TMI-heavy period/stomach issues

[DualvansMommy]

I'm in the midst of having my first period since giving birth 2.5 months ago and boy talk about heavy and painful !!!

Thing is I'm no stranger to long and painful periods. I've always suffered from 6-8 days cycle with 2-3 really heavy and painful days. Usually take midol and all is ok, however this time is quite painful to the point of not sleeping well. Also since starting on Tuesday, I can't eat anything over the weekend..I would throw things up after eating items like jello, pork, sausage and orange juice. So I stopped eating for a day and just tried dry toast last night, but threw that up not long after. Only thing I can hold down is cranberry juice!

What would you do? I already called my ob to see what he can suggest.

[lizzywednesday]

Sorry you're not feeling well.

I occasionally get tummy trouble during AF, but it's usually out the other end and coupled with intense cramps, so I'm concerned that maybe yours is a tummy bug in addition to AF. There are tummy bugs of every stripe going around the area, so you might be struck with one.

You have my sympathy - my first PP AF also coincided with a tummy bug that DD had brought home from school. It was THE WORST.

Anyway, right now I'd focus on staying hydrated. I find that a heating pad generally helps with cramps, but it will make nausea & vomiting worse for me. (See above about 1st PP AF and tummy bug. Ugh.)

[swissair81]

I've been having really heavy periods since they returned postpartum. My OB prescribed Lysteda, which decreases the bleeding. It doesn't get rid of the cramps, so I still need pain meds, but I can actually walk the first day after AF shows up.

[ZeeBaby]

I am also on Lysteda. It is actually generic now, but I don't know the name. I have always had horrible periods since I was young. I basically went 3 years with no period between the back to back pregnancies and nursing. After DD2, I didn't have a period for 18 mos. after it started, it was horrible. My hemoglobin became so low, I had to get iron transfusion. Be careful with heavy bleeding and make sure you have your hemoglobin checked. Hugs to you. Take round the clock pain meds is another recommendation from my dr.

[essnce629]

I suggest you try drinking peppermint tea throughout your cycle to decrease your bleeding and shorten your cycle. Normally I have 7-8 days of bleeding with 2 days being really heavy (like bleeding through an overnight pad every few hours). For the past several cycles I've drank 1-2 cups of strong peppermint tea daily and my bleeding has been completely over by the 5th day and I only had heavy bleeding for 1/2 a day! I haven'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.

This is the tea I use:
http://www.amazon.com/Heathers-Tummy.../dp/B000AEWGBM

Peppermint tea is supposed to help with digestion and is often recommended for nausea so it may help you in that department as well.

[DualvansMommy]

Thank you ladies for the commiseration and helpful tips! I'll try the Lysteda with my ob, but usually for many years midol did the trick though. Today was the first day in almost a week where I didn't need to take pain meds!

So I'm really hoping next month cycle won't be anywhere near like this month.

And thank you essnce629: I'll buy that as I'm a huge tea drinker. That would be heavenly for me if it worked and a bonus since I love tea.

[swissair81]

I am also on Lysteda. It is actually generic now, but I don't know the name.

Transexamic Acid