How to make periods more bearable?

[Soddingepiphany]

I have always struggled with heavy painful periods but since having my son they are worse. I have been on contraception in the past but the moods swings were too much.

I am taking iron and multivitamins.

I get a bad stomach and the period pain even goes down my hips and legs, it's horrible and I feel like I need to stay layed up all day.

Are there any supplements I can try or maybe a contraception that isn't as likely to affect my mood?

[DontstepontheMomeRaths]

The mirena coil despite having progesterone in it lightened and then stopped my periods altogether and evened out my moods. I don't know if it's because it's absorbed slowly being in a coil in your womb but it was great. Until it slipped. I haven't had another one fitted yet but I'm thinking about it because I do not get along with the pill at all mini or combined.

Have you spoken to the GP?

[Soddingepiphany]

My GP last suggested a progesterone only pill but I was reluctant to take anything so soon after having my son, I just wanted to give my hormones time to settle. That was 2.5 years ago!

I have tried Yasmin in the past but found it was like having PMS all month long.

Maybe it's worth trying a progesterone only pill?

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

I winced in recognition re the pain going up and down your hips and legs; in my case the cause was endometriosis. Any pains that are cyclical in nature and or get worse up to and including menses should be further investigated to see if endometriosis is the cause.

Do not put up with heavy and painful periods because its not normal; seek proper answers as to why this is happening. I now take a progesterone only pill as well.

You should visit the GP and ask for a referral to a gynaecologist. Do not take no for an answer. This issue is outside a GPs remit and iron and other vitamin tablets do not really help or address the cause. I would in the meantime keep a daily pain and symptom diary noting all symptoms.

[SpuriouserAndSpuriouser]

I would go back to your GP. You don't have to put up with awful periods when there are things that can be done.

That said I take evening primrose oil for my periods and although it is completely not evidence-based and is probably just the placebo effect in action, I find it helps. You can buy it in capsules from Holland and Barrett if that's something you want to try. I would push for a referral though.

[sparechange]

Are you a healthy weight?

I find my already awful periods get a lot worse when I'm carrying too much weight
Losing some makes a huge difference

[Soddingepiphany]

Thank you for the responses, I've tried evening primrose oil in the past but it made me very irritable (incredible hulk kind of irritable)!

The pain is only for the first day and eases if I stay off my feet which is why I hadn't considered endometriosis?

Thankfully (because I eat more chocolate than should be humanly possible when I have PMS) my weight never goes above 10 and a half stone.

I will go to my GP, I have discussed heavy periods with an old doctor (he wasn't helpful) but it appears my new doctor is actually really nice and helpful.

Bad PMS and heavy periods seems to run in my family so hopefully it's as simple as going on a progesterone contraceptive.

[Loosemoose28]

Agree push for investigation.

Really recently been diagnosed with endometrosis via laparoscopy. It was kind of a relief to know what was going on with my body. Never been overly heavy but the pain is hidous. Crawling between a warm bath and the loo, being vomiting, fainting. I got the leg pin two, well made my thighs numb and heavy. I was starting to feel pain regardless of cycle which is. Then in Dec I had a 18day period and sat in the GP and burst into tears. I then got referred. But had years of being swapped pills and told its normal

You could google a Endometrosis friendly diet which is basically a gluten free, no processed diet as this can helo apparantly.