Wedding Blog
*(Not useful for other unwelcomed relatives)
Having Aunt Flo as a houseguest is basically equivalent to me taking handfuls of crazy pills each morning. Not to mention, every time she visits, I get really agitated, bloated, my face breaks out, and I’m just generally uncomfortable. I take on a ton of ‘water-weight’** which makes me discouraged and therefore even more irritable. This is not what I want to feel like walking down the aisle, thankyouverymuch.
So, I’ve started to monitor how I feel throughout the month. If week ‘4’ is Auntie Flo’s scheduled arrival, Week ‘3’ is the prep week. I think Aunt Flo is allergic to chocolate, therefore, I feel it is my sole responsibility to eat everything chocolate in our apartment to prepare for her arrival. What kind of hostess would I be if I just left that stuff lying around? Again, not something I really want to deal with when I’m trying to look my best in an unforgiving color. So, let’s say weeks ‘3’ and ‘4’ are out.
This leaves us with weeks ‘1’ and ‘2′…
Scheduling Week ‘1’ for my wedding week seems like it would be fine. I definitely wouldn’t have to worry about Aunt Flo showing up on the honeymoon. 
But this means that week ‘4’ just ended, and I really don’t think I need Aunt Flo hanging around right before the wedding, since she will only add an extra dash of crazy to what is sure to be an exhaustive and stressful week leading up to the wedding.
So, that leaves us with ‘Week 2’ as the optimal wedding week. It’s coming right up, so I’m going to try to really monitor how my body feels throughout the week, and make sure this week brings about the least crazy/skinniest/clearest complexion out of my four options. This would leave at least one week free and clear for the honeymoon, and since Aunt Flo usually visits near the end of Week ‘4’, I’ll have most of that week, as well!
I’m planning on adjusting Aunt Flo’s travel schedule ASAP, once I figure out the optimal week, because messing with her plans closer to the actual wedding date seems like a recipe for disaster. Once she gets used to a certain cadence of visits, it’s sometimes hard to change, and I’d hate for her to show up unexpectedly!
**This IS and will remain ’water weight’, despite having admitted to consuming copious amounts of chocolate the previous week. Please leave me my delusions.
Are you making any plans for Aunt Flo?
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Ooo, yes. I must count ahead very soon and plan on scheduling her visit AFTER the wedding and honeymoon. Thanks for the reminder — and super funny post! 
oh yeah, I had that 2010 calendar out as soon as I got engaged! I wanted to make sure my date was free and clear of Aunt Flo before I made any plans! I got sooo lucky that my date fell into week 2, so no switch-a-roo here
im doing the same thing as you! this is week 2 for me and my wedding is this weekend (ahh!). i figure i can spend my week 3 on the honeymoon, indulging in all the tasty goodies ive stayed away from for the past month.
Haha it really took me a minute to get that! Yeah I am for sure scheduling my Aunt Flo around the wedding and honeymoon!
Yes, mostly because of the honeymoon! I hate traveling with Aunt Flo.
Hee hee! Or…. you can just start getting acupuncture treatments and it will take away your PMS MAJORLY! If I don’t count I wouldn’t even know I’m due for a visit. It’s awesome!
haha!
I am laughing because I am thinking about this exact topic today. I just realized that my wedding is scheduled right around that time. “She” always visits around the 4th -10th…and my wedding is the 8th!! Oh no!
All I can say is that I am PRAYING that with the 28-ish day cycle…that it will move a little closer to the 1st come August.
Being a girl is a PAIN!……especially when you totally didn’t plan your wedding around it 
haha!
Once in a while a post comes along that just strikes a chord…in my funny bone. And this was that post. I am so glad I’m not alone!! Week three, and chocolate beware!! And I break out like crazy weeks 3 & 4, and can’t help it! Plus, do you ever cry in week 3? Not for any good reason mind you, you just always feel like crying. I do at least. Which makes me eat chocolate. And I totally agree with you, it’s just water weight. Which I lose in it’s entirety in week 4 as I single handedly keep Tampax in business.
haha, this is really funny! I am sorry you have to deal with this. I’m one of the lucky ones who only has minor suffering.
I say, go on the nuva ring. You can just leave it in and completely skip your period all together. I do that sometimes.
BTW…I CAN actually change when she comse by getting on the pill, right?
I am thinking of starting soon…and think that may be an option.
Is this a solution?
