# question for ladies (TMI) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483 "2010-03-14T22:54:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/61 "2010-03-16T04:24:34Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > **Drain Bead** , I’m assuming that it’s not dangerous if not treated right away since your grandmother had it. Does the blood just come out slower than usual? > > I’ve heard that when it’s completely sealed up, that can be dangerous–the blood having no place to go… You can develop big bloody clots (TMI, I know) and try to bear down to pass them, but if one is obstructing the blood flow, it is agonizingly painful and brings on cramps like labor pains. (shudder). That was an awful stage of life, glad it’s over. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon\_Salt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/65b543/32.png) [@Bacon\_Salt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bacon_Salt)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/62 "2010-03-16T04:59:22Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > All this talk of cardboard tubes … do you all use tampons with applicators? I was amazed to find that they are almost the only option is US supermarkets and pharmacies; you can get them here but it’s rare, pretty much everyone who doesn’t use surfboards uses just plain tampons. Surfboards? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/63 "2010-03-16T05:05:48Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > You can develop big bloody clots (TMI, I know) and try to bear down to pass them, but if one is obstructing the blood flow, it is agonizingly painful and brings on cramps like labor pains. (shudder). That was an awful stage of life, glad it’s over. That sounds awful! I never thought I’d be grateful for my own cramps. They’re not fun but it can always be worse, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/64 "2010-03-16T11:33:50Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > Does having a uterus in that position present any complications of any kind? Medical or otherwise? Near as I can tell, it’s the uterine equivalent of being left handed - no big deal, unless other people make it so. > [@Lazz](#): > > [American Pregnancy Association](http://www.americanpregnancy.org/womenshealth/tippeduterus.html) > there they say it may causes: > "Pain during sexual intercourse or dyspareunia. > Pain during menstruation or dysmenorrhea. > > Other symptoms may include: > > Back pain during intercourse > Minor incontinence > Urinary tract infections > Fertility problems > Difficulty using tampons Of course, all of the above are also found in women who _don’t_ have a tipped uterus, too! And some women with a tipped uterus _don’t_ experience some or even al of the above. A clear case of Your Mileage May Vary. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/65 "2010-03-16T12:59:39Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > **Drain Bead** , I’m assuming that it’s not dangerous if not treated right away since your grandmother had it. Does the blood just come out slower than usual? > > I’ve heard that when it’s completely sealed up, that can be dangerous–the blood having no place to go… Yeah, the blood came out slower than usual, although I had no idea at the time. Completely sealed up is pretty bad if you don’t catch it before menarche, though. I started my period at 12 and had the surgery at 15. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/66 "2010-03-16T13:41:53Z")
> [@Bacon\_Salt](#): > > Surfboards? Pads. Like hauling a surfboard around in your pants. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/67 "2010-03-16T14:31:44Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Of course, all of the above are also found in women who _don’t_ have a tipped uterus, too! And some women with a tipped uterus _don’t_ experience some or even al of the above. A clear case of Your Mileage May Vary. And some of the problems can be dealt with by such methods as “changing positions.” Worked wonders for my bro and his wife… ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/68 "2010-03-16T17:15:51Z")
I have a tipped uterus (retroverted or towards my tailbone which is most common) and I also get rectal pain - but only right before/during my period and ovulation. I also get pain from certain (gymnastic) sexual postions, so I just don’t use them. I was pretty sure it was tipped before I ever went to the gynocologist, because I had been trying to feel my cervix with my fingers for years, and was never able to at any point in my cycle. It’s pretty common and usually not a big deal at all. It just makes it harder for medical professionals to find and get at your cervix, if they need to. ---
**Author:** ![kladdkaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c5a1d2/32.png) [@kladdkaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kladdkaka)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/69 "2010-03-17T11:03:15Z")
I registered here just so I could correct some misunderstandings about the hymen. I’m ma sexual educator in Sweden and actually, the National Association for Sexual Education has a new booklet out about the hymen. It’s been renamed in Sweden because the earlier word was something like “virginity membrane” and this led to lots of misconceptions - most of the same misconceptions in the US (where I come from). Here’s a link to the booklet in English: [http://www.rfsu.se/Bildbank/Dokument/Praktikor/praktika-Vaginal\_corona2009.pdf?epslanguage=sv](http://www.rfsu.se/Bildbank/Dokument/Praktikor/praktika-Vaginal_corona2009.pdf?epslanguage=sv) First of all, in most cases the hymen does NOT “break” or “tear” upon sexual penetration or activities like horseback riding, tampon use etc. The hymen does NOT sit on the outside of the vagina (it’s just a little ways in). The hymen becomes very flexible after women start menstruating and under normal sexual penetrative contact, nothing is broken and there is usually no bleeding. There is just some stretching. The hymen can even grow back after menopause. In a lot of cases bleeding and pain can be attributed to the woman not being sexually aroused enough. In very rare cases (as discussed above), some women have an imperforate hymen which may be a genetic condition. There has been very little research done on healthy, non-sexually abused women and hymens. Most research on hymens has been performed on babies and children because it was motivated by a need to find sexual abuse markers in children (it has been concluded by some that non-recent sexual abuse cannot be seen on the hymen). To me, a lot of this information was pretty mind blowing. It’s alarming how much of our understanding of the hymen is completely warped and how it affects our sexuality. ---
**Author:** ![Vihaga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Vihaga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vihaga)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483/70 "2010-03-17T13:09:15Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > hell, sometimes they fall OUT! :eek: Guys, google “pessary” and get back to us. As you describe it, your tampon sounds perfect. I wish I could wear the blasted things more often; they never seem to fit me quite right, and I can _always_ feel them. I’m following the instructions and have tried multiple brands. I need to just buy a new menstrual cup and be done with it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-ladies-tmi/532483.md?page=3)