Dealing with bad cramps?

So, here’s my super depressing little update:

I’ve basically got three holes in my stomach right now, and I can't even laugh because, oh my god, it hurts like crazy.
I actually made this whole deal with the anesthesiologist—like, we were gonna negotiate for some red wine and sheep cheese once I woke up—but he totally bailed on me. 😁 Instead, I just got stuck with an IV drip. Ugh, gross.

So, anyway, the rules are: the day before, you don't eat anything, and definitely don't drink anything after dinner. You gotta shave (I did that at home) and the enema is a total must. Then, you spend a good chunk of time basically hanging out with the girls in the ladies' room. 😬

Then the doctor comes by and walks you through the whole thing—everything from that first shot to how you'll wake up and how they actually do the procedure.

Friday—
In the morning, you shower, they give you one of those cute Dior gowns 😬 and you just sit there waiting for the nurse to show up with the needle.
They wheel you into the OR, and that’s when things get interesting.

First, I was busy teasing the doctor about his hair and that news segment he was on last night, and then he tells me the anesthesiologist is running late so we're going live. So naturally, I start negotiating about whether he’s gonna play Vangelis or just some old country music. 😂

Then this green-eyed anesthesiologist finally shows up. We hash out the plan for when I wake up, and then... lights out. 😬 (Around 8:30)

/You get wheeled into a room somewhere, and you’re just sitting there smiling at the guys transferring you to the bed—they were all such sweethearts, honestly. /

I woke up at some point (10:27 according to my phone), and I was getting dressed with the nurse, calling my people to let them know I'm okay, and then—boom—I'm totally wiped out again.

By about 1:30, I’m fully awake. I was just waiting for the pain to kick in, but... nothing. I felt totally numb. I kept waiting for it to hurt, but nope. I moved my arm, my leg, my upper body—it hurt just a tiny bit. I think I was getting painkillers through the IV? Since I felt so numb... I grabbed my phone and called whoever I needed to call.
The nurse comes in, and I’m like, "I need the bathroom," but she won't let me get up. I can't even have water! :/

At 4:30 PM, my guy arrives. I actually tried to convince the nurse to let me go to the bathroom alone so he could just hold the IV for me. 😁 I spent my time staring at the three little holes in my stomach while in the bathroom.

By 7:30 PM, I’m begging the nurse for just a sip of water. I asked if I was getting anything for the pain, and she was like, "No, do you need something?" And I was like, "NO! I don't need anything!" This hurts way less than my last period. 👍

By 11:00 PM, I finally managed to hit the bathroom by myself without the IV.

The next morning, they finally let me have coffee. I headed to the vending machine for a cup and the newspaper... and now I can have juice and stuff too.

I can eat lunch now, though I absolutely loathe kale. And of course, for lunch, it was kale. 😁

In the afternoon, I went out to a cafe for a coffee...

Monday—
I got dressed all by myself (though the compression socks were a bit much), packed up (didn't lift my bag myself, obviously lol), and made my way to the car on my own.

Now I'm back home. 🙂 Just sipping coffee and typing away.

So, listen, ladies—don't be scared. Like you can see, it’s really not that big of a deal. 🙂

Are you kidding me with these gas prices? 😉

So, I was just sitting here thinking about what brisknomad6 said earlier, and honestly? I feel like we’re all kind of dancing around the actual point, you know? Like, maybe I'm just overthinking it—I totally might be—but there's this vibe that everyone is missing. It’s almost like when you’re trying to explain a complicated movie plot to someone and they just keep nodding without actually getting it. I guess what I'm trying to say is... well, it's complicated. But yeah, I really think we need to look at it from a different angle, or at least try to. Just a thought! Maybe it's nothing. kaže:
Screw you guys, my damn vagina was farting for two days straight after surgery. 😬

Wait, what? You just dropped a single word there. I'm guessing you were about to say something or maybe you hit send too early? Honestly, I've been there—totally lost my train of thought mid-sentence before. Anyway, I'm all ears! What's up? Tell me everything, don't leave out the juicy details. I'm just hanging out, ready whenever you are. 😁

Hey, just a heads up—that stuff is yours, so you might as well get it sorted at home within the next 24 hours or whatever. I mean, it’s probably easier that way, I guess. 🙂

Honestly, I’m just relieved everything went smoothly 👍

The pain is enough to make me pass out! I mean, not literally... I was taking all sorts of pills at first, but the intense pain always left me feeling weak, then comes the vomiting, then the nausea...
Basically, my doctor prescribed VOLTAREN 50 mg suppositories, some heat for the abdomen (a heating pad or a scarf), and a cup of hot tea.
I know everyone cringes when they hear the word "suppository"—but believe me, it actually works!
The worst part is the application and just holding on for a few seconds (you usually get an immediate urge to use the restroom), but then the relief hits instantly.🙂
Give it a try! I’m not nearly as anxious about my period anymore now that I have the perfect solution.🙏

