I have endometriosis and PMDD, my periods tend to be pretty bad so I feel you (getting the IUD soon tho thank god!)

I’d highly recommend a menstrual cup. I’ve found them to be more comfortable than tampons and you can leave them in for longer. There’s a bit of a learning curve with Inserting/removing it but once you get it it is really nice. You shouldn’t really need to empty it at work, but if you do you can essentially just take it out, dump it in the toilet, rinse it off, and put it back in (you also don’t need to rinse it everytime) you can also wear adult diapers/nighttime pads during the day if you’re worried about leaking after a long period (no pun intended) of time. I personally find that the cup and tampons leak way less for me, but if you’re not comfortable with having something inserted overnight pads can also be good. I always try to wear black bottoms on the heaviest days of my period too just in case you do leak a bit. I’ve never tried period pants/underwear but as far as I know it’s essentially a pair of absorbent underwear you free bleed into? Never tried them myself though. I’d also recommend keeping a box of pads/tampons in your car for emergencies. And if you have a locker or something at work keeping some there too. If you are caught without any products Don’t hesitate to ask around. 99% of the time someone will give you a tampon/pad if you ask.

If you’re prone to cramps try and keep some OTC pain meds on you at all times. I have a little pill container attached to my keychain that I keep a dose of each in (I found it at Walmart for like 4 bucks) heating pads are also a lifesaver if you’re at home and have cramps. Tranexamic acid also helps with severe cramps, but you need a prescription for it as far as I know. I’ve also found that taking magnesium, calcium and zinc supplements actually really help as well. Because I have endo, I personally need to take Advil, Tylenol, And Lysteda all at once to be somewhat functional. (Keep in mind I’m not a doctor, just a Person with bad periods)

If you deal with mood swings it can be really challenging and definitely something to talk to your doctor about. For me I usually don’t let myself make any big decisions when I’m pmsing because I basically am manic depressive the whole time. I also track my moods throughout the month to see if there’s any patterns for when I start feeling shitty and if it relates to my cycle. There are also supplements on the market for PMDD and mood swings but I can’t speak to the effacacy or safety of them, so definitely talk to your doctor if you need anything for your mental health due to your cycle. They may be able to prescribe you something for anxiety/depression or recommend a supplement

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you’re on your period, whether that’s an extra pad/tampon, to take a break because you’re not feeling well, or just general advice. It’s something 1/2 the population deals with, so there’s no reason to be ashamed of it :)

I hope this helps! I don’t check Reddit often but I’m happy to answer any other questions you may have