Dealing with bad cramps?

Christian Sanchez44 said:I'm losing my mind.
For years, I’ve been dealing with menstrual cramps that are absolutely brutal—nauseating, horrific, and completely unbearable...
I’ve tried everything under the sun, and honestly, the only thing keeping me from throwing up my soul into a bathroom sink is Advil and Aleve, which is hardly a winning solution.

Has anyone else dealt with this? Has anyone? How did you (not) deal with it?

😢

I went through the exact same thing—unimaginable pain. During those first days, I could never even manage to crawl out of bed. And let me tell you, those 150mg Advil tablets felt like candy compared to what I was feeling! I’ve even had to resort to injections.
I used to take Stediril, and now I’m on Yasmin; it definitely shortened the duration, though it didn't quite touch the intensity of the cramps.
The last time I actually reached for an Aleve was after two months of belly dancing!
Ever since I started dancing, I don't even feel that heavy "day one" sensation anymore.
Whether I'm some kind of miracle (as my gynecologist likes to claim) or not, I highly recommend giving it a shot!
Supposedly, aerobics or other types of dance can have a similar effect, but belly dancing really helps you relax those abdominal muscles.

Timothy Hernandez9 said:I used to have absolutely brutal ones, like totally unimaginable. On the first day, I could never even manage to get out of bed. And taking Ketoral (150mg) felt like eating candy! I was even on injections!
I was on Stediril back then, but now I take Yasmin, which definitely made the days shorter even if it didn't touch the pain.
The last time I actually had to reach for Ketoral was after two months of doing belly dance!
Ever since I started dancing, I don't even feel that first-day misery anymore.
Whether I’m some kind of miracle—as my gym instructor puts it—or not, I seriously recommend you give it a shot!
Supposedly, aerobic workouts or other types of dance can have the same effect, but belly dancing really seems to relax those abdominal muscles the most.

I'm heading to Pilates, so I'll let you know if that works too... maybe staying active and moving around really is the secret sauce. 🙂

Mind if I ask a quick question here? I didn't want to clutter things up with a whole new thread, but—my girlfriend dealt with some ovarian inflammation a few weeks back. Now I’m wondering, since she isn't in intense pain anymore, how long does this stuff typically last? Can it just clear up on its own without medical intervention? And one more thing: is it safe to have sex if she's feeling okay?

Sorry again for the OT.

fadedharbor14 said:Can I ask a quick question? I don't want to start a whole new thread, just—my girlfriend dealt with some ovarian inflammation a few weeks back and now I'm wondering, if she isn't in pain anymore, how long does this thing actually last? Can it just clear up on its own without meds? And is it okay to have sex (assuming she’s feeling fine)?

Sorry again for the OT.

Look, I think a gynecologist needs to be the one making that call.
And seriously, don't mess around with this stuff.
Sometimes these infections are caused by bacteria that can lead to permanent infertility for BOTH partners if you don't get it treated properly.

Ugh... I got hit with it yesterday and woke up in total agony this morning... honestly, that’s the absolute worst part. When the pain actually pulls you out of sleep? Not good. I had to spend the whole day running errands downtown, too, and I was just completely wiped out... totally drained. But I finally made it home, I've got my tea, and once this kicks in, I should be feeling a bit more human.

Ugh, so I finally got my paycheck, but I don't have anything set aside for my home repairs.
What am I even supposed to do now?

A warm towel and some heat around the waist... honestly, that’s my go-to for feeling better 👍

They brought me these Voltaren capsules, but they’re the small ones, only 25 mg 😁.
I usually take the 50 mg ones.
Now I’m sitting here reading the instructions, and apparently, the standard dose is 100 mg, though for women dealing with primary dysmenorrhea, they say you can bump that initial dose up to 200 mg—basically one 50 mg capsule four times a day.
But honestly? Those 50 mg ones hit me way too hard. Maybe these 25 mg ones will actually be just right. 👍

Actually, if you ask me, taking 25 mg three or four times a day for the first two days would be the absolute perfect dose. 😁

Jonathan Taylor76 said:I just rely on Advil Forte—and I always pair it with some Pepto-Bismol or maybe a little Gas-X so I don't absolutely wreck my stomach.👍

I usually take some Pepto a few minutes before the Ketonal, so I figure that gives me enough of a buffer 😉 .

@restlesscobra132, when I started doing those Tibetan breathing exercises, my period actually showed up that same day and honestly? No big deal. I did the workout before my "lady visitor" arrived, and since I felt totally wiped out the next day, I just skipped it. I mean, you should probably just go by how your body is feeling—I highly doubt being on your period is a reason to stop working out if you actually feel up to it, far from it! 👍

@Sam Hughes5, which tea are we talking about?

Nothing really worked for me... until I discovered IBUPROFEN... sounds like an ad, I know, but for me, it’s definitely the number one choice.

I swear, ibuprofen does absolutely nothing for me except mess up my stomach. It doesn't even touch the pain, let alone calm it down.

