Dealing with bad cramps?

So, here’s the deal. I’ve always dealt with these intense cravings and an absolute, overwhelming urge to eat everything in sight😁. Since last week, I’ve basically been eating my body weight in food. For the last two days, my back has been killing me. Well, this has happened to me a few times before, but then my period started today, so I did a little Google searching and—surprise—that’s why it hurts. Ugh, when is this ever going to end??? :S

ruggedtrucker23 said:So, here’s the deal. I’ve always dealt with these intense cravings and an absolute, overwhelming urge to eat everything in sight😁. Since last week, I’ve basically been eating my body weight in food. For the last two days, my back has been killing me. Well, this has happened to me a few times before, but then my period started today, so I did a little Google searching and—surprise—that’s why it hurts. Ugh, when is this ever going to end??? :S

Once you hit menopause, 😁 you start dealing with all those crazy symptoms—hot flashes, chills, and just a whole mess of other stuff.
Man, being a woman is tough no matter how you look at it.
I actually got my first period when I was 13 and everything was totally fine. It would be a little late here and there, and yeah, it hurt a bit, but nothing where I had to chug Advil just to survive the day. But man, after I had my baby (had a C-section at 20), everything completely flipped on me.
The day before my period hits, my head aches so bad I have to spend the entire day lying in a dark room popping pills. Then, sure enough, the lady arrives the next day, though she's kind of quiet at first... doesn't really hurt, but then the next day? Total disaster. The pain is driving me nuts, plus nausea, heavy bleeding, clots, diarrhea, and bloating so bad I look five months pregnant. I'm just exhausted. I end up using Voltaren suppositories all day because they're the only thing that actually touches the pain. The following day gets a little better, but it still hurts, so I'll take some Midol. My legs ache so much on the first day I can barely walk—Lord help me if I have to climb stairs, I feel like an 80-year-old woman. After that, the pain moves down to my lower back.
Every now and then, I get this intense cramp in my lower abdomen that makes me feel like everything is just going to drop out of me. This misery lasts about five to seven days, and then I'm good until the next cycle.
All my gynecologist tests come back normal...
When I was on the pill, I never had any issues. My bleeding was minimal—I’d barely go through half a box of pads. Now, without the pills, I sometimes go through two full boxes in one go.
But hey, what can you do? You can't stay on birth control forever; you have to take breaks. 🙂

I’ve been taking Zaldiar—honestly, they’re the most effective ones I've tried so far. Usually, it's what they hand out at the ER when you show up in pain.

For me, the first day is the absolute worst. I spend the entire night and then the whole next day just stuck in bed. Everything else is nothing compared to that—even if I still have pain on the other days, that first day is a total disaster.

Hello to all my fellow ladies out there. After surviving yesterday, I feel a deep need to share my experience with you all and ask for some perspective. I am 29 years old, and painful periods have been my lifelong companion. However, what happened yesterday pushed me right to the edge of my physical limits. Naturally, my period started on Friday—which completely ruined my weekend—and by Saturday morning, the mild cramps began. I decided to take three tablets of something relatively mild (a paracetamol blend specifically marketed for menstrual pain that I picked up during a trip to London), thinking I was being smart by trying to avoid overusing aggressive NSAIDs like Voltaren. About an hour after taking them, things went south fast. I was hit with intense nausea, sweating, and pain so excruciating that I drifted in and out of consciousness. I couldn't move; I couldn't even speak. It felt as though someone was physically reaching inside me and wrenching my uterus and internal organs around. I ended up in the ER, where the doctor gave me quite a look because I had taken paracetamol—look, I know it’s not the strongest option, but I was genuinely trying to scale back on the heavy stuff—and she ultimately prescribed Ibuprofen. I feel okay now, but the discomfort hasn't fully subsided, even with the Ibuprofen. Is it actually normal to endure pain so severe that you nearly pass out?
I make it a point to go to my gynecologist for checkups at least twice a year. I have always brought up these painful cycles, but the only solution ever offered is birth control, which is something I really don't want to pursue.

I’m not sure if I’d call it "normal," or maybe just what’s considered common these days, but honestly, it doesn't seem all that rare either. I know this one girl who basically ended up in the ER every single month needing IV drips and shots just to get through it. And then there was a girl in my class who spent every single cycle stuck at home, dealing with constant vomiting and back pain... sadly, there are plenty of cases like that out there.

