My Period Story- Lynna Owiti

Lynna's Period Journey: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Strength

Periods are an essential part of life, but each journey is unique and often filled with unexpected twists and turns. We asked Lynna a few questions about her menstruation journey, and she shared with us some of the most memorable moments and lessons learned along the way. Here’s her story:

At what age did you get your period?
I started my period when I was 11 years old.

Has menstruating gotten easier, harder, or is it the same as it always has been, with each passing year?
It seems the older I get, the harder it becomes.

Tell us your period story.
All points of my menstruation journey have been interesting. I started menstruating when I was in Class 4. I was the first girl in my class to start my period. My dad was in the house when I first started bleeding. I remember panicking since no one had ever spoken to me about this, which was understandable at the time because I started so early. When I went to explain to my dad what was happening, he was so happy! He instructed the househelp at the time to give me pads and called my mum immediately, who came rushing home.

I remember going to tell my best friends at school, and I remember the boys in my class finding out and laughing at me. What a time! Fast forward to the next years, I noticed my period was irregular but never paid it much mind. It would come, then disappear for a month or two, then come again, and the cycle would continue. This never bothered me because I hated dealing with period pain anyway, so I saw this as a win.

I first interacted with a gynecologist when I decided to get on birth control. It was then that I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). This explained my irregular periods. I was put on hormonal birth control to regularize my period but would later learn that this did not solve my PCOS problem, as there were other side effects to PCOS that I had to deal with.

I did loads of research—since PCOS has no cure—and learned how to manage it through the school of Google, YouTube, and Instagram. I got off hormonal birth control because it affected me and how I acted around my loved ones. This was in 2020. I continued to deal with heavy, irregular periods. In 2022, miraculously, and for the first time in my life, my period regularized and has been regular since then! However, the pre-period symptoms and PMS have increased with age; they get worse, and I suffer from a general lack of energy two weeks each month just before my period. I have learned—and am still learning—to work around this. I take various supplements for energy during this time, try to stay active in the gym, and eat a balanced diet to help manage these effects.

What is one piece of advice that lives with you while you are on your period?
That I am strong and resourceful, and my period does not define me or my productivity.

Share with us one affirmation you use to stay positive and empowered during your period.
I remind myself: "I can do it, even when bleeding."

Lynna’s story is a powerful reminder that periods, though challenging, are a part of our journey and growth. Through ups and downs, she has learned to listen to her body and navigate her cycle with grace and strength.