Tenth thread on this topic. But fuck me the pain?

[DameIfYouDo]

I have a period. Cry me a river. God help me.
But AIBU to not fucking be able to cope with the pain?
Why the fuck do we need to take Nurofen and Paracetamol every fucking month?
Who the fuck died and decided ok, let's torture women for the rest of their lives.
I can't figure out why it could be biologically acceptable.
Bare with me. I'm in pain. Ignore my rantings.

Had a d&c, scans, tests and nada

Yes, but the OP has apparently had none of those.

Yes it is normal!

It isn't "normal" insofar as the number of women who have that level of pain with no apparently medical cause is small. A good number have that level of pain with a diagnosed problem and lots have a fair bit of pain that is able to be dealt with. However, it's not "normal" to deal with that level of pain without seeking medical advice to rule anything else. I don't think anyone is saying that women don't experience that kind of pain.

You're right of course that the inconvenience and pain of periods is a big part of what defines being a woman, and it's not as simple as deciding not to have them, because all the birth control methods which sto, limit or reduce periods are dangerous to some extent, and have side effects. This is unfair and there's nothing wrong with saying so despite the fact that there's no solution.

On another note it's true that not everyone's periods are the same, some women who are lucky not to suffer much and women who can use the coil/ other hormonal contraception without noticing negative side effects can be utterly lacking in empathy and disbelieving of women who have a harder time, sometimes more so than some men. It can be like the "I did the 10 mile school run by skateboard then hosted a a dinner party for the extended family on both sides with my newborn triplets strapped to my back and my 3 year old balanced on my head 30 seconds after a crash section, so I don't know why some women make such a fuss about needing to rest after child birth" posters who jump on threads where women are worrying about coping in the immediate post partum period.

Periods and reactions to hormonal birth control don't always remain the same either - mine were fairly easy and I also used hormonal contraception without problems outside of ttc, pregnancy and breastfeeding til my late 30s, but then I started getting very frequent heavy mid cycle bleeds and periods became heavy and painful. Stopping hormonal contraception stopped the mid cycle bleeds but in my mid 40s I have horrendous heavy painful periods the like of which is never known in my teens, 20s or 30s.

Women should talk about it more, especially about the fact people's experiences vary so much, and about warning signs that something isn't right/ normal.

I suffer horribly, absolutely unbearable pain. I've seen the GP many times over the years and there's nothing wrong. I've now got 30/500mg cocodamol on prescription and that does help, also peppermint tea helped last week, i was in so much pain I was googling to look for suggestions wne that came up so I tried it and the cramps did ease within the next 20 mins but I don't know if they were about to ease anyway! Feel better soon

YANBU it can be utterly horrific, painful beyond all reason. I find mefenamic acid helps me but only to a degree. I also have a tens machine which works a bit. You have all my sympathy, it’s so awful

My period pains have always been excruciating, with clots the size of pennies; not to mention the d&v which always accompanies it. I'm not allowed to take ibuprofen because of my asthma.

On the plus side, I have developed an excellent pain tolerance - after my c-section I just took paracetamol for a couple of days in hospital, was on my feet and walking around as soon as I could move my legs again. Same with a bowel resection last year, I just powered through. The pain of major surgery, second degree burns to the face and chest, broken bones etc, is nothing compared to what I feel every month.

They have checked, there's nothing wrong with me (except for a little bit of endo in my knee which has always been irritating.) Swimming is the best relief for me!

for OP

@Willow2017 I think the answer should be ‘it COULD be normal’.

For some women, me included, shocking periods are just the way it is. BUT the OP should go to their GP to 1. be reassured it isn’t anything more that requires or would respond to treatment, and 2. seek possible alternative pain reliefs to OTC medications.

Then, if nothing can be done she at least knows that she’s not suffering needlessly.

