Lucia

Brief Outline:

Lucia is 16. Her periods were not too bad when they started, but then the cramping developed over time. She manages this with hot water bottles and paracetamol. She has not missed school or seen a GP, because she hasn’t felt she has needed to. She reflected that education in schools tended to focus on managing bleeding, with little guidance about pain or possible associated health conditions. She thinks reducing stigma about periods would help people feel able to ask questions more freely about what they are not sure about. She learned more about cramps from talking with her friends and sharing experiences.

Lucia thinks period pain and the impacts of period pain need to be taken seriously, and that how doctors react is important.

I think it should be, not more serious, but taken... and, yeah, taken more seriously ’cause some people might assume: ‘oh, everyone has it,’ and just deal with it, or... ’cause some people might have the pain so bad they can’t walk, and stuff, and if they go to the doctor’s and doctors just say: “Oh, well, that’s just what you have to do,” then it might... yeah, it’s just not good.

Is that something you’ve heard about happening?

Yeah.

Lucia can see advantages in boys learning about periods, but at the same time thinks it might be easier for girls to feel comfortable and ask questions if they are separated initially.

And when you first learnt about periods in primary school, were you separated, or were you taught—?

Yeah, it was just the girls.

Just the girls. What do think about that?

I feel like boys should learn about it too, for... yeah, they might have sisters, girlfriends, mums, like... yeah.

So, important for boys to learn about it. How would you have felt having boys mixed in with your class when you were learning about it?

I guess they could learn... teach girls to start with separately, and then later on as... ’cause we learnt in primary school where obvious... I don’t think many people actually got their period, and then in secondary school maybe teach boys as well like how it affects girls as well.

Do you think there’s... I guess there’s pros... cu... do you think... what do you think the kinda advantages of teaching people separately might be, or the advantages of teaching them together, do you see what I mean?

I guess the advantages of separately is that the girls would feel more comfortable without boys there, and maybe the fact that boys might feel uncomfortable. And then the disadvantages... but what did I just say?

Yeah, you... though the girls might feel more comfortable.

Yeah, if they’re alone, where... yeah, whereas if they were together, they might not ask questions ’cause... yeah, I don’t know.

Is that cu... do you have a sen... a worry about—

Yeah, it’s...

—how the boys might react?

Yeah, ’cause you feel... yeah, just a bit... I don’t know, they might feel too shy to ask questions in front of other... other people.

So you feel like having that space on your own might let people ask questions—

Yeah.

 —and try and find out more.  But I guess the disadvantage is...?

That I guess can...  huh, I’m not sure.

Huh, so not sure if there is a disadvantage?

 Yeah.

So you think... but you think it would be important for them to learn later?

Yeah, even if it was separately, as long as they learn something.

Lucia mainly feels comfortable talking about periods with girlfriends or her mum – and if there is a reason for the conversation

Are periods something you talk about much?—

Yeah, if... yeah, I think so, if someone mentioned it then we’ll all talk about it.

Are there people that you would talk about it with, and maybe people you wouldn’t as much?

I just talk about it with girls, but not boys.

OK. How... how do think... have you ever had a difficult conversation with the boys?

No.

No, huh. So, is there something you’d worry about, or what would make it different about talking about it with boys, do you think?

I guess ’cause they don’t really know what it is and don’t go through it, but the girls do, so then you would most feel comfortable talking about it with a girl.

Yeah. So, it’s not that you are worried about how boys would react—

Yeah.

—particularly, but it’s more just that shared experience?

Yeah.

Yeah, OK. And what about at home: do you talk about your periods at home?

Yeah, I guess if I need to.

And what sort of things would make you need to?

Like if I have cramps, and paracetamol and a hot water bottle, or something.

OK. But otherwise not something... And were... and would you talk about it with anyone in your family, or do you pick a... pick who you...?

Yeah.

Is there someone you tend to talk to?

Yeah, just my mum.

Your mum, OK. And would you talk to your dad if...?

Yeah, if I needed to.

Lucia describes period cramps as ‘a uncomfortable pain’ in the lower stomach.

Mm, I actually remember I had like for two months, then it stopped for a few months, and then it came back, but it wasn’t that bad, like not heavy or anything.

And not painful?

Yeah.

OK. But you said they’ve changed since then and they’ve got kinda worse. Can you...—

Yeah.

—can... yeah, can you tell me a bit more?

Well, like recently I’ve got more like cramps, but I used to like never get them; I think I jinxed it by me saying I never got it. But yeah, and then recently I have.

OK. And when you say ‘cramps’, what... what does that kinda feel like; how does... what do you notice?

It’s like a uncomfortable pain, like in the lower stomach.

And when you have the cramps, how do they kinda impact on you: do they... how do they [erm] make you feel?

I’m not really sure, just it feels like a tummy ache, so just forget about it.

OK. Do they ever stop you doing anything?

No,—

No.

—not really.

OK. How... when... if you have your period during school or... or during your exams, or anything like that, will it... does it have... make a difference to how you feel?

Not... just a bit annoying, like not really affecting me, but just a pain.