To take painkillers every month?

[BeanBoozled123]

I have namechanged because I'm going to be moaning about a friend who knows my usual MN name.

I have really awful periods, need super plus tampons and get horrendous cramps for the first day or two. I usually take painkillers because that's the only way I can function on those days. Yesterday, I was out with a friend and I needed to take some painkillers because the cramps were horrible.
My friend then proceeded to say it wasn't good for me to take painkillers every month and then banged on about her own periods which are apparently amazing. She seems to think it's super bad for me to take painkillers for it. AIBU to take them anyway?

What a ridiculous comment to make! The clue is in the name, if you're in pain you take a painkiller to get rid of it!

She'd have a field day with me, I have to take Morphine every day!

I can't use much anti inflammatory as I am asthmatic.
But I have fibroids and take a cocktail of all kinds of things to get me through my period.
She's a twat

Your friend can fuck off. I take painkillers every day. I struggle to get out of the house in the morning without them.

She'd be horrified with me too. I take codeine every day with the occasional diazapam for my back. I have horrible period pain so have to add paracetamol and naproxen to the rest for five days every month.

I have a friend a bit like this with medication, she gets nervous taking an antibiotic ten minutes early and asks if it's harmful.

Take the ibuprofen. Take it a few days before as pp said it helps reduce flow if that's a problem.

What an arse. I take painkillers most days for back pain, it usually ramps up first few days of my period also. I used to feel bad for taking so many painkillers but a doctor told me 'don't try and be a hero, take them if you need them'. It's quality of life isn't it? Do what you have to do to get through it.

Your friend is lucky and I used to get the same from my sister. Like it was some moral turpitude of mine rather than actual pain.

I needed three days on paracetamol every month. The first time I didn't even know it was a period, so not psychosomatic.

YANBU.

Another one who takes painkillers every day. Tell your friend to piss off- I'm all for better living through chemistry!

She's an ignorant unsympathetic arse!

I take diazepam and tramadol regularly for my disability, extra dosage at period.

Dd takes co-codamol regularly for her disability.

Is she too stupid to understand your body is NOT the same as hers?

My period pain is worse than my labour pains were. Does she have children? Is she as unsympathetic to them ? Did she have completely pain relief free natural births with them?

Has she had surgery without pain relief? Or even just dentistry? I doubt it! Has she NEVER taken pain relief for ANYTHING herself?

Ugh!

I'm not joking, I'd have told her to 'fuck off' - I have had terrible periods for nearly 30 years. Without painkillers I'd have missed more work than I care to calculate. She sounds like a pain - who would talk about their 'wonderful' periods to someone who obviously has a terrible time? Grrrrrr.

What an idiot. Wonder what her opinion is on people who take lifelong medication every day, such as anti-depressants? Does she think these people are weak? I have had such "opinions" directed at me.

I also take painkillers every day

I take several types daily!

Tell your friend to piss off. I have chronic pain after breaking my neck 10 years ago and this is the pain killers I take. Everyday.
2 x dihydrocodeine
8 x codeine
6 x paracetamol
4 x ibuprofen
I have done this for 5 years. My kidneys and liver are fine at the moment.
Once a month for 3 days is fine. Just because she enjoys her cycle doesn't mean you have to.

Most women take some painkillers when they get their period don't they? if they get period pain obviously, which lots of women do. I take painkillers - a hot water bottle or a hot bath is good for some relief but sometimes I need to leave the house and go to work and the only way I can manage that comfortably is painkillers. It's only a couple of days at a time.
Your friend is an idiot

I take regular doses of ibuprofen as it's reduces blood flow during period

Competitive martyring.

I don't understand this perspective. I've got a friend like this - like she thinks she going to immediately fall into a life of addiction by taking a couple of over the counter painkillers a month .

My view is, take them when you need them. That's what they're for. FWIW if I get a migraine, I can beat it back with two ibuprofen and two paracetamol and a lie down, but on the odd occasion I can't I take what I need. I'm not suffering because of someone else's daft opinion!

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I take ibuprofen as soon as my period starts whether I am in pain yet or not. If I don't within an hour or so I will be bent double in pain and probably retching and vomiting. I also turn an attractive shade of green. Tell her to get lost, periods have a different effect on everyone and some of us need painkillers to deal with that.

I've taken morphine for period pain before and been rushed to hospital with it several times now , periods can be hellish and they've ruined a lot for me unfortunately. Tell your friend to do one

I too have endometriosis I need to take codeine everyday and when it's at its worse I take diclofenac. Before i was diagnosed I took paracetamol and ibuprofen and occassionaly I had feminax. I'd ignore the person with non painful periods they don't have a clue

I get 3 days of nasty headaches just before/after I come on. I take paracetamol for those 3 days. Every month for 10+ years!

Your periods sound horrible, OP. You have my sympathies.

I take painkillers every month for a variety of reasons - headaches, muscle aches and pains and ovulation pain.

As long as you're not taking maximum dose every day and as long as it's for a couple of (or three) days once a month, or so, YANBU.

Your friend is talking out of her arse.

She's being an idiot

My periods aren't painful for me, but I take painkillers regularly for headaches. Using painkillers for a few days a month is hardly excessive.

My husband has to take strong painkillers every day, as do a lot of people. Of course it's better not to take them and in a perfect world nobody would have pain but that's life. Your friend sounds pretty ignorant

Why do some women think that you should not have painkillers for "women things" - whether it's period pains or labour pains.

I don't get period pains, but I do get hormonal headaches at times and I take ibuprofen. Oh and I eat a lot of soup and take magnesium daily too. I'm afraid neither are a panacea for pain.