Awful Period Cramps?

Hey,

I'm a 17 y/o girl and for the past few years my period cramps have been getting steadily worse. For the last year or two, they have been agonising - to the point where I can barely walk during spasms and am crying in pain.

At first I used medications like paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.
Then I started using over-the-counter codeine products. That worked for a while and it would dull the pain enough to be able to go to school and study through it. I've also now been using naproxen too, which is like stronger ibuprofen on prescription (which I get for something else) but that doesn't really help either.

It's got to the point where even codeine doesn't make a difference and now I'm in so much pain and I don't know what to do...

I know I should go the Doctor's but whenever I'm not on my period, I convince myself it isn't that bad - but then the pain restarts and I'm stuck.

I have a GP appointment booked for a months time anyway so I'll talk about it then. Until then, does anyone have any advice for medications or products which can ease cramps?

Thanks

I had cramps so bad I would faint and vomit from the pain. I went on the pill, and 4 years later I've never looked back. It absolutely changed my life. I highly recommend trying the pill. The first one I went on, the combined pill, I had a bleed every month and the cramps were very mild, often not requiring any pain relief. I'm now on the mini pill and don't get periods any more which is absolutely perfect.

In the mean time, hot water bottles, massaging your back, hot baths or showers... heat is a good way of managing pain.

I have terrible cramps.

I used to have them much worse, they just dulled slightly over a few years. I remember passing out and throwing up all the time when I was on my period. It was horrible so I sympathize. I’ve been to the GP several times. The first time, they prescribed a stronger pain killer called something acid.

It didn’t do sh*t.

Then I tried 3 different types of pills.

They didn’t do much, one did amazing wonders but I wasn’t allowed to go on it after my GP only realised after a few months that my family history of blood clots meant I couldn’t be on it (not sure why he didn’t check beforehand but whatever).

Now I don’t do much. Lie at home with a hot water bottle and cry. It’s not much advice, I’ll probably go back and try another pill but they made my hair fall out and gain weight which is great

Thanks both for replying.

Unfortunately I can't take contraceptive pills because of other medications I'm on (for unrelated conditions).

I'm considering the contraceptive implants but it seems a bit drastic and I'm really awkward with my family - they don't even know I get period pain because I'm so awkward so I hide away or pretend to sleep or say it's a headache etc. but I wouldn't like to hide something like that...

Thanks both for replying.

Unfortunately I can't take contraceptive pills because of other medications I'm on (for unrelated conditions).

I'm considering the contraceptive implants but it seems a bit drastic and I'm really awkward with my family - they don't even know I get period pain because I'm so awkward so I hide away or pretend to sleep or say it's a headache etc. but I wouldn't like to hide something like that...

Can't you even take the progesterone only pill?

I understand in that I used to get WAY bad ovulation pain, and when I had it I knew the pill would stop it so should go on it, but after the pain passed I was like mehh.

Been on the pill for about a year and a half now though... no regrets. Also on the POP due to oestrogen intolerance.

They don't need to know though. It's not like you're hiding a huge secret, you're getting pain relief from awful pains.

They don't need to know. Some things don't need to be shared with family! Talk to your GP and they can advise what things are best to try out. The implant isn't permanent either so you can try it out and then have it removed if you decide you don't like it.

Thanks both for replying.

Unfortunately I can't take contraceptive pills because of other medications I'm on (for unrelated conditions).

I'm considering the contraceptive implants but it seems a bit drastic and I'm really awkward with my family - they don't even know I get period pain because I'm so awkward so I hide away or pretend to sleep or say it's a headache etc. but I wouldn't like to hide something like that...

Hey,

I'm a 17 y/o girl and for the past few years my period cramps have been getting steadily worse. For the last year or two, they have been agonising - to the point where I can barely walk during spasms and am crying in pain.

At first I used medications like paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.
Then I started using over-the-counter codeine products. That worked for a while and it would dull the pain enough to be able to go to school and study through it. I've also now been using naproxen too, which is like stronger ibuprofen on prescription (which I get for something else) but that doesn't really help either.

It's got to the point where even codeine doesn't make a difference and now I'm in so much pain and I don't know what to do...

I know I should go the Doctor's but whenever I'm not on my period, I convince myself it isn't that bad - but then the pain restarts and I'm stuck.

I have a GP appointment booked for a months time anyway so I'll talk about it then. Until then, does anyone have any advice for medications or products which can ease cramps?

Thanks

The first time, they prescribed a stronger pain killer called something acid.

they don't even know I get period pain because I'm so awkward so I hide away or pretend to sleep or say it's a headache etc.

Mefenamic acid


I think this is something to address from the start. 50% of the population will have periods at some point in their life. Talking about period pain is normal and fine. If you've had issues with eating disorders then keeping things secretive is not good. Sometimes its helpful to realise you're not going through things alone, and your family and friends can support you. That may help in itself.

If you are able to get the implant, why can't you try the mini pill? It's the same hormone.

I used to have what your having every month I couldn’t walk for the first Days of my period and I was screaming in pain nothing would help . Went to the doctors and the told me to take till pill called cerezett and told me I would stop me from having my periods but wouldn’t affect my fertility at all I’m loving being in the pill no pain nothing and no periods but if u missed a day of the pill h will have a period

If you've had issues with eating disorders then keeping things secretive is not good.

Update #1 (11//09/2019)
I had a doctor's appointment today (earlier than expected because there was a cancellation).

My doctor thinks I may have endometriosis, which I had considered beforehand but wasn't sure about. It's where the uterus lining grows outside of the uterus - e.g. on the ovaries, on the bowels, etc. which can be really painful and cause some of the symptoms I was experiencing. However, it's very difficult to diagnose (can only be confirmed by an operation I believe) and the treatments at first are the same as 'normal' period pain anyway so it doesn't make much difference atm.

The first course of action is to try Mefenamic Acid.
I didn't think I would be able to have this as I already take Naproxen (which is almost identical) for something else and (a) it doesn't work for my period pain and (b) it makes me feel really nauseous and I was going to be asked to be taken off it. However she's also prescribed me Omeprazole, a gastro-resistant drug which should reduce the amount of acid in my stomach so it shouldn't make me nauseous - and I'll just have to not take the Naproxen for my other conditions whilst I'm on my period.

I'm not that hopeful for this tbh because it's basically the same as Naproxen, which I already know does nothing for me, but I'm going to give it a go for 2-3 cycles. If that doesn't work, we're going to look into hormone treatments, but because of certain medications I'm already on and also because I get migraine with aura, I'm limited as to which ones I can use...

I’m currently being investigated for endometriosis. I found that mefanamic acid didn’t help

Yeah, I don't have high hopes for it either, but I'm hoping the hormonal treatments that I'll try afterwards will be more successful.

Which other treatments have you tried so far, or are you planning to try?