Period pain destroying life ... seriously
Ever since my periods started they have been unbearably painful. Whilst I was at uni/school I used to take time off which was bad enough but now that I am entering the working world I am unable to do this.
The annoying thing is that as well as lasting the length of my period, the pain can actually begin about a week before my period, so for almost 2 weeks of every month I am taking regular painkillers. My GP has given me strong painkillers. I was taking ibuprofen but it wasn't quite strong enough so now I'm on all sorts of random NSAIDS.
It's not only the pain though. Whilst on my period I get TERRIBLE diarrhea and wind. I also get nausea (on many occasions I have actually vomited). I also get hot flushes and dizziness.
My GP put me on the pill but it didn't help. So I was instructed to take 3-4 packs back-to-back to avoid having a period altogether. Whilst this provided relief for a few years, due to hormonal imbalance and side effects I had to stop.
Has anyone here had any similar experiences or can anyone offer any advice? I really don't know what to do!
The annoying thing is that as well as lasting the length of my period, the pain can actually begin about a week before my period, so for almost 2 weeks of every month I am taking regular painkillers. My GP has given me strong painkillers. I was taking ibuprofen but it wasn't quite strong enough so now I'm on all sorts of random NSAIDS.
It's not only the pain though. Whilst on my period I get TERRIBLE diarrhea and wind. I also get nausea (on many occasions I have actually vomited). I also get hot flushes and dizziness.
My GP put me on the pill but it didn't help. So I was instructed to take 3-4 packs back-to-back to avoid having a period altogether. Whilst this provided relief for a few years, due to hormonal imbalance and side effects I had to stop.
Has anyone here had any similar experiences or can anyone offer any advice? I really don't know what to do!
Wow, another Nina and the same thing 
I was put on cerazette. It is a pill and it totally stops the period, so no periods = no period pain. It does work, but if you plan on having kids any time, be warned that it was about 7 months before I started menstruating again after taking myself off them.
I was put on cerazette. It is a pill and it totally stops the period, so no periods = no period pain. It does work, but if you plan on having kids any time, be warned that it was about 7 months before I started menstruating again after taking myself off them.
Get your Ovaries removed 
I can sympathise.
My period lasts 7 days, it's crazily heavy for about 5 days of it.
4 Days before I start, I get the period symptoms. While I'm on my period my legs and lower back ache tremendously.
So much that it's hard for me to walk. I never feel hungry but feel faint because of it.
I want to sleep for the duration of the period. All I could do was take painkillers, aspirin, ibuprofen, anything really.
All I've been able to do is curl up and bare it so I'm looking forward to the responses.
My period lasts 7 days, it's crazily heavy for about 5 days of it.
4 Days before I start, I get the period symptoms. While I'm on my period my legs and lower back ache tremendously.
So much that it's hard for me to walk. I never feel hungry but feel faint because of it.
I want to sleep for the duration of the period. All I could do was take painkillers, aspirin, ibuprofen, anything really.
All I've been able to do is curl up and bare it so I'm looking forward to the responses.
I think you should explore more hormonal contraceptive options.
Something like the depo will ward off your periods altogether, the implant might make them go away and it could well make them less painful. These aren't unsafe in the long term, they are long term hormonal options.
It could literally be a case of sticking with something like that until you fall pregnant and have a child, most women report easier periods after childbirth.
Has your doctor examined you properly? Have you had any investigations? If they haven't, then they've failed because periods that severe are abnormal. It's only that you didn't mention anything like fibroids because they could be responsible for a lot of pain.
The diarrhoea and nausea accompany a lot of women's periods. I should know, but mine were never as bad as yours. They have since been resolved by the implant and my periods are really rather comfortable and painless now. But that has come at a cost of irregularity for me.
I think if your doctor is just trying to reconcile this by dosing you up on NSAIDs and its not resolving the problem you should pester them or someone else for some kind of longer-term solution. If you're worried about the effects of long-term hormonal contraception, trust me long term high dose NSAIDs aren't exactly a great plan either.
Something like the depo will ward off your periods altogether, the implant might make them go away and it could well make them less painful. These aren't unsafe in the long term, they are long term hormonal options.
It could literally be a case of sticking with something like that until you fall pregnant and have a child, most women report easier periods after childbirth.
Has your doctor examined you properly? Have you had any investigations? If they haven't, then they've failed because periods that severe are abnormal. It's only that you didn't mention anything like fibroids because they could be responsible for a lot of pain.
The diarrhoea and nausea accompany a lot of women's periods. I should know, but mine were never as bad as yours. They have since been resolved by the implant and my periods are really rather comfortable and painless now. But that has come at a cost of irregularity for me.
I think if your doctor is just trying to reconcile this by dosing you up on NSAIDs and its not resolving the problem you should pester them or someone else for some kind of longer-term solution. If you're worried about the effects of long-term hormonal contraception, trust me long term high dose NSAIDs aren't exactly a great plan either.
I had extremely painful period pains also. I, too, have been taking the pill back to back packs to completely miss out periods for 3-4 packs. I was suspected of having something called Endometriosis. I saw a gynacologist - or however you spell it - and we decided I was going to have surgery to see if I had Endometriosis, and if I did, he would remove it (Endometriosis is an extra growth which makes period pains EXTREMELY painful)
The surgen did find the Endometriosis and removed as much of it as he could, a couple months after, my period pains were much, much better, not gone completely, but they were unbearable pre-op, and now they're much more bearable and the pain is mild.
Anyway, ask your GP if it could be that, or also something called PMS. I haven't got it but I know it can do similar things to what you're explaining. Let us know how things go!