Over the last three years, I’ve rarely dealt with any actual pain—maybe twice in an entire year, if I'm being honest...

The discomfort isn't intense, and honestly, I'm sitting here trying to recall the last time I actually felt anything at all, but my memory is failing me. For about the last year and a half, my periods have been quite light, almost minimal...

I'm actually finding these changes quite pleasant, though I can't quite say whether it's linked to the fact that I haven't touched meat in a very long time...

On those rare occasions when the pain does show up, I just take some 500 mg of Excedrin, which might be overkill, I suppose, but I've grown accustomed to that specific pill and it does the job just fine...

Neofen Forte helps me out every now and then.

VERY SWEET GIRL said:Neofen Forte helps me out briefly.

=ibuprofen

@ Walter Smith8, honestly any kind... since I was basically begging someone to just suggest an over-the-counter painkiller... and nobody said a word... so I just grabbed whatever I had lying around in the cabinet. Kept sipping on it constantly... and it actually did the trick, felt alright...

I dealt with unbearable pain for a long time myself. That was until I read one excellent book, which I recommend to everyone... "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" by Dr. Christiane Northrup. Swallowing painkillers isn't the answer, and honestly, menstrual pain is often psychological in nature. For immediate relief, taking 100 mg of magnesium every two hours might help—to relax the uterine muscles and ease cramps—along with castor oil compresses. Menstruation should be a time during the month when women slow down and focus more on self-care. Given our current pace of life, I know that's often impossible... but the only lasting solution is to start listening to our bodies. Every bit of pain is a signal that we need to take better care of ourselves; by just popping pills, we're essentially ignoring the message our body is sending. I realize the pain can be excruciating sometimes—I've been there—and I get that Advil is a necessity at times, but you'll never actually resolve the pain unless you address the root cause. I highly recommend that book mentioned above; every woman should read it. It’s 800 pages, but don't let that discourage you. Good luck...

Susan White5 said:I dealt with unbearable pain for the longest time too—until I stumbled upon this one incredible book that I honestly recommend to everyone... "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" by Dr. Christiane Northrup. Look, popping painkillers isn't the answer, and half the time, menstrual cramps are actually tied to your mental state. For quick relief, taking 100 mg of magnesium every two hours can help (it relaxes the uterine muscles and cuts down those cramps), plus using castor oil compresses. Period time should really be a window in the month where women slow down and actually prioritize themselves. Given how insane our lives are right now, I know that’s easier said than done... but the only real, lasting fix is learning to listen to our bodies. Every bit of pain is basically a flare sent up to say we need to take better care of ourselves—and when we just mask it with pills, we're basically ignoring the message. I totally get that sometimes the pain is just brutal—believe me, I've been there—and yeah, sometimes Advil is a necessity, but you’ll never actually solve the problem until you tackle the root cause! I seriously highly recommend that book; every woman needs to read it. It’s 800 pages, but don't let that scare you off! Good luck...

I've heard about that massive book—people swear by it.
But I don't get the whole magnesium thing. If I started taking that every two hours whenever I was hurting, I'd end up overdosing before I even felt better. 😕

I don't think that has anything to do with magnesium. I'd probably overdose if I kept taking it every two hours just because I was in pain😕
Daily intake should be around 400-600 mg of magnesium, so maybe don't overdo it. When I'm in pain, it's usually just the first day, so I guess I just take it every two hours then.

Aaron Walker9 said:Nothing worked for me... until I discovered IBUPROFEN... sounds like a commercial, but for me, it’s definitely #1!!!!

I actually took that for three years straight and ended up with gastritis because it’s such a heavy hitter. Now, I can't even handle any period pain meds without throwing up everything I swallow.

But hey, I finally found a way to kick those cramps to the curb:

For three days leading up to my period and then during the actual days, you have to cut out all the sweets. Sugar and anything else sugary just makes the pain flare up more. You should stay away from greasy food too. Stick to light stuff that won't weigh your system down.
For instance, on those days, I'll just have some yogurt and stick to black bread with butter. I've been living this way for years now; back in the day, about eight years ago, my periods were absolutely brutal with vomiting and all that mess.
Also, exercise is hands down the best thing for pain. Personally, I love hiking.

A year ago, I shared my story about living with chronic pain and my diagnosis of endometriosis. LISTEN, PEOPLE, POPPING PILLS IS NOT THE FIX FOR AGONIZING PERIOD PAINS!!! PLEASE, GO TO A GYNECOLOGIST AND DEMAND AN ULTRASOUND EXAM!!! Endometriosis is becoming increasingly common among women, and if you don't get treated immediately and correctly IT CAN CAUSE MASSIVE PROBLEMS IT CAN EVEN PROGRESS INTO SOMETHING MALIGNANT LIKE CANCER!!!
UNBEARABLE PAIN IS NOT "NORMAL" AND IT MEANS SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOU! GO RIGHT NOW TO YOUR GYNECOLOGIST AND GET THIS SORTED OUT!!