Mine are pretty rough, yeah, but what you’re describing sounds like an absolute nightmare. It’s genuinely awful thinking someone has to go through that every single month.😢

So, why are you avoiding the pill? Have you been diagnosed with anything like PCOS, or are you totally healthy otherwise, just dealing with these insane pain levels?

Adam White5 said:Hello to all my fellow ladies out there. After surviving yesterday, I feel a deep need to share my experience with you all and ask for some perspective. I am 29 years old, and painful periods have been my lifelong companion. However, what happened yesterday pushed me right to the edge of my physical limits. Naturally, my period started on Friday—which completely ruined my weekend—and by Saturday morning, the mild cramps began. I decided to take three tablets of something relatively mild (a paracetamol blend specifically marketed for menstrual pain that I picked up during a trip to London), thinking I was being smart by trying to avoid overusing aggressive NSAIDs like Voltaren. About an hour after taking them, things went south fast. I was hit with intense nausea, sweating, and pain so excruciating that I drifted in and out of consciousness. I couldn't move; I couldn't even speak. It felt as though someone was physically reaching inside me and wrenching my uterus and internal organs around. I ended up in the ER, where the doctor gave me quite a look because I had taken paracetamol—look, I know it’s not the strongest option, but I was genuinely trying to scale back on the heavy stuff—and she ultimately prescribed Ibuprofen. I feel okay now, but the discomfort hasn't fully subsided, even with the Ibuprofen. Is it actually normal to endure pain so severe that you nearly pass out?
I make it a point to go to my gynecologist for checkups at least twice a year. I have always brought up these painful cycles, but the only solution ever offered is birth control, which is something I really don't want to pursue.

Maybe give Buscopan 80 mg a shot? You can grab those over the counter, and they usually run about $23.

So, here’s my situation... I’m constantly battling pain, and on top of that, I’m dealing with anemia—which means I’m practically on the verge of fainting most of the time. Usually, when things get bad, I end up staying home for two or three days; if I absolutely have to go somewhere, it involves sitting down—and I mean *only* sitting. No walking, no shopping, no physical exertion whatsoever. It’s exhausting. Fortunately, there are months where I feel okay, and then there are those months where everything just falls apart. When that sudden, insidious, dull ache hits and leaves me unable to move—or when the weakness takes over—I reach for a pill. I used to take Tylenol, but now I’ve switched to Aleve. In both cases, within ten minutes, the pain vanishes and I feel almost weightless—provided, of course, that I stay lying down. If I were to walk around, the pain would dull slightly, but it wouldn't go away. I’ve never touched anything stronger because my stomach is incredibly sensitive; honestly, I had such a horrific experience with Voltaren once that I swore off it forever. It probably just takes longer to kick in, but I’ll never forget that night—I took it, waited thirty minutes, then an hour, and I felt absolutely terrible. I even tried to drink something else to settle my stomach, but I just had to endure it. One thing is certain: Voltaren is a hard "never" for me.
Another thing I've noticed isn't just the pain itself, but this overwhelming sense of weakness and these sudden hot flashes—so, basically, total rest is the only option.
In your case, I’d suggest the same thing—prioritize resting. I suspect your medication didn't work because perhaps your system has become accustomed to stronger stuff? Maybe you could try Advil? A friend of mine swears by it. Just like everyone tells me, I try to avoid over-medicating since I prefer to take as few pills as possible, but maybe you should start as soon as the symptoms hit—take one every eight hours or so for a day or two to see if things stabilize before stopping. Personally, I usually wait until the pain is unbearable or until I know I’m forced to be on my feet.
As for hormonal pills... goodness, I’ve always been resistant to them. Perhaps I’d reconsider if things were as bad as they are for you—I mean, better to take them than to let everything spiral downward, right?
Have you experimented with any herbal teas? You know, trying a more natural approach.
What really gets to me, though, is the PMS. Lately, I’ve been dealing with constant hot flashes, irritability, and weakness leading up to my period. Does anyone have any advice?