A friend of mine suffered terrible period pain for years, even after seeing their GP, but eventually was diagnosed with widespread endometriosis which resulted in a hysterectomy. She said the relief of no longer suffering was worth the complications of the hysterectomy.

It just needs checking out to be sure, even if the end result is, tough luck!

Similarly, my son had bad acne despite good hygiene, and was told tough luck you’re a teenager it goes with the territory.

But, I didn’t accept that and saw his GP who prescribed a simple cream and he now has beautiful clear skin with none of the scarring that would have lased a lifetime. He also avoided the trauma that goes with years of being teased for being spotty.

It just doesn’t hurt to ask, you ever know there could be something simple that could be a game changer.

I actually really feel your pain at the moment!

For 4 days in every month I cannot work - I can barely get out of bed.

My period pains are so bad it affects my bowels aswell so everytime I have a cramp by body thinks I need the loo and off I run to the toilet... its truly awful.

I have adenomyosis and endometriosis. They can't operate as it's so close to my bowel but I'm welcome to take the risk if I want a chance of having a colostomy bag.

I used to have mefanemic acid which was brilliant - it really helped but then I developed a really bad allergy to it so now its back to maximum doses of pain killers and tens machines, hot water bottles and baths.

As an added bonus this month I have a ruptured ovarian cyst! And fucking codeine is now fucking prescription only in Australia and do you think I can getting a fucking prescription? Can I fuck. My pain is being "managed" with nurofen, naproxen, paracetamol. Except it isn't

You can get otc diclofenac in Oz though

Haven't read the whole thread but I found the implant helped control the pain from my periods. Made them lighter too. But your pain sounds maybe worse than mine, I would say see a doctor. That's what they are for. They can give you stronger painkillers too if that's all that's needed.

I feel your pain op and I did a thread on this myself this morning.

I called the docs in the end and the receptionist was a total cow and said "right so you need a doctors appointment for a period".

She was horrible but I saw the doc and they were absolutely lovely and prescribed some decent medication. Already seems to have kicked in and I have stopped vomiting.

It's shit that we have to go through this though

I used to have painful periods and a (know it all) lady at work said it was due to my iron levels being low - apparently if this is the case, then it means you feel the pain of the lining of your womb tearing away more. No idea if she was completely barking up the wrong tree or if there was a semblance of truth in it - just to be sure I did start taking iron tablets and yes, the pain did lessen., But it could have been a coincidence

a period normally gives mild cramping. Fuck off. Your period gives mild cramping. Mine is excruciating.

OP, painkillers, hot bath, hot water bottle, distraction (tv), lots of contortions/twisting/pacing etc. Apparently exercise helps (adrenaline) but its up to you whats worse

@snowie01, this is not the article I read recently (that one focussed on the reasons behind the 7 day break being recommended in the first place) but seems to be behind it.

www.gponline.com/contraceptive-pill-seven-day-breaks-outdated-says-family-planning-expert/contraception/article/1447513

So many women are dismissive of the experiences of others.

It’s not as simple as saying periods either cause mild cramping or there’s something ‘wrong’. My pain is anything but mild (I can’t stand up when in the grip of it) but I’ve had the full suite of tests and investigations and there’s nothing wrong with me. I just experience an incredibly high level of pain.

And for those saying OP can’t conplain if she hasn’t had those investigations, it’s not as straightforward as that. The tests were invasive and sometimes painful, there was lots of worry and uncertainty involved, it affected my life insurance, it meant time off work, and at the end of it all I - like thousands of other women - was told there is no identifiable reason for my pain. So it’s easy to just tell women to seek a gynaecological referral, but the reality is you’re absolutely not guaranteed (or even likely) to get a diagnosis from it, and it will be a very invasive and time consuming process.

I found Buscopan helpful with period pains.

But not as instantly helpful as an orgasm. Which I appreciate is not exactly practical in the middle of the working day. It's counter-intuitive but, if you can face it, it really really helps.