The surgen did find the Endometriosis and removed as much of it as he could, a couple months after, my period pains were much, much better, not gone completely, but they were unbearable pre-op, and now they're much more bearable and the pain is mild.
Anyway, ask your GP if it could be that, or also something called PMS. I haven't got it but I know it can do similar things to what you're explaining. Let us know how things go!
I have the same experience-the dizziness especially always worries me, I have heightened anxiety at the best of times and going places while feeling dizzy is awful 
I also have bad period cramps in my abdomen and legs plus hot flushes (if I was older I'd swear it was the menopause). My doctor hasn't even offered to test my hormone levels, which I think they should do in the first place as abnormal periods might just be down to hormone issues. All I can do is take ibuprofen and paracetamol together (usually 2 paracetamol then 2 hours later 2 ibuprofen so there's always something working while leaving the 4 hours between each drug).
I also have bad period cramps in my abdomen and legs plus hot flushes (if I was older I'd swear it was the menopause). My doctor hasn't even offered to test my hormone levels, which I think they should do in the first place as abnormal periods might just be down to hormone issues. All I can do is take ibuprofen and paracetamol together (usually 2 paracetamol then 2 hours later 2 ibuprofen so there's always something working while leaving the 4 hours between each drug).Original post by Ninat
Has anyone here had any similar experiences or can anyone offer any advice? I really don't know what to do!
my best mate passed out in school she was in so much pain, so she got given a couple different things to try including the pill + it seems to be working for her............ she's not missing school + passing out any more at least
veronica111
Anyway, ask your GP if it could be that, or also something called PMS
pms is pre menstaural tensions. I swear its just your emotions getting all screwed up coz of the hormone imbalance
My periods can be pretty bad but never consistently so bad I am physically incapacitated for more than a couple of hours. I think, from all the stories I hear, that doctors tend to rather brush off extreme period pain as normal. It isn't 'normal' to be in that much pain and they should be trying to find out if there is something more wrong - endometriosis for example.
My advice, go back to the doctors, or even see a different one, and insist on them checking every option properly. 2 weeks of illness is not right.
My advice, go back to the doctors, or even see a different one, and insist on them checking every option properly. 2 weeks of illness is not right.
I suffer from exactly the same thing. As well as all the symptoms you mentioned, I also get shooting pains down my legs and in my feet. It's just awful
But I just wont go on the pill so I know there is just no alternative to just bear it
I just keep dosed with pain killer and rest a lot. Not practical, but I haven't got much choice.
But I just wont go on the pill so I know there is just no alternative to just bear it
I just keep dosed with pain killer and rest a lot. Not practical, but I haven't got much choice.
Original post by Ninat
Ever since my periods started they have been unbearably painful. Whilst I was at uni/school I used to take time off which was bad enough but now that I am entering the working world I am unable to do this.
The annoying thing is that as well as lasting the length of my period, the pain can actually begin about a week before my period, so for almost 2 weeks of every month I am taking regular painkillers. My GP has given me strong painkillers. I was taking ibuprofen but it wasn't quite strong enough so now I'm on all sorts of random NSAIDS.
It's not only the pain though. Whilst on my period I get TERRIBLE diarrhea and wind. I also get nausea (on many occasions I have actually vomited). I also get hot flushes and dizziness.
My GP put me on the pill but it didn't help. So I was instructed to take 3-4 packs back-to-back to avoid having a period altogether. Whilst this provided relief for a few years, due to hormonal imbalance and side effects I had to stop.
Has anyone here had any similar experiences or can anyone offer any advice? I really don't know what to do!
The annoying thing is that as well as lasting the length of my period, the pain can actually begin about a week before my period, so for almost 2 weeks of every month I am taking regular painkillers. My GP has given me strong painkillers. I was taking ibuprofen but it wasn't quite strong enough so now I'm on all sorts of random NSAIDS.
It's not only the pain though. Whilst on my period I get TERRIBLE diarrhea and wind. I also get nausea (on many occasions I have actually vomited). I also get hot flushes and dizziness.
My GP put me on the pill but it didn't help. So I was instructed to take 3-4 packs back-to-back to avoid having a period altogether. Whilst this provided relief for a few years, due to hormonal imbalance and side effects I had to stop.
Has anyone here had any similar experiences or can anyone offer any advice? I really don't know what to do!
I had really bad period pain, and it used to devastate my life. I'd have time off, feel sick, and I'd literally just double over in pain. I can remember just lying there screaming from it lol. Oh and I turned into a megabitch as well lol. It would be like "Hi Ali!" "OMG JUST PISS OFF WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU LEAVE ME ALONE!". Haha, I'd also throw things at my walls and sit and cry for hours.
Luckily for me, the pill works, I take Loestrin 30, and I get a very light period for only a day, and I get hardly any pain, and no more extreme PMS thank God! Sometimes I run packs back to back, simply because it's so much more convienient. Have you tried other brands of the pill? I tried 2 others before picking this one.
If not, have you thought of trying the contraceptive injection?
Edit: I just thought of something else. Feminax (the naproxen ones), are absolutely brilliant. No other pain killers, including cocodamol, would touch it, but this literally erradicated it. I'd highly reccomend them.
(edited 13 years ago)
Original post by EmManzo
pms is pre menstaural tensions. I swear its just your emotions getting all screwed up coz of the hormone imbalance
Yeah but some people get physical side effects which the docs can treat properly
Original post by EmManzo
pms is pre menstaural tensions. I swear its just your emotions getting all screwed up coz of the hormone imbalance
pms is pre menstaural tensions. I swear its just your emotions getting all screwed up coz of the hormone imbalance
PMS actually stands for Pre Menstrual Syndrome - and can be in the form of physical, emotional or psychological effects.
feminax usually takes away the aching, depending on the severity of it
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