(no subject)

[evilcandycane.livejournal.com]

Hey
I'm new
I'm 17 and I need help.
Most of my friends get mildly uncomfortable cramps with their period, take a few ibprofun and are on their merry way.

I on the other hand go through hell.
I bleed really heavily, which isn't good because I'm already anemic, so heavy blood loss leads to me sleeping alot and not having any energy or strength.

I've tried every sort of pain killer, short of narcotics and nothing will ease these cramps that feel like the entire NFL is warming up on my uterus, in cleats.

and...
I retain water like whoa. I can't explain it. I'm usually pretty thin,I dance and my body is well toned, but for 5 days out of the month, my stomach,butt and legs all swell up and it hurts to move.

I've been to a slew of doctors, but all they did was prescribe stronger medication that didn't do anything and no one can touch my blood loss or retaining water problems.

Help me?

Mariah

Comments

[barisaxyvet.livejournal.com]

Have you talked to an actual gynecologist about this? If not, that should be your next step.
I have known several women in my life who have had periods like you describe here. The gynecologists usually put them on some sort of oral contraceptive for a while. All of them have had their problems solved by this as well as, a few of them, staying away from a lot of salt right before and during their bleeding week.
Like I said, talk to a gynecologist/NP/CNM at a women's clinic first thing. That route usually leads to the quickest and most effective results.
You are WAY not alone in your woes.
Good luck!

[erinmdmd.livejournal.com]

Drink more water! I bloat tremendously just like you right before my period if I am not really careful about my salt and water intake. Buy a Nalgene and fill it with water so you can carry it around everywhere... I aim for 4-5 bottles a day.... it has really helped.

I find that ibuprofen helps reduce the quantity and size of my clots of I take even a small dose soon after the flow begins.

[snapdragon-666.livejournal.com]

Definitely drink lost of water and cut dow on salt as someone else has said. But i will go on to add that the salt problem also includes checking all prepackaged food- there's so much salt in those. And also definitely see a gynaecologist. They can suggest lots of birth control that will help make your periods lighter or even stop them completely. You have lots of options, so it's worth a try!

[ladieophilia.livejournal.com]

Oh you poor thing, you sound like me! When I was your age my cramps were so horrid that I left teeth marks in the desks at school. I was affraid of driving because if a cramp came on, I had the tendency to curl up and wish to die (not a good thing while in control of a movingn vehicle). I eventualy took birthcontrol. But for you, before you do, ask your mother how much weight she gain during pregnancy. Because I didn't, and like you, I was a dancer, as well as a gymnast, until my knees blew out. But I still worked hard to maintain my dancer shape and started ballroom and stuff like that. I loved my body. Now, I hate it because while my birthcontrol got rid of the cramps, I gained 60 lbs in three months and 100 lbs by the end of the year. Ee-Gad it was wretched, and at 25 I am still trying to lose the weight. I am now off birthcontrol and see results, and the plus is no more cramps, but I think that was the hardest 7 years body-wise on my life.
So weight the possible outcome, weight gain or loss of cramps?

[evilcandycane.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the reason i'm not currently on birth control is because weight gain was an issue. My mom ballooned when she was pregnant with me and because of my strong physical involvement, I also play tennis and act in school plays, I chose not to risk a full time weight gain, however im getting low on choices

[sterlingspider.livejournal.com]

Just as the alternate side of things, not everyone gains weight on the pill, I certainly did not, and many people will only gain a couple of pounds of water weight (which is often related to your diet at the time).

While your mother's experience can give you an idea of what may happen, it is certainly not set in stone. Weight gains of 100 lbs while very possible, are not the norm by any means. So dont assume that you will have to pick one condition over the other (cramps or weight).

Also if you suspect a possibility of weight gain you can keep a watch out for it, and if need be stop taking the BC. As long as you dont use somthing like Depo it will leave your system fairly quickly.

[ladieophilia.livejournal.com]

Even thogh this relates to my comment, I agree. If it weren't for other medical reasons other than cramps, I would have gotten off of it. I know that it is not normal, but I also know how hard even ten pounds can be on a dancer. Just looking out for ya!

