Period Pants from ModiBodi - Perfect for Stress-Free Periods

{This is a review post, we received these pants in exchange for an honest review}

ModiBodi offers a range of leak-proof underwear, swimwear, activewear and even maternity wear that keeps you feeling dry and secure, no matter what your issue (period, stress incontinence, sweat and discharge). You may worry that their products will be bulky and uncomfortable but genuinely, I can assure you they are not. The gusset area where any liquid is collected is just 3mm thick and so soft, that they are a joy to wear (or so my daughter tells me). 

They come in five different absorbancies for different flows and to suit your pattern, from moisture-wicking right through to heavy/ overnight. The pants are made from a range of breathable fabrics and fibres, including bamboo, merino wool and microfibre. I've been very impressed with the feel of these pants considering what they are made for. 

 

Maxi-24hrs Absorbency Pants for Adults and Youths

 

At Christmas, my teenage twin girls received some ModiBodi pants and have found them perfect for wearing during their periods, so when ModiBodi contacted me to say they had created new Maxi-24hrs absorbency pants for adults and youths in the Modibodi RED range, I happily said yes, we'd like to try them out.

ModiBodi really understands the difficulties that many girls can have with navigating first and early years periods and their proven-to-work technology provides growing bodies with protection from front to back, meaning there are zero fears of leaking through clothing whilst studying, being active and even while sleeping. My girls confirm this is true and have been really pleased with how safe and protected they feel in ModiBodi pants. 

My Experience of having a Hysteroscopy on the NHS

Photo by Vladimir Kudinov on Unsplash

I suspect if you have ended up here that you've been told you'll need a hysteroscopy, well firstly I want to reassure you that on the three occasions I've had one, I have found it a really easy procedure to undergo. Of course every person is different and we all experience things in our own way, so you'll make your own decisions when you have the procedure yourself, but for now, I'll share my perspective and experience.

What is a Hysteroscopy and why have one?

A hysteroscope is a long thing telescope with a light and camera that will be passed though your vagina and cervix to see inside the womb (uterus). The images are sent to a monitor so your nurse/ doctor can see inside your womb and record pictures of what they find.

You can have a hysteroscopy for a range of reasons, such as excessive bleeding, recurrent miscarriage, infertility, pelvic pain or unusual bleeding. Sometimes you also have one to actually treat a condition such as removing a displaced IUD (or embedded as mine was), or removal of small polyps or fibroids. On one occasion I also had one to take a small biopsy before I had an operation.

Each of my hysteroscopys have been as an out patient, so I just arrived at a set time and left after about 30/45 minutes.

How to prepare for the Hysteroscopy

• Personally I have found that all I need to do in preparation is have a shower so I feel comfortable and clean
• I make sure that I relax and don't get stressed before the procedure. I have definitely found, and my gynae nurse has told me too, that the more relaxed you are during the procedure the easier it is.
• Wear loose and comfortable clothes, as you'll need to remove everything from the waist down and you don't want fiddly clothes holding you up.
• My leaflet I was given advised that if you usually suffer with period cramping, it might be an idea to have a paracetamol or ibubrofen (whatever you normally take) to help with any cramping pains that you may experience
• You can't have a hysteroscopy if you are pregnant so you need to be aware of that and be taking adequate precautions
• Generally you do not have an anaesthetic before a hysteroscopy and thus you should eat and drink normally (some people may, everyone is different, but your healthcare professional will make sure you understand what is necessary for your circumstances)
• You may wish to take a friend or relative with you if you are nervous or just wish for some company. I have always gone alone and felt happy with this. 

My Experience of a TCRE (Trans-cervical Resection of the Endometrium)

Operating Team Image, thanks to Shutterstock

I was keen to write this post as there seems to be very little information on the web about women’s personal experience of having a TCRE. Many, many women suffer in silence with heavy periods and I want to share my positive experience of having a simple day operation that can make the world of difference to your every day life.

A Brief History

I shared in a post a few months ago about how I've suffered with terrible heavy, frequent and painful periods for around a decade now. I honestly cannot tell you why I put up with it for so long, I think it had simply become a part of my life and I'd learnt to live with it. It was only when I was on holiday in May last year and my awful bleeding stopped me enjoying the pool every day with my girls that I realised something had to be done.

I have the most wonderful GP and she sent me off to see the gynae specialist nurse at the Conquest hospital (Hastings, East Sussex) as thankfully she knew I had been suffering for quite some time, having been prescribed Tranexamic Acid and Mefenamic Acid for a few years, as well as having scans for an embedded coil, missing strings and cysts. I was given a hysteroscopy and straight away the specialist nurse could see there were problems and referred me for an ablation of the endometrium.

I was led to believe this would be done by a simple balloon being inflated in me and radio waves passing through to burn off the excess lining of my womb. This is apparently a really simple procedure that the nurse can do, however she told me as my womb was quite enlarged (she didn't think it had ever fully shrunk back after having my twins) that it would be better to be done by one of the consultants with a general anaesthetic.

Meeting my Consultant

When I met the consultant he reviewed my notes and said he didn't feel I was suitable for the ablation due to the size of my uterus, the thickness of my endometrium and also the presence of fibroids. He felt it would be better to do my surgery the old fashioned way, which would mean him using a hysteroscope to see what needed to be taken away and then burning it away accordingly.

He told me I was very overweight and this could make the surgery more complex and he went through the risk factors with the surgery and what could go wrong, telling me I had a 70-80% success rate for the surgery. With those odds, I was happy to progress as I just needed some respite from the constant heavy bleeding.