Period talk: Questions and advice

Look, you need to go see an OB-GYN for an ultrasound. It could be endometriosis or PCOS. Dealing with agonizing cramps and heavy bleeding like that is a textbook symptom for both. For years, doctors just gave me the runaround and told me everything was fine, until I finally demanded an ultrasound. That’s when they actually found something, which turned out to be endometriosis. Honestly, the best move for you would be talking to a specialist about birth control pills to balance things out and dial back those heavy flows. Taking hormonal BC will absolutely fix the issue—it'll turn your heavy bleeding from needing a super absorbent pad to barely needing anything at all—and it's way easier on your liver than the constant barrage of painkillers you're likely popping right now.

I used to deal with absolutely brutal cramps—honestly, I was practically a regular at the ER almost every single month. The weird part? Every gynecologist visit came back perfectly normal. My doctor basically just shrugged and told me that’s just how my body works, suggesting I’d be fine once I had kids, and in the meantime, I should just pop some Voltaren a few days before my period starts. Of course, I didn't take the advice. I can't stand living on painkillers. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I started sipping on this herbal tea blend specifically for menstrual cramps—I get it from a local lady who runs a small stall at the farmer's market—and I really tightened up my diet. About a week before my cycle hits, I cut out dairy and sweets entirely and lean heavily into fruits and veggies (there's actually some great info on this over at the Mayo Clinic website). Ginger tea helps quite a bit, too. It wasn't an overnight fix by any means, but after a few months of sticking to it, I noticed a massive difference. The pain is about five times more manageable now, and there are even days where I don't need a single pill, which used to feel totally impossible.

Angela Wright :"Honey, you really should head to the gynecologist for an ultrasound. It’s possible you might be dealing with endometriosis or perhaps PCOS."

I didn't get a chance to mention it earlier, but I actually just had my ultrasound done and everything came back perfectly normal! As for birth control, though, I can't go that route due to some underlying health issues.

Thanks so much for the advice, ladies!🙂

Angela Wright said:It could be endometriosis or PCOS.

I’ve got PCOS and my periods are brutal. Not quite as bad as what you described, but I had no clue there was even a link between the two.

Amy Morgan34 said:Angela Wright: "Honey, go see your OB-GYN for an ultrasound. You might be dealing with endometriosis or PCOS."

I didn't explicitly ask for one, but my doctor did run an ultrasound and everything came back perfect! Plus, I can't touch birth control pills because of some underlying health issues.

Thanks for the advice, ladies.🙂

In my experience, you need three separate ultrasounds—one at the start of your cycle, one halfway through, and one right before your period hits. Some cysts actually develop mid-cycle and then rupture during menstruation, which causes excruciating pain and heavy bleeding; by the time you head in for a scan after your period ends, everything looks totally normal. There's also another thing I just learned recently: about 20% of women naturally have a thicker uterine lining, which shows up as intense cramping and heavy flow. That’s my lucky number, so every month is basically a battlefield when I'm not on the pill.🙄

I’m curious—has anyone here ever tried to push back their period? I realize I should definitely run this by my OB-GYN first—and obviously, please don't take medical advice from a random internet thread—but I'm just wondering about the general process. Is it typically handled through hormone pills? And how far in advance do people usually start...?

I didn't really skip anything, per se; I'd say I more intentionally bypassed the break by just rolling straight into a new pack of pills without a seven-day pause.

Oh man, that sounds absolutely awful. 😢
I honestly don't know how your OB-GYN could just tell you that's just how it is. 😕
Seriously, don't just brush this off; I’d really recommend getting a second opinion from some other specialists to see what they think.

To be fair, I deal with pretty intense pain too, but my situation is nothing like yours.
I usually take some Aleve as soon as I feel even a tiny bit of discomfort—I refuse to wait until the last minute because once it hits, it can be totally unbearable.
I used to use Advil, which works great too.

According to the instructions on my birth control packaging (Yasmin), if you're looking to shift your cycle, it’s actually better to stop taking the pills early rather than extending the active phase.
I decided to try that myself by ending my cycle a week ahead of schedule—basically just starting my seven-day break early—and my period arrived naturally just a few days later. On the other hand, I once tried extending the pill cycle instead, and all I got was some weird spotting... so, in my own experience, that first approach seems much more reliable...

Anonymous said:Man, you are really going through it. 😢
I honestly can't wrap my head around how a doctor could just shrug and tell you that's just how it is. 😕
You absolutely cannot brush this off; you need to get a second, maybe even third, opinion from different specialists to see what they actually think about this.

For what it's worth, I deal with pretty intense pain myself, though my situation is nothing like yours.
I take Aleve the second I feel even a tiny twinge, because I refuse to wait until the pain becomes unbearable.
I used Advil before, which works just as well.

Aleve absolutely trashed my liver.

Angela Wright said:Ketorolac absolutely wrecked my liver.

