What if you could use technology to end your period cramps? Would you try it? Every month (twice if i’m really ~lucky~) mother nature sends me a cramp-filled gift. Cramps always suck, but cramps especially suck in college. For a week, all I want to do is eat, skip the gym, and maybe call out of work because who really wants to sit around people when literally in agony?? Everything about it is kind of the worst. So this month, when I got something new in the mail that could be the game changer for sucky periods, you BET I tried it.
According to the slogan, Livia is “the off switch for menstrual pain.” It’s six inches of plastic that sends pulses through your body so you can’t feel your cramps. Yes, it’s as magical as it sounds. I decided to try it out and see if this really was the miracle product that could change my life, because obviously a life with minimal period cramps = a MUCH BETTER LIFE.
Livia is pretty simple to use. You just clip the device to you pants and stick the flower pads to your stomach or back (depending on where the pain is). You can make the pulses harder or stronger if your pain requires it. My period this month was a 50/50 between curl-up-and-die and continue-living-my-life, so it was a good time to give this little guy a try.
I wore Livia for three out of four days of my period and here’s what happened.
Day 1
I let my Livia charge overnight before grabbing it the first day. When I put Livia on for the first time was a weird sensation for me. It feels like having a vibrator on your stomach with random, unexpected pulses. For the first hour, I would get freaked out every time it would vibrate because I wasn’t expecting it. Real talk: For this first day, I wasn’t so sure if Livia was working, but I was also still learning the settings and may not have set it high enough.
Day 2
I spent 75 percent of the morning in pain until I remembered I had Livia tucked away in my bag. About an hour after turning Livia on I realized my cramps weren’t as bad anymore. It wasn’t an instant “wow no more pain!” feeling, but was more of a subtle reduction that built up over time. It def helped that I turned it up more than I had on that first day. I kept it clipped on all day and turned it on and off as needed. The battery lasted for the day, even with regular use, so I didn’t have to change methods. Nice and simple.
Day 3
By now I was p much reaching for Livia every couple of hours. It was like having a secret weapon in my bag that defeated period crappiness. By the end of the day, I almost forgot I had my period… except for that gross feeling you get when you stand up. Fun. I used Livia for the worst parts of my period this week, and it actually made a difference (yes, I’m shocked too, and so relieved).
Most of the time when people offer you a quick fix or some home remedy, it never helps, but somehow Livia did.
The best part about this device is that it’s discreet. Even though periods are normal, people still find some way to judge when you deal with it out in the open. If anything, Livia looks like a super cute pedometer. Plus, if you’re a style icon, Livia’s website offers several skins to put over the device so you can match your pain relief with every outfit.
Instead of hot water bottles and tears I think I’ll reach for Livia next month.