Dealing with painful periods

I haven't seen a thread like this before, at least not right at the beginning.
How are you all dealing with this?
Today was an absolute nightmare for me. It’s usually pretty standard—I’d end up in the ER just to get an injection, though lately my mom has been giving them to me at home. That, combined with pills, usually helps, but today nothing worked.
My body clearly didn't react well to the shot. The pain stayed exactly the same, and I nearly collapsed. I started shaking, my lips turned blue, and I went pale... honestly, there were moments I thought the pain was actually going to kill me.
It looks like I have to give up on the injections entirely because I can't risk doing that again.
Now I have no idea what to do next month. I don't know how I'm going to survive this...
As far as meds go, I started with Advil, which helped at first, but then taking two or three in a row did nothing. Then I tried Aleve Forte, but even that isn't cutting it anymore.
What are you guys taking?
I don't know anyone else who deals with pain this intense. Most people barely feel anything, while I feel like I'm dying. Every single month, during those first few hours, it feels like someone is literally stabbing me with a knife. I have a high pain tolerance generally, but I can't handle this. I'm lost. Does anyone have any advice?

Hey, have you actually sat down with an OBGYN for an ultrasound yet? You really should check if there's something like endometriosis or something else causing those brutal cramps. If you haven't, I’d definitely suggest getting it checked out before your next period hits.
Maybe give some herbal stuff a shot? It takes a while to kick in, obviously, but it might be a gentler way to go than dealing with constant injections. You can find evening primrose oil at basically any CVS or Walgreens.
If things get really bad and nothing else works, you could try mixing Buscopan and Tylenol.
My sister goes through the exact same thing—it's honestly awful. She feels like she can't even function without shots of Voltaren, but let's be real, relying on heavy stuff like that isn't the healthiest long-term plan.
Seriously though, go see a specialist first just to rule out anything like cysts or whatever might be triggering the pain.

edit: I think there used to be a massive thread on here about period pains or something similar, so maybe dig through the older pages to see if anyone else had the same issue.

Oh, yes, it is a tale as old as time.
I waged war against them for years—and I am talking about the truly vicious ones. On average, I would spend three days straight vomiting, screaming, or drifting in and out of consciousness. That period of unconsciousness was actually my favorite part. Standard pain relievers never touched the pain; I started on 50mg of Advil and eventually had to escalate to 100mg doses, which I was taking every two to three hours, sometimes even more frequently.
I didn't find myself in the Emergency Room all that often—usually, I just preferred to vomit it all out at home—but those trips where I required injections were necessary because I would spend two days vomiting and hadn't eaten for three days prior. I have no idea what they were administering to me, but I know that once it hit my system, I would sleep like a baby for fifteen hours straight, and the pain would finally subside.
It wasn't just abdominal pain, either. The agony typically originated there before radiating through my entire body—my chest, my arms, my head... and don't even get me started on my legs. It felt as though someone had placed tons of weight upon them. My heart would constantly skip beats. Any sound or light would trigger horrific headaches. My mother would come in to check on me and ask if I needed anything, and I could only tell her to get out because the mere sound of her voice hurt too much—after which I would inevitably vomit because the stimulation of her speech was simply too intense.
In any case, my pain is caused by endometriosis.
Since I started taking Yasmin, now going on my third year, the pain has diminished significantly. These days, I just rely on regular ibuprofen. And frankly, I barely even finish a single box.
The life I lived before and after Yasmin is incomparable. Yes, there is still pain, particularly on the first day, but it is nothing compared to before. Now, I simply make sure I don't schedule anything major for that day; previously, I had to ensure I had three to five days of freedom every month.

What frustrated me most throughout this entire ordeal was the way my PE teachers would look at me with pure disgust if I couldn't participate in exercises, accompanied by the inevitable remark that this isn't an actual illness—it's just a period—and that I was merely imagining things.
And, yes, it was never clear to anyone why it hurt me so intensely. The prevailing sentiment was that I was just weak and couldn't handle it, or that I should just grit my teeth. At times, I genuinely felt people believed I was making it all up, or that I shouldn't even bother coming to school. All sorts of nonsense.

Well, I hope you can draw some sort of conclusion from my experience. Go see a gynecologist; it might very well be a cyst in your case. And I truly recommend birth control.
And by the way, you aren't alone in this; there are many of us.
And one more thing—a nurse at the ER once tried to comfort me by saying, "Well, at least now you know what labor feels like!" 😵 🤣

Here we go again with the same old story. I’m right there in the trenches with you, dealing with endometriosis myself. I just want to tell every woman out there who deals with pain so violent that she actually passes out and ends up in an ER begging for painkiller injections: listen to me—that is not normal. Sure, if things get a little intense once in a while and a Tylenol or Advil takes the edge off, fine. But when the pain hits like a freight train and absolutely nothing can touch it? That isn't just "bad cramps." It's a crisis. This just isn't right. Don't let anyone talk you out of getting an ultrasound from your gynecologist. Period.
As for me, I’ve finally moved past the heavy, painful periods thanks to Yasmin—at least for the time being.

