Women's health taboos

I can talk about anything to anyone. Why be embarrassed ( my philosophy is ) it's all been done /happened before. If I had a problem medically I'd speak to the doctor. I can also speak of things sexually to anyone who wants that type of conversation. For example my daughter and I ( she is 33 ) had a conversation about oral sex. I like the fact I'm not seen as a prude and why should I be one ?

I have never been embarrassed about bowel opening in public loos - as someone with IBS who spent years and years with 10x a day watery crap it is just as well! - and I was not averse to stopping the car and hopping behind a hedge - needs must and all that! My children got very used to some strange journeys to school as mornings were always the worst time. Interestingly they were never embarrassed about it and used to say to their friends that they were late because Mum was crapping again! And they grew up very sympathetic and caring.

Gut has flipped in opposite direction in last few years and I use lactulose each day + occasional glycerine suppository. No senna as that tends to make my gut screw up and be painful.

As for hormone cream on the nether regions - no thank you! Tried it once and every single oestrogen sensitive cell swelled up so that I finished up sitting on something the size of a cauliflower.

'Women's problems' have always been stigmatised. Catch up with Woman's Hour about how women in refugee camps are having to deal with having no sanitary products. But an amazing woman has come up with a brilliant solution to it.

Yes - the machine for making STs that this lady is using was pioneered by an Indian man, and we had a thread about him some time ago - very impressive.

I remember talking to my gran about this and she said that when she was in service she used up all her laundry allowance when she was having her period as the terry towels that she used had to be laundered.

Bowel problems aren't confined to women!

No they aren't Ana but men don't seem to be so embarrassed about them (think of all the jokes about farts etc) .Isnt it ridiculous that we are so coy about bodily functions when everyone has them. Thats what public loos are for after all. Melanie Reid ( disabled with spine injury, Times journalist) wrote an article about people using disabled loos. She agreed that people witH bowel probs might need to use them in emergency but complained about 'sharing' their smells. It's normal to make a smell isn't it? But we feel we shouldn't ! I agree it's something we have inherited from our parents.

Difficult topics for me are diarrhoea (I have IBS) and post menapausal vaginal dryness. Nobody warned me about that so it quickly turned very sore. Only wanting to poo in your own toilet is called "safe toilet syndrome "and can lead to severe problems. hugs

I have always had problems with constipation and was the only one in my family to have difficulties. The older I get the worse it seems. I really envy my peers who can set their watch by their morning poo and go on to repeat the procedure 1 or 2 times more later in the day. I eat plenty of fruit, drink plenty, don't eat a lot of starchy foods so why can't I be regular.

Dianneangel This old thread might be useful.
www.gransnet.com/forums/health/a1195635-Vaginal-atrophy

I also have a problem with public toilets and once saw a counsellor on the subject many years ago who could only suggest me dropping a piece of soap in the toilet to emulate the noise! Needless to say I never went back. I also have a problem weeing if there is someone in the next cubicle and often sit there waiting for them to flush or for the hand dryer to come on before it will flow. As I'm forever needing the toilet when I'm out it's a time consuming problem! I've a complete fetish about all bowel issues which is definitely psychological I know but I've coped with it for most of my life - I don't think my husband has ever known when I go! I rarely go to the doctors but I think that would be one of the subjects I couldn't discuss.

WorthingPatchworkers and HildaW

Many years ago when I was training there was a poem about pelvic floor exercises we gave to the ladies on the gynae ward. I can only remember the last lines.

Always remember, never forget
and when you get old you won't be wet.

Wish I could remember it all. Does anyone else know it?