Because, remember ladies, your pain isn't about you, it's about him!

Hey! My mom had that shirt when I was growing up! I swear.

Looked better on her.

McKenzie Phillips: The early androgynous modeling years.

I remember when my husband (pre-marriage) bought me midol years ago for my cramps. I almost ripped his head off. In retrospect the fact that he came home with about 5 different painkillers should have mollified me a bit, but I was cranky. He still reminds me of it every time he sees a midol commercial.

The smug smirk on his face says "she's going to be really blown away when she gets done telling me about how she's taking Midol so I won't dump her and I respond by telling her I'm dumping her anyway 'cuz her friend's hotter."

Call me a selfish bitch, but I just don't want to give up all those wonderful hours curled up next to the toilet in the fetal position just to make "my guy" happy. I mean, what's in it for me? Now, if someone can sell me on a way that avoiding sleepless nights of nausea, pain and bloating would benefit me, well, then I'll consider it. But until then, I'm not spending my money.

Wow. So, basically, don't ever act like you actually have a period or are in any way obviously female, or he'll dump you.

I think the world makes sense now.

Actually, I've had surprisingly good luck with a simple, "Honey, I love you. Don't touch me. And do you know where the heating pad is? Be a doll and fetch it for me?"

Am I the only woman on earth who doesn't suffer from PMS? I don't get cramps, I don't have mood swings, I don't notice that anything's all that different when I have my period ('cept the obvious).

Maybe it has something to do with being on the Pill?

Anyway, my point is that not ALL women are out-of-control in every which way before and/or during their periods. This ad, not to mention some of the stuff said about Clinton, suggests otherwise and it's just not true.

My College boyfriend and I were once joking around in class, and he wrote "Buy me Midol" on my arm.

I should have known then it wouldn't last.

To say nothing of those of us who are actually far more pleasant to be around when we're in too much pain to argue.

Ok, I understand why the original ad is sexist. But I don't understand several of the comments. Why, for instance, did Kristen almost rip off her husband's head for bringing her a painkiller? Seems like a nice gesture to me!

I've never understood Midol. I bought it once as a teenager-it was probably Seventeen magazine that told me to-only to discover that it doesn't actually get rid of cramps. In fact, I've never met a single person who takes Midol, since they all tried it once and came to the same conclusion I did. So how do they make any money if, as far as I know, no woman ever buys it more than once?

JPlum, I use Midol. It works pretty well for me, easing the cramps and helping the headaches. Nothing from over the counter going to get rid of everything 100% if you have any kind of significant pain, but it does help me. And, if I use it with a heating pad it does work almost totally.

Amit, I agree re: Kristen; I see nothing wrong with a boyfriend buying you Midol for your cramps.

What I WOULD find offensive if I was angry or upset about something and my boyfriend assumed "she must be PMSing" and bought me Midol.
Because women's anger or sadness is often dismissed as being PMS-induced, and therefore unimportant, rather than legitimate.

That ad really sucks, and it makes me realize that even though things are bad now, they were probably even worse for my mother.

And almost every guy starts out thinking that women take Midol. I get REALLY bad cramps, so every guy I've dated asks if I need to get some Midol. I'm like, hehe...no, silly. Ibuprofen works fine.
Does anyone know anyone that uses Midol?

Damn, there goes my entore Midol theory!

I go for the Ibuprofen, myself.

Damn, there goes my entire Midol theory!

I go for the Ibuprofen, myself.

I've never used Midol, and I don't know of anyone who does. Aleve or Extra Strength Tylenol are what I normally use.

Yes, being on the pill can significantly reduce symptoms of PMS. When I was on the pill I had no PMS symptoms, it was great. Now I may have a little sadness for a day or two, but that's it. Usually I know why I feel that way and it's not such a big deal.

I want to have an intelligent opinion on this, but I am too distracted by Smug Boyfriend's outfit.

And if you stay on the pill for long enough, you may actually STOP menstruating altogether (yes, I know, it's breakthrough bleeding, but I still haven't had a 'period' for longer than 8 minutes in two years!) (leading to a whole 'maybe you have PCOS' thing, until the gyno said no)

SarahMC, it may very well be the pill. At the end of college and into grad school, I was something less than human for 5 of every 28 days, and every month it got worse. My period went for 8 days, and I was barely functional for part of it, for the usual reasons. Finally, curled up in a campus restroom stall outside my classical mechanics class, I decided I couldn't do that any more. The pill CHANGED MY LIFE. In a blink, my period was nothing more than a nuisance.