True, though one must acknowledge that agonizing levels of pain can exist without any discernible cause. That was certainly the case with my mother; she never presented with any visible issues, yet she lived in a state of perpetual discomfort. For her, those pains seemed to subside slightly after her first sexual encounter, and they finally ceased altogether once she gave birth.

However, Susan Vaughn46, you really ought to schedule an ultrasound just to be certain.

Ever since I started taking Yasmin, things have been much smoother for me... It usually lasts about four or five days, and I don't really deal with any pain or heavy bleeding anymore.

Before that, though, it was honestly a nightmare... just like I mentioned earlier.

stormymaker24 said:Yeah, but there are cases where the pain is just brutal without any obvious trigger. That was my mother's experience. She never had any visible issues, yet she was in constant agony. For her, the cramps started easing up after her first sexual encounter and eventually stopped altogether once she gave birth.

But look, Susan Vaughn46, you definitely need to get an ultrasound.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. Sure, sometimes the pain can spike for no reason at all, but dealing with debilitating, killer cramps during every single period isn't just something you should shrug off. There's always a reason.😳

It was also the same for my mom after she had her baby...

My sister is going through it right now. She doesn't have any cysts—even the ultrasound showed everything was clear—but she’s in so much pain she can’t even function without an injection. She's totally refusing birth control, though, because she's terrified it'll make her gain weight. Meanwhile, I’m sitting here dealing with endometriosis, and yeah, it hurts, but I just pop an Advil or maybe a couple of Tylenol depending on how bad it gets, clench my teeth, and power through. I actually *want* to be on the pill, but my doctors won't let me for now because of some heavy bleeding issues. So, looks like more misery on the horizon for me, too.

I bet you already know all those little "remedies" that barely do anything, like just pressing a hot water bottle against your stomach and hoping for the best.

Hang in there.😘

stormymaker24 said:Yeah, but sometimes you deal with intense pain without any clear reason. That was my mom's experience. She never had any visible issues, yet she was constantly hurting. It actually eased up after her first time having sex, and then stopped entirely once she gave birth.

But Susan Vaughn46, you definitely need to get an ultrasound.

My mom dealt with the exact same thing. The pain just vanished after she had kids. That’s why she tells me there’s no point in bothering a gynecologist about it...
As for injections, I’m not a fan. They give me these... hallucinations?
It sounds crazy, but like today, my dad was sitting right next to me talking, and it felt like he was speaking entirely in English, followed by these weird, disconnected thoughts in my head....
The best part about all this, though, is when it finally stops. After all that agony, nothing is left... I just feel so relieved I want to hug everyone in sight 🙂

Sam Hughes5 said:My sister doesn't have anything wrong with her—her ultrasound came back totally clear—but she’s in so much pain she can't function without an injection. She refuses birth control because she's terrified of gaining weight. Meanwhile, I've got endometriosis, and while it hurts, I just pop some Advil or Tylenol, take two or three depending on how bad it gets, grit my teeth, and push through. I'd take the pill in a heartbeat, but my doctor won't let me right now because of some bleeding issues. So, more suffering for me...

I bet you know all those little tips that barely help, like putting a hot water bottle on your stomach.

Hang in there 😘

I used to keep an iron near me, grab a towel, heat it up with the iron, and press it against my stomach constantly. It actually worked. Now, when the pain hits, I don't even have the energy to try...

stormymaker24 said:Oh yeah, I know that story well.
I fought them for years—the really nasty ones. On average, I’d spend three days straight vomiting, screaming, or completely passed out. Honestly, I loved the passing out part. I never reacted to Advil, so I started on 50mg of Motrin and ended up on 100mg doses. And I was taking them every two or three hours. Sometimes even more often.
I didn't end up in the ER all that much; usually, I just threw up there. But those times I actually got IV fluids and meds, it was because I'd been vomiting for two days and hadn't eaten for three before that. I don't know what they gave me, but I knew that afterward I’d sleep like a baby for 15 hours, and the pain would finally stop.
It wasn't just my stomach, either. The pain usually started there and then radiated through my entire body—chest, arms, head... and don't even get me started on my legs. It felt like someone had dropped tons of weight on them. My heart would skip beats constantly. Any sound or light would trigger a horrific headache. My mom would come in asking how I was or if I needed anything, and I’d just tell her to get out because the sound of her talking hurt too—then I’d immediately vomit because the stimulus was just too much.
Anyway, my pain is due to endometriosis.
Since I started taking Yasmine, now in my third year, the pain has gone down significantly. Now I just take regular Ibuprofen. Standard stuff. I don't even go through a whole bottle.
Life before and after Yasmine is incomparable. Sure, it still hurts, especially the first day, but it’s nothing. Now I just make sure I don't have big plans for that day. Before, I used to have to clear three to five days every month.

