To be utterly fed up with period pain...

[Honesttodog]

But not to expect the GP to be able to do much about it?

I get random often night time and evening crampy pain about a week and a half before i get it. Maddening to be woken up by pain on such a regular basis. I just feel so angry that men swan about without having to consider it and certainly my DP cannot hurry home so I can sit around groaning every frogging month. Have taken some paracetamol but am really, really fed up.

[AnneLovesGilbert]

Sorry you have such a crappy time of it

Mefanamic acid is a life saver. Get it on prescription and you can take paracetamol at the same time.

Also see a different doctor. You shouldn't have to suffer and not have your GP try different things to help.

[MoMandaS]

Also try Magnesium OK supplement.

[Honesttodog]

Off to google the M acid

It's more of a general lack of faith in doctors to really lessen the impact of periods despite them affecting the quality of life of half the population.

[10storeylovesong]

You are definitely not U. I've been laid up on the couch all day in pain, and I also get intense tiredness so struggling to keep my eyes open. Dh just doesn't get it.

[timegate]

Yanbu at all. If men had period pains, a cure free of side effects would definitely have been found by now!

[CaptainHammer]

YANBU. I'm really suffering at the moment, the heat isn't helping either.

[nc123456]

They can do some stuff - I've had mefenamic acid, tranzexamic acid, two types of pill, northisterone, naproxen, diclofenac extended release, cocodamol and dihydrocodeine. Best I have found is 2 mefenamic acid 3 x a day, 2 tranzexamic acid 3 x a day and 2 15/500 cocodamol as needed.

Also had two years of the mirena, and possibly having a Jaydess fitted soon.

It's horrible though and I really do sympathise. I was just at gynae yesterday for similar problems (severe period pain and very heavy bleeding). Not nice at all and its very difficult to get people to understand. My GP seems to, but then she has fibroids and problems herself so I suppose she would! Gynae consultants on the other hand..

[SalemSaberhagen]

YANBU, and like PP says the heat magnifies it by a lot. I suffer badly too; I'm actually miscarrying at the moment (blighted ovum) and the pain and blood loss isn't a lot more than a usual period for me.

[Phineyj]

Have you actually pestered the GP to refer you to a gynae consultant for a proper check up? I suffered with this for years and it turned out I'd had endometriosis since my teens - I had two laser ablations (the endo grew back after I had a baby) - I now have a Mirena and it has been a miraculous improvement. I really wish I'd had it checked out properly in my teens and not just suffered.

[mirime]

I had terrible periods as a teenager, 5 weeks cycle, pain started 2 weeks before my period started and sometimes the pain was so bad I couldn't walk.

I still remember the conversation with my (male) GP after I went to see him to say the Mefanamic acid hadn't helped much and his reaction was complete disbelief. Etodolac worked better for me. Then I went on the pill and it reduced the pain to a much more manageable level.

[conkerpods]

I take magnesium too but the main thing that has been life changing for me is Starflower oil,1000mg a day EVERY day of the month.
If DD struggles with pain like I (and my Mum) have I shall get her some.
A few friends have also tried starflower oil and have had really good results too.
I still get he dragging feeling like my womb is about to pop out but I don't get the squits (sorry if TMI).

[KittensWithWeapons]

YANBU. It's fucking hideous. I've had times where I've been literally on the floor, screaming in pain. And I have a very high pain threshold. My GP, who is otherwise excellent, always just says 'go on the pill or get a mirena coil'. I don't want to be on the pill. I recently had a CT that showed free fluid in my pelvis. Hospital Doctor said it's possibly endometriosis, then referred me back to my GP. Who said... Go on the pill or get a mirena coil. Meanwhile I have hideous ovulation pains, have crippling period pains for about two weeks every month. So I get about one week, maybe 10 days every month when I'm pain free.

And yes, if men suffered period pain, it would be taken much more seriously

[GinBunny]

I was going to post on this earlier to say me too while I was lying on the bed cramping but fell asleep with my phone in my hand! It's all just awful, the pain, the hormonal mood swings, the floods, the awful tiredness. And I always get so hot as well which is making me an even more horrible sweaty mess in this heat
I've been talking to my various GPs about this since I was 14, I'm now 44 and apart from having some tests in my early 30s (which suggested infertility, I'm child free so guess they were right) no-one has given me any thing that would help. Nothing.

[KanyesVest]

I hear ya. I am exhausted but can't sleep, have horrible cramps and feel like my pelvis is falling out (thanks to my pregnancy with now 4yo). I can look forward to it all again when I ovulate. At least the boob pain has mysteriously decreased and merina means I'm not sitting on maternity pads. Must remember to buy starflower oil, thanks for the reminder, conker.

[Blacksheep78]

It's horrible isn't it. I've had 3 days off since April, and am finally on the waiting list for an ablation. Some days I just want to rip my uterus out myself. I'm not getting the sweats or mood changes though, so there is something to be grateful for..

, & all round.

[BoopTheSnoot]

YANBU. Before I had my children I used to get awful ovulation and period pain, to the point that all I could do was curl up in bed with a hot water bottle.
Please do visit your GP though, they may be able to help. They could refer you for investigation to find out why your pain is so bad, and prescribe you some pain relief if appropriate.

[NotYoda]

I had terribly painful periods

Mirena coil, and I haven't had a period for 13 years, Hurrah!

[Honesttodog]

Ok checking out starflower oil and thinking about seeing gp...

[imwithspud]

YANBU I used to get horrendous period pains that would leave me only just about to function in every day life although I would have rather have been huddled up in bed or on the sofa (and I did when I got the chance). I would also get very tired and nauseous. Nearly threw up on the shop floor at one of my previous jobs once, that was embarrassing.

They improved after my first and second child (not advocating having children as a cure) and now I'm on the implant whilst I still get cramps they are very mild and can be dealt with with some paracetamol and gentle massage of my lower abdomen.

I never went to my GP but I wish I did as I suffered for a long time and considering many people, family, employers, friends etc generally don't/didn't take period pain seriously it was never something I talked about. pushing through it and having to go to work etc just made the pain worse. So op do see your GP if you can, there are things they can and will do and your quality of life will improve immeasurably.

[OrangeSquashTallGlass]

1 in 10 women have endometriosis. It's so incredibly common yet so many women don't even know they have it. Slight cramping is acceptable, actual pain is not. To anyone with painful periods: Please see a GP and request a gyne referral. You don't have to suffer.

[Phineyj]

Unfortunately you do have to suffer unless you can afford to go private. The waiting lists are so long and diagnosis is woeful. I had over a year of treatment for stomach issues until anyone mentioned it could be endometriosis. However, I would strongly recommend seeing a gynae consultant privately if you can get the funds together. They will have seen it all before. Having the laser ablation and Mirena treatment changed my life! I am a teacher and all the running to the toilet was just impractical, plus my iron levels became extremely low (I was fortunate and wasn't in the pain people have described here).

[lljkk]

yanbu to have not even asked a doctor for help b4 moaning about it on MN.

[lljkk]

ha! I am an idiot (& MN should really have an edit button). I was trying to saying YABU. Oh well I should drink rather than read threads, anyway.