My symptoms.
Jul. 29th, 2004 08:25 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
shamz.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
menstrualhutHello, I thought I'd share my story and menstrual symptoms.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who has bad symptoms. I knew people may have it worse than I, but I never wanted to imagine how much worse it could be then what I go through. Not that I'm glad to hear anyone goes through a lot a pain though.. I wish we all could be pain free!
Anyhow, I tend to... ramble, so this is going to be quite a long post, if you want to read my story and give me your opinion of what may be wrong...
I started my period when I was 13? Maybe 14. I suppose my cramps didn't start to get worse until I was about 16, and I think it's because the year before, my Mother took me out of gym and I've been getting less and less exercise since I was 15. Ever since I was about 16, my cramps started hurting so bad that I'd be lying on the floor tossing and turning and shaking and twitching and crying and I'd kinda whine-hum over and over because using my diaphragm helped, strangely enough.
I tried midol and tylenol. I have a bear.. jelly belly bear, microwave the pack inside of him.. one of them .. heating pad things that I hold to my tummy. I take warm baths, I dress warm, a lot of the time I sleep on the couch cause its more comfortable then in my bed. Lucky enough my dad's a chiropractor, so he cracks my lower back, and I've placed things behind my back, and keep it warm, etc. So I do many things to try and ensure I'm not in a lot of pain. Seemingly, it's only the first and sometimes second day that I'll be in a LOT of pain, and will have a heavy flow, after that I'm usually fine. I'll break into a sweat sometimes and I rock a lot. Typically my pains come in the evening and last all night and then I'll be fine during the day, plus I don't get much sleep at all, so I tend to not go anywhere the next day. Infact I'm usually in so much pain I missed school the first few days, except I'm lucky enough that my period almost always starts on a weekend, except sometimes. Heh.. anyhow, that was my last three years.
Earlier this year (school year wise) my period got worse. Since August 2003, my pains have been worse and I find I can't eat or drink anything. If I've had something to eat or drink, the pains feel worse, and my body tries to desperately vomit, but.. there's nothing but saliva to spit out, and until I'm ready and able to 'use the washroom' I'll be in a lot of pain and shaking and going from hot and sweaty to cold and clammy. I couldn't even drink anything or let water enter my mouth without vomiting. I also couldn't breathe heavily, because that made me feel sick as well, too much work down below, breathing with my diaphragm heavily is a big no no. So I'd try to breathe from my chest so there wouldn't be anymore pressure than need be down there, though it was hard because after going from one body temperature to another and vomiting and all that shaking my body really feels like it has to breathe heavily for dear life :P
The first time this happened I was just getting over the flu, so I thought it was just because I was sick at the time, and it was the most horrible thing, having my body try to eject things from every opening, but then the next few months I discovered I couldn't have my period without experience vomiting nothingness and needing to empty my body completely and not dare eat or really drink anything. Mind you, this is just the first day it starts that its this bad, SOMETIMES the 2nd day is about as painful as the last three years, not with these newer symptoms.
Anyhow, my symptoms have been like this since August until about Spring came around. It's been iffy, last month it was this bad, the month before it wasn't, but I started my period yesterday and they were alright, until I came home from walking/running my dog which felt like a big mistake, I thought I'd faint before I made it back to my house. Eventually my body told me it was time to empty my body and I was fine shortly after, but I hungout in my washroom for about half an hour sweating more than I've ever, probably thanks to my exercise before that. I didn't even feel like I had to use the washroom before or after I left :P I didn't vomit this time so that's a plus and other than that maybe half an hour of my evening, I haven't had bad pains! I actually got some sleep last night. HA! :D Though, well my cramps were painful, but if I'm not crying on the floor tossing and turning and shaking badly then I see that as a good sign. I can handle a bit of twitching and pains. I love my teddy bear. lol
Alright, I'm rambling too much. Sorry, anyhow if you're still reading. My boyfriend and I did a lot of research last night. I guess a possibility is endometriosis. Though its also possible I have secondary dysmenorhea, soo I should see a doctor to get myself checked out I guess..
http://www.motrin.ca/eng/adult/ailment/menstrual/types.html - Types of Menstual Symptoms
I haven't seen a doctor yet because I'm stupid and I don't like doctors, plus I heard that the doctors here just instantly put you on the pill. I don't like that solution, it's not good enough for me. I think I'm just going to start exercising a lot more, it seems to be helping a bit so far, I never had cramps when I used to get exercise all the time when I was a young teen, so hopefully that's the key. An unusually narrow cervical canal tends to increase menstrual cramps too. I may possibly be someone with such because I'm a very tiny person with very tiny bones. Heh..
I'll just assume my body hates me and is attacking me for not exercising and because I'm so little I can't handle these attacks. I'll just have to build up my muscles so it doesn't hurt so much ;)
With that, I leave you with your thoughts on what my problem may be. I'm moving in a few months to a city, so I'll see a doctor there in hopes that the doctors are more helpful than the idiots in my town.
