Bad period pain.. help!

[sleepalldays]

AIBU to ask for some great tips regarding reducing period pain, I'm talking the kind that aches and cramps constantly with diarrhoea, heavy bleeding etc. I'm so nauseas too from the back pain!

I usually take feminax which is actually really good and takes the edge off after 40mins so I can normally go about my day in a medium amount of pain as opposed to feeling like I want to die, but it's so expensive and I couldn't bring myself to get some earlier in the supermarket! (Hating myself now as I have to get the train to a job interview first thing tomorrow morn)

I wish I had a hot water bottle.

Can you soak in a hot bath for a while? Hopefully it might help you sleep.

I don’t know if femimax is on the minor allement scheme (when you got to a pharmacy but the nhs pays) but they probably have something along those lines if you can’t afford a box yourself

Have you got anything that you can heat up? A latex glove with warm water, even a plate that you microwave until it’s warm (check before putting it on your skin), anything to apply heat

I really hope you feel better soon

@DaisyDreaming a bath sounds lovely, can't really run one at 2am though unfortunately without waking everyone up!

That's a good idea, I do have a medical exemption card due to epilepsy so maybe I could get something over the counter with that? Thanks

Nothing to warm up here, our microwave gets way to hot! (Learnt that lesson last time with a flannel in a hot mug for an ear infection, nearly burnt my ear off!)

Argh it's awful! What's keeping you up?

Feminax is just cleverly marketed ibuprofen from my understanding. So for future reference, just get ibuprofen for 25p or whatever.
Maybe walk about a bit, exercise can help. Warm bath or shower? Try to get some sleep and hope it's better tomorrow. I feel for you, hope someone comes with some better tips.

@NothingElse I swear it's so much better than just ibuprofen, it has something else in it and absolutely touches all the back and front pain so much more than any other pain relief. (Maybe it's a placebo to me?)

I was planning on working out this evening but the cramps were so so bad I couldn't face it.

I'm just so tired and I have an interview first thing tomorrow.

Thank you for the support

i’ve always had heavy and painful periods and have been prescribed tranexamic acid to help with the bleeding and naproxen for the pain. i don’t know what i’d do without them! i find a hot water bottle either on my lower tummy or between my thighs is the only other thing other than pain relief that really helps.

Just took 2 paracetamol and accidentally woke my boyfriend up who shouted at me and when I explained I was in pain and taking pain killers he said 'bollocks'. Perfect. Just the sympathy I was looking for.

In his defence he's always in an awful mood when woken up. 😂 I'll get him back tomorrow...🙃

@sunshineandshowers21 I think I'll take a trip to my GP and try and get something prescribed that can help, I'm glad you've found something for you! Honestly its crazy how painful and debilitating periods can be.

I suffered for years and years, same sorts of symptoms.

I'm currently laying in a hospital bed after a laparoscopy where they removed "extremely extensive" endometriosis and a couple of calcified fibroids to boot.

I'm an idiot really as I should have had it dealt with a very long time ago.

I suppose what I'm saying is that BAD BAD BAD period pains is not actually normal.

I recommend mefanemic acid for cramps and pain and transanemic acid for heavy flow. Both work really well.

The mirena or similar can help too.

But basically get it checked out!

As for your boyfriend, jeez if men had to suffer half this stuff the world would shit down 3 days a month.

Hot milk with sugar always helps me.

Hope you feel better and got back to sleep. My dd woke me up shouting milk so now I can't sleep 🙄

Nurofen plus always used to help me, Buscopan are good at stopping the cramps. Start on ordinary Ibuprofen about 2 days before your period is due to start & then swap to Nurofen plus & Paracetamol once your period starts. Speak to your doctor about your pain & get a referral to a Gynaecologist, I put up with horrific period pain until I was 44, when I had a laparoscopy & was diagnosed with Endometriosis, as I had no wish to have any more children I had a laparoscopic sub total hysterectomy which ended my pain.

Feminax is technically ibuprofen lysine, which is designed for quicker absorption that standard ibuprofen. Jury's out on whether its placebo I suppose but I find it works when the big standard doesn't, and if its placebo then I'm still all for that.

Look for 'fast acting' and the words ibuprofen lysine in the medicine aisle OP, supermarkets usually brand it as migraine relief, its the same as feminax but half the price.

Other than that I second starting on it before the period is due, and seeing your GP asap. Otherwise double up with paracetamol, try buscopan, treat the bad tummy with immodium if you have to, there is no need to suffer more than you have to! and don't miss any doses

Sorry your DP was a knob

I hear you I get bad pain in my stomach, back and legs and used to be writhing in a sweaty mess throwing up. It’s calmed down as I got older but it’s still there. Buscopan, paracetamol, ibuprofen on rotation and hot water bottle are lifevsavers. Stock up and buy a hot water bottle for next time as it does help.

I used to suffer really badly in my teens and 20s the mirena coil sorted it out for me, I still had periods but they were lighter and not painful. When I had it taken out to TTC they became a little heavier but the level of pain never returned. I'm 39 weeks pregnant and have started with what feels like period pains today but the awful ones from my 20s and paracetamol hasn't touched it, I'm struggling to believe I used to be like this every month. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that labour is just around the corner.

@Fluffyears I'm so sorry you've had to go through that! Our bodies truly are incredible to put up with that amount of pain. I've never thrown up from the pain but last night I was so close.

I'm definitely going to get a hot water bottle now! Going to take some more paracetamol in a bit as I've got to go out to the bank.

As younpoor soul. Yeah thebrhrowing up meant painkillers were useless for me I just brought them back up :(

I hope it eases quickly for you.

@theartfulscreamer1 maybe you should call your midwife as period psonmid actually contractions as the womb tries to get rid of the lining. You might be innlabpur and having contractions!