I actually have Aunt Flo right now…which means this time next yr she will be visiting on my honeymoon!! OOPS!!! At least she wont be there on my wedding day!
i did the exact same thing! thank goodness for bp and being able to control things a bit!!!
All you need to do is tak the pill for that extra week, and it won’t come at all!
I thought I was good, I planned ahead and everything. Unfortunately my flo has changed times and is set to ruin my honeymoon so I am going to skip it by one week. I swear I thought I planned ahead too!
I take the pill continuously for three months, then take a break and let Aunt Flo visit. My doc actually perscribed my BC this way to avoid the psycho behavior that plagues me during her visits. Ask your gyno if this is an option for you! I love it and she said there are no side effects and I shouldn’t have difficulty getting pregnant when we’re ready!
@fabulouslyengaged: There may still be spotting so it’s best to switch it a few months before :\
Think about the poor brides BEFORE the Pill. They couldn’t do anything about it!
Great Post!! The wedding will be during week 2- which is the best week for me as well. And her visit will start the day after we get back from the honeymoon- talk about perfect planning!
@AmyM83: Does your insurance cover this?? Mine won’t let me get my pills with coverage unless it’s been like 3.5 weeks!!
yes, your insurance will cover it, but you need to have your doc issue a new prescription with indication to allow more than one refill within a 30 day period. there are medical reasons for this request, so the insurance companies approve them (usually).
I’ve thought about this a lot lately. My visits with Aunt Flo are awful…the past 3 months I’ve ended up in urgent care because the cramps have been so bad that end up throwing up…a lot. So I’ve decided to get Mirena to eliminate Aunt Flo altogether (hopefully). There is no way I could go through my wedding feeling like I do when I have it.
Is there a way to see when it will come? An easy way?
A word of advice, I tried to do the “just keep taking it” manuever, and ended up with Flo half in half out the door for a full month. My doctor said that it was because I was on ortho-tricyclen which is uses a graduating horomonal process instead of a steady surge of them and therefore doesn’t always lend the desired effect of blocking your houseguest. I definitely should have consulted my doctor first and avoided a month of unpleasantry.
Very cute post
Right now it looks like Auntie Flo will be visiting right before the wedding… luckily for me I am my skinniest then! WOO HOO!
Umm, I haven’t thought much about Aunt Flo on my wedding or honeymoon! Mine’s a bit unpredictable so I’m crossing my fingers and hoping it’ll come BEFORE all of it!!
I would recommend one of the 4-period-per-year pills like Seasonale or Seasonique. As an evolutionary anthropologist, I can aver that they provide a closer cycle to that which females have adapted to over the centuries as well as lower the chances of reproductive cancers. They also eliminate the hormonal changes that cause PMS. If you are on a pill you like and trust, you can talk to your OB-GYN about ways to manipulate your pills to mimic these effects short-term.
@rannfar: Mirena is awesome and BY FAR the most effective birth control (other than sterilization) with no chance of user error
Oh, LoL. I was thinking you really had a crazy Aunt Flo!
I’m on Seasonique. I get a visit every few months, but I’m planning on “planning a visit” about a month before my wedding so I don’t risk any breakthrough surprises on my honeymoon. About 2 months into the pack my body starts wanting a period. I take Vicodin and Rx strength ibuprofen for a few days to get through it and basically am a nutty lady in my baggy pants.
My doc is so nice, she lets me come in and get “sample packs” when my insurance is being all stupid.
@harmonyeee: I had the SAME thoughts about week 3 indulgences!!
@fabulouslyengaged: I have had multiple friends get preggers while using ‘the ring’ so I’ve elected to not use that approach!
@spraguebride: Sure is!
@fabulouslyengaged: Yup! I plan on it
@msashleymarie: agreed! Thats why I plan on ‘adjusting’ ASAP!!
@Miss Burgundy: Yes, just have your doc write a new script (mine is written for 3 months at a time) but my insurance will only cover two at a time
@rannfar: Ugh, that sounds terrible!! Glad you found a good alternative!!
I just laughed out loud and HAD to add this to the comments when I heard you guys start to mention Seasonique. This is the funniest SNL video about going nuts from birth control. I have always been fine on the pill..but when I tried the ring last year I went totally nuts.
Anyway…I HAD to share this really funny clip.
Enjoy!
I just went back on the pill after being off for two years just so I would be free and clear for the big day.