And it sure came in handy when I finally became sexually active. ;)

On an unrelated note, who wouldn't do anything to hang on to the hunka hunka burnin' love in the above picture?

if you check the ingredients of midol, it is simply tylenol, caffiene, and a diruetic. I personally use Aleve. Even though I'm on the Nuvaring, I still get some cramps and that makes them go away completely. Before that, though, I used Aleve in conjunction with playtex heating pads which I could stick on under my clothes.

Well, I'd prefer not to be around a bitch, so, yes, Midol . . . whatever . . . is good with me. Seriously, I have always been completely sympathetic about my girlfriend's/wife's discomfort and figure if she's in a bad mood toward me, she's feeling miserable. If I urge her to take something, it's for her, not me, and I doubt that I am unusual among guys.

Am I the only one unsure whether the person in the picture is the girl buying Midol or the guy she's supposed to be making happy?

The pill has done wonders for my cramps. I never really had PMS, though. I guess I'm just lucky.

SarahMC and electronblue,

I am NOT on the pill, and I experience little to no extra side affects associated with getting my period. My understanding is that it's not all that uncommon (like about 1/2 of women don't really experience side affects)

Also, severe cramps can be related to the lining of the uterus growing outside the uterus, which can be related to pollution in the environment. Interesting, huh?

Well, Tim, I think most of us would prefer not to be around sexist asshole losers either, but unfortunately, there is no pill to give to men to alleviate THOSE symptoms...

I take ibuprofin for my headaches, Aleve for my joint pain, and Midol for my cramps and other PMS symptoms. I find it works better if I use different things for different problems. Otherwise I build up a resistance to the drug.

Oh, and Tim? Most women are entirely capable of deciding to take a pain reliever themselves. If she hasn't, that may mean something. In most cases, if I'm in a bad mood towards someone, it's because they deserve it, not because I need a Midol.

Tim, your first problem is to assume that if your girlfriend/wife is in a bad mood, it must be because she is having cramps. Can't a girl be pissed for any reason other than PMS? Also, I suggest that you never use the word "bitch" to refer to any woman ever again. Because I totally lost respect for you before you said anything else.

Yes, I get it. I am here to please my guy or men in general and if I don't, I am either a terrible failure of nature or a nagging bitch.

I hate to be sedated for two days a month, but my alternative would be passing out because of pain. Tried it - me no likes.
Terrible thing, that advertisers make money out of women's pain and make them feel bad for something they absolutely CAN'T influence.

Is that Bill Paxton?

Ow, his shirt is giving me a headache. I should take something for that.

Also, SarahMC, I'm the same way, I don't get PMS at all. I get every so slight cramps (it's really just a polite "I'm here!" announcement from my period, she's so thoughtful) and sometimes have one night of insomnia, but it's nothing that affects my mood. When I'm off the pill (actually, the ring now), the cramps are slightly worse and insomnia slightly more consistent. But yeah, the notion that all women go nuts around their period is just stupid.

It's funny, I was with a group of guys once and periods came up, and I was like, "Hey, at least our hormonal time is contained to a week a month. Guys are hormonal all the time. Really, it's like they're constantly on their periods." And it's a testament to the awesomeness of my guy friends that they thought this was both amusing and rather true.

I guess I'm the only one who read the headline as "So, your boyfriend won't dump you" as in you are trying to get dumped and Midol can help.

Oops.

Chiming in as someone who never had cramps/etc until i started on the pill. In high school, my period was highly irregular and I never had any symptoms other than the flow itself. Then many years of Depo, which was great except for the fear of bone decay. I've now been on the pill for about 8 months, and only recently have I been getting backaches and (minor) cramping.

But I've always been a bitch with moodswings and migraines....

I had a roommate in college who lived on Midol and M&Ms for a week every month. I truly thought she was faking it for the longest time.

Right...it has nothing to do with cramps.

I prefer Pamprin personally.

I get cramps, bloating, and no attitude change!
I do take Midol, Pamprin, or some generic version of those, because my cramps and bloating (more painful in the last five years? I'm newly 31- WTF?) on or off of the pill, are severe. Actually, the bloating is the most painful part for me, now. So, here's to taking something that is a diuretic and a pain reliever.

But, no- never noticed an attitude change with the upcoming period. Well, other than:
I used to get unbearably horny the day before my period started, off of the pill. Recently off of the pill- not anymore. I did like that side effect. So, rather than risking little hollys, I am back on the pill. Because, you know, if I'm not getting that side-effect of PMS- well, better safer than sorry.

I'm basically an emotional and physical wreck just before my period; Midol doesn't help at all. My significant other is quite beleaguered during that time, as there's no telling whether I'll be angry, burst into tears randomly, or just curl up into a fetal position and whimper quietly.

As for that ad...blargh, I say. If a guy would dump you over something like PMS, he wasn't a keeper anyway!

