I'm with Uncle Sam, you ladies are vulgar to discuss this in public! Why not ask your doctor? YOu're looking for medical advice on a public travel forum on the internet? Won't don't you solicit opinions for a hysterectomy?! Then you won't have to worry about it at all! LOL!!!

I'm not one to sit down in regualr conversation and start blabbing about cramps and the like. Nor am I one to go into detail regarding other "private functions". However, there are times when it is appropriate to discuss such matters and there are times when places such as this forum provide others with a group of people who have knowledge that could help. For women who are offended, I am so sorry that you are so ashamed of yourself that you can't even handle a message board where you can post anonymously. For the men, well, GET OVER IT. GO AWAY and oh, this is what I want to do when I want my brother to leave a conversation, I say: MENSTRUATION! MESNTRUATION! PERIOD! MESNTRUATION!<BR>PHEW! I feel better, now to the original post.<BR>I was traveling for two months and my DOC said to just skip the week off and continue on the next cycle to avoid getting my period. It didn't exactly work but it wasn't a big deal either. In other words I spotted and had to use supplies anyway but bloating or cramps. For my situation it wasn't a big deal, but for others it may be.

Hysterical women, all ranting and raving. You all need hysterectomies to spare the rest of us. Lobotomies, too.<BR><BR>Use a tampon, for chrissake, and quit yer bitchin'

I'm a man, and I have no problem this being discussed. In fact, I've found it quite fascinating and entertaining. The men who don't probably are embarrassed to go to the store for their wifes (or daughters, etc.) and buy tampons or pads. It's 2002 not 1952!

Sorry about the mis-spelling, I meant "wives" not "wifes." Just thought I'd point that out before someone else did.<BR>

Take up long distance running or some other equally rigorous form of exercise. Your periods will be much lighter, shorter, and if you're lucky like me, cramp free. You'll also look that much better in a bikini.

After several hours absence, I thought that the fuss might have died down in this thread, but coming back and seeing some of the suggestions, I just had to respond. Planning your vacation around your period - unless you're lucky enough to have periods that naturally occur at exact intervals every single month, this is pretty difficult to predict several months ahead. Speaking from experience, stress hormones can be a factor in bringing it on early, so even if you try and plan, the stress involved in packing and preparing to depart can be enough to mess up the best laid plans. <BR>Anyone who suggests under-going major surgery, as in a hysterectomy, purely for the sake of convenience, is possibly in need of a lobotomy themselves (or maybe has already had one).<BR>As for the exercise theory - I know this works for some people, but a few years ago when I was working out 3 or 4 times a week, I found that it had the exact opposite effect and my periods actually became much heavier and more painful, so, yes, it's worth a try, but it doesn't work for everybody. <BR>Thanks for the explanation about co-payment fees, Suzy, as I suspected, I suppose that explains why doctors in the US are more likely to spend more time and effort with their patients, if they are getting paid by the visit. Like I said before, this isn't the case in the UK, where visits to doctors are free. That means that a lot of people abuse the system by going to the doctor for trivial reasons and so they are less inclined to sit and listen to you if they decide that you are one of the abusers.

I am absolutely stunned at the prudery and ignorance on this topic! I am also stunned that so many (ignorant and prudish) men were compelled to make a comment, as if their word were the authoritative one.<BR><BR>Elaine, you clarified quite a bit but two further points. Dr. Welby has clearly not the first clue about menstruation -- must be a Dr. of advertising -- if he thinks a (single or even double) tampon is the solution. I'll spare his poor sensibilities about why they might not be. The ladies know, and certainly the original poster knows or she wouldn't have asked the question.<BR><BR>Second, Elaine, you have a very euphoric view of American health care if you think US doctors spend time with patients. The copay makes no difference, because the Health Management Organization (HMO) or the manager of the clinic/hospital mandates that the doctors see at least a certain number per hour, and that number creeps up every year. <BR><BR>Ask any practicing American MD and she/he will tell you that a decade or two ago the average was 20 minutes per appt. and now it's 6-7 minutes. People who can't get to a doctor "abuse" the system by flooding the emergency rooms. <BR><BR>Meanwhile the amount of each dollar paid for health care that's devoted to bureaucracy and overhead has gone from 8 cents to 33 cents. We have a nursing shortage that is beyond imagining. Our entire health care system is disintegrating before our eyes, but people are relying on crossing our fingers that "someone" will do something. It isn't happening.

PS, re:toxic shock for Vida -- not much danger if things are changed often enough (overnight is ok, but no longer). And Jen, I'm sorry, I question either your experience (which seems very limited) or your gender. As for Uncle Sam (who appears to have departed), what an appalling hypocrite. "Decorum" indeed.

Sorry to get off-subject, but just a clarification for Elaine about HMO co-payments. They go to the HMO, not to the doctor. Most doctors in HMOs are salaried, they are not paid according to the number of patients they see. But even if they were "paid by the visit," that would encourage SHORTER visits (so they could have more of them), not longer ones.

Elaine - <BR><BR>My guess is that Holly was referring to endurance sport training over a long period of time - not simply getting in a workout a few times a week. There are huge variances in what people regard as "rigorous" exercise.

Thanks for the interesting info on the US health system. Sounds like things are in a similar state over there to the way they are here. There is a lot of argument and discussion going on in the UK currently about how to improve our National Health Service and raise extra funding and it has been strongly suggested that we should follow the US example and force people to take out private health insurance. From what I've read here, it doesn't sound as though that would entirely solve the problem for the majority of people.<BR>K, yes I suppose that rigorous does mean different things to different people. For me, spending one and a half to two hours doing heavy weight training and resistance exercises 3 or 4 times a week, certainly felt pretty rigorous at the time, but I can imagine that endurance sports sap up a lot more energy.

Jennie, I totally agree.

With my utmost caution & respect I enter this thread....<BR>I had nothing better to do with my life than read 52 replies at the time of this writing, so here it goes:<BR>The original question addressed the "delaying of the period", followed by some recommendations, jokes, hisses, and Health Insurance...<BR>Would it not have been best to PLAN the trip around the menstruation days?. My wife and I have become fairly good at it. Again my apologies for the intrusion. I think I will go out and cut the grass....Thank you !

All those smart-a** resonses and no one mentioned pregnancy. Should give you at least 9 months delay. <BR><BR>Very very strenous excercise (like 2 hours on a mountain bike climbing hills or a long hard run) will often cause a 2-3 day early period. Don't know if this timing will work for you. <BR><BR>

Bored Man, Not everyone uses the pill or has regular periods. Thus, planning around your period is difficult even if you only book a couple of months in advance. Mine varies about every 4 to 6 weeks and sometimes I skip. <BR><BR>Sorry, x, I think that tampons might be your best option.

Ok, doesn't anyone else wonder how this person functions each month while at home? Does she stay in her bathroom for several days each month??? Very odd.