Adam White5 said:Hello to all my fellow ladies out there. After surviving yesterday, I feel a deep need to share my experience with you all and ask for some perspective. I am 29 years old, and painful periods have been my lifelong companion. However, what happened yesterday pushed me right to the edge of my physical limits. Naturally, my period started on Friday—which completely ruined my weekend—and by Saturday morning, the mild cramps began. I decided to take three tablets of something relatively mild (a paracetamol blend specifically marketed for menstrual pain that I picked up during a trip to London), thinking I was being smart by trying to avoid overusing aggressive NSAIDs like Voltaren. About an hour after taking them, things went south fast. I was hit with intense nausea, sweating, and pain so excruciating that I drifted in and out of consciousness. I couldn't move; I couldn't even speak. It felt as though someone was physically reaching inside me and wrenching my uterus and internal organs around. I ended up in the ER, where the doctor gave me quite a look because I had taken paracetamol—look, I know it’s not the strongest option, but I was genuinely trying to scale back on the heavy stuff—and she ultimately prescribed Ibuprofen. I feel okay now, but the discomfort hasn't fully subsided, even with the Ibuprofen. Is it actually normal to endure pain so severe that you nearly pass out?
I make it a point to go to my gynecologist for checkups at least twice a year. I have always brought up these painful cycles, but the only solution ever offered is birth control, which is something I really don't want to pursue.

I actually blacked out this month because I waited way too long to take some ibuprofen—I held off until the cramps were already hitting full force. Honestly, just take two ibuprofen the second you feel even a hint of a cramp coming on, because it takes about forty minutes to actually kick in. Or go with the pills. Back when I was a teenager—maybe thirteen or fourteen—I used to get completely wrecked by this because my mom wouldn't give me ibuprofen; she thought it couldn't possibly be that bad and that a little acetaminophen would do the trick. It really isn't 😁
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I just really need to vent about this monthly nightmare we all deal with.

I’m sitting here at my desk right now, and honestly? I am completely non-functional. The cramps are hitting hard enough to drive me insane, and I actually have to give myself props for even managing to stay seated in this chair. I’m typing this mostly just to create some kind of tiny distraction from the misery.

I’ve already downed four Advil PMs today—it feels like I’m just throwing them over my shoulder at this point. I know the heat helps a little—wrapping up in a blanket, or, believe it or not, resting a warm laptop over a heating pad, or sipping hot tea—but let’s be real, the word "helps" is doing a lot of heavy lifting there. It’s barely scratching the surface.

On top of that, the bleeding is intense. Like, "stay within 100 yards of a restroom at all times" intense. On those "certain days," if I’m not near a bathroom, I’m in serious trouble. Imagine being stuck out on a road trip or lost in the middle of nowhere when this hits. After nearly three decades of dealing with this, my cycle is still as unpredictable as ever.

And the most frustrating part? Not a single gynecologist I've seen has been able to provide a concrete, permanent solution to this mess.

On days like this, I swear, I wish I could just switch roles and be one of the guys.

When I was on the pill, everything was smooth sailing, no issues at all. But now that I've stopped, my periods have become pretty painful. They usually last about four days—I bleed heavily for two, then it tapers off to just a little for the next two. However, that first day really knocks me sideways. It typically starts with this weird sensation in my stomach followed by back pain, which lingers for a few hours before the real misery sets in. This month, I actually had to get up right in the middle of lunch and crawl to the couch to curl up under a blanket. I couldn't even stand up straight... Usually, I can manage to get through it by evening if I take some Voltaren Forte (a couple of them, if needed). You definitely have to take the pills the second you feel those initial aches starting, because once the full-blown pain hits, uhhh...

Please, for the love of everything—do not overdo it with the Ibuprofen.. I was popping those every single month because my periods were absolutely excruciating, and look where it got me—I ended up with gastritis and stomach bleeding.. My next cycle should start in five days and I’m already spiraling into a panic because I have no idea what I'm going to do when I'm strictly forbidden from taking any more painkillers😢

Hey ladies,
Since I deal with absolutely brutal cramps, the only thing that actually touches the pain are Advil... they’re incredibly heavy-duty (and yes, I also struggle with gastritis), but without them, those days would be completely unbearable... nothing else works—not Aleve, not Motrin, not Tylenol, not even Midol... just Advil... give it a shot, maybe it’ll help you too!