I have an appt. with my gyno next week, to get on Nuva Ring so I can plan when Aunt Flo visits me! I get horrible cramps and couldn’t imagine dealing with them during my wedding or honeymoon! Hilarious post! I love the truth! Good luck to you!
I absolutely planned this and am always SHOCKED to read (usually in the boards) about someone who didn’t. Why wouldn’t you think of it…big white dresss…messy Aunt Flo…
Ack! I’ve tried taking the pill several times and always given up because it turns me into an emotional wreck! (I’ve tried a couple of very “low dose” pills too).
So, we had the wedding planned perfectly - 10 months out, but now Aunt Flo has been arriving a couple of days early each month and I think that she will be arriving while we are on our honeymoon
Mrs. Corn…some people just don’t care. There are SO many bigger issues going on that if you have your period during your wedding. Seriously.
Hahaha great post! And yes, I agree that it’s best to make your adjustments now. I had to switch things up before vacation last summer and if you try to move her visits by skipping the off week on the pill, it may make you crazy. I went a little bit bonkers until I adjusted to the new schedule, lol
I just started thinking about this myself. I want to make sure I don’t have my “visitor” the week of the wedding or the week after since we’ll be on our honeymoon. I’m going to delay starting my next pill pack by 2 weeks. Of course that means I’ll be a total basket case while I’m off of it (I get a serious case of the crazies) but I really don’t want it interfering with the wedding festivities!
My Aunt is horrible, she loves to be unpredictable! Okay, not THAT unpredictable, but she’ll stop by the week before she’s supposed to be in town! So given that there are only 4 weeks to pick from and as you’ve pointed out - the week before is risky and the week after is risky so you’re only left with 1 week… given my Aunt’s track record I may have half a week to feel SAFE. Really sucks, doesn’t it?
What do you mean by adjusting Auntie’s “Travel Schedule”? I can be a bit slow… hehe
@ All : Thanks!
@xLailax: I currently take a daily birth control pill and my goal to have ‘week 2′ land on my wedding week is 2 weeks off now. As it currently stands ‘Aunt Flo’ would be visiting on my wedding day! So I’m going start a new pack of pills after this week (which is week two for me), and throw out the last two weeks of my current pack, effectively pushing back my period by two weeks. As was mentioned above there can still be spotting, which is why I wanted to ‘adjust her schedule’ ASAP. Hope this wasn’t TMI!
For ladies with unpleasant periods, often your period does not have to be so unpleasant. You can alter your PMS symptoms by taking certain fatty acids which will regulate prostaglandins in your body. You regulate prostaglandins, you regulate cramps, mood changes, fatigue, and other symptoms. Take a good fish oil and take enough (epa+dha=2000mg/day). Alternately take 3 capsules krill oil per day (this is a special fish oil specifically useful for PMS). Add a couple capsules borage oil to the mix and most women will see a big difference. It takes two cycles or so to see a change. In most cases there’s no good reason to suffer through bad PMS.
@Ms. Belephant: Who knew there were options!? (besides drugs) Thanks!
I just started the patch because I never get my damn period. It just disappears and doesn’t come for months. Imagine living every day of your life not knowing if it is going to show up randomly or not. That’s what the stress of grad school causes.
I actually started mircette last week. But it was hell. I was dizzy all day and didn’t feel like myself. I switched to the patch quickly and felt much better. This is only the end of week 1 for me. So I hope that it continues to go well. If it does, Aunt flow is scheduled to visit me a few days before my wedding. My wedding will be in week 1. I hope this is a good time for it. I don’t want to be bloated still!
Any menstrual cup users out there?
They are great! I can basically not worry about good old Auntie for about 12 hours, no problem. And I get less cramps and won’t be worried about stashing tampons in my garter!Okay, let’s be realistic, my spanx.
no longer on the pill but i have some “one use” type hormone pills that will work to keep Aunt Flo at bay should she decide to crash our wedding / honeymoon!
I believe there was an article in the recent issue of Marie Claire that outlines what your body chemically goes through, and how you feel as a result, week by week. May be worth checking out.
I just got lucky mine ended right before the wedding. I don’t take anything and I’m not regular at all, so I got quite lucky!
You don’t need to have your period while you are on the pill. The scientists who invented it thought that women would be more comfortable if they had a week of bleeding, but there is no medical reason for it. If you are on a monophasic pill, go ahead and take it straight through the month and skip those placebo pills.
My name is a link to a New Yorker article on the origins of hormonal contraception.
