Time of the month in light colored scrubs

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This is a 'personal' question for the female nurses... It seems in school and professionally, most nurses wear light blue scrubs and the school I'm looking into requires them. Typically during 'that time of the month' I wear dark pants just on the off chance that there may be an accident. I can only imagine when you are on a long shift and taking care of people, possibly doing strenuous transfers and such, it can be harder to get to the bathroom as often as needed and an unwanted incident could occur. Professionally, do most of you have the latitude to wear dark scrub bottoms and if you can't, what do you do?

Sorry for asking a 'gross' question that people aren't really 'supposed' to talk about, but I'm trying to figure out the logistics of our annoying monthly situation. You're all nurses or nurses-to-be, so I figure you should be able to handle personal questions like these, if anyone can. ;)

soozabel said:
I deal with this all the time, since I wear white pants and I have a couple REALLY heavy days. So I prepare by actually wearing an "overnight" thin pad, such as Always, then I also wear the Ultra OB tampon and I carry 2 or three extras in my pocket. Since they don't have an applicator, you can carry them on you. The pad helps out if I can't make it to the bathroom after 2-3 hrs and I have breakthrough. Then I can change in the bathroom and change the pad at my first break if necessary. So far I haven't had any accidents and I've been working for over 6 months now.

OB tampons have saved me many times!

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Specializes in Operating Room.
ceilingcat said:
i try to look at the bright side of that time-of-the-month. it means i survived yet another month without catching the baby-rabies.

Haha, so true! ?

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cicatrixx15 said:
I think I'm going to try ordering a Diva Cup. I am so sick of tampons! I actually have never heard of it. Any other stories of the DivaCup?

I used to have Implanon for about a year (never a period), but I thought it was giving me headaches so I had it removed. Found out that it wasn't the cause at all! Oh well, my husband and I just use old school condoms now. LOL.

Diva cup is great after you get the hang of it (check out YouTube) and can be worn up to 12 hours. I'd recommend it.

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NGeorgia said:
Diva cup is great after you get the hang of it (check out YouTube) and can be worn up to 12 hours. I'd recommend it.

I'm going to order one today!

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
NGeorgia said:
Diva cup is great after you get the hang of it (check out YouTube) and can be worn up to 12 hours. I'd recommend it.

I'm thinking that of all the things I can watch on YouTube, a "how to" about a menstruation device is NOT one of them! LOL

And on a more serious note, I have a couple of friends who also use a cup each month (different brands for different folks, but they're all pretty much the same concept), and they all swear by them.

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Specializes in Med/Surg Tele.

I'm in the same boat. I have found that Always Infinity pads are super thin, and super absorbant. Great backup for a tampon. Saved my white scrub pants many a month ?

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we have to wear all white!! very nerve wrecking couple of days!! so nerve wrecking in fact that you will ALWAYS find time to make it to the bathroom. just don't wait till the last min cuz you can get caught up easily ?

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brillohead said:
I'm thinking that of all the things I can watch on YouTube, a "how to" about a menstruation device is NOT one of them! LOL

And on a more serious note, I have a couple of friends who also use a cup each month (different brands for different folks, but they're all pretty much the same concept), and they all swear by them.

:jester: just videos on how to fold it, which is the tricky part

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
NGeorgia said:
:jester: just videos on how to fold it, which is the tricky part

PHEW! *wipes brow*

:p

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I always doubled up in nursing school, wearing a heavy tampon and heavy pad. In nursing school, during clinicals it's a little easier to get a break than when you're on your own. For those with really heavy periods, that can't find a great way to control this - another option would be to take birth control for 3 months in a row. This decreases your periods to 4/year rather than 12/yr. Of course talk to your doctor first ladies.

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Thanks OP for bringing this topic up :) I have gone thru my first year of clinicals and NS leakfree but I always had a tampon in my pocket and a huge pad on. We have to wear whites to and its tourture all day thinking omg what if i leak when you get the sudden gush ( sorry if thats gross). Im scared of the diva cup only because would be my luck and id leak. Ill have to check it out. otherwise seasonique and try to not get your period at all during the semester? lol. I just did what seems most ddi which was tampon, pad, spanks. :p

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TrendyNursingStudent said:
Thanks OP for bringing this topic up ?

You're welcome. I had no idea it would turn into such a big thread!

When you think about it, close to half of the population is on their period a 1/4 of every month, yet people rarely talk about it. :bugeyes:

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