How her cycle works? Some advice for a man

[ohyeahbabe]

Brandye,

The first few days of my period, I have excruciating cramps. What can I do to make the cramps less excruciating?

[Brandye]

You have heard all the usual: hot water bottle, acetaminophen, diuretics. For some women, nothing really does the job - until they have a baby. I am not recommending that, simply stating a fact. Some women are put on birth control pills as hormone therapy and this is now the treatment of first choice with dysmenorrhea. Talk to your doctor about this.

[ohyeahbabe]

I heard that if you know when you are going to start, you can take some ibuprofen a few days before and your cramps won't be as bad! This works for me when I remember to take it.

[EugeniaBozena]

For that i think you should take medical help.

[bookworm101]

I notice that when my gf nears her period i get extra horny. Is that normal?

[Brandye]

It seems to be for you. There are men who will have nothing to do with sex during her period; those who look forward to sex then; and, those who are oblivious to the cycle. Better talk it out with her before you two have a misunderstanding.

[EvilEvilKitten]

Research into the topic of women's "hidden ovulation" indicates that men DO know when she's fertile vs when she isn't on an instinctual level. Her 'hidden ovulation' isn't so hidden after all. So, YES it is perfectly normal to be extra desirous when she's nearing her period. You're simply responding to the chemical and behavoral cues she's putting out.

[big916]

i saw a special i think called 'the anatomy of sex' and one part said when a woman is at peak ovulation one of the things that happens is her voice becomes higher. they did a hearing test with men and they all found the women with higher tone voices to be more sexually desirable.

[RedRoses]

Uhm, bookworm was talking about her nearing menstruation, not ovulation, right?

In a natural cycle; menstruation occurs 14-16 days after ovulation. Given an ovulated eggcell only is to be fertilized somewhere between 12-24 hours, that would make her in a less or even least fertile state of the cycle, when she's "nearing her period". Unless "near" is two weeks before her period off course See Brandye's explanation on page 1 of the current thread and an explanation on the natural cycle here: NFP- sharing experiences?

Personally, my sexual desires certainly peak around my ovulation, but I do experience more desire the days before menstruation as well. Two possible causes, I can think of:
1) mental; after I've used my NFP-calculations and know unprotected sex is possible, it gets me frisky. And especially when we don't act upon that immediately, the desire builds. Let's face it: sex starts in the mind!
2) hormonal; the last few days of a cycle, there could already be a bit of extra oestrogen kicking in, that will rise and peak during the first stage of the next cycle.

I do agree with how men read behavioral and chemical cues instinctively. My man picks up on behavioral cues of my heightened sexuality immediately, no matter what causes me to feel this. I'm guessing men are programmed to recognize opportunity When the chemicals are also running a show, he knows even without me telling him that ovulation and thus dangerous highly fertile times are there

And yes; it's funny to see how your body changes around ovulation. I've read your body even redistributes the fluids under your skin, which make you look more attractive. Some women even notice this by changing fittings of their bra's. And I can personally tell it changes the way you smell; overall it's more sweet.

[EvilEvilKitten]

Yes but all he said was right before - now what precisely does right before mean - 2 days? 2 hours? 15 minutes? It can mean whatever hence my point remains valid because SOME women ovulate just before just as some women can still get pregnant if a guy looks at her cross-eyed. Between the variation between women and the inprecise timeline - it just could be ovulation.