Two women hospitalized after using vacuum cleaners to “end period early” – now nurse sends warning

Michael Panter
 
Michael Panter

‘That’ time of the month is never fun. For anyone.

Of course, we’re talking about menstruation, and the week wherein heavy periods become a common affair.

Now, there are ways, both through science and nature, to lighten periods and tackle the side-effects, those that some of us opt for in a bid for relief. It’s come to our attention, however, that some women are going for a more DIY method of late, and frankly the lengths they’re going to in order to bring about an early end to their period are terrifying.

So it has come to pass that through a tweet issued by a nurse, the warning is now out for any woman considering using a vacuum cleaner – yes, you read that right – in an attempt to suck the blood out of their body.

Health.com claim that at least two women have wound up in the emergency room after trying this frightening technique. Word to the wise: it’s extremely dangerous.

The nurse who delivered the warning goes by the username OdesseyT99, and took to Twitter to write: “Ladies… Please stop using your vacuum hose to end your period early. You’re gonna wind up sucking out a lot more than blood! There were two cases of this so far this week and both women had to be admitted. Just… STOP!”

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I HAVE SEEN IT ALL??‍♀️??‍♀️ Repost from @healthertainer using @RepostRegramApp – As seen on Twitter ?? (Kindly swipe left) . I know some people's period can be very stressful. Some women experience severe dysmenorrhae (pain durind menstruation) and menorrhagia (heavy flow of blood). Some also bleed for as long as 5 to 7days (normal periods last between 2 – 7days) If you have a bothersome menstrual cycle, you should see a doctor instead of resorting to dangerous methods like USING A VACUUM HOSE TO EXTRACT YOUR PERIOD!!!! I can bet you that no doctor will suggest it to you either. . The tweet above suggests that some women have tried to use a vacuum hose to suck out their period. Asides the obvious fact that it is absolutely ridiculous to stick a vacuum hose into your vagina…. how about the risk of infections or potential harm to the vagina, cervix and any of the other organs in the reproductive tract? Mere thoughts of this procedure make me cringe. On the other hand, i am tempted to think that maybe, just maybe, they were attempting a DIY abortion. Are you thinking what i am thinking? . In regions where abortion is illegal, women use the "menstrual extraction" method to terminate pregnancy. . According to wikipedia Menstrual extraction (ME) is a type of manual vacuum aspiration technique developed by feminist activists, Lorraine Rothman and Carol Downer, to pass the entire menses at once. The non-medicalized technique has been used in small feminist self-help groups since 1971 and has a social role of allowing access to early abortion without needing medical assistance or legal approval. . The procedure is however done with a Menstrual Extraction kit and not a vacuum hose. . ???? I am still in sifia pains over this new piece of information. What are your thoughts? TAG 2 PEOPLE TO SEE THIS TOO ? #MenstrualHealth #IllMedicalPractices #Health #MenstrualHealthEducation #MedicallySpeaking #DrZobo #Period #PeriodMatters #MenstrualHygiene

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It should come as no surprise that people are keen to spread this warning so that women are warned against the potential dangers. The nurse’s tweet has accumulated over 5,000 likes and 2,400 retweets, with the general consensus being shock that this practise is even taking place.

Let it be stated in clear terms that using a vacuum to attempt to put an early end to a period is extremely dangerous and can result in permanent damage.

Health.com spoke to Sophia Yen, MD, a clinical associate professor at Stanford School of Medicine. She confirmed just how much risk using a vacuum poses.

“It’s not safe because the body wants to shed in a safe way. To me, it would be like ripping off a scab. It’s disrupting a natural, safe process. It might make you bleed more—your body’s shedding and trying to heal,” she said.

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