Ladies…it’s time for some real talk.

And it’s going to be directed at all the men out there about what they really need to know about that time of the month.

So guys, pay attention to these responses from AskReddit users and ladies, please talk to us in the comments and share your thoughts about this topic.

Let’s get started!

1. Comatose.

“I go comatose when I’m in pain. I usually get groggy the day before as if my body knows it’s almost time to hibernate.

I slept 32 hours this cycle. I wake up to take more medicine, and go right back out. I’m very lucky to not have a demanding job.”

2. Here you go.

“My fiancé had to be educated about this at the age of 28, so I will say this just in case:

Periods last more than a few minutes. They last 4-7 days nonstop. Some days are heavier than others, we only lose 1/4 cup of blood on average, the rest is uterine lining and mucus.

Cramps are from the sloughing of the uterine wall and they do hurt a lot for some people. Not all of us get PMS.”

3. Debilitating.

“That even if they don’t hurt, they can be debilitating.

I used to get anemia every month, along with a headache.

I’m glad I’m old.”

4. Bloody.

“The blood leaks.

That’s why we need to use paper products to soak up the blood. sometimes those paper products also leak, including overnight, onto the sheets.

We can’t control it. That’s what our bodies naturally do. You just wash the sheets.”

5. More empathy, please.

“The discomfort is real and we’re trying our best to carry on through it, but it’s not always possible.

A little more empathy would be so so appreciated.”

6. Not faking it.

“Some of us have cramps, some of us don’t, and some of us have really debilitating ones because of a condition like endometriosis.

So we aren’t faking the pain…”

7. Intense.

“It doesn’t get any easier.

We don’t get used to it.

The pain is intense but we have to pretend it’s not and just get on with it.”

8. It varies.

“Periods can last anywhere from 3 days to 10ish days each month, and can range from very light flow of blood to so heavy it looks like you’re bleeding to death for several days straight.

It’s different for every woman and can differ from period-to-period.”

9. Knocked out.

“Having period cramps or other side effects can knock you out badly.

If I tell you I cant get up because I am in pain or I cant get up because I might faint I mean it. Its not attention seeking or being lazy.”

10. Painful.

“Having my period does not make me feel powerful, super social, athletic, or a boss. And that should be acceptable, too.

Just once I would like an ad where a woman is just laying on the couch with a hot water bottle on her abdomen, a cat sleeping by her feet and her sipping some hot chocolate with a catchphrase like “for every type of period.””

11. Can be awful.

“Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) can be awful for some, and can even be worse then the actual period itself.

Depends on the person through. Days before a period you can feel exhaustion, cramps, bloating, acne, food cravings, mood swings, and more.

Also, if you have PMS for a week, then a period for a week, there are only two weeks out of the month where you are not in terrible pain. That’s HALF OF YOUR EXISTENCE dealing with period related pain.”

12. All over the place.

“You can get horrible bowel issues with your period, weird cravings, migraine headaches. And in some women, cramps are debilitating.

When I had my kid, the first eight or nine hours of labor hurt less than my average cramps.”