What's your PMS uterus-numbing agent of choice?

[DJ]

Originally Posted by AllisonB

No kidding! I have terrible pain the first full day of my period. I had an ablation a few years ago and have very little flow, but the pain was sending me to bed moaning. One day, I decided to try one of my husband's Vicodin. Voile - no more pain. Of course, I slept for 8 hours, but it was a fair trade off.

This summer I don't know WHAT happened but I had the worst cramps I've had in YEARS, and mine are pretty bad. Even my Vicodin didn't touch it. I stayed in bed most of the day and just slept away what I could. It was horrible.

I wound up getting Advil liquigels and am feeling better now.

[murray6789]

What I want is something to quell the insane, insatiable hunger I get right before my period. I will go from being totally in control and happy with the kinds of food I am eating and the amounts in which I am eating them to being a bottomless pit. Someone invent something for that, please.

[kiwi]

Originally Posted by AllisonB

No kidding! I have terrible pain the first full day of my period. I had an ablation a few years ago and have very little flow, but the pain was sending me to bed moaning. One day, I decided to try one of my husband's Vicodin. Voile - no more pain. Of course, I slept for 8 hours, but it was a fair trade off.

I'm jealous! I had a few Vicodin sitting around and was forced to try one a few months ago, when my pain (cramps) was so bad I thought I was going to end up in the ER. It did nothing! Aleve did nothing (thought I would try it since I don't usually use it), Vicodin did nothing, the only thing that eventually helped was Advil.

[Crazy Cat]

The last year I had a period, nothing worked! I was having 2 periods a month and cramps the whole month. Finally talked the doctor into a hysterectomy when I hit 40.
The best thing I found was Aleve, maximum dose, start taking it before the cramps start. Aleve/Advil work better at blocking pain then trying to stop it once it's already started.

[SuzanneM]

3 Advil stat.

[Acor]

Originally Posted by bee_a_queen

Seriously. Not kidding. Believe me. I teach high school Biology so for whatever reason I am CONSTANTLY having discussions about periods with individual girls, not necessarily a whole class of kids. I always preface the conversation with I am not a dr and do not give medical advice. But... TUMS!

Thanks for the idea! I usually don't get cramps, but my daughter does, so I'll have to pick up some Tums for her to give it a try next time.

[lkim]

Originally Posted by KeirasMom

Chardonnay.

That. Beat me to it. No Advil or aspirin here. I am allergic and stop breathing.

[Kris T.]

Originally Posted by bee_a_queen

Seriously. Not kidding. Believe me. I teach high school Biology so for whatever reason I am CONSTANTLY having discussions about periods with individual girls, not necessarily a whole class of kids. I always preface the conversation with I am not a dr and do not give medical advice. But... TUMS!

Wow! How many?

[bee_a_queen]

Originally Posted by Kris T.

Wow! How many?

I always would start out with three and add as needed. It is just calcium.

[Kris T.]

Thanks! I always try to limit Advil so definitely will try this.

[Kris T.]

LOL - I know better than to mention SEX in a post..it gets pulled. However, my answer would be 'as many as it takes'.

[Magicsmom]

Originally Posted by Jennyl

I totally agree! I had an ultrasound and my uterus is fine. But my periods cause me so much grief. I never know when it's going to come, sometimes it's once every 6 weeks, sometimes it's once every two weeks.... I never know how long it will last... Sometimes it lasts 5 days, sometimes 15 days.

hate it...maybe I'll ask my doctor about a hysterectomy. I doubt she would agree to it.

I had several ultrasounds that showed my uterus was "fine", but when they took it out, it was full of fibroids. And my ovaries had so many ruptured cysts, they looked like they'd been through a war.

[Jennyl]

why did they give you a hysterectomy Terry? I mean, what were your symptoms and everything that led up to the operation?

[NurseMommy]

My doc just prescribed something called Ponstyl. Miracle in a bottle!

[Magicsmom]

Originally Posted by Jennyl

why did they give you a hysterectomy Terry? I mean, what were your symptoms and everything that led up to the operation?

Painful intercourse, painful and heavy periods, pain in between periods. They gave me a couple of D&C's also. I had already gone through menopause, and they were forcing periods by giving me progesterone. This was during the time when they were just talking about ablation. The pain was just horrible. I can remember once being doubled up in pain at my desk at work and a coworker saw me in that position. She looked mortified! I think that was a couple of weeks before my surgery.

[zagnut]

Hysterectomy for sure I told my doc I couldn't take it any more, actually went in to see about ablation and he said I should just have a hyst. because the fibroids would just get worse.
But if hyst is not an option, ask about the ablation procedure, I think it's an In-office thing? I didn't study up on it much because once he suggested the hysterectomy, I said do it now lol

[Melrose]

I am past the point of periods but when I had them, I never had problems with pain, but I was a raving, hormonal witch and was put on prozac for PMMD or was it PDMM -- whatever the syndrome is that I could kill someone.

