Dealing with bad cramps?

So, here I am again, hunched over my computer and twisting around trying to find some relief from this pain... this damn menstrual cycle is relentless... 😢 The pills tend to work pretty quickly and help settle things down, though I suppose the longer I rely on them, the more resistant my body becomes to the Ketoral. It’s probably not the most ideal long-term strategy either, given how heavy they are and the potential side effects they might carry... so... if anyone happens to have a suggestion for dealing with these absolutely BRUTAL and DEVASTATING pains in a somewhat healthier way, please feel free to leave it here... thanks.....

There’s some kind of tea for pain... maybe give that a shot... or try a warm bath, maybe that'll help you feel better...

Menga is trash👎

Maybe try taking Pepto-Bismol instead. It’s a bit easier on the stomach and kicks in faster. Honestly, if you aren't dealing with vomiting, you're already doing better than I am; I seem to have the distinct pleasure of having nausea and pain as constant companions. 👎

I’ve tried just about everything under the sun. But honestly, I always end up circling back to painkillers. 😁 Among all the different things I've experimented with, they’re just the simplest option for me.
It’s really the only way I manage to get through it, especially since I usually get hit by two distinct "waves" during those five or six days. It’s enough to drive anyone absolutely crazy.😠

Honestly, I just take one Ketoral on the first day my pain kicks in and then I’m totally good to go until next month.
How many of those are you popping that you're actually worried about wrecking your stomach?

I’m dealing with some absolutely brutal pain right now. For the first two days, I was throwing up like crazy—I couldn't stand, sit, or even lie down... it’s enough to drive anyone insane!

Look, just drink some tea—I usually go with chamomile—take two pills (I personally stick to Advil or Naproxen), put on some soft music like Andrea Bocelli, light a few candles, and just soak in a hot tub. Give your stomach a little massage too; trust me, you'll feel better...😉 😉

swiftbison7 said:I take Ketoral too, just one pill on the first day when the pain hits... then I’m fine until next month.
I suppose I wonder how many you have to go through before you start worrying about the damage to your stomach.

Maybe about four tablets on the first day of my period, and then maybe two or three on the second... it seems the longer this lasts, the more I end up needing them... it's quite rough.
😢

goldenwolf4 said:... just put on some easy listening music (think Andrea Bocelli), light a few candles, and relax in a hot bath... .😉 😉

..you won't even notice you're bleeding. 🙄

😳

Nicole Baker said:I'm taking about four pills on the first day of my period, then maybe two or three on the second, and honestly, the longer this lasts, the more I'm gonna need them because it’s just straight up brutal.
😢

You're seriously taking them to school, aren't you?
Just once a month.

Have you always lived with this kind of ache?

goldenwolf4 said:I have these horrible pains too. For the first two days, I’m vomiting like crazy—I can't stand, I can't sit, I can't even lie down... it's truly maddening!

In that case, try having some tea; I usually go with chamomile. Take two pills (I personally take Naproxen or Advil), put on some soft music (maybe some Andrea Bocelli), light a few candles, and just relax in a warm bath. Gently massage your abdomen as well, and you should start feeling better, trust me...😉 😉

Aha... and is the bleeding just going to stop on its own???

Honestly, I’m writhing in pain on the first day.
My periods have been painful ever since I lost my virginity.
At first, I used to go to the ER, but last month I switched to suppositories because I couldn't handle taking pills anymore—the pain was so intense I would just throw them back up...
Nicole Baker, hang in there!
Oh, I almost forgot to mention...
I have a friend who is a Reiki healer.
You might all want to judge me for this, but when he places his palms just above my hips, the pain vanishes... completely...
The only thing is, the poor guy has to keep his hands held there constantly...
Bioenergy helps too, specifically when someone places their hand on your stomach...
At least those things work for me...
I don't know if it actually "works" or if it's just all in my head, but regardless—it feels good...

Taking pills helps, and honestly, a hot water bottle on your stomach does wonders too. If someone can give you a light massage along your lower back, even better. That’s where it hits me hardest—I get these brutal waves of pain that just won't quit for two days straight.

