Why & How I Keep Track of My Periods | Endometriosis | PCOS

Knowing your menstrual cycle is important, but why? And how best can you keep track of your periods? I’ll look to help understand all this and hopefully make us feel better prepared for that time of the month.

If you prefer to watch a video version of this blog post then you can right here on my YouTube channel. If not, then scroll on 🙂

Why should I keep track of my periods?

Some of these reasons may seem very obvious, but then there are some which have hidden benefits that are easily overlooked – well, because they’re hidden, unless we experience them of course!!

Okay before I am tempted to blabber on, here are my reasons:

1. Helps document the regularity or irregularity of your periods

Tracking the menstrual cycle makes it easier for when we need to see patterns with our cycle. With multiple conditions associated with our periods, such as PCOS, endometriosis and adenomyosis, it can be very helpful to know how regular or irregular our periods are.

2. Helps document the length of your periods

This may sound similar to my first point, because it is and umm… it isn’t. The length of your actual period can vary and it helps to understand if there is a gradual increase or decrease in the number of days that we bleed.

For example, when my periods initially began, they would go on for 10-12 days. Now my average is 7-9 days. There was a time when my periods went on for over 40 days. So all this information, when seeing my doctor helped them to understand what was possibly going on.

I once mentioned in an older blog post of mine how doctors need to see facts and numbers, they rarely connect with women speaking emotionally. If you wish to know more about how to prepare for doctor’s appointments then you can right here:

• Ultimate Guide: How to Prepare for a Doctor’s Appointment

3. Helps you to understand whether there is a pattern to the pain

So you’re not just tracking the dates of your period and its length but you’re also  tracking when pain, nausea, bloating, mid-cycle spotting, migraines, energy levels, changes in appetite and when various other symptoms begin and end.

Sometimes, supplements are given intermittently or for short spurts of time – for example, I take evening primrose oil for when I go through phases of breast pain. I don’t need to take this throughout the year but when a pattern for this appears, it’s easy for me to set reminders that evening primrose oil helps me.

Here’s my choice of evening primrose oil, also please do consult your doctor before you self-prescribe (something we should not do):

USA: from Amazon
UK: from Amazon
India: from Amazon

Relevant read on bloating & pain:

• What is Endo Belly? What Does Endo Belly Feel Like?
• Endometriosis and Adenomyosis Natural Pain Relief

4. Helps to know when ovulation will occur

It’s important to have a fair idea of when you will ovulate because it can help plan pregnancy or avoid it!

Also, you may find an increase in white discharge during your ovulation so anything out of the ordinary, such as a change in colour, smell, quantity and for how many days it can go on can be noted in your period tracking app.

5. Understand the onset of your premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Premenstrual syndrome happens before your period begins. It’s symptoms that affect us both physically and mentally whether it’s feeling bloated to feeling low and emotional or even experiencing odd food cravings.

All feelings are valid and should be taken note of.

How you feel, not just physically but mentally too is important. Sometimes we don’t realise that we’re being driven by the effects of PMS.

I have found noting this makes a difference in my understanding of when PMS could hit me which helps me warn those close to me of what I’m about to go through. I don’t wish for someone to misunderstand my change in mood.

6. Changes in sex drive

Various health issues can cause a disruption in people’s sex drive. Keeping track of this can be extremely beneficial if you’re experiencing changes.

Even symptoms like vaginal dryness and pain before, during or after intercourse – these all should be noted as this can give your doctor vital information.

7. Tracking the effects of medication, hormone supplements, the pill

Over time you may find yourself having to take various hormonal supplements or the pill to regulate your periods (or various other reasons) and because of this, you may experience various changes in symptoms.

For example, the pill can cause breast pain – especially if it’s a high estrogen pill. This will allow you to relay this information back to your doctor who can then adjust the type of pill you’re on.

8. Being well-stocked with menstrual products

I’m one to get menstrual products in bulk so that I never run out, but it does eventually run out right?! And with all that goes on with my body and life in general it can be easy to forget to restock.

This is where setting reminders helps to keep me on top and obviously knowing my dates through a period tracker is what allows me to do that. It sounds quite basic but you’d be surprised how many times I’ve had to give friends sanitary pads because they forget their periods are due.

If like me, you can’t use menstrual cups and wish to know of environmentally friendly sanitary options then you can check out my comprehensive guide right here:

• Eco-Friendly Menstrual Products

And if you wish to know why menstrual cups don’t suit the conditions I have and whether you’re in a similar boat, then I write about that too:

• Chronic Illnesses & Menstrual Cups

9. Track how much you’re bleeding

I don’t know why I am mentioning this at the end, but this, in my experience, is important. It’s important to know how often you’re needing to change your sanitary pad or empty out your menstrual cup.

My periods began when I was 11. The bleeding was A LOT!! And I’m not exaggerating when I say that – I would need to change my sanitary pad every 1-2 hours, use night-time pads in the day and wake up multiple times at night. Getting through school days would become quite a struggle with me bleeding through if I missed changing my pad in time.

I found that by noting something like this down, it was quite beneficial for when I would see the gynaecologist.

For you, it may be the opposite, you may not bleed so much.

Either way, it’s good to have this information.

How can I keep track of my periods?

Mobile phones and applications on phones weren’t really there when my periods began. I got my first phone when I was 16 – Gosh I sound ancient!!

Since my period issues began right from my first period when I was 11, I got into the habit of writing everything that I’ve explained in alll the points I’ve just spoken about. Obviously, I’ve also learnt over time what I needed to tell my gynaecologist but it all happened on bits of paper, then eventually I had a diary to write in – it was easier to have everything in one place.

As mobile phones came into my life and as you know, our phones are almost always stuck to us so whenever a symptom / issue / change was noticed, I’d type it in my notes section.

And now, I use a phone app to do all of this!!

I’ll share the app I use, but if you use a different app which you have found works for you, then please let me know, I’d love to explore new recommended period tracking apps.

The app I use is call My Calendar and this is what it looks like (and no this post isn’t sponsored by them):

As you can see, it tells me my cycle length, my period length. It allows me to track my symptoms and even has the actual calendar format which gives me an overall one-glance feel.

That’s it from me on this blog post. But like I said earlier, if you have a period tracking method that you’d like to share – even if it’s another app, then please do in the comments section below.

Thank you for reading 🙂

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