Migraine & Intimacy ~ The Silent Struggle

You know that moment when your head is pounding, the lights feel too bright, and someone casually suggests you “just take some Advil”? ? Cute, but no. For millions of women, migraine isn’t just a headache. It’s a chronic, invisible illness that hijacks daily life: your work, your relationships, your sex life, even your sense of self.

And here’s what no one’s talking about: intimacy. In Rescripted's recent survey with Pfizer, 98% of people with migraine said it impacts their sex life or relationships — yet only 1 in 5 have ever mentioned it to their doctor. That silence leaves too many women shouldering guilt, turning down sex, or canceling plans while still craving connection.

The reality? Hormones make it worse. Migraine tends to flare around periods, pregnancy, and menopause — the exact life stages when women are already asked to “just deal with it.” If men experienced migraine at the same rate, we’d probably be calling it a national emergency. Instead, women are expected to quietly endure.

Here’s your permission slip: You don’t need to minimize your pain or your needs. Migraine deserves to be part of the intimacy conversation with partners, friends, and especially with your doctor.

Because advocating for your health is the most intimate act of self-care. 

Read the full report.

Ask Clara: How do I know when to see a migraine specialist?

Pelvic Floor Health Isn’t Just About Peeing Your Pants

I didn’t think twice about my pelvic floor until after I had my twins. Honestly, before that, I wasn’t even sure what the pelvic floor was. But I’ll never forget being at a wedding a few months postpartum, dancing barefoot in the middle of the reception hall, and suddenly realizing I couldn’t jump. Or more accurately, I shouldn’t jump. Because if I did, I might pee a little.

Fast forward to life after baby number three, and I was dealing with the opposite problem: sometimes I couldn’t pee, even when I needed to. That’s when I realized something we don’t talk about enough: pelvic floor dysfunction isn’t always about leaking. Sometimes it’s about retention, pain, or even constipation. 

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles and ligaments that support your bladder, urethra, vagina, uterus, and rectum. When those muscles are weak, symptoms can include leaking, heaviness, or pain during sex. When they’re tight, issues might look like incomplete bladder emptying or pelvic pain. Sometimes, both can happen at once.

In a recent Rescripted survey, 30% of women said they’ve never done pelvic floor exercises, and nearly a quarter weren’t even sure what they were. Only 2% learned about them from a provider. That has to change.

Pelvic floor health matters at every stage of life. If your symptoms don’t make sense, you’re not imagining things — and you’re definitely not alone. The right support, like pelvic floor physical therapy, can make all the difference.

Ask Clara: How can I tell if my pelvic floor is weak, tight, or both?

How Long Does It *Really* Take to Get Pregnant After Sex?

When I first started trying to get pregnant, I assumed it would be instant. Sex, sperm, egg, baby… right? Except, not exactly. What no one told me (until I basically taught myself sex ed by diving down the TTC rabbit hole) is that pregnancy isn’t a light-switch moment. It’s more like a series of quiet steps unfolding behind the scenes.

Here’s the truth: sperm can live inside your body for up to five days. That means you can have sex on a Monday, ovulate on a Friday, and still conceive. The egg, though, is less patient; she only sticks around for about 12–24 hours. Conception usually happens within one to five days after sex, but you won’t feel a thing. No fireworks, no uterus notification — just a microscopic meeting that may or may not stick.

Then comes the real waiting game: implantation. After fertilization, it takes another 6–12 days for the embryo to implant, which is when pregnancy actually begins. Only then does your body start producing hCG: the hormone pregnancy tests pick up. That’s why testing too soon almost always ends in a heartbreakingly early negative.

The bottom line? Getting pregnant is rarely instant, even when everything lines up perfectly. If you’re in that limbo of tracking, symptom-spotting, and Googling every twinge, know this: it’s not just you. The wait is part of the process — maddening, yes, but also completely normal.

Ask Clara: When is it appropriate to see a fertility specialist?