I seem to actually get worse PMS now I'm on the pill - I don't get cramps anymore, or very heavy bleeding, but general irritability and sadness around my period seems to be way worse now I'm on the pill. Guess it's different for everybody. Damn hormones. So even though I HATE this advert, I'd welcome any product that would genuinely take away the crazy for those few days.

While we're on the subject, I have a pill related question - is the monthly 'withdrawal bleed' when you're on the pill the same as a period? In that it can be an indication of whether you are pregnant? Or can you still have the monthly bleed even if you get pregnant?

I don't know any women, myself included, who turns into a raving lunatic in the sense that the stereotype of PMS means. I know plenty of women, myself included who get cramps, headaches, backaches etc. but it seems the whole PMS thing is often times just a sexist way of explaining away a girls behavior/emotions...As in when a girl brings up a problem or an issue with her boyfriend I've heard of a lot of guys totally dismissing her feelings with an "oh your just cranky because you got PMS" even though she may be weeks away from her period! I don't know, has anyone else noticed this?! I'm not trying to diminish at times debilitating symptoms, I know these symptoms better than the back of my hand, I've been diagnosed with Endometriosis and have had three abdominal surgeries over the past three years, and I know periods can be hell! But it's the use of PMS as an excuse for being sexist, like ignoring a womans feelings, or not giving her credit (i.e. she can't do that, she's got PMS) and apparently with Midol it's an excuse for a boyfriend to dump her!

Admit & Sarah,

I was cranky. Admittedly completely irrational on my part. But sometimes I'm cranky when in extreme pain. He's irrationally cranky when he's hungry. It just amuses me that Midol is supposed to relieve mood swings bu5 when you're having one you're too irritable to take it.

This is a horrible ad, and a horrible concept. My visit to the linked site and perusing the Museum of Menstruation and Women's Health

http://www.mum.org/

last night reveals vintage ads in particular were appallingly anti woman and condescending, such as women being told their husbands were *leaving them* for feminine odor, or "They won't talk behind her back!" because she uses the proper deodorant powder in her sanitary napkins.

However, I realize as a nurse that *pain* affects *people*, with a number of demonstrable effects, which is why pain control is one of the priorities of modern nursing. If Midol or some other specialty medication is more effective relief than acetaminophen or aspirin for those who need it, I'm all for it.

I agree with Sarah's statement here:

"What I WOULD find offensive if I was angry or upset about something and my boyfriend assumed "she must be PMSing" and bought me Midol. Because women's anger or sadness is often dismissed as being PMS-induced, and therefore unimportant, rather than legitimate."

I've taken Tylenol (doesn't work), Advil (makes my guts bleed now, but worked great), Celebrex, Aleve, Midol ...

I take the pill to stop my periods because they're not much better on the pill than they were off. The only major difference is that I don't feel suicidal the day before my period. And the flow is a little lighter. That's it. The pain is just about the same, the nausea, diarrhea, bloating ... but I never threw up while I was on a pill period. Just the regular period.

I get quite pissed off when guys joke about PMS, because my PMS and menstrual symptoms were so severe and miserable, and I know I'm not the only one. It was like having food poisoning and major depression for 3 days. It's a fucking medical condition. Not just an excuse to be bitchy and not have sex with you. Even if the symptoms aren't so severe. IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU. YOUR BODY ISN'T DOING THIS TO YOU. SHUT UP.

I'd also like to point out that being assertive and independent is not a symptom of PMS. Which some men I've met seem to think. (Since I don't have periods, I don't get PMS. My "bitchiness" is a symptom of my sticking up for myself and nothing else.)

Anyway, Midol ... I liked it. But I had to be careful when buying it, because I can't take ibuprofen, and some formulation has that, while the other has acetaminophen. I think I liked it mostly because it had the de-bloat medicine. My cycle was totally irregular, varying between 27 and 42 days (generally around 35ish), but the longer it went, the more bloated I got. That 42 day cycle made me look like someone had stuck a bicycle pump in my bellybutton and started pumping. Midol helps with that, but I don't know how great it is if you don't have the bloating.

I don't understand why you keep posting offensive "vintage" ads. How is that relevant to today?

They do it on and off, whenever Jessica et al find something interesting. I think it is important--it reminds me, at least, how far we've come and how much feminism has affected mainstream culture.

"I don't understand why you keep posting offensive "vintage" ads. How is that relevant to today?"

I think some of the comments made in this thread point to the relevance of this ad today... it seems like many people are still operating under really offensive and sexist stereotypes of women and PMS. Just because advertising isn't quite as blatant [and often it is!!] doesn't mean the same premise doesn't still exist! I'd say it does.