Maria Kern4 said:Please, for the love of everything—do not overdo it with the Ibuprofen.. I was popping those every single month because my periods were absolutely excruciating, and look where it got me—I ended up with gastritis and stomach bleeding.. My next cycle should start in five days and I’m already spiraling into a panic because I have no idea what I'm going to do when I'm strictly forbidden from taking any more painkillers😢

A friend of mine deals with some nasty stomach issues (not 100% sure on the diagnosis), plus she gets killer headaches and monthly cramps. Her doctor actually suggested switching to these granulated tablets. I’d never even heard of them before, but she’s been using them for a while and swears they help without wrecking her stomach. Might be worth looking into. 🙂

When my period hits and I finally have a day off, you already know what kind of person I become. I’m a total wreck. I’m curling up in a ball, sobbing... look, I’m not exactly a delicate flower, but I spend a good chunk of time cursing everyone and everything under the sun through a veil of tears and pure rage. 😬 And then there’s the existential dread—like, why me? Do I really have to go through this same hell every single month?
Not to mention the cramps are brutal, and they come with heavy bleeding. It drags on for seven or eight days straight.
Day one is basically a coma. My muscles cramp up, my back locks down, and these waves of pain just absolutely shred me. Plus, I get diarrhea. I end up spending half the damn day stuck on the toilet. It feels like my body is purging everything from two weeks ago, even though my digestion is usually totally fine otherwise.
On those days, eating is out of the question. The mere thought of food—or even certain smells—makes me want to gag.
I don’t usually sweat much, but when I’m on my period, I’m drenched. Doesn't matter if it’s a heatwave or the dead of winter in Chicago. The muscle contractions are so intense that by evening, I feel like I’ve run a full marathon. Honestly, it feels like a workout at Musclefiber. I am just completely wiped.
Aside from seeing a doctor, my "DIY" survival kit is Nalgesin. God bless those pills and whoever invented them; I am sending them a massive thank you to the heavens right now. 🙏 Throw in a hot water bottle on my stomach and some yoga, and I might survive.
I’ve been slipping up on my yoga lately, but I have to admit, when I was actually consistent with it, it helped. The pain wasn't nearly as soul-crushing.

Last time, I was given Ibuprofen packets and Spasmex. Honestly? They didn't do a damn thing. I couldn't even make it to my classes at the university, and I can't afford to miss more since I’m only allowed one absence from my labs. It hurt so badly this time that I actually cried; just thinking about the pain right now makes me want to tear up again. I tried everything—heating pads, chamomile tea, curling up in the fetal position, stomach massages—I don't even know what else there is to try. This time around, I'm cutting out coffee and sweets, and I might try exercising, though I’m terrified it won't make any difference. Quick question: if I need testing for birth control pills, do I have to see both my primary doctor and a gynecologist, or can my GP just write the referral? Also, now that I'm over 18, where am I supposed to go for a checkup? When I was younger, I used to go to the clinic on 5th Avenue.

Hey girls....

I’ve posted about this before, but since things have actually shifted a bit for me lately, I figured I had to share.

My periods used to be absolutely brutal. We're talking vomiting, passing out... total blackouts. There were days when I’d downed a pill and a half of Advil—like, 12 pills. Yeah, 12. What’s even left of my stomach lining at this point? It probably just reset itself or something.
It’s all because of endometriosis and PCOS.
I’ve been through a literal mountain of doctors, and one surgeon really messed things up—it went pretty sideways. Because of that, I ended up trying everything from IV pain management to Intercept and acupuncture.
So, okay, it’s been two months since I finished acupuncture (did 20 sessions at the local university hospital), and my periods have finally become "normal." I’ve already gone through two cycles now where I didn't vomit once and didn't pass out... I just took one single Aspirin, and that was it. I was actually able to function normally the whole time, whereas before, I basically had to be bedridden for at least three days.

For those of you dealing with insane pain, seriously, give acupuncture a shot. Nothing else really worked for me...

Brian Kern40 said:Last time, I was given Ibuprofen packets and Spasmex. Honestly? They didn't do a damn thing. I couldn't even make it to my classes at the university, and I can't afford to miss more since I’m only allowed one absence from my labs. It hurt so badly this time that I actually cried; just thinking about the pain right now makes me want to tear up again. I tried everything—heating pads, chamomile tea, curling up in the fetal position, stomach massages—I don't even know what else there is to try. This time around, I'm cutting out coffee and sweets, and I might try exercising, though I’m terrified it won't make any difference. Quick question: if I need testing for birth control pills, do I have to see both my primary doctor and a gynecologist, or can my GP just write the referral? Also, now that I'm over 18, where am I supposed to go for a checkup? When I was younger, I used to go to the clinic on 5th Avenue.

