Nia experienced painful cramping and nausea when her period came which stopped her from participating in the sports she loved. Looking back, Nia now knows that there is support and information available.
Here, Nia shares her story as part of our “Just a Period” campaign.
I was first introduced to periods by my mum, she sat me down and said, “there is going to come a time when you are going to start bleeding once a month for around one week”.
I started my period when I was 11. Although I was told about it before, it still caught me by surprise. I used to get cramps; they were bad enough to the point where I used to feel sick.
My period affected the sporting activities that I’d participated in my whole life, I used to swim competitively, and I took up karate for self-defense. When I would get my period, the painful cramps and nausea made me unable to participate in either swimming or karate. This was usually at the start of my period.
I felt powerless, it was frustrating knowing that I could not train because of my period."
I was also concerned about attending karate because the uniform was white, and I did not want to leak. Alongside painful cramping and nausea, I often felt fatigue and just wanted to stay at home. I felt powerless, it was frustrating knowing that I could not train because of my period.
When I started experiencing bad symptoms, I went to my mum for support and then turned to TikTok to do my own research. I would search “Why do I have cramps?” and “How to get rid of cramps?”. It was easier to find health information on TikTok than any other social media platform, and I mostly relied on content created by medical professionals.
By getting information, I am now able to manage my cramps and nausea. I now understand how to balance the different workouts and phases that occur with my period. This means I can still participate in the sport activities I love.
I wish I’d known that it isn’t normal to have to miss out on things that matter to you."
For my period journey, I would say that the lows would be at the beginning, because I did not have any information. Additionally, there was some uncertainty for me around how to deal with my symptoms.
Looking back, I wish that I had known earlier how to schedule your workouts with your cycle, so that it is more efficient.
I wish I knew that periods should not be painful. The pain all seemed normal to me, I felt like it was just something that came hand in hand with being on your period.
I wish I’d known that it isn’t normal to have to miss out on things that matter to you.
For the future of women’s health, I hope that information can get out to girls at a younger age. I hope that in the future girls will know early on that their period is not supposed to be painful and a traumatic experience every month.
Find more information and advice in our periods information hub.
Laura spent years suffering from heavy and painful periods, which affected her life. Then she was forced to leave a job she loved because of her menstrual health. Now, Laura is speaking out, because she believes workplaces should be more open and respectful of women’s health.
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Sophie, suffered for years with heavy bleeding and severe period pain, before getting diagnosed with endometriosis. Now Sophie is raising awareness through her online platform @theendospectrum.