Dealing with bad cramps?

I stumbled upon an article recently—there’s actually a specific term for that whole mess where you get digestive issues right along with period cramps, though the name is escaping me at the moment. If I can find that magazine when I get home, I’ll let you guys know.

Honestly, having both hit at once is just brutal. As if the uterine cramps aren't enough, then your gut decides to start seizing up too. 🙄

Sean Jones8 said:I’ve never touched those things, even when I was dealing with pain that felt absolutely unbearable.
I’m done with them for good.
It’s just heartbreaking to see how many young women are popping all these chemical substances every single month. Maybe it helps in the moment, maybe it relaxes the muscles or whatever, but it’s wrecking your liver and everything else; your body is really struggling to deal with it all.

And what's even sadder is that doctors—especially gynecologists—seem to have zero advice to offer other than just prescribing some toxic junk from the pharmacy... yuck.

There are plenty of natural ways to handle this. One of them actually worked for me. Long live nature! 😍😍😍

You sound like you’re reading from a late-night infomercial. I didn't have any issues, then I just stopped taking them... 🙂

Since you're clearly so concerned about our livers, why don't you share how you actually quit? 🤷

For what it's worth, I don't have any digestive issues, 😬 but I certainly wouldn't mind taking them if the cramps weren't quite so agonizing.🤣

Sean Jones8 said:I’ve never touched those things, even when I was dealing with pain that felt absolutely unbearable.
I’m done with them for good.
It’s just heartbreaking to see how many young women are popping all these chemical substances every single month. Maybe it helps in the moment, maybe it relaxes the muscles or whatever, but it’s wrecking your liver and everything else; your body is really struggling to deal with it all.

And what's even sadder is that doctors—especially gynecologists—seem to have zero advice to offer other than just prescribing some toxic junk from the pharmacy... yuck.

There are plenty of natural ways to handle this. One of them actually worked for me. Long live nature! 😍😍😍

Look, anyone who has dealt with unbearable pain—the kind where you pass out, can't stop vomiting, have zero control over your stomach, and spend days on end stuck in an ER... people who have spent years being hooked up to IV drips and getting shots of Voltaren or whatever else they throw at you—honestly, they don't give a damn about what you wrote here.
Only someone who has actually lived through that hell understands. And unfortunately, there are a lot of women on this forum going through those exact same ordeals, so we know exactly what "unbearable" means.
In those moments? If someone offered me poison, I probably would've taken it. That’s how intense the pain is. If you haven't been there, you have no clue what we're talking about, and there really isn't an "alternative." God knows I’ve tried everything under the sun. Nothing helped except for an IUD that basically stopped my period entirely—everything else is just useless crap.

I’m sorry to all the ladies on the forum for being blunt, but I just had to say something.🙂

I suppose I should probably offer some small reflection on my recent thoughts regarding finances, though I am quite aware that my perspective is likely far from being the definitive word on such a complex matter. It often feels as if I am merely drifting through these economic tides without much of a compass, yet I find myself sincerely hoping that others might find some measure of stability amidst the chaos. kaže:
I have never once reached for those remedies, even during those moments when the pain became truly unbearable.
I have finally, once and for all, let them go.
......
There are many ways to approach this, naturally. One of them was kind enough to lend me a hand.Long live nature. 😍😍😍

Jason Morgan, you really nailed it with that "African paprika" comment... honestly, you sound just like one of those fast-talking pitchmen you see on late-night infomercials. Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you truly have discovered some kind of magic cure and you're going to boast about it this much, you might as well just share it with the rest of us. Or is your plan to wait for someone to slide into your DMs just so you can try to sell them a load of nothing? ☕

I sometimes find myself wondering if my constant preoccupation with financial security is a sign of a deeper, perhaps more anxious nature, though I truly believe that being prepared for whatever life throws our way is simply the most prudent course of action. It is quite easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer complexity of modern economics, yet I try to remain steady and focused on the long term. kaže:
It’s truly disheartening to see so many young women turning to chemical substances on such a regular basis. While I realize these things might offer a fleeting moment of relief or help ease physical tension in the short term, one can't help but worry about the long-term toll it takes on the liver and the rest of the body as they struggle to cope.

What feels even more disheartening is that most doctors, especially gynecologists, seem to lack any real ability to offer genuine guidance, choosing instead to just prescribe some toxic pharmaceutical mess from the drugstore... it’s honestly quite revolting.