[nelliebelle.livejournal.com]

no one else has mentioned it, and i'm certainly not a doctor so don't let this freak you out or anything, but please see a gynecologist and specifically ask about endometriosis. i have it and your symptoms sound a lot like those common to endo. also, why are you *already* anemic? are you a vegetarian? if so, do you take supplements?

[ladieophilia.livejournal.com]

some of us (including myself here, but I don't know if the original poster includes herself) are just always borderline aenemic. I have to eat a lot of broccoli and what not. Vita pills don't always help with aenemia because of the amount that your body flushes out, and food is the best way. Because of my aenemia and my b12 issues, I could never be vegi, but I also can't donate blood. Weird, eh?

[nelliebelle.livejournal.com]

i'm anemic too but it's due to my IBS and not being able to absorb nutrients in my improperly functioning digestive tract. i don't donate blood either. it's kind of nice having an excuse, heh.

endometriosis

[evilcandycane.livejournal.com]

I have been to a gyno, because my mom was worried about the possibility of endometriosis, and it was ruled out, but that was two years ago.
As a matter of fact I am a strict vegetarian, but I do take iron suppliments and eat lots and lots of iron rich foods, like broccoli and lots of strong molasses cookies.
Thanks for the advice.

Re: endometriosis

[nelliebelle.livejournal.com]

endometriosis can't really be confirmed or ruled out without a laparoscopy. there are a lot of bad doctors out there who think it's all in our heads or it's not that serious of a problem, but if you're as miserable as you say, you may need to find a new doctor who will look into it further. i've had 2 previous gynos who didn't even mention endo, but in december my new doctor performed a lap and sure enough i have it pretty bad.

also, you may know this already, but if you are a vegetarian you also need to watch your b12. i'm not cerain about this, but i think b12 and iron are closely related in function, so if your b12 is low you might have problems with iron deficiency anemia. a GP sould be able to order a b12 test if you ask.

B12 and Iron

[barisaxyvet.livejournal.com]

without getting too technical:
biochemically, B12 and iron are not closely linked in function, but the consequences of being deficient in either one are anemias. For iron, it is because of the heme-group in hemoglobin which functions to help bind the oxygen atoms in your blood. For B12, it has to do with the fact that there is an enzyme that is used to rearrange molecules in your body so that they can be used and/or move further down metabolic pathways, without B12, this enzyme cannot function.
B12 is only found in animal products. Plants don't make it. It isn't found in rocks or dissolved in ocean water or anything. Only animal products and, obviously, supplements. However, supplements are not a very effective way of introducing ANY nutrient into one's diet. The best way really is consuming them in their natural forms.
You will probably want to make sure that your Folic Acid (Folate) intake is sufficient as well, as it also helps do similar reactions as B12. Grapefruit as well as cereals and breads that have both been fortified are good sources of folate.

Re: B12 and Iron

[ladieophilia.livejournal.com]

In my research on B12, I found that one of the reasons that suppliments don't work very well is because if it is not wrapped in protein then the stomache's acids break it down too far before absorbtion. But check out your local health food stores and you might find B12 losenges. These are great because you put them under your tounge and it is absorbed into the blood stream through the thin skin under the tounge. B12 is best taken from animals because it is developed in the thyroid. That is why people with thyroidial issues, like my family, take suppliments. Fish are a great source of it. But you can find in in legumes, like beans, because it is made by a micro-organism and reside in the noduels in the roots. It is this micro-organism that is used to make the B12 in 'vegitarian' supliments.
For those that don't know, B12 is also linked to helping with moodswings, because it helps stabalise seratonine, norepinephrin, and other mood related hormones. Between B12 and Omega-3 fatty acids, we can all be happy girls!

Re: B12 and Iron

[nelliebelle.livejournal.com]

thanks bill nye. all i'm saying is, according to my wacky doctor, the 2 tend to be tied together in some way and he only wanted to tackle my b12 problem before moving on to my iron deficiency, so the original poster needs to make sure she's not only looking at one side of what could be a larger issue. not sure where you were going with the rest of that comment, but i'm just glad you learned something in biology. i slept through those classes.

