I hate when it's a bad one... (WARNING: GIRLY ISSUES AHEAD!)

[lupo pazzesco]

So, I'm on the pill, as a form of hormone therapy and regulation control. Without it, life is horrendous. I'm trying not to go into too much detail, but sufficient background is needed, I think. So, without the pill, I'd cycle twice a month, have horrendous mood swings, and be in such excruciating pain, that it wasn't uncommon for me to pass out or vomit from it. With the pill, I have something along the lines of what is considered a "normal" cycle, and thus "normal" symptoms. Occasionally, though, despite the pill, I'll still have bad months, and this is turning out to be one of them.

I was on the phone with my mom a short while ago, and she and my sister were apparently playing a game, that I'd interrupted. We chatted for a bit, but then I got the feeling that I was being pushed off the phone, so they could continue gameplay. I said it was no problem, that I was just needing a few bits of info, and sorry to interrupt. Mom wanted to know what was wrong because, in that eerie mom way of hers, she said I sounded unhappy.

And I burst into tears. Which of course did NOTHING to reassure her that I'm ok. At all.


I guess I got hit with a wave of homesickness. I miss my mommy. I still miss my grandpa, and I want to see my grandma. It's hard to believe grandpa's been gone for a month and a half by now. And it hits really hard sometimes that I'm never going to be able to talk to him again. I also felt like I was an intruder on the phone with my own mother, who sounded like she had better things to do than talk to me. Logically, I know this is the furthest from the truth, but I couldn't help but feel that way, especially when the end of our phone call was her telling me she needed to go take her turn on the game, and that I should go get some sleep and have a good night.

so, I guess the point of this is just a mini rant of sorts, that I greatly dislike being female at the moment. I hurt, I'm weepy and can't stop leaking tears, and if someone were to wave a cookie under my nose at the moment, I'm pretty sure I'd eat their whole damn arm.

It sucks. And I'm really really tired, but can't sleep, so I'm about to take a melatonin tablet to see if that'll help. I'm also seriously wishing I had a heating pad, because it'd hopefully quell that cast of Riverdance that seems to have taken up residence on my uterus. Uck.

Ok, done ranting now, I promise. Thanks for letting me whimper all over the place. I'm gonna go cry in my pillow for a bit until the melatonin (hopefully) takes effect. Good night.

[Evil Queen]

*puts a cookie on the end of a spatula and offers it to Lupo*

[Buglady]

*cheesy Internet hug for Lupo*

*puts on chainmail gauntlet and offers cookies*

*gets heating pad and a purring cat for sore bits*

I sympathise! I used to have horrendous cramps etcetera. Luckily things eased up when I got into my thirties. I don't know if it was age, or if the cycling I took up at the same time kind of thwacked my system into better behaviour, but I'm thankful whichever way.

Tomorrow, get yourself a cup of nice hot coffee with lots of cream and sugar (even if you don't normally take them). Take some Advil or Motrin at the same time. The combination should help the cramps quite a lot - caffeine potentiates most painkillers, and it has effects on neurotransmitters in the brain that have to do with mood and with pain perception.

Then see if you can get some time for a little walk, bike ride, or a couple of trips up and down the stairs (slowly). I know it's the absolute last thing you want to do but trust me, it will cue your body to give you some endorphins and it will also help to ease some of the muscles that are spasming in your back and pelvis.

Third, and this sounds ridiculous, I know, but bear with me - meditate a little bit. Sit somewhere comfy, with your eyes closed or looking at a candle flame, and breathe deep into your lungs and belly; try to clear your thoughts by allowing them to come to the surface and then pass by, like fish in a pond. Think about each part of your body and imagine it becoming heavier and more relaxed. Let your awareness go to the pain and just consider it. Don't think about how bad it is or anything negative, just be aware of the pain and of the structures of your uterus and pelvis. Feel the blood that circulates and the heaviness inside your body. Sit with this awareness for a few breaths, just accepting the way your body is feeling right now. Still breathing slowly and deeply, turn your awareness back to the extremities of your body. Wiggle your toes and fingers gently, then circle your hands and feet to wake up those joints. Experiment with tensing and releasing your large muscles briefly. Feel the different sensations in your limbs as you do this. Breathe deeply, letting your awareness follow that breath into your lungs, into your body, and out to your finger and toe tips. Breathe again, bringing a ball of warm light and energy into your core. Finally, open your eyes and appreciate the beauty of the room around you. Take a little inventory of your body. Does it feel different?

