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21 Women Explain What Having Your Period Feels Like

"Like someone is grinding my insides into liquid and they're leaking uncontrollably out of my vagina."

We asked the women of BuzzFeed's Community to describe for men what having a period feels like. Here are the terrifying and accurate results.

1. Submitted by Bailee Peterson, Facebook

Like drinking a two-liter bottle of Mountain Dew and then running a 10K, and then being kicked in the lower abdomen.

2. Submitted by torio4ce87f49e

Imagine someone stabbing you in the stomach and twisting the knife. That's cramps. Plus, your boobs get sore, your muscles ache, you experience nausea and headaches, and are constantly tired. Also, imagine constantly bleeding from your asshole and shoving cotton up it so you don't ruin your pants.

3. Submitted by Valerie Cassavant, Facebook

Imagine your emotions are placed on a keyboard, then someone is slamming their hands on the keyboard. All you want to do is sleep and sit on something soft. If you have front cramps, it feels like someone has your abdomen in a vice. If they are back cramps, it feels like someone is kicking you in the tailbone over and over.

4. Submitted by emeryl2

Like a spear running all the way through my lower abdomen. And needing to poop.

5. Submitted by Laurel Jean, Facebook

Periods are awful, inconvenient, dirty, uncomfortable, excruciating, exhausting, and you aren't supposed to talk about them, which only makes it worse because you have to live your life pretending you aren't constantly sweating, farting, expelling fluids from your vagina, and in so much pain you can hardly breathe. I'm not exaggerating.

6. Submitted by Jamee Choi, Facebook

I feel like a walrus: bloated, fat, shiny-faced, and I want to roll around all day.

7. Submitted by mabel

Like someone is grinding my insides into liquid and they're leaking uncontrollably out of my vagina.

8. Submitted by Becky Fern Rowe, Facebook

For me, most of the time, it's annoying, but tolerable. Then about every four months, it's really bad, like someone glued and duct-taped the inner wall of my uterus and then started violently ripping it off. And on top of that, you have diarrhea, and sometimes an upset stomach. Not to mention blood pouring out of your vagina.

9. Submitted by Heather Zummak, Facebook

The best way to describe what a period feels like is to use a person as an example. I feel that King Joffrey from Game of Thrones is the most accurate...

10. Submitted by Sonnet Fitzgerald, Facebook

Periods are just gross. It's like your crotch is throwing up 24/7 for a week every month. You can't stop it, you just have to do damage control. And containing it is a pain. Cups are a reach issue for anyone who is larger or has mobility issues. Tampons aren't that great for you and can hurt depending on your body. Pads feel awkward and stick to your butt. It's just a wet, icky, painful mess. 0/10. Do not recommend.

11. Submitted by Shona Phillips, Facebook

A combination of having muscle cramps and stomach pain from hunger, but in your lower abdomen. Feeling lethargic and just generally kinda gross. It sucks.

12. Submitted by Sunshine Then, Facebook

It feels like the worst burrito-gas in your entire life, every waking hour, for three to seven days. Who knows how long it will last? It can be sharp, stabby, dull, achy feeling in your abdomen, or in your back. Then you get rivulets of blood complete with chunks for three to seven days. Tampon? Pad? Cup? Have fun choosing your weapon.

13. Submitted by Sanna Wege, Facebook

It starts with an uneasy feeling: a dull pressure in my lower torso. When it's full-blown cramps (usually the first day), it's like my backbone is in a screw clamp. Also, everything is bloated and there's diarrhea.

14. Submitted by twizzler

Like someone is kneading your abdomen 24/7.

15. Submitted by Mallory Ayotte, Facebook

Pretend someone filled up a large water balloon inside your pelvis, about two inches below your navel, that slowly leaks its fluid with the end still tied over a five-day span. Yes, it gets painful. Yes, you have to use the bathroom a WHOLE lot more — or at least it feels like it and then *false alarm* you actually don't. Other than that, it feels very wet and uncomfortable in places you'd prefer to keep dry and don't get me started on the extra time it takes to maintain yourself and clean up...

16. Submitted by theAnnelis

Imagine someone grabbing your nards and squeezing them, all while gaining 10 pounds of water weight.

17. Submitted by Cheryl Marie Tay, Facebook

Depends on the woman. I'm very lucky in that I don't get PMS or cramps; I just get a little lethargic, probably because of the blood loss. My hormones also go a bit crazy (i.e., I REALLY want to make out with my guy).

18. Submitted by Naila Warren, Facebook

In the first few years, it felt like someone was drilling holes in the base of my spine. I was tired, cranky, hungry, and easily agitated (I still am).

19. Submitted by BDubspony

The physical sensation of menstruating is like when you zone out doing something monotonous and your mouth falls open and you drool. That "oh crap I'm wet" sensation.

20. Submitted by Sarah Burns, Facebook

Y'know that pain you get in your belly when you're about to have some awful diarrhea? It's like that, but it's constant.

21. Submitted by Laura Webster, Facebook

Just general ickiness. All over. And wanting to kill someone.

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