what did you do?: embarrassing biological accidents

[ny biker]

Well this time around, I had not only hot flashes but also a 3-day migraine to warn me that TTOM was imminent. I supposed I should be grateful?

[GLC1968]

My incidents were horrendous. If you are queasy, look away now...

I had a problem with uterine fibroids causing severely heavy bleeding (like needed a transfusion, heavy). I was at work, at a new job, with virtually ALL men, at an all-hands quarterly meeting. I was wearing triple protection before going into the meeting in the hopes that I could last. When I felt the 'explosion' at the half-way point, I had no choice but to just wait it out...praying that at least one of the layers of protection might hold me. Nope. When it was over and I stood up, I gushed. Literally. On the chair, down the back of my pants...even down my legs. My pants were dark grey, so I'm sure some people were oblivious but it was incredibly obvious and I was surrounded by people (men). I walked to my desk, wrapped a jacket around my waist (mostly to protect my car seats) and walked out because I'd already used up all my supplies. I called my boss from home and then the next day, had to explain it to him. I will never, ever forget that day!

Oh, and there was an incident due to the same problem where I went to my OB-GYN for an exam. When he and his assistant came in, I told him I was still wearing a tampon because without it, I'd gush. I don't think he believed me but when he removed it, I gushed out, all over his shoes! I was mortified. I think he might have exclaimed "Oh, wow!". Ugh.

I'm not peri-menopause yet, (oddly enough), but I just can't imagine that anything my aging body might throw at me could even come close to the horror of that time in my life...

[ny biker]

Oh how awful. Though I would not be mortified re: the OB-GYN -- they should already know that these things happen and we certainly don't control them.

Many years ago I remember my grandmother telling me about some kind of incident she had experienced during "the change." I don't remember any of the details, I just remember the way she leaned forward and said, "and I GUSHED...."

(I actually wish that I did remember the rest of the story, but at the time I really had no idea what she was talking about.)

[shootingstar]

Wow, GLC your menstrual crime scence stories take the cake so far. (Or whatever expression is appropriate. ) As the the ob-gyn, he should be understanding no matter what.

I feel vaguely comforted --this is the first time in my life after ..4 decades, I even discussed accidental gushing, accidents, etc. And I grew up with 4 sisters. Keep in mind, we had overflowing bathroom garbage as a result of many females in the household and box stacks of feminine papers in the closet. And I bathroom.

[emily_in_nc]

Oh GLC, I am so sorry that happened to you -- how horrible! I would have just died. I had some near misses, but nothing that bad, thank the gods.

Talking about this oh-so-appetizing topic reminded me of another embarrassing incident. When my DH, my mother and step-dad, and my brother were all visiting my grandparents in Florida years ago, the entire house worth of toilets backed up and a plumber had to be called in toot-suite.

When he ran his long fish down to determine the obstruction, it turned out to be a tampon. Being the only female of menstruating age, I could blame it on no one but myself. And with my grandfather in the room witnessing the whole thing, I was MORTIFIED. Needless to say, they went into the garbage after that, which was also interesting since I was sharing a bathroom with my brother, my DH, and my g-father. I used a LOT of tp, let's just say!

[FlyingScot]

Light blue scrubs, dysfunctional uterine bleeding and CPR are not a good mix. The thing is, I was doing compressions so it's not like I could stop and take care of the problem and not only that every time I pushed on the patients chest it caused me to bleed more. As in running down my legs and soaking my socks bleeding. Fortunately my scrubs were about 3 sizes too big and I miraculously avoided soiling them but my socks were a lost cause. I had to wear patient slippers in my clogs! Oh and that puddle of blood on the CPR stool well that was from a "disconnected IV" let me clean that up!!