You get the prescription for the pills from the OB-GYN, so there's no need to bother your regular doctor separately. 🙂

Daniel Green98 said:Hey girls....

I’ve posted about this before, but since things have actually shifted a bit for me lately, I figured I had to share.

My periods used to be absolutely brutal. We're talking vomiting, passing out... total blackouts. There were days when I’d downed a pill and a half of Advil—like, 12 pills. Yeah, 12. What’s even left of my stomach lining at this point? It probably just reset itself or something.
It’s all because of endometriosis and PCOS.
I’ve been through a literal mountain of doctors, and one surgeon really messed things up—it went pretty sideways. Because of that, I ended up trying everything from IV pain management to Intercept and acupuncture.
So, okay, it’s been two months since I finished acupuncture (did 20 sessions at the local university hospital), and my periods have finally become "normal." I’ve already gone through two cycles now where I didn't vomit once and didn't pass out... I just took one single Aspirin, and that was it. I was actually able to function normally the whole time, whereas before, I basically had to be bedridden for at least three days.

For those of you dealing with insane pain, seriously, give acupuncture a shot. Nothing else really worked for me...

Just yesterday, an acquaintance was telling me about her experience—and I know for a fact she’s been struggling since she was thirteen, basically feeling like she's dying during those first two or three days of her cycle—how she felt completely reborn after just a few sessions. From what I could gather, she even picked up some pointers on things she should probably steer clear of.

In any case, I'm glad to see this stuff actually helps people with various issues, including menstrual cramps. 👍

Maria Kern4 said:Please, for the love of everything—do not overdo it with the Ibuprofen.. I was popping those every single month because my periods were absolutely excruciating, and look where it got me—I ended up with gastritis and stomach bleeding.. My next cycle should start in five days and I’m already spiraling into a panic because I have no idea what I'm going to do when I'm strictly forbidden from taking any more painkillers😢

I'm dealing with the exact same thing. Every month, those first two or three days are a nightmare—I can't get through them without taking at least three pills a day. The pain is insane, plus nausea, vomiting, weakness in my limbs, blackouts, and heavy bleeding... I started using Advil or Aleve when I was 16, and by the time I hit 20, I was undergoing an endoscopy. They diagnosed me with erosive gastritis with bleeding in my stomach, esophagus, and duodenum. The very first thing my doctor asked after the procedure was what kind of painkillers I use. When she heard my list, she told me those were likely the main cause of the bleeding and the damage to my stomach. It’s not that you can’t take *anything* for pain, it’s just that you shouldn't rely on NSAIDs, aspirin, or things like Voltaren (or use them as often as you were). For me, I use effervescent Tylenol (1000mg), which is much easier on the stomach and actually works. Besides that, other effervescent options like certain acetaminophen brands work too. Basically, my gastroenterologist said anything based on acetaminophen is fine. On the days when the pain is so bad nothing helps, I just head to the ER to get a Voltaren injection... though my doctor did mention that taking a single dose of something like Motrin occasionally won't kill you. At least, that's what she told me. Also, another doctor suggested trying Evening Primrose tea, which is specifically meant to ease menstrual cramps. A friend of mine had terrible issues too, and she’s been drinking it every month; she says she hasn't had major pain in almost six months now. So, I don't know, it might be worth a shot. 🙂

For me, things got pretty rough about two or three years after I got my first period; I started dealing with these absolutely insane cramps that hit me in waves. Sometimes they’re just manageable enough for some pills to take the edge off, but other times they get so bad I’ve actually had to roll into the ER for an injection just to function. Honestly, I completely trashed my stomach lining by overusing high-dose Ketoral because nothing else seemed to touch the pain, but for the last few months, I’ve been using Nalgesin L, and it’s been working wonders. It hits the same way Ketoral does—not that anything truly kills the pain entirely on my absolute worst days—but at least I don't have to deal with that constant brain fog or the stomach issues Ketoral used to put me through.