What do you do for painful periods? Possibly TMI

[swissair81]

I used to have terrible dysmenorrhea as a teenager and it was getting better after every baby. Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case after this one. I got my first pp period when she was 15 months old. This is my second after waiting about 39 days. For both of them, I bleed heavily for 3 days with accompanying cramps that feel like not so early labor. I've been taking motrin for them, but even with it I am trouble walking with the pain. I feel stupid and kind of wimpy saying this after 4 epidural-less labors, but I am not handling it well. It is affecting my ability to do anything, and I can't plan for it because I am not really regular yet. I have an appointment with my GYN in early January and I will definitely be discussing this, but I need to survive the next few days. I would appreciate if anyone had some ideas for me.

[Indianamom2]

Any chance you could have some endometriosis or fibroids (or both)? I know that either can cause really painful and heavy periods. I would get it checked out because clearly you're not a wimp!

[swissair81]

I actually have a strong maternal family history of fibroids. My grandmother, my mother, and my aunt all had them.

[lalasmama]

I'm seriously irregular (28-100+ day cycles, usually out past 80 days), and always have been, along with having dysmenorrhea. The dysmenorrhea was bad enough that DH asked if I needed to go to the ER during my last cycle.

My GYN started me on an every-other-month regimen that has helped somewhat. On cycle day 55ish, I take a pregnancy test (which is always negative, I rarely ovulate). On day 60, I take another pregnancy test (because I'm OCD about it). Then I start taking progesterone, 10mg I think it is, for 10 days. Now we're to day 70ish. I start taking flexeril (cyclobenzaprine) on day 68-70ish, once to twice a day, until day 3 of my period. In the past, when I was more regular, I did a similar regimen with Relafen, starting 2-3 days before expected start until a few days into the cycle. My GYN also offered me OCPs, but I tend to become a b*tch on them, so DH and I said, "No thanks" to that.

[BabyBearsMom]

After dd2 my AF came back with a vengeance. Heavy, cramps that made me double over. What ended up helping was having a Mirena inserted. From past posts, I think this might not be an option for you for other reasons, but just wanted to say what helped me. PT for the next few days.

[swissair81]

I had Implanon inserted a few months after DD4 was born. It's also a progestin based BC. I had already lost close to 20 lbs of my baby weight by then, and I gained it all back plus more after it was inserted. I finally beat it off my body in the fall. I would be petrified to try it again.

Thanks for the PT though, I think I need it.

[Tondi G]

you might want to up your calcium and magnesium. I read that magnesium can help with heavy periods. flaxseed oil might be helpful too.

if you aren't opposed to trying homeopathics boiron has several for menstrual issues http://www.boironusa.com/category/sy...strual-cramps/

[RedSuedeShoes]

So sorry you are dealing with this. I don't have experience with cramps that severe, but thought I'd offer up my experience. I had cramps bad enough to take Motrin once or twice during each period (not much, relative to yours!) but they completely disappeared when I switched to using cloth pads. A pleasant surprise. I hope you find some relief!

[legaleagle]

Those stick on self heating packs really me on the rare occasions I've had horrible cramps. Also, take ibuprofen around the clock, 600 or 800 if you need to. I know some people have had good results with evening primrose oil but that's not an immediate fix. I agree on upping cal & mag too. I hope the next few days aren't too terrible!

[essnce629]

Yes to upping your calcium and magnesium. I have at least 2 large fibroids (I can actually feel them on my uterus when I'm pregnant) and have had very heavy periods since having DS1. I used to have horrible cramps, but they're pretty much gone now (just get lower back pain now). I've found that upping my fish oil helped a lot because it's a blood thinner. I used to take 1 1000mg capsule once a day and never noticed a difference, but then started taking 3 capsules a day. The fish oil lessons the clotting and it was the clotting which I found to cause worse cramps. TMI-- I'd have really bad cramps, then pass a large clot, and the cramps would lesson. Also, heat helps a ton. When I was in nursing school I'd wear both a Thermacare back patch and a Thermacare cramps patch all day and that helped a ton. It was like having an 8 hour heating pad on me without being tethered to a cord or having to heat something up all the time.

You can also try drinking peppermint tea daily throughout your cycle to try decreasing your bleeding. This is the first cycle I tried it and it actually worked! Normally I have 7-8 days of bleeding with 2 days being really heavy. This cycle, I drank 1-2 cups of strong peppermint tea daily and my bleeding was completely over by the 5th day and I only had heavy bleeding for 1/2 a day! I hadn't had a period this short since I was on BCP in college before having DS1! I bought this super strong peppermint tea that is used by people who have IBS and I steep it for 10 minutes before drinking and add a little heavy cream.

http://www.amazon.com/Heathers-Tummy.../dp/B000AEWGBM

I used to live on Ibruprofen during AF, but haven't had to take it in years.