It is amazing how often a brief meditation can allow pains to clear, or to settle to a manageable level. It's like the pain is a noisy child that yells louder and louder until you acknowledge it - sometimes it has an important messgae (go to hospital! Now!) and sometimes it just needs you to hear it to make sure you're still there.

[Evil Queen]

Uh... Lupo can't have anything with caffeine (which means no coffee unless it's decaf and no chocolate unless it's white). Otherwise she gets sick and has seizures.

Warm cinnamon rolls might be nice for Lupos, yes?

[Buglady]

Oh! Oh dear. No, no coffee then. Hmm. Luckily, I have a Pharmacology final exam on Saturday!

Er. Well. I did find another substance that has been used historically for menstrual cramps and pain relief. Unfortunately it's not exactly legal. Very effective, apparently, but, alas - not legal.

More cookies?

[ArcticChicken]

I don't remember if I've suggested this before, but calcium and magnesium seem to help the pain killers along when I have bad cramps. They're not nearly as nasty as yours, but...

I'll second the meditation thing. While I've never meditated for pain, it can really help my mood.

In the meantime I'm sending you intarwebz hugs, and cookies. Lots of cookies.

[goldaries13]

I feel you, Lupo. I used to get that way, too. Before the pill, I was an angry bitch with cramps and exhaustion, and after the pill, I was a weepy bitch, but I had no cramps and a lot more energy. Eventually I just said the hell with it and started the depo shot.

Estroven has an herbal PMS supplement(it doesn't appear to have caffeine) that might help.

[RootedPhoenix]

*hugs* I get where you're coming from, Lupo. My cramps are so bad that I've scared my best friend with how much I was hurting.

I too do not appreciate being female when all of this happens.

Caffiene causes me trouble too, just different trouble. So I can't use caffiene as a remedy either.

For me, drinking a lot of water helps. Also, Hatha yoga has helped me a ton. There are certain postures that are pointedly to ease the pain of one's period. These help immensely. I cannot say enough good things about how awesome it is to find my body not in knots after some of those postures. For me, it cuts the pain itself from 8 to about 3. It keeps the pain away for a bit too, probably because it helps with the spasming of muscles, like someone else said exercise does.

And exercise is good stuff too. I'm just such a zombie on my period that it's really hard to do much of that.

I hope you feel better, Lupo.

[fireheart]

*sends intrawebz hugs*

I know how you feel Lupo. Although if you don't mind me asking, if you're still getting bad swings, unless the doctor advised it was normal, have you perhaps asked about going on a different medication?

[lupo pazzesco]

Yay for EQ cookies.

Oh! Oh dear. No, no coffee then.

No, no coffee for me. For the most part, it doesn't bother me much, but there are times when, knowing that it's a good accelerant for painkillers, I really wish I could have it! My doctor advises large doses of Advil or Motrin, and actually prescribed 800 mg Motrin for me to take. It helps a little.

I don't remember if I've suggested this before, but calcium and magnesium seem to help the pain killers along when I have bad cramps.

I'll second the meditation thing. While I've never meditated for pain, it can really help my mood.

I'll have to look into the calcium/magnesium angle. Thanks. And I do meditate. Sometimes. But it's been a long time since I've actually taken the time to. I may need to start up again, just for my ow benefits, not just for the monthly horror.

I feel you, Lupo.

Estroven has an herbal PMS supplement(it doesn't appear to have caffeine) that might help.

Yeah, before the pill I was unbearable to be around. Now, I just get tolerated a lot easier. I can't do depo, though. I have to be on a really high dose of estrogen no the pill. (We're talking about 45 mcg compared to the standard 15-30...) That and with the weight gain issues that have cropped up with family members who went on the shot? Urg. Not for me. But it'd be nice.