I guess I am fortunate (bleh) to have Aunt F on an almost down-to-the-minute schedule for her visits. So we will (if all the stars allign) be having a mid-month wedding since she likes to show up on week 1. She does get on my last nerve though making me feel all skinny a couple of days before…oh skinny jeans why not!…and then WATER WEIGHT! Argh…..
I just started charting all of my cycle-related symptoms every month. It’s really great. I know exactly what to expect physically and emotionally, so it helps me keep my symptoms under control. (It’s much easier to have a sense of perspective when you know the wrath you feel at your fiance is hormonal and not his fault.) It’s also cool that the process keeps him up-to-date with what’s going on in my life. He’s amazingly sympathetic to my emotional needs now that he knows why they exist.
My gyno put me on calcium and potassium supplements to alter my mood. I take them between ovulation and my period. They really take the edge off of my PMS symptoms. I’ll definitely be stocking up on milk and bananas before the wedding!
I too am on the NuvaRing, but have been on the pill in the past and I love skipping “Aunt Flo’s visit”. Which I certainly plan on doing for the wedding
Very clever post! I sometimes forget how AF can affect a body since being on the 3-month pill. It’s one less thing to worry about.
Always, always aunt flo would manage to schedule her visits so she could come on vacation with me. ALWAYS. My periods were really terrible too. I was in terrible, terrible pain a good 80% of the time. My doctor told me to take three advil, but even that didn’t help much.
So I went on seasonale and it has changed my life. Not only do I only get my period four times a year, I don’t even need the pain killers anymore, which is really good since my stomach can no longer tolerate them. It does make me crazy, but as long as I exercise, I’m just fine.
Much easier to schedule big events around, but even if I do get my period, I can actually function now, so it’s not really a big deal.
@spraguebride: That clip is freaking hilarious!! Thanks for sharing, I needed a good laugh today
Am laughing out loud! I am all about pills back to back and/or prescriptions that limit your period. Aunt Flo is much easier to handle when her visits are once every three months! xoxo, Lo
It took me a while to get it, but I have the same Aunt Flo issues. Thanks for the laugh out loud!
this is right up there with Cheese’s twister post!
Definitely something to plan out ahead of time–no stress from Aunt Flo’s visit for me!
I really read your title and thought. Oh Poor Aunt Flo, to be associated with something as awful as that time of the month. **idiot alert** haha
I’m unfortunate in that mine is completely unpredictable. Five weeks in between? Three? Either one! Lasts for three days? Last for eight? Both will happen.
Unfortunately hormonal birth control makes me a crazy person so I’ve just learned to deal with it.
There will be no scheduling around - I’m just going to skip having her altogether around that time. I sometimes go for months just taking BC each day just to avoid visits, especially if vacation is coming up. I don’t have any problems spotting though although I have on some other BCs.
I’m on Seasonale so I only get my period four times a year… and wouldn’t you know, my wedding and honeymoon happen to fall EXACTLY at one of those times! Luckily, I realized this far enough in advance that I was able to make some adjustments and now I’m in the clear. My symptoms aren’t quite as bad as you describe, but it’s the last thing I want to worry about in an ivory lace dress followed by a week in a bikini.
oh my gosh, yes i am!! I actually got a change in my birth control prescription so I won’t have to deal with my period anywhere near the wedding or honeymoon.
Back when I was on the pill, I used to reschedule Flo’s visits all the time. Now I’m not supposed to take hormonal bc anymore because of the type of breast cancer my mom had, so an unplanned visit from Aunt Flo is a major worry of mine!
I will say I love the cute/funny of your post. But this is one of the pluses of having a hysterectomy. NO MORE AUNT FLO! Score a point for me finally a plus for the hysterectomy!
@Firefighter_Prazs_Girl: So sorry! And yes, you probably don’t need to worry about her showing up unexpectedly
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Mrs. Gloss, Boston/Maine
Age and Occupation: 24, Designer/soon-to-be Architect
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 26, Systems Engineer
Engagement Date: May 23, 2008
Wedding Date: August 2009
Venue: SS Katahdin/Lakeside Tent
About Me: I don't like nickels or the skin that forms on pudding when it's in the fridge for too long. I couldn't live without Pantone markers, fountain soda (3/4 diet, ¼ regular Coke), run-on sentences, or ridiculously oversized sunglasses. I will try to DIY almost anything and am just OCD enough to make most of it work. I am truly excited about having all my family and friends together, becoming Mrs. Gloss, and having amazing photos to prove it!
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