And what frustrated me most about this whole thing was when my PE teachers would look at me with total disgust if I couldn't exercise. They’d claim it wasn't a disease, it was just a period, and that I was making it up.
And yeah, nobody understood how much it could actually hurt me. The prevailing opinion was that I was just weak and couldn't handle it, or that I should just grit my teeth. Sometimes I felt like people thought I was faking it. Like I shouldn't even be in school. Whatever.

So, I hope you can draw some conclusions from this. Go see a gynecologist; maybe you have a cyst too. And I really recommend birth control.
And btw, you aren't alone. There are plenty of us.
One more thing—a nurse at the ER once tried to comfort me by saying, "Well, at least now you know what labor feels like!" 😵 🤣

I've already thought about taking birth control since I heard it helps a lot of people, but I was worried about gaining weight. I gain weight incredibly easily, and I really don't want that, so I backed off.
As for the PE teachers, I know that feeling well. Obviously, those who don't experience the pain can't wrap their heads around it. Lately, though, I just don't go to school during the first day or two. And if I do go, someone always has to come pick me up because I just can't handle it.

Ladies, this notion that birth control pills inevitably lead to weight gain is simply unfounded; even a heavy hitter like Yasmin doesn't affect everyone in that manner, and I actually know a friend who lost weight while on them. Personally, I have never experienced a single fluctuation in my weight.
Therefore, you should first educate yourselves thoroughly—there are always risks to consider alongside the benefits—before you make any final decisions about what to do.

And Susan Vaughn46—my mother used to insist that everything would just pass and that there was no need for me to see a gynecologist, which meant nothing was ever properly addressed. Now, I am dealing with such an extensive array of gynecological issues that my doctor has practically become my closest confidant, all of which could have been avoided if we had taken action when it mattered. I might even have two functional ovaries instead of just one if we hadn't waited.
The reality is that mothers don't always have the right answers. Go see a specialist! I truly hope your mother turns out to be right, but I find that prospect highly unlikely.

I'm booking an appointment with my OB-GYN first thing Monday morning. I'm done playing games with my health...

My sister dealt with the exact same thing by using birth control pills—her doctor set her up with a prescription

Thanks to everyone for the advice. It’s honestly better to just talk to people who actually get it. Everyone else thinks it's just standard aches and pains, but we know better...

They definitely aren't
strong enough—my cramps are intense, sure, but they won't stand a chance against an Advil or some Alka-Seltzer
. I actually went through a phase where taking the morning-after pill made everything regular and painless for about six months. Things have gotten a bit unpredictable since then, but the pain is way more manageable—so much so that I hardly need any meds at all now.

Susan Vaughn46, don't mention it; honestly, you just need to see a gynecologist, plain and simple
I am holding onto the hope that there is some way to resolve this once and for all, and that everything will eventually settle into place 👍

I recently decided to try some Oenothera Biennis oil alongside Vitamin B6 supplements. It feels like they might actually be working, though I’m planning to wait until after my next cycle to decide if it’s more than just a placebo effect. I opted for the Oenothera Biennis in capsule form since it's much easier to swallow, and I picked up a small 20-count pack of Vitamin B6; unfortunately, I won't be able to continue with those next month, as you shouldn't really take multiple packs back-to-back.

Since I deal with absolutely brutal migraines during PMS, I usually find some relief by taking effervescent magnesium tablets.

I have experimented with all sorts of herbal teas over the years, but this particular blend is the one I find myself making most often:

- 20 g elderflower (Sambucus nigra)
- 20 g rosemary leaves (Rosmarinus officinalis)
- 20 g white mustard stem (Sinapis alba)
- 20 g yarrow flowers (Achilea millefolium)
- 20 g shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa pastoris)

You just need to crush the herbs and mix them together. Take 10 g of this herbal blend and add it to 1 liter of boiling water, then let it simmer covered for about 2 minutes. Once the tea has cooled down, stir in 5 tablespoons of honey. After straining it, you can sip on about half a cup every two hours.

Susan Vaughn46 said:I’ve actually thought about starting birth control before. I heard it helps a lot of people, but I’m terrified of the weight gain. I gain weight incredibly easily, and since I really don't want to deal with that, I just decided against it.
And honestly, those PE teachers? It's pretty obvious they can't wrap their heads around this because they don't experience it. Lately, though, I’ve been skipping school entirely for the first day or two of my cycle. Even when I do make it in, I usually need someone to come pick me up because the pain is just too much to handle.

Look, it sounds like your pain isn't actually that intense if you're prioritizing your weight over it. Personally? I’ve gained weight, and I would much rather carry an extra 20 pounds than ever go back to the absolute agony and cramping I dealt with before I started the pill. I used to miss work, skip college classes, and I’ve even fainted in public—on the street, on the bus, ending up in the ER... I don't care how heavy I get, as long as I can actually function and live a normal life. If you start one type of pill and realize it makes you gain weight, just switch them until you find the right fit. I've heard some brands aren't as bad for weight gain.