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who has bad symptoms. I knew people may have it worse than I, but I never wanted to imagine how much worse it could be then what I go through. Not that I'm glad to hear anyone goes through a lot a pain though.. I wish we all could be pain free!
Anyhow, I tend to... ramble, so this is going to be quite a long post, if you want to read my story and give me your opinion of what may be wrong...
I started my period when I was 13? Maybe 14. I suppose my cramps didn't start to get worse until I was about 16, and I think it's because the year before, my Mother took me out of gym and I've been getting less and less exercise since I was 15. Ever since I was about 16, my cramps started hurting so bad that I'd be lying on the floor tossing and turning and shaking and twitching and crying and I'd kinda whine-hum over and over because using my diaphragm helped, strangely enough.
I tried midol and tylenol. I have a bear.. jelly belly bear, microwave the pack inside of him.. one of them .. heating pad things that I hold to my tummy. I take warm baths, I dress warm, a lot of the time I sleep on the couch cause its more comfortable then in my bed. Lucky enough my dad's a chiropractor, so he cracks my lower back, and I've placed things behind my back, and keep it warm, etc. So I do many things to try and ensure I'm not in a lot of pain. Seemingly, it's only the first and sometimes second day that I'll be in a LOT of pain, and will have a heavy flow, after that I'm usually fine. I'll break into a sweat sometimes and I rock a lot. Typically my pains come in the evening and last all night and then I'll be fine during the day, plus I don't get much sleep at all, so I tend to not go anywhere the next day. Infact I'm usually in so much pain I missed school the first few days, except I'm lucky enough that my period almost always starts on a weekend, except sometimes. Heh.. anyhow, that was my last three years.
Earlier this year (school year wise) my period got worse. Since August 2003, my pains have been worse and I find I can't eat or drink anything. If I've had something to eat or drink, the pains feel worse, and my body tries to desperately vomit, but.. there's nothing but saliva to spit out, and until I'm ready and able to 'use the washroom' I'll be in a lot of pain and shaking and going from hot and sweaty to cold and clammy. I couldn't even drink anything or let water enter my mouth without vomiting. I also couldn't breathe heavily, because that made me feel sick as well, too much work down below, breathing with my diaphragm heavily is a big no no. So I'd try to breathe from my chest so there wouldn't be anymore pressure than need be down there, though it was hard because after going from one body temperature to another and vomiting and all that shaking my body really feels like it has to breathe heavily for dear life :P
The first time this happened I was just getting over the flu, so I thought it was just because I was sick at the time, and it was the most horrible thing, having my body try to eject things from every opening, but then the next few months I discovered I couldn't have my period without experience vomiting nothingness and needing to empty my body completely and not dare eat or really drink anything. Mind you, this is just the first day it starts that its this bad, SOMETIMES the 2nd day is about as painful as the last three years, not with these newer symptoms.
Anyhow, my symptoms have been like this since August until about Spring came around. It's been iffy, last month it was this bad, the month before it wasn't, but I started my period yesterday and they were alright, until I came home from walking/running my dog which felt like a big mistake, I thought I'd faint before I made it back to my house. Eventually my body told me it was time to empty my body and I was fine shortly after, but I hungout in my washroom for about half an hour sweating more than I've ever, probably thanks to my exercise before that. I didn't even feel like I had to use the washroom before or after I left :P I didn't vomit this time so that's a plus and other than that maybe half an hour of my evening, I haven't had bad pains! I actually got some sleep last night. HA! :D Though, well my cramps were painful, but if I'm not crying on the floor tossing and turning and shaking badly then I see that as a good sign. I can handle a bit of twitching and pains. I love my teddy bear. lol
Alright, I'm rambling too much. Sorry, anyhow if you're still reading. My boyfriend and I did a lot of research last night. I guess a possibility is endometriosis. Though its also possible I have secondary dysmenorhea, soo I should see a doctor to get myself checked out I guess..
http://www.motrin.ca/eng/adult/ailment/menstrual/types.html - Types of Menstual Symptoms
I haven't seen a doctor yet because I'm stupid and I don't like doctors, plus I heard that the doctors here just instantly put you on the pill. I don't like that solution, it's not good enough for me. I think I'm just going to start exercising a lot more, it seems to be helping a bit so far, I never had cramps when I used to get exercise all the time when I was a young teen, so hopefully that's the key. An unusually narrow cervical canal tends to increase menstrual cramps too. I may possibly be someone with such because I'm a very tiny person with very tiny bones. Heh..
I'll just assume my body hates me and is attacking me for not exercising and because I'm so little I can't handle these attacks. I'll just have to build up my muscles so it doesn't hurt so much ;)
With that, I leave you with your thoughts on what my problem may be. I'm moving in a few months to a city, so I'll see a doctor there in hopes that the doctors are more helpful than the idiots in my town.
