woman has a period right? But nobody seemed to understand the tremendous ammount of pain I was in that first day, and it was unpredictable when that first day would be as I was so irregular. So I just called in when it arrived. However, after a while I just got sick and tired of dealing with it so I went on DepoProvera. I haven't had a period since. So now I look like all the other normally functioning women out there. It's great. Of course, I don't correct anyone when they think I must be on my period when I am really just having asperger-related personality issues. So for one week out of a month I am forgiven for being me because people think I must be having girl-problems. Sweet.

Ouch, that original post brought back memories. I am SO glad I'm past that now!

I went to see the doctor many times about my periods, and ended up on medication. I used to get suicidal for 2 weeks each month, bloated, and have stomach cramps. Also, yes, I was sensitive, even my eye glasses would aggravate me so much I would want to throw them off and stamp on them!.

Funnily enough, so far (after 7 weeks) on anti-depressants, my normally regular periods have stopped!! !

TubbyChef: that's awful! Even at my worst, the bad effects of my cycle only last for a couple of days, and have never made me suicidal. And I've never heard of antidepressants having that particular effect. Interesting.

I do that with my glasses, too. I absolutely cannot stand to wear them on the first day. Good that I can see ok without them, though driving can be a little iffy

it is awful, Dandelion!.
As for the recent lack of periods, I have investigated online and find that it is a recognised, though unusual, side effect of anti-depressants for some women. I do hope it's permanent!! !.

I was going to post a thread about this but you beat me too it, i was really wondering how PMS and periods affected AS and vice versa.
I get PMS before my period, by about 2 weeks, during my period and after my period for a few days. I get tearful, irritable, aloof and over sensitive. I get moody and snap at everyone or get angry over silly things.
NOw i'm wondering how much of this irritableness is REALLY PMS and how much is actually my AS. I guess i need to ask my mum if i was moody as a kid. I kinda thing i was....but i was very quiet and spent a lot of time on my own, so it might not havew been that noticable.

i have my period though. all i've noticed is that i get really bad cramps, sometimes to the point where i begin to vomit, and i'm a real b***h. that's it though. the next 5 days afterwards aren't so bad