25 And After: What No One Tells You (A Personal Experience)

 photo credit: vecteezy.com 

Last night, I lay in bed as I thought about making this post and yes, I know I have an unfinished series sitting quietly in my drafts and some of you would kill me for that, but this post felt urgent. This isn’t just another attempt to “educate” or “enlighten,” this is me, stuck in a loop, processing my own experience out loud and hoping someone out there gets it too. Deep down, I need to know I’m not the only one wandering through this hormonal maze and someone is trying to make sense of it as well.

Now, the first thing anyone will tell you when your body starts acting up is: “Go to the doctor.” I’ve been there. And of course, I've Googled too (a lot). From everything I've seen and heard, what I'm going through is “normal and nothing to worry about” so for now I'm not chasing more answers and just want to share what this new phase feels like in case someone else is going through the same thing and feels just as lost. This here is raw, unfiltered reality. No solutions, no sugarcoating.

Let’s rewind.

At 24 and under, my period and I had an understanding. The symptoms that came with it weren't painless, there were cramps — some sharp enough that I couldn't stand or move around sometimes and then came the diarrhea, breast pain, waist, back, and lower back pains but it was generally manageable. What wasn’t manageable were the anal cramps (yes, we’re going there). Lord have mercy! The kind of pain that made sitting, walking, or using the bathroom without nearly crying a full-blown challenge. And still, I’d put on a soft smile, pretend I was fine, and go about my day like my body wasn’t going through hell. Well, that's the thing about women — we've mastered the art of bodying pain and smiling through it all. 

But then came 25. Oh, 25.

Nobody warned me that turning 25 would come with a new subscription plan: Premium Period Shege. I genuinely thought I was one of the lucky ones. I used to read horror stories from other women and count myself among the “chosen few.” But it’s like my body had a secret meeting and decided “let’s switch things up”

A few months before the big 2-5, I noticed something that felt like a win—my cycles became more regular and were syncing perfectly with my period tracker. “Aha! I’m getting the hang of this,” I thought. But oh, the betrayal. That victory was short-lived.

My PMS became way more intense and there were extreme mood swings, fatigue that always gave me the feeling of being sick, bad bloating that made me feel like I swallowed a balloon, worse sore breasts and more sensitive nipples, lower back and waist pains, and irritability that had no business being that loud. Still, I brushed it off. “Maybe this cycle is just a little intense,” I told myself. But month after month, the symptoms persisted.

Then the cramps got bad bad — I’m talking can’t-stand-up, can’t-sit-down, just-lie-there-and-breathe-through-it kind of pain. And those anal cramps I mentioned? They levelled up. Sometimes I’d be frozen in place, afraid to move until the tension eased.

Through all of this, I still wasn't taking painkillers, not because I’m strong or because it doesn't help, but simply because I hate taking drugs unless I really need to. It’s a personal quirk that makes things harder, I know.

Then came the surprise bonus: The migraines.

It was like taa-daa, I'm hereeeee. 

Around the same time, I started getting these brutal, splitting, soul-snatching, sleep-robbing migraines that had me crying like a child, curled up in bed with both hands pressed against my head because I thought I would die. At first I thought it was my eyesight causing the migraines but I observed  and realized it came with my periods! Now those, I couldn’t tough out. I gave in and started taking Tylenol just to survive the night and make it through the next day without falling apart (not all the time though, it's advised not to take too much Tylenol). 

I finally went to see an OB-GYN desperate for answers. I was convinced something was wrong; maybe it was old age knocking? Maybe my reproductive system was failing? Could it be early menopause? At 25? God! That's not possible na. Amidst the debate in my head, I got the all-too-familiar line: “It’s normal. Every woman’s body is different.” And while that’s true, it didn’t offer much comfort. I felt defeated. But what choice did I have? I adjusted. I adapted and carried on.

So much for being one of the “lucky” ones.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Wait, that’s me too!” welcome, sis. You’re not alone. We’re many. We just don't talk about it enough but we’re in this together. 

If you’re under 25 and still coasting through your period with minimal drama, I love that for you and hope it stays that way.  I’m not trying to scare you. Maybe you’ll never go through this. But if you do,  if your body suddenly flips the switch at 25, just know that it is not weird, it happens, and you’re not broken or crazy. Still, I would say “get a medical confirmation to be sure it's not something more serious.” 

Let this be a gentle reminder: Be kind to the women around you. That colleague, classmate, friend, or random girl might be dealing with all this and still smiling like nothing’s wrong because you never know what pain they're masking behind a polite smile or a casual “I'm fine.”

But here’s what’s really eating at me 

Why 25? Why does it feel like there’s a hormonal turning point around that age? Is it just a coincidence? Is there a scientific explanation? A pattern? Or is it just one of those mysteries of womanhood that no one talks about?

I have so many questions, maybe you do too so, here I am, asking:

Have you noticed your period symptoms changing with age?

Did 25 hit you like a hormonal truck, or has it been smooth sailing?

Let’s talk about it. Share your story in the comments or even just a “me too” and let’s take comfort in knowing we’re not going through this alone.

👇🏾 I’m all ears.