Aunt Vadge: I’m worried that I hurt myself… or is it my period?

TL;DR

A young person’s concern about bleeding after self-exploration leads to a reassuring explanation from Aunt Vadge, highlighting the natural variability of menstrual cycles and debunking myths around the hymen. The response underscores the importance of understanding one’s body and period symptoms, encouraging the use of period tracker apps for better insight and management of menstrual health.

Aunt Vadge, please help me, I’m extremely worried.

Yesterday I was fingering myself (with just one finger, I’m a virgin and this was the fourth time I did it) and I was completely wet, it wasn’t hurting or anything like the first few times I did it, and my nails weren’t long.

Once I stopped I looked at my finger and it had blood on it, also my pants did too and it wasn’t very vivid red but a bit dark.

I put on a pad as my period was supposed to start around this time anyways. Then I went researching and I’m kinda scared I broke my hymen or hurt myself.

Usually, I don’t get cramps before my period, but on the second day, which I did, and usually, the blood isn’t too much on the first day, but on the second, which happened too.

Did I get my period or did I cut myself or break my hymen?

Ps: It’s still bleeding, more than yesterday, which wouldn’t make much sense if I ripped something.

Yours,

Bloody Mess

_____

Dear Bloody Mess,

It sounds very much like you have your period! If you have fingered yourself before, then your hymen is probably long gone.

Lots of blood is unusual with the hymen being torn, and it stops soon enough – it sounds like your period, which you mention was due.

Your period can and does change every time you get it, and while sometimes you will have the same symptoms every month, sometimes your symptoms will be different or unusual on any day of your period. Every symptom you get – cramping, breast tenderness, PMS, etc. – are a direct representation of what is going on in your body.

For example, if you were constipated, you aren’t clearing oestrogen as efficiently, and so you could end up with worse PMS symptoms than the cycle before.

Your cycle could change length too, but only for one cycle. Period tracker apps are great – you can record your symptoms and correlate them with other events in your life and find patterns over time. Travel and stress, for example, are known to delay ovulation, which in turn delays your period.

You sound like you have it all under control and you should definitely not worry that you have hurt yourself. You would know about it because you would feel pain – if there is no pain (beyond period cramps), you’re almost certainly fine. Check out what to expect from your period if you need a bit more guidance!

If you need more help, write anytime.

Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge



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