The liver actually has this incredible capacity to regenerate itself, so I truly believe that taking just one or two tablets a month isn't going to cause any significant damage; it would be a much more serious issue if we were foolish enough to be popping them every single day.

I sometimes find myself wondering if my tendency to overthink these small interactions is simply a symptom of a mind that refuses to settle, though I suppose there is a certain quiet comfort in being perpetually lost in thought. kaže:
Since you seem so deeply invested in our well-being, perhaps you could have shared exactly what worked for you instead of spending all this time lecturing us.

I was actually thinking the exact same thing... if there truly is such a thing as a "carb remedy," then I suppose this forum exists specifically for us to share our experiences. But, as I mentioned before—and I say this with a fair amount of skepticism—that all depends on whether such a thing even exists.

copperraven53 said:Same here. On the first day of my period, I definitely deal with digestive issues too. I guess those cramps probably trigger it all.🙄

Frendica and I have often discussed how menstruation might actually be viewed as a sort of general biological cleansing process; it seems to us that on that first day, both of us end up releasing as much as we would typically shed over an entire week. 🤣🤣

Honestly, I’ve noticed the exact same thing; during the first day of my period, I seem to find myself heading to the restroom four or five times in a really short window of time. 🤷

P.S.—Alright, I know I’ve wandered a little far from the main topic here, but I felt a sudden, nagging need to share this with all of you. 😬 😍

I’m scrolling through these posts and honestly, I can't stop laughing. It’s my first day of my period, and all I have in the house is some Buscopan (I just took my first dose, so I'll let you know if it actually does anything). I’ve already been back to the toilet for the fifth time today. Don't even get me started on the cramps. Anyway, I'm just going to keep things light and keep reporting in. 😁

I feel a little better now. Honestly, I thought I was some kind of freak—the only one who gets uterine cramps and intestinal spasms at the exact same time. At this point, I can’t even tell which hurts more: my uterus or my gut.

Believe me, you've got it worse because the whole abdomen just goes into revolt. And no, having less volume doesn't make intestinal cramping any easier 😁. The uterine contractions trigger the bowel spasms, so you end up with these perfectly synchronized cramps all over your stomach. And

My entire midsection is absolutely killing me—literally. I’ve reached that stage where I can’t even pinpoint when the pain migrated from my uterus to my whole abdomen 🤣, though, thankfully, I haven't developed any digestive issues as a side effect. Still, given how much I've been cramping, I suppose I probably should have by now, shouldn't I? 🤔 😬

melloworca6 said:I feel a little better now. Honestly, I thought I was some kind of freak—the only one who gets uterine cramps and intestinal spasms at the exact same time. At this point, I can’t even tell which hurts more: my uterus or my gut.

Believe me, you've got it worse because the whole abdomen just goes into revolt. And no, having less volume doesn't make intestinal cramping any easier 😁. The uterine contractions trigger the bowel spasms, so you end up with these perfectly synchronized cramps all over your stomach. And

For me, it’s just my ovaries. Though, the whole reason I switched to the pill was because of the pain in my upper abdomen every single day leading up to my period. It got so bad I couldn't even catch my breath—ended up at the ER at 6 AM on a Sunday for tests and everything. They told me it was all gynecological issues.

My intestines don't cramp, but on the first day of my period, it feels like I swallowed a liter of Pepto-Bismol...

My stomach’s been in knots since this morning. Usually, the first six hours are the absolute worst, and then things finally start to ease up a little bit.
They keep trying to push those sedative pills on me, but I don't touch that stuff. I'd rather just tough it out and build some grit. 😂
To deal with the pain, I just stick to tea or wrap a heating pad around my waist. It works every single time 👍 because the heat helps dilate the vessels and gets the blood moving better.

Honestly—if you can handle the pain without reaching for a pill—then it isn't actually hitting you that hard.

Kate Foster12 said:Honestly—if you can handle the pain without reaching for a pill—then it isn't actually hitting you that hard.

Look, let’s not turn this into a "who's suffering more" competition right now. 🙂
Everyone knows their own body best. Maybe I just have a higher pain tolerance, or maybe it’s just what happens after ten years of competitive sports pushing my body to the absolute limit, or maybe I'm just totally wrong about this... 🤷
Try making it through one full cycle without any pills (take that advice with a grain of salt, you don't have to listen to me) and see if the next month feels any easier.