So, do those of you that have horrible periods do you have endometriosis? I know my sister years ago had horrible pain but she had endometriosis which apparently makes everything worse.

[Queen Mab]

There is a homeopathic remedy that is great for any type of muscle cramping or spasm pain. The name of the remedy is Spascupreel Tablets and it's made by Heel.

As printed on the label...

For the temporary relief of

Muscle spasms
Abdominal cramps
Menstrual cramps
Spasmodic cough
Intestinal colic

This stuff really works. I always make sure I have a bottle in the cabinet.

Google it, you can order it online.

[PaminKY]

Originally Posted by BitsyMay

600mg Advil, one of those stick on heated wraps placed on the abdomen and a block of dark chocolate

I second the dark chocolate. Read that somewhere and tried it and was surprised that it worked and I love dark chocolate. I just hold a piece in my mouth and let it melt and the pains just ease away.

[Kris T.]

Oh yum..that's a Rx I'll gladly take!

[Magicsmom]

Originally Posted by Melrose

I am past the point of periods but when I had them, I never had problems with pain, but I was a raving, hormonal witch and was put on prozac for PMMD or was it PDMM -- whatever the syndrome is that I could kill someone.

So, do those of you that have horrible periods do you have endometriosis? I know my sister years ago had horrible pain but she had endometriosis which apparently makes everything worse.

I didn't have endometriosis, but I had PCOS. It's equally as painful.

[LadyKT]

Originally Posted by Melrose

I am past the point of periods but when I had them, I never had problems with pain, but I was a raving, hormonal witch and was put on prozac for PMMD or was it PDMM -- whatever the syndrome is that I could kill someone.

PMDD I'm with you on that Melrose - I never really got pain, more or less a burning but not "painful"....but bleeding? Oh god i looked like Carrie on prom night EVERY SINGLE MONTH. I'm currently on Beyaz, which interestingly enough has completely stopped my periods. No spotting or anything! Even more ironic, being on any sort of BC would absolutely kill the libido and turn me into a raging beeeeetch. Not these. Lemme tell ya, i'm climbing the walls here with super libido eep!

[joy2c]

Don't laugh but for me a BIG bowl of hot oatmeal works wonders. I even did an experiment--yes, I was cramping, check. Made the BIG bowl of oatmeal and chowed down. Was, I still cramping? Uhm, NO! All better. So it's really not a craving--it's an actual fix, at least for a while. I think it warms you up from the inside out, plus it fills you up. Two cups of cooked oatmeal is like 300 calories--a real bargain compared to a tummy full of chocolate chip cookie calories!

Try oatmeal for dinner and then toodle off to bed while still full.

joy

[Queen Mab]

And let's not forget about a nice, warm soak in an epsom salt bath.

I also use a magnesium "oil" spray. And the spray is not really an oil, it just feels that way because it's such a high concentration (100% pure, super concentrated solution) of magnesium.

Spray it directly onto any aches and pains, or crampy areas and rub it in. It also works great for those middle of the night, jump out of bed screaming, foot and leg cramps. Relief is pretty much within minutes. Usually five, tops.

The brand I use is Life-flo Pure Magnesium Oil.

[codysmom]

Originally Posted by greybb1

LOL!

I had mine removed because I had cysts in and around my uterus. One of them, to quote the doctor, was "as big as a babys head"

I asked him to put it in a jar and save it for me, or at least take a picture. I really wanted to see it! When I asked for the picture later, he said "Uhh. The camera broke."

The story doesn't end there! A year or two later I'm sitting in his office after an exam and he tells me this story about how one crazy lady wanted a picture of it! I embarrassed him (on purpose) by telling him I was that crazy lady.

Wow! A was in the waiting room while a friend was in surgery for a hysterectomy. The doctor came out with several pictures for us to look at! It was amazing, and completely unexpected.

[AllisonB]

My ablation was in the hospital, but outpatient. It saved my sanity.

[Arctic_Mama]

Sex helps immensely. I find it soothing physiologically as well as helpful with the hormones. Adequate supplementation of b vitamins is also crucial, I have had almost no premenstrual issues since beginning a higher quality supplement regimen.

[cammie]

I have endometriosis. The only thing that helps is Nurofen Plus (ibuprofen + codeine). I'm still grumbling that at my age I should NOT be dealing with this crap any more!

[MerryKate]

For a more natural alternative, Cramp Bark and Valerian also work wonders for cramps. I usually take ibuprofen as well, but it takes all three in combination to do the trick.