Dealing with bad cramps?

Hey, Kenneth Hernandez67, just an update: I went to my OB-GYN. Everything looks fine. There was a slight hormonal imbalance before, but that’s resolved now. They checked my ovaries too—all good there.

Every other month is rough for me. It starts with pain in my right ovary, then my stomach bloats, and then the lower abdominal pain kicks in.
Back in the day, the cramps were so intense I couldn't even walk. I'd be throwing up acid and end up in the ER getting an injection just so I could function normally again.
I used to take Diane 35 and that worked well. I’d take a break every three months, and during those breaks, the pain would inevitably come back. Not having to worry about pregnancy for a long time 😁 meant that wasn't an issue either.
Nobody else in my family deals with this stuff.
I switched to birth control pills this month, and the pain is already back... 🙄 😠
Sometimes the pain hits a day early and it's absolutely unbearable, even if my flow is light. I get a fever, and the only way I can manage is lying halfway up, legs spread, knees bent.
When the pain hits on the first day of my period, I can sort of deal with it, but the bleeding is heavy and lasts forever, and I have a dull ache until the very last day. I can move around then, just slowly...

I stick to mint tea with a few drops of "Altalexa," some mild painkillers (nothing strong because they make me feel terrible), and I just stay still for the day. Every single movement hurts—I don't have a choice.
Someone mentioned orgasms helping. It does help a little. You have to do it a couple of days beforehand for practical reasons. 😁
As for salsa—honestly, I haven't noticed much of a difference.

It isn't stress or mood swings for me; I don't really have any specific mood shifts related to my period. The only thing I've noticed is that sunlight helps. After being out in the sun for an hour, the pain stops. Even 15 minutes under a quartz lamp does the trick. 😕

Look, a couple days before your period hits, you really gotta watch what you're eating if you want to dodge that nasty nausea. Seriously, stay away from chocolate—I know, I know, it’s brutal, but just try. Same goes for other sugary junk. If you absolutely have to munch on something, grab some whole grain crackers instead. Stick to high-fiber stuff too. And whatever you do, cut way back on the spicy food. It helps.
For the cramps? Honestly, the best move is that position they teach you for abdominal injuries. Just lie flat on your back on the floor and prop some pillows under your legs—keep them elevated at the knees but keep your feet touching the ground. Then just... chill. Try to relax as much as possible and take deep, slow breaths.

I don't have any personal aches to report. I just wanted to jump in because you all are talking about Ketorolac like it’s some kind of miracle cure... A friend of mine deals with horrific pain—migraines, vomiting, the works. She overused Ketorolac to the point where she ended up with a stomach ulcer. I'm not saying stop taking them if they work for you, but please, take them on a full stomach and only when absolutely necessary... Don't just go swallowing them for no reason. Also, that myth that menstrual cramps always disappear after you give birth? Not true at all...

Kenneth Hernandez67 said:And I’m asking you again—what did the gynecologist actually diagnose you with?

Look, I’m not exactly dying from the pain—and honestly, it doesn't really stop me from getting through my day-to-day stuff. It feels like most doctors in this field don't even blink at dysmenorrhea, which isn't surprising, I suppose—but then again, I have a retroverted uterus, which can trigger those cramps, so maybe there's more to it than they care to address.

Betty Hill82, I’m right there with you...
I'll never forget the look on my dear husband's face when he saw me like that for the first time... he honestly didn't know whether to rush me to the E.R. or just start picking out a casket...
Sorry, a little bit of dark humor...
The only thing that actually takes the edge off the pain is Naproxen 375 mg—I mean, I've tried Advil, Aleve, maybe some Buscopan or whatever else those doctors prescribe, I can't even remember the names... two of them usually do the trick... though sometimes it's just total crap... hmmm... it hurts for an entire week... god...
Anyway, my sweet mom mails them to me through the mail... 😘

By the way, you know what those nosy aunts of mine told me? "Hey, honey, once you have your second kid, it'll all pass."🙄

Good grief...

I haven't read the whole thread; I've been caught up in a bit of a rush...
I hope what I'm about to say hasn't already been posted by someone else. If it has... my apologies...
So, a few days before your period starts, you should drink nettle tea (I think that's the term we use here in the States). As for how it works—instead of facing endless pain on the first day, the sensation you feel after a nettle treatment is indescribably lighter... for example, I can actually go out for a run or ride my bike during that time. The only issue is that a slight ache can still be felt on the second day of the cycle (though for me, the pain is usually only on the first day).

Honestly, this works for me: dealing with two small bouts of discomfort instead of spending an entire day bedridden and moaning from the pain...

No, I didn't actually make it to the gynecologist, mostly because I don't really know anyone who goes through their cycle without some level of discomfort... I suppose some people deal with more than others, and maybe there isn't much to specifically diagnose here... though I could be mistaken, I guess.
Thanks for everything you all shared... I suspect some of it will certainly prove helpful. 🙂

Back when I was just a teenager, my period cramps were absolutely brutal. Every single month meant being stuck in bed and dealing with four or five bouts of vomiting. Pills didn't even touch it—they actually just made me feel more nauseous...
Once I started working on my core strength, the pain finally eased up. To be honest, it still catches me off guard every few months. When it happens, I just lie down, try to relax, focus on my breathing, and wait for it to pass. I try to just live with it. I’ve started looking at it as a sort of physical training for giving birth somewhere far off in the future...

It actually caught me totally by surprise yesterday while I was out for a run along the riverbank... It really shouldn't have to hurt this much...

