Health & Wellness

Q&A: When I have my period, it feels weird to go pee. Is this normal?

Being on your period can definitely bring about different sensations for lots of girls! Pelvic cramping, diarrhea, and bloating -- along with menstrual flow -- can make things not seem quite “normal” when it comes to that area of your body. Symptoms to pay attention to are: pain, burning, difficulty starting or stopping your flow, urine stream that dribbles, or feeling that you do not empty your bladder completely and have to go pee a lot more than usual. If you have any of these symptoms, see your healthcare provider right away to talk about what is going on.

I wish we could chat and I’d ask you what you meant by weird. Some people don’t like urinating when they have a tampon in. If that’s what feels “weird,” you should know that it’s perfectly okay to pee while you have a tampon in – just keep the string out of the flow of urine. But if weird means painful, then you should check with your healthcare professional. It may be nothing, so please don’t worry. But I do know that painful urination can be a sign of certain conditions, so get it checked out just to be sure.

I guess it depends on what you mean by “weird”! Your hormones are doing so many different things during your period, and this is reflected in your body. All of those things -- from cramps to bleeding to diarrhea -- can feel “weird” just because they are new and different than what you are used to. But when you consider all those things are “normal,” it makes sense that it’s normal that your pee feels a little different. I’m sure our healthcare expert can answer whether or not there are any medical concerns here, but I’d say that in general, having your period feels weird at first just because it’s new. Once it’s happened a few times, it will start to feel like something you’re used to.