I tend to only bleed through one side of a tampon. Is this normal?

Hi there,
I have been having the same issue with only one side of the tampon being saturated with blood. It can't be that I am using too high of an absorbancy level though because the one side will be so saturated that the string is also saturated and I leak through to my undergarment. I am having to change the tampon every 2 hours. Is this still normal? I am using the super absorbancy since it is day 2 of my period and my flow is rather heavy.

Hi There

Technically, you don't actually "hit" menopause until it's been one year since your final menstrual period. In the United States, that happens about age 51, on average.

The signs and symptoms of menopause, however, often appear long before the one-year anniversary of your final period. They include:

Irregular periods
Decreased fertility
Vaginal dryness
Hot flashes
Sleep disturbances
Mood swings
Increased abdominal fat
Thinning hair
Loss of breast fullness
When to see a doctor
It's important to see your doctor during the years leading up to menopause (perimenopause) and the years after menopause (postmenopause) for preventive health care as well as care of medical conditions that may occur with aging.

If you've skipped a period but aren't sure you've started menopause, you may want to see your doctor to determine whether you're pregnant. He or she may take a medical history, do a pelvic examination and, if appropriate, order a pregnancy test.

I would try to also use the lowest absorbency tampons. If you are still concerned then I would suggest you contact your doctor.

Hi There

It sounds as if you might be using too high of an absorbency for your tampon. Or you are changing your tampons too frequently.

A tampon’s absorbency rate is how fast it soaks up your menstrual flow; it is measured in grams of fluid.

Tampons are available in four absorbency ranges. Under a system adopted by all tampon manufacturers, tampons within a given range will have the same absorbency label. For example, all tampons labeled “Regular” will absorb the same amount (6-9 grams). Match absorbency to your flow – and always use the minimum absorbency to meet your needs. This may reduce your risk of a very rare, but serious, condition called Menstrual Toxic Shock Syndrome.

Because your period varies from day to day, you may want to use Regular absorbency on days when you have light flow. On heavy days you might want Super absorbency. If your tampon has to be changed before four hours passes, maybe try a higher absorbency. You usually don’t need high absorbency tampons when your period is almost over.

Change your tampon every 4-6 hours, sooner if your period is heavy. If there’s blood on your tampon string, it usually means it’s time to take it out. Never keep your tampon in longer than 8 hours or overnight. Use your pads at night. You may want to add a pantyliner at the start of your period to handle any overflow leakage. To remove the tampon, pull gently on the string that is attached to the end of the tampon.

A very important reminder about tampons - change them regularly and never leave them in all day or all night. Leaving a tampon in this long puts you at risk for a rare, but very serious illness called menstrual toxic shock syndrome. Another way to reduce your risk for menstrual toxic shock syndrome is to match the tampons absorbency (slender, regular, super, super plus) to your flow – and always use the minimum absorbency to meet your needs.

If you are still concerned then I would suggest you contact your doctor.

Hey anon, thanks for writing. I'm passing your great question along to one of our experts for review. She should be able to make some recommendations. In the meantime, you may find this information very helpful ....

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