5 SOS signs from your period

When it comes to our periods we always get the question “is this normal?” or “should I talk to a doctor?” Our period symptoms are a vital sign for our overall health - so your menstrual symptoms may be telling you more about your general health.

So much of our focus at Elix is on destigmatizing talking about period symptoms so that we can begin to tune in where that pain is coming from and heal holistically. We're so often told that this period pain is "normal" or to just "suck it up." But TCM views periods as a “vital sign” and report card for your overall health and symptoms like painful and irregular periods, migraines, excessive bleeding with clots are vital signs of underlying imbalances that need attention. 

We get so many questions about when you should talk to a doctor and I hope these 5 SOS signs will help! - Lulu Ge, Founder of Elix

1. Is your cycle regular? Healthy periods come every 21-35 days like clockwork? Or do you now know when it is going to show up? If you can’t predict when your period is coming or alternates (sometimes it comes every 2 weeks and then every 8 weeks or it goes missing for a couple of months) then it’s not normal. 

2. How much blood are you losing? It’s normal to lose 2-3 tablespoons of blood in the course of 4-5 days of your period. So if your period is longer than 7 days or you’re losing much more than 2-3 tablespoons of blood - that’s not normal. 

3. Are you clotting? If you get the occasional like a dime or quarter size clot, that’s completely normal. But, if your clots are the size of a golf ball and it’s coming every couple of hours, that’s not normal. 

4. Do you have any additional symptoms? Do you get diarrhea, constipation, bloating, feelings of depression, anxiety, back spasms, etc. that’s not normal. 

5. How much pain are you in and how much is your period interrupting your life? If you’re in severe pain and find yourself calling into work sick or canceling plans, that’s normal. 

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