(no subject)

[mstakenforstars.livejournal.com]

Hello ladies. I'm hoping you can give me some advice. I'm 21 and got my period when I was 12. I had cramps, but nothing major until a few years ago. I got so sick, I couldn't get out of bed. I went really pale and had shivers and was hot at the same time. I would also vomit, but not all the time. But over the past year or so, this has been happening probably about 9 months out of 12, and has gotten worse. I know the pill can help, but I don't have a doctor since I'm too old to see my pediatrition, and I have my college health insurence. Are there any other "cures" for really bad cramps? Or could there be another reason this is happening? Any advice would be wonderful. Thank you!

Comments

[lindsey-nichole.livejournal.com]

too tired to fully comment tonight - but you might want to google endometriosis and see if the symptoms (all, a few, or one or two even) match yours.

good luck!

[taldragon.livejournal.com]

i would go to the doctor, or maybe Planned Parenthood and talk to a medical professional - as the previous poster said, it could be something more serious.

[error-this.livejournal.com]

I get that. I'm told it's normal. I'm completely healthy, no endometriosis or anything. Just plain period cramps. Convulsing, shivers, getting hot, nausea.. stomach aches the whole shabang. Also, the weird thing is, midols used to do the trick? Well, not anymore. I can't find anything to get rid of the cramps I just have to stand it out. So, this is really a comiserate with you sort of comment, I really have no idea only to say I feel you sistah.

[taldragon.livejournal.com]

imo, no, it's _not_ normal - it shouldnt be that bad!

[error-this.livejournal.com]

i'm a trouper! I don't know what else to do honestly, I mean I don't go to the gyno because I'm not going to one until I turn 21 and I feel stupid going to the doctor and being like "oh yeah I have really bad cramps" because I don't want to take the pill. I don't believe in contraseptives. So I really don't know what else he would do other than prescribe me with something else. That would be nice to get some painkillers because seriously the stuff is unbearable. Baths, heat packs, midols, ibuprofin. Nothing works at all. It's killer.

[missysedai.livejournal.com]

Wait a minute...you're suffering from excruciating menstrual pain, but you're not going to see a GYN until you're 21? Why ever not? If you're old enough to menstruate, you're old enough to see the GYN, and in fact, your mother should have taken you there immediately after your menarche.

You may very well BE suffering from endometriosis - it's not something you can self-diagnose, you actually have to see a doctor to know if you have it or not.

You and the OP both: Get thee to the doctor.

[error-this.livejournal.com]

Because besides the sometimes painful menstrual pain i'm okay, there's nothing else wrong but that. I really don't know. I'm not sexually active so I don't see a reason, i've never had a problem before.

I just have this suspicion it's not. I don't know why I just don't feel like it is. I've looked it up online and the syptoms are the same but I just don't know.

My mom would never take me to the doctor for that anyway. She thinks period cramps are normal and that they're supposed to hurt. I would take myself but i'd rather my mom be with me.

[ex-nopants511.livejournal.com]

You're supposed to go to the gyno when you turn 18, at the latest. I have killer cramps, but not so bad that I puke and shake. I'd get myself there asap if I were you. Or at least talk to your regular doctor. Why suffer through something you may not have to?

[octopodan.livejournal.com]

She thinks period cramps are normal and that they're supposed to hurt.

What? As some sort of punishment for being a woman?

[leora.livejournal.com]

There are a lot of problems a woman can develop without ever being sexually active. Gynecologists are there to keep women healthy, not just sexually active women. Endometriosis if left untreated can leave you permanently sterile. If you never want to have children, then that's not as big a deal. But if you think you'd like to have children someday, I suggest you see a doctor immediately. You may not want children now, but the sterility would be permanent and affect you when you do want to have children.

You are taking a huge gamble on your health.

[midori42.livejournal.com]

no, it's not normal. sounds like dysmenorrhea and it's *not* something to laugh at. it could just be your girly bits being unhappy with you, but it could also be a symptom of something more serious. here (http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic156.htm) is a little more information on it. seriously, though, you should probably see a doctor, just to get an actual diagnosis.

[papertigers.livejournal.com]

um... told by whom? if you haven't seen a gynecologist, you haven't seen anyone qualified to determine whether your menstrual cramps are normal or not. i can't imagine feeling that badly on a regular basis and not seeing a doctor, personally.

[mstakenforstars.livejournal.com]

It's horrible. I really don't want to go on the pill, but it's a last resort and I'll do anything to get rid of this. I went to the gyno when I was 17. I'm scared to go back because it hurt so much, but I think I'm going to have to.

[error-this.livejournal.com]

I don't want to go on the pill either and I don't feel the pill would work for me. I don't want to go at all! I had planned to go if something was abnormally wrong or when I turned 21 ( i'm 19 ). I don't know I have this terrible fear of someone telling me "oh hey you're infertile" since family is something i've wanted since I was a kid.