From Wikipedia:
Midol was originally sold in 1911 as a headache and toothache remedy that was considered safe since it did not use the narcotics typically used at the time. It was then promoted as a cure for hiccups claiming it controlled spasms, and finally as a remedy for menstrual cramps and bloating.[citation needed]

The primary formulation consists of:

* Acetaminophen 500 mg (pain reliever)
* Caffeine 32.4 mg (stimulant)
* Pyrilamine maleate 15 mg (diuretic)

The "Cramps & Body Aches" formulation consists of:

* Ibuprofen 200 mg (pain reliever)

The "Extended Relief" formulation contains:

* Naproxen sodium 220 mg

It is a pain reliever medicine.

"I get quite pissed off when guys joke about PMS, because my PMS and menstrual symptoms were so severe and miserable, and I know I'm not the only one. It was like having food poisoning and major depression for 3 days. It's a fucking medical condition."

I am very sorry to hear about your case. In the US, where it is cheap and available, my Japanese wife is on low dose birth control pills to control her periods as well. She sometimes takes Tylenol for cramp pain, but reports mixed results.

It's what I learned at nursing school, and why I am puzzled why feminists would deny any effects of menstruation such as pain or anemia on ability to function, or effects of hormones or pain on mood. Here's an academic who appears to be in serious denial of the problems reported by some female Australian auto workers, and their request for relief:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Doubts-over-menstrual-leave/2005/02/25/1109180109761.html

Instructors and students were quite open about their problems with menstruation and "PMS." In other countries, the merits of "menstrual leave" are debated, or even a legal reality.

I realize that women using sick days for their period, much less specific menstrual leave, may work against them or the image of all women, but what are seriously affected women supposed to do, if treatments and remedies are ineffective? And I have no idea how to make generic personal days off fair, because of course some women would be suffering at home, while other women and men, could be enjoying themselves on their days off. With pay.

Tried Midol, wasn't impressed. I had endometriosis and PMDD, and I would have 2 weeks of screaming rages, suicidal depression and self-injury followed by two days of blinding cramps. Nothing worked. Not Midol, not Naprosyn, not Darvocet [well, not for long], not Prozac, not any of the other 11 psych meds I tried, not the Pill, not Depo [again, not for long], not vitamin therapy, not black cohosh...nothing I tried actually made life bearable. Fought it for over 15 years and finally had a hysterectomy in '06. Best thing I ever did.

I am happy for people who have little or no PMS. The only thing that pisses me off is when they go, "I don't have it, so I don't see why anybody complains about it." PMS has a pretty wide continuum of severity.

And while I imagine it's easier to keep a boyfriend when you're not hormonally insane, that ad is both sexist and totally beside the point. If your PMS is bad enough that it's driving your loved ones away [as in my case...ahem], Midol ain't gonna help it. If it's not severe, but your boyfriend can't handle you having more than one or two moods, he's a loser.

Long comment, sorry...

Frida, yours is probably the most serious case I've heard. May I ask how you were able to make it through school or work?

Ahahhaha.....omg I gotta say my first thought when I saw this was "Hey that dude could almost, but not quite, pass for an attractive butch!

As for Midol......the very thought that we need a special drug to keep us sane during Menstruation or Pre-Menstruation is RIDICULOUS! The hormone flux makes us women. Thanks misogynistic society for not valuing my ability to reproduce and seeing my cycle and all of its side effects as something that needs to be controlled!!!!!! The pharmaceutical companies are laughing all the way to the bank and capitalizing on the very thing that makes us women....from what I can see “Midol� is essentially Acetaminophen and Diuretics....no thank you. If my body wants to bloat up for a couple of days a month I can only assume there is a reason. Now that being said I am VERY sympathetic to all women who experience anything from discomfort to intense pain as a result of their menstrual cycle. I myself experience what I would say is minimal pain ands I am always frustrated by the fact that the only "Period" specific drug out there is designed to hide our moodiness and bloating….HEAVEN FORBID! Medical science should be dishing up something that works with our cycles instead of trying to cover it up and make it appear to not happen……Women deserve better that Acetaminophen and Diuretics. I remind my partner of it every time he suggests Midol.

Goddess...what a RANT!

Midol
Active Ingredients (in each caplet)

Acetaminophen 500 mg
Pamabrom 25 mg (Diuretic)Pyrilamine maleate 15 mg (Diuretic)
http://www.midol.com/Products/PMSFormula/index.asp

Oh my gosh! IS THAT BILL PAXTON? As a new "Big Love" fan, it totally makes my day to think it is.

Considering the ad is from 1974 (Paxton would have been 19, and probably not showing what appear to be wrinkles or a rough complexion), my other thought was Tommy Lee Jones. He would have been about 28.