Chris Chase92 said:Voltarene suppositories, 50 mg, a heating pad for the cramps, and a big mug of hot tea
I know everyone gets grossed out when you mention suppositories—but seriously, they actually work!
The worst part is just getting it in and hanging on for those first few seconds (you usually get that sudden urge to go right away), but then the relief hits almost instantly 🙂
Give it a shot! I don't deal with that period anxiety anymore because I finally found the perfect fix 🙏

Yeah, those suppositories really do help, but you have to get the placement right. If you shove them in too deep, they can sting like crazy. Honestly, I struggled so much at first trying to figure out how far to go before I finally caught on to the right depth 😬

Sometimes I just hate being a girl... the pain is unreal. Honestly, Voltaren Rapid is the only thing keeping me sane right now. One time before summer started, I actually passed out right in the middle of town because the cramps were so bad. People were just standing there staring at me like, "What's wrong with her?" Ugh... poor us ladies!!🙏

Give me a break, stop talking nonsense. If you actually know where things go and you don't have some super sensitive gut, you won't have anything to complain about or deal with.
Creams are way more practical because they hit the spot locally, but if you’ve got that "delicate stomach" issue, just stick to taking Voltaren tablets.
I mean, seriously, if you can't even figure out how to apply it, just ask some guy to shove it in for you.🙄

Walter Myers4 said:Look, stop talking nonsense. If you actually know where to put them and don't have a super sensitive stomach, there’s zero chance they’ll cause any burning or force you to run for the bathroom.
Suppositories are way more practical since they hit the spot locally, but hey, if you've got a "sensitive gut," maybe just stick to Voltaren pills instead.
I mean, seriously, if you can't figure out how to use one, just ask some guy to shove it in for you. 🙄

THEY DO BURN!

Even the nurses were commenting about it regarding them, so yeah, it’s definitely not about being "sensitive" or just acting like a baby.

brisknomad6 said:IT HURTS ME!

It doesn't hurt me 🙂

Back in the day—well, during my pregnancy—I used to just power through it with Ketoral, but eventually, I just told myself, "enough is enough"... you know? I actually endured the pain until I felt like I was starting to lose it a little bit. Then it was Voltaren on my back, legs up in the air, managing water retention and blood sugar levels, just bouncing from one thing to another until I finally gave birth... honestly, though, the delivery was so wonderful that I think my ovaries, uterus, and everything else 😬 decided to spare me any future trouble. Plus, I do use a little help from Triquillar now 😁

copperbadder36 said:it's not bothering me either🙂

honestly, same here... I haven't received a single 😁

brisknomad6 said:not even me—I haven't received a single 😁

Man, it's like one of my girlfriends—refusing to even try because she thinks it's gross, without having actually given it a shot, you know? 🤣

copperbadger36 said:Man, I swear, she’s acting just like this one friend of mine... refuses to even try anything because she thinks it's gross, you know? Like, she hasn't even given it a shot yet! 🤣

Look, I didn't say I knew all this from firsthand experience or anything, I guess... maybe that came off wrong? But yeah, I wasn't claiming to be some kind of expert who's lived through it all! 😁

So, I told them—and honestly, even their own sisters jumped in to back me up on this one! 😉 I mean, honestly, even just reading those comments about getting a needle in the arm... it hurts way more than a scratch. Like, seriously. And then they have the nerve to say it’s intentional? Please. It’s like when you get a nasty cut and they slap some Voltaren on it that stings so bad you actually forget all about the original wound. Totally wild, right? 😬

brisknomad6 said:I told them even my sisters agreed 😉 when I mentioned how much a needle prick hurts more than a cut... they basically said it’s intentional—you know, like how after a cut, they give you some Voltaren that stings so bad you completely forget about the actual wound😬

Man, where on earth did you have your surgery? 😬
If that's how they use Voltaren, I guess they probably just break your legs next😁

I’ve been dealing with these absolutely catastrophic pains myself, though it usually only hits me on the first day, so I just lean on Ketoral Rapid to get through it.
But honestly, it’s just not worth it; my stomach feels like it’s in a coma from taking it, and by the second morning, I feel physically nauseous just thinking about the thought of more Ketoral. It would be a godsend if the pain actually stayed limited to just one day, but since it doesn't, I've managed to scrape by by cutting my pills in half and taking them twice a day—that little bit of control is really the only thing keeping me sane right now.