[sweet-tea79.livejournal.com]

This is horribly off the OP's topic, but listen to me here. From reading your side effects, and from what you've said of your own research, you could have endometriosis. Endometriosis isn't fun, I know, I have it, and I HAD many of your symptoms. If left to it's own devices, endo can cause infertility. The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you can do something about the pain. You don't have to live that way, it's not normal, and while you're afraid now of the news "you're infertile" now, what is it going to feel like in a few years if you hear "well, you could still be fertile if we had treated this sooner." Going to the doctor now can save your fertility when you do want to have kids. This mentality of "ignore it and it will go away I'm just going to tough out the pain" is just not going to make things any better. It could make them much, much worse.

I don't quite understand what you mean by "I don't feel the pill would work for me". Do you think it won't keep you from getting pregnant, or won't control your symptoms, or what? There are many, many pills out there for a reason; one of them will work for you. You may have to try several different kinds, but you chances are you can find one that will work. They will all prevent pregnancy.

But it's your fertility. Do with it what you will.

[kthesleepless1t.livejournal.com]

If you're infertile, you're going to find out eventually. But chances of that are pretty low. If I were you, I'd be more concerned with making sure nothing is seriously wrong. And who knows? A gyno may very well be able to help you, and you might never have to put up with it again.

[mstakenforstars.livejournal.com]

Unfortunetly, all women have to go at some point. It's very important. I was SO nervous and scared, mostly because no one had seen that part of my body since I was a baby practically. I wouldn't worry too much, I highly doubt you are infertile :0)

[kwokj.livejournal.com]

I'm sort of repeating what sweet_tea79 said, but if you want kids, please see a doctor. sweet_tea is right; endometriosis can cause infertility. there's a woman on my friends list for whom sever endo runs in the family. Most of her female relatives had to have hysterectomies at relatively young ages. She firmly believes that her fertility was preserved by going on the pill, thanks to her mother's foresight to have her go on it shortly after she began menstruating. I know you said you don't believe in contraceptives, and I and my friend can understand that as we're both Catholic, but we're both on the pill because of our menstural health situations (I don't have endo, but I had cramps about as bad as you and the OP.)

If you have endometriosis, it will help preserve your fertility. If you don't, and it's "just" cramps, why suffer if you don't have to? Why be sidelined for a couple of days or more a month from your regular activities?

[dom-ino.livejournal.com]

I'm male-bodied and probably not welcome here.

but anyway, the other people responding to you don't seem to be willing to tell you something you need to hear:

YOU ARE BEING VERY VERY STUPID AND YOU NEED TO GO TO THE DOCTOR.

"Oh, I've got this horrible problem, but I don't want to go to the doctor because I'm afraid of being infertile."

Uh, if you're afraid of being infertile, GO TO THE DOCTOR. Are you dumb? Have you no brain? Seriously. GO TO THE DOCTOR.

Screw your mother. She's being even more dumb. GO TO THE DOCTOR.

Oh, and by the way, I somehow doubt you are personally qualified to determine whether or not the pill will help. You know who is? THE DOCTOR.

[error-this.livejournal.com]

Gee, thanks buddy for your wonderful additions to an already " i get the point" comment. Way to put in your two cents, anyway...

[fuzzyoctober.livejournal.com]

I have endometriosis, and your symptoms sound all too familiar to me. I'm not sure why you feel that the pill wouldn't work for you, especially since this is the very thing that can help you the most if you do indeed have endometriosis. The pill keeps the endo from growing as quickly and makes a huge difference in the long run.
I remember my first trip to the GYN, and yes, it was scary. It's frightening to think of someone else poking around in areas that are very private, but it is something that we all go through as women (or should). I had severe endometriosis and had my first surgery for it at 20. If I had waited until I was 21 I may well have sacrificed my left ovary to infertility. It was adhered to my abdominal wall. This is not something that you can really risk if you want to have a family. Put aside your fears, and see a GYN. If you are nervous, then look for a women's clinic. You might feel more comfortable with a woman as a doctor. But seriously, don't put it off. This kind of pain is not normal, and you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

[beatnikdika.livejournal.com]

I get that occassionally and i cry my ass off, scream, roll around on the bed sweating and puking and being all green.My legs would hurt horribly. When I told my doctor about it she gave me a blood test and told me I had anemia and the onset of my period makes my anemia symptoms worse because I'm losing blood, and wasnt eating properly. I had to put more iron in my diet which helps a lot with overall health during your period -- eat red meat and if you dont eat meat eat a lot of dark green leafy vegetables. You have to do this a lot to really see any changes. Also, drink more water. A lot of pain and nausea can come from being dehydrated. I hate water but I have to force myself if I dont want my period to beat the shit out of me. Another thing I hate that work is working out. Working out or walking 2-3 times a week regularly can help reduce the chance of getting bad cramps and bad pms, and it's also a good idea to take a walk if possible when you have your period to help break up clots and keep blood circulating in your body.There are a lot of easy natural things you can do to help this. It's worked for me.

[mstakenforstars.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the suggestions. I probably am a bit anemic since I'm a vegetarian, and I just got back from college which doesn't really have the most nutritious food. I would much rather deal with it a natural way.