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no subject
Date: 2004-07-30 01:59 am (UTC)i wouldn't be so quick to criticize the doctors in your town if you haven't been to see any of them.... i mean i'm a med student so i'm biased but there are many good doctors who really want to figure out what the problem is. it may seem like they just want to get people on the pill, but honestly when i read your email it was the first thing i thought of as well, you try a lot of 'natural' things to make this situation better and clearly, they are not good enough. why do you say the pill is not good enough? have you been on it before? personally the pill was a godsend for me, and i'm on nuvaring now (a vaginal ring which does hormones like the pill, but you don't have to take anything every day and i LOVE it, it is stress-free).
you really need to see a doctor. i'm a medical student so i probably have a pretty good deal of knowledge more than the average person (though people in this group are very wise!), and i'm telling you, you need to see a doctor. i could sit here and try to surmise about your problem, but i can't take a detailed interview from you, and it doesn't sound clear cut to me. don't wait another few months through this, what if you get to the doctor and they help you figure something out so you don't have to go through a few more months of horrible pain and suffering? that is what they are there for. it sounds just awful to me and my heart goes out to you. please, make the call, we doctors are not all bad and especially if you ask a few women if they know of a good one, you're likely to get someone who will try to help you. and consider going on hormonal BC if your doctor recommends it... it could really help, for a lot of us it has improved our quality of life big time and having 99.9% effective birth control doesn't hurt.
Call me insane -shrug-
Date: 2004-07-30 09:55 pm (UTC)For starters, I don't ever seem to get 'my doctor' that I'm supposed to get. I'll see him for one check up then the next one it's someone else, and someone else the third time. Each time I've gone I've had some 'other' doctor check me out and they look at the last doctors notes and no one ever agrees with what the last doctor put. It's a zoo! What's the point of going to the clinic where your doctor works if you never get him regularly?
Earlier this year I was having major chest pains and my parents took me to the hospital and the doctor just got mad at me for wasting his time :P
Bones: One time, my younger brother broke his arm in Ontario the last day we were supposed to be in town. They needed to wait a few days before they could properly cast it, so they casted it and said to have it redone when we get home by our family doctor. We went to have that done, he didn't X-Ray it or anything, just threw a cast over top of the cast so his arm never healed properly. It's a wonder his arm works. They told us to find a specialist because if they tried to fix it something might go wrong. Shriners Hospital had a specialist but they said they wouldn't take my brother because our family was too wealthy for their standards. I know quite a few people in town who's arms have not been properly casted and healed, and doctors in other cities have told us they've never seen arms heal that way, its common in my town.
Stitchings: My doctor stitched my leg up once, but he put the stitches loosely rather than tight enough to close the wound so I have this big scar :P Idiot.
My brother had a bad hang nail, the doctor decided his toe nail must go, he now has a mostly gone toe nail and a stub of nail that grows out in the center where a nail used to be, its really disgusting to look at. Other doctors have looked at it and wondered what the hell the doctor here was trying to do :P
I have more complaints, but I'll stop here now. Needless to say I don't care for the quality we get from the doctors in my town.
The Pill: I don't care to try it. It's only 99% chance it'll keep you from getting pregnant. Some say it causes cancer, though it hasn't been, but what if years from now something goes wrong? It messes with hormones right? You may be fine now but what about in 10 years? How do you know years from now when I finally want kids, and I'd been on the pill for years and years and years and oh shit now the pill worked a little too well and I'll never have em. I'd rather not take my chances with it. It's just my opinion on the topic, sooo I'm too paranoid for my own good. I'd rather not rely on a drug man made. Maybe my opinion will change, we'll see.. but for now I'm against it.
Re: Call me insane -shrug-
Date: 2004-08-02 01:36 am (UTC)Just a comment about the Pill:
I relate to everything you said. The nausea, the horrific pain, having to take warm baths, missing school, vomiting etc. My period pain and associated symptoms took over my whole life. Most of the time I was too tired to go out because the heavy periods made me anaemic. This went on for years.
I was diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis at 19, had major surgery, hormone treatment (Synarel), and have been on the Pill almost continuously since then. Taking the Pill has changed my life - I really mean that. I now work full-time, have a happy, active social life, and am going to graduate school next year.
I respect that you don't want to try it, but I wanted to let you know that some girls do have good - in my case, excellent! - experiences with the Pill.
Good luck :) xo
no subject
Date: 2004-07-30 06:18 am (UTC)been there, done that. i had very similar symptons to yours. it was hell. i tried so many things - a lot of what you say you have done too - and even tried natural/herbal solutions as suggested by my mother, but nothing helped at all until i was on the pill. that was the only thing that helped me. i don't like the thought of the hormones being messed with either (i have a lot of other issues that relates to but i won't go into them here), but i was soo desperate..i just wanted the hell to stop. sorry i don't have another solution for you - but i just wanted you to know you that you were not alone.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-31 03:03 pm (UTC)I have about the same symptons as well and I've been on BC for 3 years now, and apart from regulating my period, it didn't take away any of my complaints.
no subject
Date: 2004-07-30 07:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-07-30 09:57 pm (UTC)