Grace Anderson3 said:My stomach’s been in knots since this morning. Usually, the first six hours are the absolute worst, and then things finally start to ease up a little bit.
They keep trying to push those sedative pills on me, but I don't touch that stuff. I'd rather just tough it out and build some grit. 😂
To deal with the pain, I just stick to tea or wrap a heating pad around my waist. It works every single time 👍 because the heat helps dilate the vessels and gets the blood moving better.

Not every girl should be doing this. If you deal with heavy flow, you shouldn't be applying heat to your uterus area because those vessels dilate and make the bleeding even heavier. For some people, that can actually be dangerous.

I never had issues before, but during the first two days of my last few periods, I’ve been bleeding so much that I can't use anything warm, otherwise it just starts leaking even more. And for someone like me who deals with really low blood pressure, that could be seriously dangerous.

Grace Anderson3 said:Look, let’s not turn this into a "who's suffering more" competition right now. 🙂
Everyone knows their own body best. Maybe I just have a higher pain tolerance, or maybe it’s just what happens after ten years of competitive sports pushing my body to the absolute limit, or maybe I'm just totally wrong about this... 🤷
Try making it through one full cycle without any pills (take that advice with a grain of salt, you don't have to listen to me) and see if the next month feels any easier.

I tried that. It didn't go well. I couldn't lie down, I couldn't sit up, I couldn't even think straight. Eventually, my mother suggested I just take some Tylenol. So, I did. Shortly thereafter, I lost consciousness in the bathroom—nearly met my maker, actually—and spent the next twenty-four hours shivering and sweating in a fetal position.

I'd like to think I know my body better than I did during that particular ordeal 🤷

New Age spikes won't save you. When it hurts, it hurts. No amount of magic, "finding your center," or focusing on your inner self and other spiritual nonsense is going to cut it—unfortunately, it’s just chemistry that does the trick.

Grace Anderson3 said:Look, let’s not turn this into a "who's suffering more" competition right now. 🙂
Everyone knows their own body best. Maybe I just have a higher pain tolerance, or maybe it’s just what happens after ten years of competitive sports pushing my body to the absolute limit, or maybe I'm just totally wrong about this... 🤷
Try making it through one full cycle without any pills (take that advice with a grain of salt, you don't have to listen to me) and see if the next month feels any easier.

Whew... thank you, I suppose, but honestly? No, thank you! 😲😲
I suspect this might be an option for those who experience milder discomfort, though I won't presume to speak for anyone else's level of pain. From my own perspective, however, I wouldn't personally recommend it to anyone. I’ve become quite attuned to how my body reacts to these things. Over the past year, there was only one occasion where my cycle was light enough that I managed to get through without medication, but in 99% of cases, the pain is so intense that I find myself doubled over in bed, groaning and trembling uncontrollably.
I don't mean to sound like I'm lecturing anyone, but if you're asking for my take, I’ll always find myself advocating for those blessed little tablets.

I suppose I should probably share this, though I’m often quite hesitant to speak up in these digital spaces, fearing my thoughts might come across as a bit too heavy or perhaps just plain unpolished. There is a certain quiet gravity to the things we experience, isn't there? It feels as if we are all just drifting through these vast, interconnected currents, trying our best to find a sense of steady ground amidst the constant movement of life. kaže:
Not every woman should follow this particular path. For those dealing with intense, heavy flows, stimulating the uterus can actually cause blood vessels to dilate, which might lead to even heavier bleeding. In some cases, that kind of thing could become quite dangerous.

I completely agree; I was actually just thinking the exact same thing.

melloworca6 said:I feel a little better now. Honestly, I thought I was some kind of freak—the only one who gets uterine cramps and intestinal spasms at the exact same time. At this point, I can’t even tell which hurts more: my uterus or my gut.

Believe me, you've got it worse because the whole abdomen just goes into revolt. And no, having less volume doesn't make intestinal cramping any easier 😁. The uterine contractions trigger the bowel spasms, so you end up with these perfectly synchronized cramps all over your stomach. And

Report. Not to mention the sheer amount of gas I end up passing at the start of my cycle 😬.
On top of that, my bladder constantly signals that I need to run to the restroom, even when there’s practically nothing left in there 🤣. Same goes for bowel movements, too, and the pain tends to radiate across my entire midsection—both front and back—though, if I had to say, the lower back pain is actually more intense than the abdominal stuff. Lately, my cycles haven't always been painful (thank God for small mercies) 🙏.