[missysedai.livejournal.com]

Ask your college health services for a referral to a GYN. If you're on the broke side, like most students, head down to the nearest Planned Parenthood. They work on a sliding fee scale.

You can use remedies like valerian root tea to help soothe the pain, but if you're vomiting and experiencing other symptoms beyond just plain old cramps, there may be something else wrong. Best to see a doc as soon as possible, rather than risk your health.

[smallstar.livejournal.com]

Drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) are often very helpful for menstrual cramps. The trick is to start taking them as soon as your period starts, before the cramps start, and take them regularly for several days to keep a constant level in your system. They work by blocking the production of prostaglandins, which are the hormones produced by your body that cause contractions and cramping in the uterus. If you can prevent those from happening (or make them a bit weaker), you'll have a lot less pain, and those other symptoms (nausea, chills, etc) should subside as well.

If you have college health insurance, that must mean that you're entitled to see a doctor somewhere, right? Go see them. They can check you out to make sure everything's healthy down there, and they can prescribe things like birth control pills that can make your periods much easier.

[urania.livejournal.com]

I had excruciating cramps for awhile, but it was "just" pain--none of the nausea, etc. I do not envy you--it must be really awful.

Ditto to what people said about ibuprofen or naproxin sodium, as well as excercise, iron, hydration, etc. That's all good. However, it's also good to talk to a doctor too, IMHO. Pain is often your body's way of telling you something is wrong--and a doctor, while not more familiar with *your* body, has generally had a lot more training/experience with bodies in general. So his/her input, combined with what you've experienced, can help you get a better picture of what's going on.

If you have school health insurance, you should be able to go to your school health clinic (if you want, you can ask for a female doctor, generally). If you are away from campus right now, or for whatever other reason can't go to the school clinic, look up a local Planned Parenthood or government health clinic; they generally work on a sliding fee scale based on what you can (or can't) afford to pay.

Also, I find it helps to remember that a doctor can't *make* you do anything. If a doctor says a medicine may help, it often means it's a good idea to consider it, and/or try it; but if something really makes you uncomfortable you do not have to do so. Not even if the doctor says to. It's your body, it's your choice.

On the flip side, I took oral contraceptives (the pill) for maybe... oh... five years? I think about that long. I started them quite a ways before I was sexually active, for the sole reason of cutting my menstrual pain to a level where it didn't interfere with my day-to-day life. There were some side effects, and I did switch brands once to get a formula that worked better with my body, but it was overall a change for the better as far as I was concerned. I am not sure why you are hesitant about taking them--if it's a religious reason, etc, I'm certainly not going to argue philosophy with you (unless you'd like :-P)--but if you're simply anxious/shy about using them, I wouldn't worry so much. Plenty of women take them for reasons that have nothing to do with sexual activity (or lack thereof), and there are a lot of different brands out there so it's fairly likely you can find one that works well with your body. Generally any side effects are pretty gentle and/or wear off within a couple months, and if that's *not* the case, you can switch to a different formula.

Sorry I got so longwinded! I didn't mean to. But I hope you find something that works!

[mstakenforstars.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot for your advice! I go to an all women's college, so the doctors there are women. But I just moved back home the other day, so I think I'm going to have to go to Planned Parenthood. I have no problem with contraceptives as far as religion goes, but I am a bit nervous about taking them. Something that changes your bodyily functions so it isn't natural makes me a little uncomfortable. But honestly, if it means no more horrible cramps, I will take them. Thanks again :0)

[girlpearl]

Something that changes your bodyily functions so it isn't natural makes me a little uncomfortable.

I hear this argument a lot--something for you to think about, then: The "natural" state of the body is to be pregnant as much as possible. Taking BC pills actually mimics that state... I don't want to sound like some kind of drug pusher, but in this day and age, frankly, unless you're living in a jungle, hunting your own food and making clothes from hides, to argue about being "natural" is pretty artificial. And if there is a medication that can make you healthier, happier, and safer... for god's sake, at least find out what your options are.

[kwokj.livejournal.com]

Personally, I was reluctant to go on the pill for my monster cramps. I didn't like the idea of being on meds all month for something that was 2 or 3 days a cycle. I tried a number of painkillers both non-'scrip, and 'scrip, as well as acupuncture and Chinese medicinals. Something like those options may work for you, but it didn't for me, and I eventually went on the pill. Took a few months to kick in, but it has done the trick.

For cramps as severe as yours your doctor should definitely investigate if there is an underlying cause, but sometimes there isn't anything diagnosable.

Also, sorry to deliver bad news, but you could be on the pill for a long time. It used to bother me, but I've gotten used to it. I was on it for three years straight before I took a break to see how my body was doing. At first I was pain free, but within a year, the cramps began to slowly return, getting worse each cycle, so I've gone back on the pill. My body may not change much for a long time, or maybe not until I've had children.

Good luck.

[mstakenforstars.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the advice :0)