This Eco-Friendly Hack Could Reduce Painful Periods - And Save You £250
- Beki, 35, was struggling with painful periods and desperate for a solution
- She researched online and discovered reusable sanitary pads
- After buying her first pack for £17 she discovered a huge change to her cycle
- She has now been using the pads for over 7 years with great results
While some women are lucky enough to have light periods, others can find themselves in a world of pain every month. Whether it’s crippling cramps, severe back pain or extreme fatigue, symptoms can have a huge impact on some peoples’ lives, essentially leaving them unable to go about their daily lives until it’s over.
Some women are diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition which sees tissue akin to that in the womb lining begin to grow in the ovaries, Fallopian tubes or similar places.
The condition can give women symptoms such as pelvic pain, severe period pain, constipation, pain during or following sex and pain during urination.
For those who suffer with heavy period pains due to endometriosis, they can find that they go through a lot of pads or tampons each cycle. Overall, the condition can lead to feelings of depression due to the huge impact it has on lives.
Beki Griffin, 35 from Rutland, was told she had the condition - but she was determined to find a way to tackle the symptoms. She told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: ‘I've always had really painful periods, to the point where I'm literally crippled over in pain most months. I went to the GP and got diagnosed with endometriosis. I’d tried everything - from simple things such as paracetamol to taking 2-3 hot baths per day to ease the pain.
‘After doing some research online, there was a link between painful periods and the chemicals in certain sanitary towels and tampons. I saw some people had tried reusable sanitary towels and saw a massive difference in their cycles. I thought it was worth a go and I’d see what all the fuss was about.’
According to research published by the Women’s Environmental Network, independent product testing from Women’s Voices for the Earth found that two carcinogens - chloroform and chloroethane - were in sanitary towels, along with possible carcinogen styrene and EDC.
Although the levels of chemicals in these products may be low, WEN points out that there are no safe levels of exposure to chemicals like EDCs and carcinogens.
There is not currently in-depth research into the long-term effects of using disposable menstrual products, but women who are concerned about the health implications are increasingly trying out reusable products - whether they want to see if it works for their painful periods, or due to a desire to cut down on waste.
Indeed, the environmental impact of using reusable pads is also clear. WEN says that up to 90% of a sanitary towel is plastic, and this material will break down into smaller pieces until it becomes micro plastics - the pieces which are typically found on beaches and in the ocean.
It wasn’t long until Beki decided to take the plunge. ‘I bought my first pack off Amazon about 7 years ago and it was about £17 for 4 towels. It sounds expensive but I was paying £3 a pack for towels every month and these ones are still going strong after 7 years!’
If you’re interested in trying out reusable pads, they are easy to find online. A simple search on Amazon yields numerous results, with brands featured including Eco Lily - which provides an odour-absorbing bamboo charcoal layer and waterproof fabric for leak protection.
Other companies supplying reusable towels include Bloom & Nora, who create pads using Oeko-Tex certified fabrics to eliminate the use of chemicals, and Honour Your Flow, which prioritises catering to a range of flows and also has incontinence pads available.
Beki was sold after using them for a while. ‘I knew I needed more so I bought another pack about a year later. Essentially, I have spent £34 on a lifetime supply of pads, and if I had been buying towels each month for the last 7 years I would have paid over £250. It’s a huge saving, but that wasn’t the only benefit I noticed.
‘After the first three months of using them I noticed my period was lighter and the pain was nothing compared to how it used to be. It has totally changed my life and I am so glad I found them.
‘My friends are sceptical about it, and it's hard to try and get people to try them out as it sounds a lot worse than it is. When I've finished with my towel I fold it up with the poppers and wait until I have 3 or 4. Then I open them up and simply put them in the washing machine all together. Once they are dry they are ready to use again and again and again!
‘They are great as when I'm due on I don't have to rush to the shops to get supplies and they are so comfy - they feel just like pants! I've never leaked with them on and they come in all shapes and sizes depending on your flow.’
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