Is this typical of female Aspies?

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I didn't react too strongly to my periods, I was 11 and knew about them before I got them. The problem was that I was still very childish at that age and couldn't really take care of my hygiene

I got mine when I was about 12. I knew it was coming since I was 7 after reading a couple of my mother's nursing books. I skipped a year of school so I was a bit anxious about being behind my peers in any way. A lot of the girls I knew got theirs early, I was really impatient to get it and I was actually relieved when I did. It wasn't so fun the third time when it got to day 7 and didn't stop. Between multiple trips to the doctor (and a gynocologist) and a brief interruption due to meds, it lasted a month and a half. It did earn me my first and only sick day from school when I couldn't get out of bed due to blood loss (my mother refused to let us take days off unless we couldn't physically go). I ended up on the pill for a couple of years to fix my period and I'm not sure if that period of continuous bleeding is a sign that I may be infertile (as it mainly happens to menopausal women). It's normal now, although I tend to get cramps for a couple of days each time (easily fixed by naprogesic).

[Moved from General Autism Discussion to Women's Discussion]

I started to use them from the beginning, because my mother helped me (and still does) with them. Well, almost 3 years passed, and I still can't use them well. I often get wet and dirty even if I am supposed to be able to use them now, and the worst is when I get wet in school. That sucks. Fortunately it started when I was at home, so I could pass all day there.


Yes, I can relate to this. I miss school many times because of my period, and often the pain is so strong that I can't even go out, or just walk. I pass sleepless nights when I have my period too, but not because I'm afraid of staining the bed, just because the pain is too strong and I can't sleep. I don't really care of staining the bed.

I was extremely upset, but I'm not sure if it was because I had gotten my period or because 9th grade was about to start, and I had to go on a class camping trip that week! I was in terrible pain and bleeding heavily. (Dysmenorrhia and menorrhagia.) The absolute last thing I wanted to do was go on a camping trip. I hate camping to begin with, and since I was 14, and was not about to tell anyone that it was my first period! (I was positive I was the absolute last person in my class to get it -- all girls' school, so people weren't shy about complaining about PMS or cramps.) I asked my mother to let me stay home, but she was adamant that I was going on the camping trip, period or no period. Frankly, I was terrified. I wanted my mother with me! I didn't have any idea what to expect -- I'd had sex ed and everything, but it was still scary to me. The trip was terrible -- my mother had told me the bleeding would be light and short, and it was not; I thought there was something wrong with me. In fact, I thought I was going to bleed to death. I did not want to do any of the activities, due to pain and fatigue. I remember telling one friend that I was so reluctant because I was having my period, and she said impatiently, "Well, a lot of us are!" I think that was a pretty unusual first period experience -- at least, I hope so! May no other scared 14-year-old girls be forced to do their least favorite thing in the world while coping with a period like mine!

For the women experiencing heavy bleeding and intense pain, have you tried Hormonal Birth Control yet? Go see a gynecologist. (Go to Planned Parenthood if you don't want to talk a female figure in your life into taking you to see one.) Tell her about your pain and flow -- you may also have dysmenorrhia and/or menorrhagia, and there are treatments! When I was 19, I asked my gynecologist for a prescription for the Pill, and alleluia! It was a whole new world. My period became much lighter, lasted only 5 to 7 days instead of two weeks, my ovulation cramps were gone, and best of all, the pain from my menstrual cramps became bearable and only last about a day and a half. In fact, HBC is a pretty common prescription to teen girls. (In high school, I had a friend on the Pill for pain, and I also had two friends who were on it for cystic acne.) Planned Parenthood can prescribe this, plus they have a sliding scale. If you don't have a source of income or health insurance the accept, they'll charge practically nothing for a visit. They may also provide you with birth control at a reduced cost. I'm all about hormonal birth control to help with serious problems like the ones described!

I was impatient to get mine, because I was generally impatient to grow up and be independent and I associated it with that (that still hasn't happened ). I was 11 and a half, and I was pleased until I told my mom and she seemed upset and embarrassed me.

I never associated getting my period with maturity. I was angry about having to wear a bra in fourth grade though. I can remember a girl asking me quite loudly in class if I was wearing one. I glared at her, crossed my arms, and said "nope". We never discussed puberty, sex, etc growing up because it always seemed a very taboo topic with my mother. All I got was a general "woman book" when I was around twelve or thirteen.

Bras are uncomfortable. I didn't wear them and still don't. Got sent to the principal's office for it by my art teacher because he claimed I was "distracting." I am almost flat chested and was wearing a dark green t-shirt in the back of the class. Principal tried calling my mom about it and she told him that she doesn't like bras either. It was a very ridiculous moment and he got flustered and dropped the subject.