My period hit me incredibly early—I was only eleven—and from day one, it’s been nothing but agonizing cramps and heavy bleeding. Not once in all these years has a cycle passed without lasting a full week accompanied by an absolute deluge. 😢
I used to spend my first or sometimes even second day of the month stuck at home, completely incapacitated. I couldn't move, period. Luckily, I didn't deal with the dizziness or nausea, but still. I'd just lean on Ibuprofen or Advil and things like that, which offered some temporary relief, I suppose.

Everything changed when I started taking birth control at seventeen, and honestly? It’s been a total game-changer. 🙂 My cycles aren't longer than five days anymore, and the flow is actually manageable.

When I tried to take a break from the pill, my period immediately reverted to its old, chaotic self—except it actually lasted ten days instead of seven! 😲 Once I got back on them, everything smoothed right out again.

Reading through all your posts feels like looking back at my own life from a few years ago. I went through hell with unbearable pain and heavy bleeding. During my worst days, I’d use those "super absorbent" tampons and still layer on a pad because I’d leak through everything anyway. I dragged myself to the gynecologist more times than I can count, only to be met with the same dismissive attitude every single time: "Everything looks fine, pain is just part of being a woman, just take some Advil or Aleve..." and so it went for years. Listen to me, ladies: if you are in agony, that is not normal. Pain is not supposed to be your baseline!
I finally stood my ground and demanded an ultrasound, and sure enough, they found a massive cyst on my left ovary and a few smaller ones on the right. They scheduled me for a follow-up, but thankfully, the cyst hadn't ruptured. The diagnosis? It was most likely endometriosis.
Endometriosis is this condition where cells similar to the uterine lining start growing in places they don't belong—all over your body outside the uterus. Nobody really knows why it happens. These misplaced cells act just like the actual uterine lining, meaning they bleed and cause inflammation, which leads to scar tissue and messes up your entire system. It’s also seven times more common in women struggling with infertility. Essentially, it's not just the uterus bleeding during your period; other spots, like your ovaries, are bleeding too. And let me tell you, it hurts like crazy. The real danger is how much it can wreck your reproductive system, potentially leaving you unable to conceive. There is no permanent cure, and it tends to come back. The only way to manage it is through surgery to remove the damaged tissue, followed by birth control pills to keep the ovaries "quiet" until you're ready to try for a baby, because every new cycle is a fresh chance for it to resurface. The procedure itself is minimally invasive—they do it laparoscopically through three tiny incisions. If you're dealing with agonizing cramps, painful intercourse, or heavy flooding, that is more than enough reason to demand an ultrasound immediately.
I had my surgery this past summer and I'm currently on Yaz. Honestly, I don't even track my period anymore, and the bleeding is so light now that I only need mini tampons—something I wouldn't have dreamed of using before.
Check out and please, go see your doctor. Don't let them just brush you off with a handful of painkillers.
Love, Ivana

Christian Sanchez44 said:Anyone else dealing with this? How’d you handle it (or not)?😢

I just handled mine naturally through diet. Forget the pills, the meds, the drugs, Voltaren, or any other artificial crap. About two or three days before my period starts, I stick to heavy, whole-grain bread and soy milk. Soy products have plant isoflavones to balance out hormones, and whole grains keep blood sugar steady, which helps stop those weird mood swings.
You won't even notice your cycle started... 😉 🙂

Christian Sanchez44 said:I am losing my mind.
For years now, I have been dealing with menstrual cramps that are absolutely grueling, nauseating, and frankly just unbearable... they are truly overwhelming.
I have tried just about everything under the sun, and the only thing that keeps me from completely losing it and feeling physically ill is relying on Ketonal and Knavon, which really isn't the most ideal way to live life.

Has anyone else dealt with this? Has anyone ever? How on earth did you manage to deal with it—or fail to deal with it?

😢

I have been taking Knavon for years on end because nothing else seems to touch the pain for me. I tried using birth control pills for a while, but even then, those awful cramps still managed to find their way back.😢

I used to go through this ritual where I’d take Voltaren Forte and Voltaren Rapid together, basically stacking them up because the logic seemed sound at the time; the Rapid would kick in almost instantly but fade away before it could actually get anywhere, and just as that wore off, the Forte would finally start doing its thing and hold steady for a while... so I’d just curl up in my bed in a pitch-black room, trying everything in my power to drift off into sleep. But eventually, my body just seemed to build up a tolerance, and I found myself loading up on massive amounts of Voltaren because the pain simply wouldn't quit, and honestly, it was driving me out of my mind... it’s hard to even put into words how much I used to cry just from the sheer intensity of it all.
Whenever I deal with these kinds of issues—it's usually when my period is running late and then the cramps hit with this absolutely horrific intensity—and on top of that, the stress from everything else going on would just completely wreck me.
So, I’m feeling a bit better now that I’ve stumbled upon some actual advice online, which gives me a sense of knowing how to handle things more intelligently the next time the pain decides to show up.