Table 2 Description of Themes 1 & 2
Theme | Quotes |
|---|---|
Pain management is self-directed trial-and-error | “It was very much a ‘mechanical’ conversation, so none of it was about … pain management or what to expect.’ (P2) “You don't really learn much about it, apart from actual biological basis and even like PMS and stuff like the week before, like headaches, mood swings, like, that's really hard to cope with.” (P14) “If I take painkillers 'just in time' ….it stops the kind of onset of the pain, whereas if I leave the pain to settle in at all, the painkillers don't really … They're not really as effective.” (P16) |
Home as safe haven | “You kind of want comfort knowing that there's hot water at home, there's you know like a shower you can sit inside or a bath with hot water and…” (P1) “Getting home would have been a big part of managing it…you just want to be in your familiar surroundings, like when you're that sore, and when you're in pain.” (P16) “It's been kind of the silver lining of like lockdowns and having to work from home and study from home … when you when you do get your period now, it's like you can sit there on a lecture and have your hot water bottle and… be comfortable.” (P9) |