The last thing I took, maybe two cycles ago, was some Baralgin, which I’ve used a few times before. Generally, I try to avoid medication as much as possible, but this time work wouldn't allow it—the pain was just too much. It did help, but within about thirty minutes, I developed an allergic reaction, and it wasn't a pleasant one, either. I was itching everywhere, especially on my palms and the soles of my feet 😁.
So, yeah, it’s safe to say Baralgin is officially off the menu for me from now on. 👋.

If we women say we’re feeling miserable, then fine, let the guys say they’re having a rough time too. 😬

Girls, have you noticed that everything just seems to get worse as you get older?

Back in the day, I didn't even need pills because I could actually tough out the cramps. Around age 18, things started getting heavy, but I could handle it with just one Tylenol. Now? Every month gets more brutal. The flow during those first two days is getting heavier and more intense. It honestly scares me to think what it'll be like when I hit 40.

For my part, the aches don't exactly vanish, though I will say the intensity of the bleeding does tend to subside, if nothing else.😁

On top of that, about two years ago, these much more aggressive PMS symptoms started hitting me—you know, the emotional volatility, the sudden mood swings, that relentless, constant hunger. It was never an issue for me until I hit my twenties.😁 😢

melloworca6 said:If we women say we’re feeling miserable, then fine, let the guys say they’re having a rough time too. 😬

Girls, have you noticed that everything just seems to get worse as you get older?

Back in the day, I didn't even need pills because I could actually tough out the cramps. Around age 18, things started getting heavy, but I could handle it with just one Tylenol. Now? Every month gets more brutal. The flow during those first two days is getting heavier and more intense. It honestly scares me to think what it'll be like when I hit 40.

I have the exact same experience, except for me, the first day is always a killer (or maybe slightly less intense by the second day). Before I turned 18, it wasn't even that they didn't hurt—it was more that I had absolutely no inkling that my period was even coming. Honestly, I think my absolute worst stretch was during my mid-twenties; I was under an incredible amount of stress back then—you know, the usual cocktail of finishing college, starting a career, major life transitions, and all those other "opportunities" life throws at you. It seems to be tapering off now (or maybe it’s just my imagination 😁), because sometimes I’ll have a cycle with zero pain or just very mild discomfort, and then other times, it completely knocks me sideways. Maybe it’s thanks to those strong herbal teas I've been drinking.

Two years ago, I actually ended up in the ER. The one silver lining is that I genuinely have a very high pain tolerance—I once sat through stitches without any local anesthetic 😁—but that particular episode was truly nasty. I was actually vomiting from the pain (and no, Voltaren didn't help even a little bit), and to make matters worse, the nausea wasn't just limited to... well, the exit point 😬. I passed out, ended up deathly pale, and was incredibly bloated (I loathe the first day of my cycle because I literally turn into a water balloon). They gave me an injection and started an IV 😲. A few days later, I went to see my OB-GYN for an ultrasound—and get this—at that time, there were absolutely no signs of PCOS on my ovaries, nor were they enlarged. So, good luck trying to make sense of that 😢.

Man, ladies, I feel for you! 😢 I haven't had anything quite that extreme (knock on wood), though I have fainted a few times due to blood-related stuff, but not necessarily because of my period.

melloworca6 said:Not every girl should be doing this. If you deal with heavy flow, you shouldn't be applying heat to your uterus area because those vessels dilate and make the bleeding even heavier. For some people, that can actually be dangerous.

I never had issues before, but during the first two days of my last few periods, I’ve been bleeding so much that I can't use anything warm, otherwise it just starts leaking even more. And for someone like me who deals with really low blood pressure, that could be seriously dangerous.

Look, it’s basically every woman's job to keep tabs on her own body, including monitoring if bleeding is getting out of hand. If that happens, you definitely need to talk to a doctor.

Obviously, you shouldn't overdo the heating pads. I only use them when the pain is unbearable—like, when I can't lie down, sit, stand, or even bend over without agony. Honestly, the bathroom is the only place I feel somewhat "safe." But we aren't all built the same. Back when I was active in sports, I never missed a single workout or competition because of my period, whereas others absolutely do. In fact, staying physically active actually helped me manage the cramps better.

For people like me who deal with really low blood pressure, this could be super dangerous.

I also have low blood pressure and suffer from anemia. Still, every woman is different, so everyone should decide for themselves what works best or what they can actually tolerate.
Just don't go overboard with those pills either! 😉