Question:
Getting period while in hospital?

Just wondering for those of you who had your period before surgery or it started while you were still in hospital, how did you manage. I can't imagine being about to maneuver to insert a tampon and the last time I was in hospital I was sans underwear for the duration...so I don't if panty-sticking-pads are an option. Please tell me what happens...I like to prepare for everything. ~Diva~    — Princess D. (posted on November 9, 2002)


November 9, 2002
LOL I love these questions, I was one of the ones that started the day before surgery. I was unable to wear a tampon (doctors orders in case something happened they would not remember to take it out for me causing TSS among other things,) so I had to wear underwear with a pad, I was nervous in the beginning, and wasnt sure about what to do, but it was no problem. After I was awake after surgery, I had my nurse go upstairs to labor and delivery and get me a pack of those mesh paper type panties, they were not tight on the tummy (open rny) and I was able to put sticky pads in them. I also only use winged pads, and that helped to keep em in place since it was not my normal type of underwear. Good luck, and if in doubt ask your Doctor but I believe No Tampons is eventually a good thing if you think about it. ~Ang~
   — angel_wls

November 9, 2002
I also got my period after surgery. I wasn't quite due for it, but the nurses said sometimes it's the added stress that makes it come down. I, too, had to wear those awful mesh undies and they gave me pads to use. After surgery we have to make do with the old fashioned pads. Vi
   — Vi F.

November 9, 2002
I started my period in the middle of my hospital stay because the hospital took 3 days to get me back on my BC pills. Luckily I had brought a few pair of underwear, but it was not enough so hubby had to make a trip to walmart. The hosptial had thin overnight maxi pads with wings. You definitely would have trouble with a tampon even if you were allowed to use one. I had trouble wiping myself and my surgery was lap. I couldn't imagine I would have been able to maneuver to put in a tampon!
   — sheltie

November 9, 2002
I started my period the day before my surgery, but I had already heard that A LOT of women start while they are in there anyways due to the anesthesia and maybe the hormonal changes. Anyways, over the past year when I get my period, it is extremely heavy so I was REALLY worried about being in the hospital with it. Well, I used my trusty big wooden spoon that everyone had told me to take along with the flushable Cottonelle wipes. Wrap the wipes around the spoon and WA-LA- works like a charm. I mean, you aren't going to be completely clean, but it definitely helps. I was really worried about the nurses bathing me or cleaning my sheets with me bleeding so heavily, but ya know, they were great about. Guess they are use to stuff like that so they think nothing about it. Oh and when I was going into surgery, they gave me one of those maternity type pads to wear into surgery. I used those while in the hospital. I don't think they will allow you to use tampons and I seriously doubt you could bend to insert it anyways. DOn't worry too much about it. You will have other things on your mind (sleep was my main concern!). Good luck to you!
   — karmiausnic

November 9, 2002
I started in the hospital, unexpectedly. No way could have done a tampon! They gave me a pack of sticky pads and I wore loose undies. I was mostly sitting, so essentially I just sat on the pad!
   — jen41766

November 9, 2002
The blood thinners they give you will bring on your period. Bring youw own undies so you can wear a pad. I didn't bring undies because I assumed that the hospital would have the disposable ones like the hospital where I had my C-section had. Nope, they didn't so.. I had many bathroom trips until a family member could get to the hospital with some underwear the next day. I also used a squrity bottle to help clean down there so I didn't have to bend so much. Good Luck! Lisa
   — LisaTaz

November 9, 2002
I got lucky... got mine the day of my pre-op appt and was gone by the day of surgery... didn't get it back either
   — Laurie F.

November 9, 2002
Mine came with a vengeance the next day. I had brought my own underwear and simply used a pad. It wasn't too bad, but lasted a day or two longer than normal. Since then it's been back on it's normal schedule.
   — Cathy S.

November 9, 2002
I had them move my IV to make maneuvering easier. They can insert it higher up on the arm to free both hands. Sticky pads work better as far as getting them into the underwear and pulling them up.
   — Sue A.

November 10, 2002
I started my period the day befor surgery and they gave me an hold fashion pad it does not stick to underwear and they gave me net underwear. disposopal kind. I had problems due to urinary cather will be placed there so i couldn't really wear underwear and you don't really get up right away. For me i had a longer hospital stay then planed and they opited to not remove the cather untill the last day so everything was hard. Moving and my body was really swollen and I also had a nasogastric tube which left me with a unbearable headache. It different for every one i thought it would a breeze but this is mager surgery.
   — sheri B.

November 10, 2002
my doc said no tampoons for 6 weeks after surgery!!
   — Debbie W.

November 10, 2002
My doctor says this happens so often he tells women to expect it. When I was out they put the IV into my neck so my arms were free. I brought my own undies and pads and had no problem.
   — Pam G.

November 11, 2002
My period started 2 days before my surgery date. Although the surgeon's office said that I could wear a tampon in surgery, the hospital staff said that it's a big no-no. So they gave me a lovely pair of mesh, unisex, onesize-fits-who? underwear and an extremely bulky pad (who knew they still made them that large?). Although they gave me a big stack of their pads, I brought my own, along w/ some fresh undies.
   — Rebekah B.

November 14, 2002
Hello i had my period for a month before my surgery and still had it when i went in for surgery. I just let the dr and nurses know about it. While I had the catheter in they just put a blue pad under me, the a pad between my legs. Then when the catheter was removed I could wear underwear.
   — Farrah M.




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