For the vast majority of women suffering from dysmenorrhea, there is absolutely NO physical evidence explaining the pain. It is widely understood that these are girls and women struggling with an inability to embrace their own femininity. If you find yourselves relieved of the pain, yet gynecologists and other specialists can find nothing physically wrong, it might be wise to consult a psychologist.

I happened to come across this

...my periods have been painful ever since I lost my virginity.

Note that the author explicitly mentioned losing her virginity at around age 13 or 14.

I actually read that same thing Kenneth Hernandez67 wrote once—the idea that period cramps are mostly psychological.
Girls who grew up watching their moms writhe in pain from cramps tend to act the exact same way when they get their first period, even if there’s nothing physically wrong going on.

When I was younger, my periods were brutal, and my OBGYN told me I had severe ovarian inflammation. After some treatment, the pain finally stopped—now it only flares up if I catch a cold or take a dip in freezing ocean water, which is just normal, right?

But look, taking four painkillers in a single day because the pain is that bad? That’s not okay. Women dealing with endometriosis often deal with that kind of agony. Either way, you really need to talk to a gynecologist about it.

Honestly, using suppositories that work fast might be better. So many women can't even keep food down—they drink tea, then pop pills, and end up vomiting... it's terrible for your stomach. Suppositories are probably a better bet.
Using a hot water bottle on your stomach can sometimes increase bleeding, though.

Betty Bennett10 said:Have you always dealt with pains like these?

Yes... since forever... and I'm a total novice at this whole thing...
It isn't quite to the point where I'm passing out or throwing up, though the pains are honestly quite sharp and intense. I wasn't taking four pills at once before, but since I've been dealing with this from the start—about four years now—the dosage seems to be creeping up while the effectiveness just fades away. I suppose it might be time to look into something else, hopefully something a bit less harsh on the system, which is why I decided to start this thread... my mother never really struggled with painful periods...

I haven't heard much about menstrual cramps having a psychological component, though honestly, most pain can be traced back to the mind if you dig deep enough. Usually, it’s just the uterus contracting like crazy to get rid of the lining. Hormonal imbalances play a role too. As for the whole "first time" thing, there’s some old theory floating around that pains actually decrease in about 20% of cases after that.
Personally, I don't buy into Reiki, bioenergy, or any of that mystical nonsense. But? I do believe in the placebo effect. If someone truly believes a certain ritual will help them, there's a decent chance their brain will make it happen.

I used to take Advil—which helped manage my cramps back in the day—but honestly, those damn pills just make me feel absolutely nauseous. 🤮

I’ve found Balargin works much better for me lately, though I did try Efferalgan—the effervescent kind—recently, and I suppose that seems to be pretty effective too, if I'm being honest. 👍

On another note, since I started taking birth control, things have actually been quite a bit easier. I mean, there's still pain, obviously, but it's... manageable, I guess. 🙂

So, what did the gynecologist actually tell you?

...I’m half expecting the response to be that you didn't even bother going. 🙄

For those who haven't heard about the psychological component playing a role in dysmenorrhea, here is a brief explanation.

Roughly 70% of women suffer from moderate to severe pain during their menstrual cycle.

In LESS THAN 10% of cases where women experience this pain, an organic cause is diagnosed—things like infections, endometriosis, uterine polyps, fibroids, cervical stenosis or malformations, adhesions, and so on. When there is an organic cause, treatment depends entirely on the clinical findings, and it is generally successful.

As for everyone else, 🙄success depends on how persistent and proactive a woman is about actually "getting well." The absolute worst approach is to simply label the condition as a "chronic illness" and leave it at that.

I will emphasize this once more: the first and most fundamental step is to rule out any physical cause for the pain! In other words—see a gynecologist.

I have to admit, it seems like I only really embraced my feminine side during that brief window between being a young girl and starting to date. Once dating actually kicked in, things reverted right back to how they always were: pure, unadulterated pain...😢 (Perhaps I overdid it, so I ended up right back at square one).

My stomach can handle just about anything, though I’ve gone from relying on basic Advil and Buscopan in my younger, more innocent days to using much stronger stuff like Celebrex... Only, in my case, the process works in reverse: I start with a dosage of 2-3 and then gradually taper down. The pain usually subsides about half an hour after taking it, there are zero side effects, and I feel like a brand-new person!😎