When Period Pain Is More Than “Just Cramps”

Let’s be real: periods are a pain. For some, it’s an Advil-and-heating-pad situation. For others, it’s can’t-get-out-of-bed misery. I’ll never forget a friend in high school who missed school every month because her cramps were so bad. Back then, we just thought she had “bad periods.” Now, I know better.

There’s a name for it: dysmenorrhea — the medical term for painful periods. Primary dysmenorrhea is caused by prostaglandins (chemicals that make your uterus contract to shed its lining). Annoying, but common. Secondary dysmenorrhea, though, signals something else — like endometriosis, adenomyosis, fibroids, or pelvic inflammatory disease. And it can be debilitating.

Here’s the shocking part: research shows it takes 7–10 years on average to get a diagnosis of endometriosis. That’s nearly a decade of living with pain because too many of us are told it’s “normal.” Spoiler alert: extreme, life-disrupting period pain is not normal.

So how do you know if your cramps need a closer look? Red flags include pain radiating down your legs, nausea, fatigue, or pain that stops you from living your daily life. If that’s you, you’re not being dramatic — your body is asking for attention.

The takeaway? You deserve care that takes your pain seriously. If one provider dismisses you, find another. Advocate until you feel heard. Periods may be common, but suffering through them shouldn’t be.

Ask Clara: How do I know if my period pain is a sign of endometriosis or another condition?

Why Birth Control Deserves More Credit

I didn’t initially go on the pill for birth control. Like a lot of teenagers, my periods were unpredictable — sometimes disappearing for months (was ghosting even a thing in 2007?!). My doctor put me on the pill to “regulate my cycle,” and at the time, I just nodded and hoped it worked. Years later, I learned those irregular periods were actually PCOS.

And I’m far from alone. A 2011 Guttmacher study found that 58% of women on the pill use it for non-contraceptive reasons — everything from PCOS to acne to painful periods. Clearly, it does a lot more than just prevent pregnancy.

Here’s the breakdown: by preventing ovulation, thickening cervical mucus, and thinning the uterine lining, the pill doesn’t just stop pregnancy. It can lighten periods, reduce cramps, improve acne, and even lower the risk of certain cancers. For women with PCOS, it’s often the first step in managing unpredictable cycles and symptoms like excess hair growth or breakouts.

Of course, it’s not perfect. Side effects are real, and it’s not for everyone. But the narrative that “the pill ruins your hormones” oversimplifies the truth. For many of us, it was the first real tool we had to feel a little more in control of our bodies — like finally finding the instruction manual for something that had always felt broken. 

The bottom line? Birth control is healthcare. And sometimes, it’s the first step toward finally getting answers.

Ask Clara: Can birth control help with PCOS symptoms or irregular periods?

Let’s Talk About What’s Really Happening in Our Bodies

Hi, I’m Kristyn Hodgdon, Co-Founder of Rescripted, but also a millennial woman who’s spent most of her adult life trying to make sense of her own health. Between fertility treatments, two pregnancies, postpartum recovery, and the everyday hormonal rollercoaster of PCOS, I’ve learned one thing for sure: women’s health information is often confusing, stigmatized, or buried in a corner of the internet you only stumble on at 2 a.m.

That’s why I created The Cycle.

This column is where we get real about what’s happening in our bodies. No sugarcoating, no shame — just honest talk about the symptoms we whisper about, the questions we can’t believe we’re Googling, and the things we wish someone had told us sooner. I’ll share my own experiences (yes, even the awkward ones), insights from the Rescripted community, and science-backed information from trusted medical experts. Because you shouldn’t need a PhD and a browser history full of late-night searches to understand your own body.

My hope is that each entry leaves you feeling a little more informed, a little less alone, and a lot more empowered to take the lead in your own self-care. From migraines to fertility to pelvic floor dysfunction, this space is for you.

So, welcome to The Cycle. Let’s start talking about the things that really matter.

Ask Clara: How can I understand my hormones and cycle better?