I used have horrendous period pain, all round my back, down my thighs. It'd be doubled over at work trying to breathe through it sometimes and for the first 3 days it was just flooding, awful awful.

Buscopan really helped alongside paracetamol/nurofen. The only reason I'm not sore now is because I have the mirena, which I see that you cant have, and I don't have periods now. Its the only contraceptive that's worked for me.

I totally sympathise, it's awful. Hope you find something that works for you.

I have the same. I thought it was normal. I was scared to go to the doctors in case I wasted their time.

Eventually I went because of fertility problems. GP told me period pain (which painkillers can’t touch and which kept me up crying at night) was normal. Gynae told me 2x the same. I posted on here and was told this is not normal and to push for more investigations.

I pushed it with gynae and had a lap 2 weeks ago. I have endometriosis, some mild that they lasered off and some that is going to be very difficult to remove. I feel so so much better having a diagnosis, even though I’m still in pain. I feel justified and no longer think I’m just “weak”. There might be a solution but even if not at least I have some answers.

If I were you OP I would push this til you get some too.

Note to self, don't try and distract OP with humour, it didn't go well for NutElla.......

Haha I am relieved to see someone's got a sense of humour around here!

Love NutElla's comment!

Thank you. Can you believe it got deleted?!!

I’ve delivered a baby weighing well over 9lbs with only gas and air for pain relief.... my periods hurt much more than that did! Ive never had any investigation - just told that it is the way it is, tough basically.

I feel for you OP but, in my experience, the medical profession couldn’t care less about period pain.

Haven’t had a period for a couple of months now (Getting on a bit) so enjoying being pain free....

If it's a choice between the period of August 99, Christmas 2006, June 2007 or my 10 hour back to back labour with DS2, I'd repeat the back to back labour because I got gas and air and didn't have to make an attempt to live life around "just a period pain". Some of those periods stick in my head because they were ones where I was sent home from work because I was quite clearly unfit to function, including the one where I curled up in a ball on a filthy stockroom floor.

I got the leg cramps and backpains and waves of contractions. Yes it felt familiar when I was trying to evict 8lb+ of baby out of my uterus!

Thank goodness childbirth seems to have resolved it to a level where a bit of ibuprofen is good to get me through day 1. I used to have mefenamic acid precribed which was OK once in my system on subsequent days, but day 1, when my period randomly gatecrashed into my life like Mike Tyson, nothing was touching it. I was put on the pill at 18 which made it tolerable and predictable rather than my sporadic "cycles". It is a joy to me now know that I can guess to within 3 days at which it will appear!

No idea why they were so bad then improved so much. I do wonder if I once passed a fibroid. I was having a hot bath to ease the pain and passed some kind of lump of tissue. I wasn't sexually active, so not a miscarriage, but this tissue had blood vessels within it, and was a couple of inches long and the pain eased immediately after passing it. More than just a usual clot.

Oh, you're freaking me out now. I passed a massive clot 2 days ago. Like the size of an egg yolk. Is that what a fibroid is?

I struggle with leaving the house, so I can make an appointment with the GP, but truth be told I probably won't. Anyway, by the time I get an appointment, there will be no issue anyway. Meh!

I've suffered unbearably for years OP (35 yo) and I'm due to have a hysterectomy which I'm shitting bricks over excision of endometriosis and likely removal of my right ovary in 6 weeks or so.

I wore a path to my GP for years over this, NOTHING ever worked and I was just told to suck it up. Anyway, my GP retired and the new GP said it wasn't normal and referred me to a gynae specialist, who spotted a number of inoperable fibroids, adenomyosis, and a whopper ovarian cyst, hence my upcoming surgery.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the level of pain you are experiencing is likely abnormal and no-one should have to suffer in that way. I'd honestly recommend changing drs, or getting a 2nd opinion at least.

In the meantime, I second the suggestion of the tens machine. I have one that I can hook up to my front and back and while it isnt a miracle cure, it definitely helps.