My monthly "ow"

[Marmalady]

Mine weren't too bad at first, but by the time I was 15 I'd spend the first two days feeling as if my stomach was trying to burrow out of me... I've known times when I would be physically sick, though often it would just be retching as I'd have not had anything to eat (because of feeling so wretched). I remember lying in bed, a hot water bottle held against my abdomen, and my mother saying "I don't know what else to suggest" to which I replied "How about a hysterectomy?" Because right then I could have done the op myself, just to be rid of the whole business.

Going on the pill helped dramatically, regulated the cycle and although I still got cramps they were nothing like as bad - I could still function. Nowadays I still get a bit of cramping, but little enough that a couple of paracetamol will do the trick. But I've noticed that since having my son, the actual period has changed from 6 - 7 days of 'light-moderate-light' it's now 3 - 4 days of 'moderate-heavy- heavy-light'

[cindybubbles]

Wow. Compared to you, the pain of my "ow" usually lasts 2-4 days (light/moderate-heavy-heavy-light/moderate), but it's so intense that I'm now typing this with two heated bean bags strapped to my tummy and back, and that's AFTER taking Midol. Since I have anemia, my "ow" drains me dramatically.

My mother is now going to book an appointment with my doctor for this and for my physical. She's also going to ask about The Pill.

[Bright_Star]

Midol helps keep the "cramps from hell" from being too nasty to endure.

[BeeMused]

When I still had my monthly "ow" I took ibuprofen and started to move, mostly on my stationary bike. That helped me against the cramps. Staying in bed or sitting around made things worse. During that time I felt like I was running with my hand break still on. I remember one time where I tried to walk fast and just couldn't.

The pill didn't do anything for me, but then I had my endometrium removed completely, no more bleeding, no more tampons + pad, changing almost hourly... I had a cyst at one of my ovaries too, since they had to poke around in my tummy anyway I had my tubes tied as well.
Eversince... no more cramping... That was 8 years ago, I should have done that earlier.

[AccountingDrone]

I once read a description in a shared world book of short stories that described it perfectly.

The demigod Tempus reached up the butt of a slave, grabbed a handful of guts, and pulled them out. I would modify that to slowly and twisting while pulling.

I adore my hysterectomy. It sucks I had to wait until I was almost 50 for it.

[raudf]

Before my first born, my cycle would be about as predictable as.. well, it wasn't. I could have periods one week a part or four weeks. While pain didn't have me falling over into a coma, the migraines I get right before starting would. And I had one day of moderate, then 5 days heavy and one light. By heavy, I mean, I could blow out extreme or overnight pads in a 4 hours, two on the ones with four weeks a part.

The first time I started, my thought was, "Oh, let me go into menopause now, please!" My Gyn at the time put me on birth control to help regulate it.. Oh, it was much easier when I could predict when I'd need my migraine meds and when I'd turn into a complete bitch. Oh, did I mention THAT side effect? I didn't? Oh, yes, my cycle was such that I would break down into tears or rage at the drop of a pin and with no reason at all! I hated it, because I had no control until the BC kicked in.

Now, after the first kiddo and gaining some weight, my periods have become more regular, less volatile and while I get migraines, the periods themselves are sensible. The mood swings are down to minor irritation, a bit snappish, but nothing like before. Now, if I could convince my OB/Gyn that it'd be a good idea to give me a partial hysterectomy...

[42_42_42]

Regular Midol contains caffeine. Guess what caffeine does? Yup! It makes cramps worse. An NSAID, such as ibuprofin (Advil/Motrin) or naproxen sodium (Aleve) or muscle relaxer works better for cramps. I find a hot water bottle or heating pad also helps a lot. Try to consume as little caffeine and salt during your menses as possible (smoking also makes cramps worse) and make sure to drink plenty of water and consume iron-rich foods, especially if you experience heavy bleeding.

That being said, if you're experiencing cramps or heavy flow to the point that it is really interfering with your life (and from what you said in the OP, you are), you really should see your doc and explain what's going on. In addition to the possibility of using birth control to help make your monthly's less of a torture, they'll conduct tests to make sure there's not something bad going on that's causing the problems.

[morgana]

Oh, Mother of All the Gods . . . Oh, I understand the pain, indeed I do.

I started having periods at age nine. No, that's not a typo. I have had cramps so bad you could see the movement of the uterus through my clothes. I have passed clots as large as my thumb. I have had pain that dropped me to the floor and made it quite literally impossible to move; as in, the muscles of my legs refused to function. I have had cycles as short as a week between flows and as long as nine weeks between, that lasted four days and that lasted eighteen. I have soaked a super-plus tampon in twenty minutes.

And my mother, who never had a cramp in her life, did not believe any of it. Nor did my (male) doctors, at least until attitudes started to change in the eighties.

And no, being a virgin doesn't make any difference; I had two husbands, a tubal ligation, and a miscarriage, and none of it changed the pain.

The pill was the greatest blessing ever created, until I found ibuprofen. Those and heat are the only things that ever helped at all.

Some women regret menopause. For me, it was salvation.

All that said, doctors understand better now. They're much more likely to take you seriously than any of mine did when I was young. Go see your doctor.

[telecom_goddess]

It's funny how having kids can change your cycle. When I was in high school I had cramps so bad I would rock back and forth and cry with pain. And it always started in the middle of the night. Once I had kids it got a lot better. Now that I'm approaching menopause and it's been almost 16 years since the last kid they are starting to get bad again. Not with the cramps so much but the PMS part. Boobs hurt beyond belief, I feel like crap, I eat like a pig cause I'm always hungry, etc. And they are still heavy as fuck.

Menopause can come ANY TIME NOW! I welcome it. I've been dealing with it for 34 years and I'm over it.

[scruff]

Quoth telecom_goddess

It's funny how having kids can change your cycle. *snip* Menopause can come ANY TIME NOW! I welcome it. I've been dealing with it for 34 years and I'm over it.

It's interesting how things just change over time. I've no kids, but my school experience sounds similar to yours. Although not middle of the night, almost always around 11am, it's the only civilised thing it does. :-)
It's a lot better now. I'm still PMSing, and ocasionally boobs feel like sore drumskins, and I'm looking forward to the menopause. Every other one is insanely heavy, but the alternate one is so light now it dosn't slow me down at all.
There's also a nice known side affect of stress, I can get so stressed I have no period for months, which if everything is chaos, it's nice to not have to deal with that as well! :-)
To the OP, yes, please do go to your doc, the pill and other things can help.