(no subject)

[sin-qua-non.livejournal.com]

Alright. I'm new. Hi, everyone.

I have this really big problem. You guessed it - menstruation.

Once a month (give or take a few weeks as my period is often late due to stress), I find myself nearly incapacitated from pain. I have absolutely killer cramps that seem to grip my entire torso, relentless nausea, and I can not, repeat, can not use the bathroom without feeling like someone is punching me in the stomach repeatedly. Not only that, but as I have an incredibly bad back, I stiffen up like a board.

Does anyone have ANY advice to alleviate these symptoms?

Important things that would factor in here:
- I am eighteen years old and my periods have never, ever been pleasant.
- I do not want to go on any sort of hormonal treatments.
- I do not plan on having children, EVER, so my ability to have offspring later on is not an issue.
- I already go to a chiropractor three times a week for my back.

I'm rather desperate at this point, so any ideas would be fantastic. Thank you!

Comments

[ethuil.livejournal.com]

My doctor tried me on mefenamic acid - so there are non-pill/hormonal based pain killers that you can get. Go see your doc & ask what they recommend.

That said, I had a really nasty reaction to mefenamic acid ;) So I don't personally like it, but it works for lots of people.

[tealight-rookie.livejournal.com]

This really worked for me... It's also known as Ponstan... Sorry it didn't work for you...

[taldragon.livejournal.com]

definitely see your doctor, they might be able to recommend something, including tests to see if everything's in proper working order.

then, take it from there.

[tealight-rookie.livejournal.com]

Do see your doctor, just to rule out the odd chance it's something out of the ordinary.

I'd give shiatsu a go too if you can find a good practitioner. I've always had gripes with my period on the first day or two, and shiatsu has completely changed that. The thing is, I went for other reasons, but it's been an added benefit :)

[kwokj.livejournal.com]

I did go the pill route, but other things I tried (that weren't so great for me, but might work better for you) included painkillers like naproxen-sodium (aleve... get advice about higher dosage than over the counter if you need) and acupuncture in conjunction with chinese medicine (sorry, I don't know what the stuff was in the soups I drank. the doctor would give me paper bags full of dried plant materials, and I'd boil it.)

[eluted.livejournal.com]

Well, my cramps used to be pretty severe, but probably not as bad as yours.
I started drinking a cup of red raspberry leaf tea every day.
And I take ibuprofen.
And they're better now.

[emmeangel.livejournal.com]

i took a high dosage of naproxen (aleve) but i had to use it so often i started getting addicted (bad!!!), so i had to go the hormonal route. do not use narcotics either (codine, vicodin, oxycontin, etc) to relieve the pain, because you will become addicted, and that's not good. look into using heat packs that ThermaCare sells in the grocery/ CVS store. those helped a lot.

[crassy.livejournal.com]

When I was younger I would have terrible cramps, so much so that I couldn't move at all, I could only curl up on my bed in the fetal position and cry. I tried all sorts of medications and whatnot to make them go away, and then one day, I found the only thing to take away the pain. Now, I am in no way advocating breaking the law, and I am aware that a lot of people out there have a problem with this, but the only substance I found to take the cramps away was pot. Not a whole whack of it, just a toke or two and the pain would be gone. I even got a medical prescription for it. So...if you are not averse to it, you may want to think about trying it. I am also, not sure what the laws are in your area regarding this, but it may be something to think about :)

[sin-qua-non.livejournal.com]

Actually, that's my favorite remedy.

It helps the muscles in my back relax and quells the cramps a bit. And, when you're in pain, every little bit helps!

[viva-la-blondee.livejournal.com]

What im going to say is nothing new, im sure. But...

Definitly go the your doctor. There's no reason you nor any women should have to suffer like that, especially when there are so many new and wonderful drugs.

[moropus.livejournal.com]

Did you tell your chiro? sometimes they are good for treating things you would never think of.

[boobookittylilo.livejournal.com]

My mother had really bad periods. She had a procedure done where they scrape/laser the lining of your uterus (Where the pockets of blood store for the cycle~not sure if I got the name right.) and she went from 7 heavy days with intense pain to 3 or 4 light days with just occasional mild back ache or mild cramping. Or you might be a candidate for a total hystordectomy (Forgive my spelling) if you truely do not want children.

[sin-qua-non.livejournal.com]

Endometrial ablation?

I don't think I could ever get a full hysterectomy, as I am not fond of the thought of popping hormones for the rest of my life.

[specialk85.livejournal.com]

At 18 they're not going to do anything to you that will stop you being able to have children in the future.....cos the reality is, sooo many people change their mind (not saying that you will, but thats just the trend in general). So short of it being something really seriously wrong down there, they're not going to do something that will make you infertile.

[shakespeareswan.livejournal.com]

Hi,
I can relate. I had been going through the same thing until the I found this. Here is my trick crampbark, yarrow and valerian all in tincture form in a bit of juice. I would say keep track of your period and try to start this atleast 2 days before. U can usually tell your period is coming on because you start to feel bad right before, so start then. If u don't you can use this anyway. The only problem is that you may be too nauseous to keep it down once the cramps hit. I also posted a comment about this a bit more in detail the past browse through the questions after yours if you want.

Continue after the pain stops to take this 3 times a day after this until period ends. Hope this helps.