Caffiene causes me trouble too, just different trouble. So I can't use caffiene as a remedy either.

For me, drinking a lot of water helps. Also, Hatha yoga has helped me a ton. There are certain postures that are pointedly to ease the pain of one's period. These help immensely.

And exercise is good stuff too. I'm just such a zombie on my period that it's really hard to do much of that.

I hope you feel better, Lupo.

Yay, someone else that caffeine hates! (not to sound celebratory, but it's nice to know I'm not the only odd one in that regard, even if it does stem different symptoms. I don't do yoga, though I've been wanting to try it. I just never could find a class that I'd be comfortable in, and it's the kind of thing I wouldn't want to learn from a DVD. Too afraid I'd botch a position and hurt myself. With me that's extremely likely.

And despite feeling like uber-bitch in pain, I HAVE worked out everyday this week, pretty much. (Not an actual workout on Tuesday, but I met EQ and we wandered around. A LOT. According to my pedometer between that and just going to work, I walked over 3.5 miles...) I'm proud of myself in that aspect, but yes, it's very hard to get motivated. Took me over an hour yesterday to talk myself into doing 25 minutes of pilates, and then some cardio work with hand weights.

I know how you feel Lupo. Although if you don't mind me asking, if you're still getting bad swings, unless the doctor advised it was normal, have you perhaps asked about going on a different medication?

<Hugs back> Thanks, hun. And actually, the bad swings is really rare. For the most part, I only get a few mild cramps on the first day, and maybe the occasional weepy period. There are just some months that are really bad, and go back to being almost as painful as it was without the pill. My doctor says that's fairly normal, since no treatment is perfect. That and she doesn't want to put my on any higher of a dosage if possible because I'm already on a high range.



Thanks for all the hugs and sympathy guys. Made me very happy this morning! Always a nice way to start the day! And now off to shower and get ready for said day. Buh. Stats class. <Twitch twitch>

[Evil Queen]

Large doses of sugar tends to help me. That's why I generally crave pastry items when I'm PMSing.

Magnesium and Calcium both help DataJager's legs when he's in pain.

[AccountingDrone]

Yeah, before the pill I was unbearable to be around. Now, I just get tolerated a lot easier. I can't do depo, though. I have to be on a really high dose of estrogen no the pill. (We're talking about 45 mcg compared to the standard 15-30...) That and with the weight gain issues that have cropped up with family members who went on the shot? Urg. Not for me. But it'd be nice.

Norethindrone, 20 mG/day. Stops the damned period in its little red tracks. I get it because if I have anything resembling normal BC, I swing between totally skipping months or bleeding out for extended weeks and labor quality cramps.

On the plus side of a consult for an elective hysterectomy to stop it totally [if I havent popped a sprog out of my cootchie by 48, I*think* it might be safe to say that I never plan on popping out a sprog ...] when my doc did an ultra sound to see if she could go in through the cootchie or had to do it laparoscopically, she discovered a 4 cm mass on my left ovary ... I would hate to find out about it either when it exploded on its own or turned violently cancerous and metastesized all over the place I did the cance thing once before, and I really dont want to do it again ..

[tropicsgoddess]

Here's plenty of white chocolate and , lupo.

[blas]

After a period that went on for several months straight with barely a break snuck in, I went to the doctor and got on the Depo shot when I was 17. I can honestly say that I have never had a period of any kind or anything heavier than very light spotting in 5 years.

It has been the best 5 years of my life.

Sure, Depo is controversial and has the worst side effects of probably any birth control. I have to exercise every day and take calcium supliments....but I figure even if I wasn't on Depo, I'd need to be regularly exercising anyway.

Talk all the shit you want about Depo Provera, but it helped stop me from being a slave to my own body.

[Evil Queen]

I haven't heard anything bad about the Depo shot. Of course, I haven't gone looking for the bad stuff either.

My now-ex-roommate's girlfriend (Duckies4becca, she's a member here) is on the Depo. She's always singing praises about it. Wish I could be on it but I don't make enough money for it. Oh well. I like my Ortho Try-Cyclen.