While some women experience mild or moderate discomfort during menstruation, others suffer from severe debilitating pain that hinders them from doing their day-to-day activities. No one knows what another woman's pain is like, so it is important to understand what periods should feel like, and then decide if all is normal. Some women also experience nausea, vomiting, paleness, pain in the pelvic area, lower back pain, or even leg pain.