Emma got her first period at age 11 while gardening with her mum. When she went to the bathroom, she was surprised to see what she later described as a “little red monster.” From the very beginning, she experienced significant pain and soreness with her periods.
I have struggled with period-related pain since I was 10 years old. The first few years it wasn’t as bad, but I still had noticeably painful ovulation and menstruation. During this time I was also struggling with my health a lot—so much so that I had to take a few weeks off from school when I was in Year 8.