Believe me or don't, but I’ve reached a point where Ketorolac just doesn't touch my pain anymore—it’s like my body has become completely immune to it!

graniteheron8 said:My periods used to be incredibly painful. It was almost a monthly routine of ending up in the ER. My gynecologist insisted everything looked perfectly normal, though. He just told me that’s how it is and suggested I take some Voltaren a few days before my cycle starts, claiming things would change once I had children. I didn't follow that advice, because I can't stand being dependent on pills. So, I took matters into my own hands. I started drinking a herbal tea blend specifically for menstrual cramps—I get it from an old lady at a local farmers market—and I became very strict about my diet. A week before my period, I cut out dairy and sweets entirely and ramped up my fruit and vegetable intake (there is more info on this over at the Mayo Clinic website). Ginger tea helps quite a bit too. The results weren't instant, but after a couple of months, I felt a massive difference. The pain is about five times lower now, and I often go through my whole cycle without needing any medication at all, which used to be unthinkable for me.

..I have had a very similar experience. Diet plus exercise throughout the month, or at least for ten days leading up to it, makes a huge difference. Also, a Pilates ball was a lifesaver for me. Since I prefer to avoid medication (my periods could occasionally be so excruciatingly painful that I nearly fainted!), finding that ball was the perfect therapy. When I feel the cramps coming on, I sit upright on it and use intuitive movements—just a gentle rocking motion—to find a rhythm where my pelvis essentially "massages itself." As Diana mentioned, you really have to be consistent with it. Now, my pain is minimal; I don't touch painkillers as long as I stick to these habits. Meditation focused on that specific area of the body also works wonders. But honestly, when the pain gets really intense, Ketorolac was my only real option.

☕

Birth control pills can help sometimes, I guess. Maybe ask your OB-GYN.😉

Mary, I think you misunderstood. You have to finish the entire pack, and if your goal is to delay your period, you move straight onto the next pack without any break. When you actually want your period to start, that’s when you take a 7-day break. After those 7 days, you start the next pack. Do not extend the break
If you are trying to shift the day your period starts, I'll quote this: "do not prolong the pill-free interval. For instance, if your cycle usually starts on a Friday, but you want it to start on a Tuesday (3 days earlier), you need to begin the next pack 3 days sooner than usual. If the break is very short (e.g., 3 days or less), you might not bleed during the break at all. You may experience breakthrough or spotting during the next pack"
So, essentially, if you want to delay your period, there is no break. When you want your period—take a 7-day break and then continue
. If you want to change the day, you take a shorter break.

Amy Morgan34 said:Believe me or don't, but I've become totally immune to Advil—it doesn't touch my pain anymore!

You should really get your liver enzymes checked. At this point, switching to Aspirin might be your best bet; it's much easier on the liver.

She doesn't actually have to finish the entire pack if her goal is to jumpstart her period early... for instance, if she's looking to bring it forward by about five days, just skip those last five pills. On the flip side, if she wants to delay things by, say, five days past her usual schedule, don't stop after the 21st pill—keep going for another five days before starting the break to trigger the period.

Thanks, I appreciate it. 🙂

Angela Wright said:Ketoral absolutely trashed my liver.

So, which pills actually won't wreck you if you take too many?
I honestly don't think popping one or two Ketoral tablets a month is that big of a deal. 😉

Look, if you aren’t already on birth control, then when you actually want to "postpone" your period, your gynecologist might prescribe something like Pfizer. As long as you're taking them, you won't get your period because they keep your estrogen levels steady—and we all know menstruation only happens once those hormone levels crash. Of course, you can't just delay it indefinitely; most doctors recommend not going more than seven days out from your actual start date. My sister and I used to do this all the time back in the day so we could enjoy our trips to the beach without any issues. It was easy enough for us since our mom was a gynecologist 😉 .

Angela Wright said:For you, the best option would be taking some birth control pills to balance things out and reduce that bleeding; you can only sort that out with a gynecologist. Birth control will definitely solve your problem (both the pain and the bleeding will go from needing maxi pads to just tiny liners), and they cause less liver damage than the painkillers you have to take.

Your assumption that pills are a definitive fix for that issue is incorrect.

Some women experience bleeding and pain just as much while on the pill as they do without it—I know this firsthand because I went through it with Diane-35, Celexa, and Tri-Sprintec. My pains while on birth control were so intense that I ended up in the ER every single month for analgesic injections.
I also know two other women whose conditions didn't change at all despite being on the pill.

And the idea that pills are easier on the liver than analgesics is a myth. In reality, there are analgesics processed by the liver and others processed by the kidneys. It’s all clearly stated in the medication leaflets, and one doesn't necessarily have to take those that pass through the liver.
BUT, birth control definitely impacts the liver—which is why regular liver function tests and check-ups are mandatory. 🙄
Because of the pills, I developed over 50 adenomas on my liver. They didn't even show up on my blood work, only appearing later on an ultrasound, and they were a direct consequence of the birth control. From what I've heard, at the same endocrinologist here in New York City, five other girls came in shortly after me with the exact same liver diagnosis—all resulting from birth control.
So, your conclusion simply doesn't hold up.