Re: B12 and Iron

[ladieophilia.livejournal.com]

I think that we are all in accordance with one another. I was just posting the B12 stuff because the original poster mentioned that she is a vegitarian, so I wanted to let her know the best way to take suppliments.
All is happy!

[silvertipwings.livejournal.com]

you sound like i used to be...
go to your gyn and ask about Yasmin. it's a brand of the pill, yes, but it's got a spiffy type of progesterone-substance-thing that actually prevents you from water retention, even unrelated to your period. for this reason it's sometimes sold illegally as a weight-loss pill to young girls- point being, you won't gain weight/retain water while on it. the only side effect i've noticed is my sex drive went down, which was good since it was worse than adolescent males most of the time. your doc should give you a pap smear before she perscribes any pill, unless you've had one recently, and some may check for pregnancy if you're not a virgin.
good luck!

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

I'd say go and look around at natural remidies, pain killers have been reported to make cramping worse, I certainly know no one whom have been helped from this - but a change in diet, herbal teas and the like I have known to help a lot, most books and websites on this subject do talk about using these methods, failing that talking to your doctor about any possible problems.

[silverfiremagic.livejournal.com]

i'm sorry, this is totally off topic, but i absolutely love your icon. might i use it?

and let me say thanks to the OP. i have no advice, but do have the same problem, it's good to hear other people's opinions.

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

Not mine to give, aquatang made it

[skeptictank.livejournal.com]

They make all kinds of "PMS supplements" that you can find at health food stores which are high in things like calcium and iron, which may be a healthy alternative to letting a doctor dope you up for each individual symptom. It takes a little courage if it's not something you are used to blabbing about to strangers, but find the local vitamin place, wait until the hippy-looking woman is working, and tell her your story.

Most of the time people at GNC and places like that are well versed in fitness and whatnot, but the more health food/herbal themed places tend to employ people who are pretty knowledgable in what vitamin combinations will produce the best effect for your situation.

Also, I agree with everyone that said drink lots of water. Although you may feel like that's just gonna make you MORE bloaty, it'll help flush out all of the things in your body (like sodium) that make you retain water. Just stay away from Dasani... if you look @ the label it actually has sodium in it. Go figure.

[ladieophilia.livejournal.com]

Why would they put sodium in water??? Ick! I miss my spring!

[skeptictank.livejournal.com]

All I can say is that they'll do anything to sell crap. I always wondered why the bottle went "pffft" like a soda bottle when it opened. I stick to Fiji and Ice Mountain spring water.

[silvertipwings.livejournal.com]

Dasani is slightly filtered tap water with lots of trace minerals added in to change the taste.

[absinthea.livejournal.com]

Try drinking red raspberry leaf tea on a regular basis...might help to tone your uterus and make it more efficient and less cranky-crampy-ouch.

I also used to have periods that were intolerably painful and so heavy I was wearing super plus tampons with overnight pads and STILL leaking through in an hour and a half or so. GYN's just kind of blew me off and gave me crappy ass meds that didn't do diddly for the pain and heaviness. After my 1st child was born, things became WAAAY more manageable although still pretty darn painful.

[mermaidfishnets.livejournal.com]

you sound like me way back before i started taking the pill. the pill makes your period way less severe esp third genration though docs are a bit evil here in giving them away....they are suppose t increase your chances of a bloodclot, but they are the only ones that establish normality. i still get the bloat, but not the pain and im periods are less heavy....I get the pills easy because i had endo (a cyst type thing removed frmo me, luckily i am still intact down there). endo can do what it is your describing id go too a doctor to check it out and then go on the pill. it controls your periods a bit more. (oh and as mentioned above some woman find there endo, or period problems go away with pregnancy).
im a small girl too and understand the bloat thing. i always get it right before my period and i would stay on the pill indefinately (so i dont get my period) BUT when i get the bloat i know its time for my period as I only get worse and worse.

[mermaidfishnets.livejournal.com]

ps doctors are stupid....mine was the same. More needs to be known about endo, its still not talked about enough and its way more common than cancer.