Please suggest: menses period on diving?

[IowaDiver]

I have found them at both Target and Wal-mart. They are in with tampons and pads. They are more pricey but worth it. I can't tell you how much more relaxed I am using this product instead of the tampons.

It is definitely worth trying.

 

[buisonkoss]

Since I always seemed to get my period when I went on vacation, I have dived a lot that way. Never had any problems with sharks. (Australia, South Pacific, Carribbean)

One problem I did have last time in Bonaire at the start of my period: for the first two days I had a terrible problem with having to pee. I read an article saying that if you are a bit cold, your body can react by removing fluid and eliminating it. I had volumes every 5 min. One boat ride was 20 min on the way back, no head, and of course we had to stop and look at some neighbouring scenery. I was in so much pain, I just fell off the boat the moment we docked. No choice. It just last 2 days and then I was back to normal. Maybe it was those retained fluids. I don't know but don't want to go through it again. Avoid if possible. It only happened while diving.

 

[ScubaBaby]

Much like Firediver, I use DepoPrevera - works brilliantly. Being having the jab now every 12 weeks and haven't had to stop to have a period. I use to get awful cramps, I'd be in bed for the whole duration. I tried 100's of oral pills and all made me sick in one way or another.

Depo tends to either seriously lighten or completely stop periods. Theres been a lot of bad press for it but theres been bad press about all forms of pill so I tend to go with what the doctor suggests. I've never had a problem and would happily recommend for anyone!

 

[Mitzi]

:mermaid: Thank you so much for all the suggestions and view. I am now taking the pills( is pink). Before that, I thought one or few pills can do the work. Oh, my God, is each day a pill till I finish the diving trip. Just hope it works on me. I am not so much concern about the sharks, but myself. I use to have heavy flow for the first few days and, have heard some bad experiences using tempon. e.g: difficult to pull out after soaking underwater for an hour ( the cotton expand).
This will be my 2nd dive trip to Phuket. This time to take the advance course, hope is safe and wonderful. My left little finger bones was broken during last visit. The boat head wooden thick door slam on my fingers while the boat rock to a side. It's been 3 months, not yet fully recover. Well, wish me good luck!!!

A tampon only becomes difficult to pull out if it is to absorbant for the flow, if you have a heavy flow you can remove it easily. It doesn't get water in as your body muscles hold it in place high up. As the flow decreases you just use a less absorbant tampon. I hope that help dispel that myth. I dived in Egypt and didn't have any problems with sharks the only thing I would suggest, if you are on a boat take a non seethrough bag to dispose of it as you cannot flush paper or tampons etc down the toilets.

 

[Dot Wethington]

The only thing that is a concern for menstruating women is that some get IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for the beginning of the menses along with fatigue, sinus, and they say some even get accident prone, or clumsy. These annoying side effects may affect the quality of the dive. I know I get fatigue, terrible sinus, and sometime the IBS (due to a side effect of mitral valve prolapse syndrome). The last thing I want is at 80 feet wanting to take a big (you know) down there in a wetsuit, or being unable to equalize my sinuses. Forget the sharks--- it's sloughing of the lining of the uterus and it is 'old tissue, blood', not something to get fish in a tizzy about. Besides the sharks are thinking "Oh Geez, some pms-ing women are around here, better give them plenty of room", I've done some research on it, and I know if the dive is really worth going on, and you're menstruating, then try it and see how it goes, wear a tampon, but change it when on board so as not to set yourself up for an infection, or the embarrassment of bleeding through your bathing suit when out of the wetsuit. (Wear a red bathing suit so if there's an accident, you can say the suit is new and obviously the dye is running.) And all men get is Jock itch and wedgies!!!!