I honestly don't think it's surprising at all that those pills like Ketoral make you nauseous. I’ve even heard of people getting stomach ulcers from them! Those tablets absolutely wreck your stomach lining—they're way harsher than drinking straight lemon juice on an empty stomach in the morning!
If you absolutely have to load up on that stuff, you should at least take it with some yogurt. And with all due respect to everyone else, bar none, Kenneth Hernandez67 is totally right here.😉

I need to set the record straight regarding the vomiting. Sure, it can be linked to medication, but for some women, it happens even when there’s zero pain and they haven't touched a single pill. Personally, I don't take Ketoral—and I deal with regular vomiting long before the cramps even start. By the way, Ketoral does absolutely nothing for me; Tylenol, however, actually works. Choosing which meds to take is a personal call. If one doesn't touch the pain, try another.
And please, spare me the yogurt advice.😲 It makes me sick just looking at it, even on days when I feel perfectly fine.
I don't recall ever being stuck in bed, regardless of how much it hurts. I make it my mission to keep my days normal, no matter what I'm dealing with. I'm quite an active person; I'm rarely home unless I'm sleeping. I hit the gym three times a week. And honestly? I don't find that it lessens the pain during my period at all.

It’s true, vomiting isn't just about taking pills. When I was dealing with this, I never touched any medication, and yet I’d still end up throwing up four or five times. Honestly, I’ve never even reached for an analgesic for period cramps, no matter how miserable the pain made me feel.

I really think the nausea comes from those intense uterine contractions, and the pain can also radiate toward your bladder, making you feel like you constantly need to run to the bathroom. And don't even get me started on the diarrhea...

For anyone still struggling with the pain, I’d definitely suggest working on strengthening your core and finding some kind of relaxation technique. Chugging painkillers isn't exactly a long-term solution. To make things easier when you're "flowing," just curl up deep under the covers in a warm bed with a glass of red wine...

By the way, speaking of pills, my girlfriends always rave about Voltaren, and I’ve even heard some doctors say it’s super effective for menstrual cramps. Still, pass for me—I stuck to natural methods to help myself through it.

I used to deal with some pretty brutal bouts of nausea and pain. Honestly, the best move was just taking it easy—sticking to bland foods (nothing salty, sweet, or sour), sipping on some hot tea like chamomile, and just bundling up under a blanket... I’d take an Advil on a full stomach, which always did the trick for me.

Alright, I have to brag about this new discovery... I stumbled onto an ABSOLUTELY killer way to deal with period cramps:
Basically, you rub some chamomile oil or calendula salve—whatever you've got—all over your stomach where it hurts... and then you put a compress on top. And guess what it’s soaked in? Jack Daniel's! Or, honestly, just any high-proof whiskey... the stronger, the better. 👍 You soak a rag really well in the booze, slap it on your belly, wrap some plastic wrap over it so it doesn't leak everywhere, and then throw another cloth on top. Seriously, it works better than Voltaren. It heats up and then cools down... it just pulls out even the most stubborn pain!
Just, please, don't go overboard and start drinking straight from the bottle while you're at it. 😉 😁

Got my first period at twelve. I’m twenty-five now. Not a single month has passed where I haven't spent day one sidelined. Since I started taking Triquilar, the pain is gone. If anything shows up, it's manageable—I can actually show up to work. Before? Leaving the house was out of the question.
Back before I saw my own doctor, he told my mom—who was asking on my behalf—that this is common, likely just genetic. He also suggested things would probably settle down after pregnancy.

Anyway, I started the Triquilar in the meantime, and things are better.
As for painkillers, I’ve tried everything from local brands to imports. I leaned heavily on Ketoral because I knew, especially during the winter, I’d get that nasty combination of abdominal cramps and lower back pain that nothing else seemed to touch.

Oh, and another thing... sometimes applying something warm—like a cloth heated on a radiator or just a warm compress—low on my abdomen helped take the edge off.

Ketonal?! ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!

It’s more than just "not great." My grandfather uses that stuff for his most excruciating, bone-deep pain, and even then, I wouldn't touch it. 😢

It's brutal on the liver. Honestly, it's bad for just about everything!

Nicole Baker said:And here I am again, hunched over my computer and twisting in pain... this damn migraine... 😢The pills work fast enough to take the edge off, but the more I rely on them, the less they seem to do—especially with Ketoral. Besides, relying on heavy stuff isn't exactly the best long-term strategy since they’re pretty intense and can really take a toll on your system. So... if anyone has any suggestions on how to tackle these absolutely BRUTAL and DEVASTATING pains using a healthier approach, please leave a comment. Thanks.....

I actually went into the pharmacy recently looking for some quick-relief painkillers and ended up grabbing Ketoral. But the pharmacist suggested I look into herbal supplements instead—things you take consistently as a preventative measure to dull the intensity before the pain even hits. It might be worth looking into that.
My other thought? Start taking those supplements. It's essentially killing two birds with one stone.🙂

Brian Mitchell44 said:Ketonal?! Absolutely not!!!!!

It’s more than just bad. My grandfather uses it for the heavy-duty stuff. 😢

It wrecks your liver. It’s bad across the board.

Taking one or two a month isn't going to kill you. At least, that's what my doctor told me. Now, if he's lying, then I guess I am too.

Sure, there are other pills out there... but for some people (myself included), those alternatives didn't do a damn thing.

steeldrifter6 said:Guys that powerful can sometimes have partners with uterine tissue located in unusual spots.

What is this supposed to mean? Someone please explain.😕

Jeffrey Edwards5 said:What is this even supposed to mean? Someone please explain.😕

endometriosis😉

Anyway, turns out those Voltaren patches are the only thing actually working for me. Thank God I finally gave them a shot... I was using Cafetin before, which wasn't terrible, I guess, but still...