Periods and sensory issues

I ended up with reusable pads, as they were additionally soft and not too different from normal, but I've never been able to use tampons and menstrual cups were a struggle I eventually abandoned.

I think it is important to try and work out what exactly the sensory issues are. Is it the texture of the product, the texture of wet blood, dried blood, or is it the internal sensations that come along with it. These will all have different solutions.

I have quite bad cramps and get very intense back pain the first couple of days, but the most distressing and persistent sensation for me is actually the feeling that 'the world is falling out my bottom'. Drinking a lot of water helps me with that, as do hot water bottles and baths, but otherwise I mostly have to hide in a curled up a little ball every moment I get. I have eventually developed bad enough psychological symptoms associated with my menstrual cycle that my GP suspected PMDD and put me on birth control which helps me a lot with minimal side effects but I would not go for it as a first port of call.

Some of this will be accustomization, but just keep trying stuff, if free bleeding is the only thing that works at the moment then maybe pulling an ancient trick and getting some dark coloured underwear and changing it a lot and then just rinsing thoroughly before washing it might be an idea.

I ended up with reusable pads, as they were additionally soft and not too different from normal, but I've never been able to use tampons and menstrual cups were a struggle I eventually abandoned.

I think it is important to try and work out what exactly the sensory issues are. Is it the texture of the product, the texture of wet blood, dried blood, or is it the internal sensations that come along with it. These will all have different solutions.

I have quite bad cramps and get very intense back pain the first couple of days, but the most distressing and persistent sensation for me is actually the feeling that 'the world is falling out my bottom'. Drinking a lot of water helps me with that, as do hot water bottles and baths, but otherwise I mostly have to hide in a curled up a little ball every moment I get. I have eventually developed bad enough psychological symptoms associated with my menstrual cycle that my GP suspected PMDD and put me on birth control which helps me a lot with minimal side effects but I would not go for it as a first port of call.

Some of this will be accustomization, but just keep trying stuff, if free bleeding is the only thing that works at the moment then maybe pulling an ancient trick and getting some dark coloured underwear and changing it a lot and then just rinsing thoroughly before washing it might be an idea.