AIBU to ask what is a normal level of period pain?

[Rhubarbpeony]

I’m trying to get a feel for whether my pain is out of the ordinary or not. Could people let me know how often you experience any of the following:

Diarrhoea

Cramps bad enough to make you vocalise the pain

Cramps bad enough to make you cry

Vomiting

Pain so severe you are unable to concentrate and struggle to keep up a conversation

Pain that makes your legs feel weak / your body wobbly

Cramps that you have to use breathing exercises to control

Pain severe enough for you to miss work or social engagements

Pain that isn’t resolved by over the counter medication

Pain that disrupts your sleep / cramps that awaken you in the night

Cramps that last 2 or more days

If you don’t mind doing so, could you also let me know your rough age (like a decade - I’m in my thirties)

I experience most or all of the above most months, and I have had investigations done (inc a transvaginal ultrasound) which haven’t revealed anything untoward, and I honestly just don’t know if I can carry on experiencing this level of pain every month. Am I just a wuss? Is everyone just dealing with this better than me? I am so miserable about it. I spend easily half the month dreading my period. It’s such a waste of emotion.

Funny @GrumpyHoonMain I was told similar- so thought nothing of a near constant pain. They then put the monitor on and I was contracting 8 times every 10 minutes 😂 I’ve always had bad periods but the midwife couldn’t believe I hadn’t doubled over asking for pain relief, I commented that my periods are worse

My periods were like that before I had dc1. Then with each dc they got less painful but heavier bleeding.

@ schafernaker - exactly! I didn’t even think to use my Tens machine and by the time I started it wasn’t effective. At least I know now for next time

Diarrhoea - every period

Cramps bad enough to make you vocalise the pain - never

Cramps bad enough to make you cry - most periods

Vomiting - never, but do get bad nausea

Pain so severe you are unable to concentrate and struggle to keep up a conversation - occasional

Pain that makes your legs feel weak / your body wobbly - every period

Cramps that you have to use breathing exercises to control - sometimes

Pain severe enough for you to miss work or social engagements - social things every period, work occasionally

Pain that isn’t resolved by over the counter medication - every period

Pain that disrupts your sleep / cramps that awaken you in the night - most periods

Cramps that last 2 or more days - occasional.

I'm in my late twenties, and have no idea if the above is normal.

I am in my 40s and would say never.

I do get symptoms but not at that kind of level. If your symptoms are severe enough that they keep you off work even if you are taking maximum dose painkillers then there is something wrong.

You need to make it clear to your doctor that this could put your job at risk so you need more help.

If they can't find anything wrong could you use a contraceptive that stops your periods? Mirena, depo, the implant, the pill taken back to back would all prevent this misery.

Sorry ignore the contraception comment, just saw that you are TTC

I’m 25. Have had 3 babies. Started my periods at 13.
I’ve always suffered mild cramps since the very beginning. Enough to need a hot water bottle and a couple of paracetamol on day 1/2 of my period.
Period pains have got worse for me with each baby I’ve had! After having baby number 2, I got to the point where I would be in pain while standing up, taking pain killers every 4 hours, and feeling generally horrible for the first day of my period every single month.
DC3 is 5 months old and I’m ebf, so my periods haven’t returned yet. I’m dreading it because I’m assuming the pain will be the same or worse The after pains when she was born were worse than with the last two babies as well.

Yes to everything you listed OP. Sheer, unbridled horror every bloody month. I once almost accidentally overdosed because the pain was so bad I had forgotten how recently I'd taken my max dose of tramadol and took another dose too soon. Absolutely terrifying.

I was finally referred to a fabulous gynae and had a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingectomy last year. After the surgery she told me she had never seen such a severe case of endometriosis and adenomyosis.

There was a real mess going on internally, basically almost all of my organs were stuck together with endo lesions. The surgery ended up lasting twice as long as she had originally predicted because of all the work they had to do to even get to my evil uterus.

I feel like a new woman after surgery and I would strongly urge you to keep bugging your GP until you get referred. It is absolutely disgraceful how women are expected to suffer through hell every goddamn month.

I had really bad period pains that me puke with the pain the first year I had them. Then they were ok, no pains at all and have been fine until this last year and I am now 33. Maybe the last 5 periods have been very painful, if I take ibuprofen (paracetamol won't touch it) when I first feel the cramps and then take another lot within 4 hours it is manageable. If I don't take it in time I feel like I want to die with the pain until it kicks in. Worse than labour. I don't know what I'd do if ibuprofen didn't work so well. Luckily the cramps for me are not every day. Strong the first day, milder the second, then ok. I did read that endometriosis commonly starts age 30+ so wondered if it is the start of it for me, since I've been ok until recently. Does Ibuprofen not help for you?

None of the above!

Have you had a laparoscopy to rule out endometriosis?

I suffer period pains with many of those symptoms and that is my diagnosis.

None of the above. That sounds far worse than labour was!

Yes to the following

Pain so severe you are unable to concentrate and struggle to keep up a conversation

Pain that makes your legs feel weak / your body wobbly

Cramps that you have to use breathing exercises to control

Pain severe enough for you to miss work or social engagements

Pain that isn’t resolved by over the counter medication

Pain that disrupts your sleep / cramps that awaken you in the night

I have ended up leaving work a few times and having to sit in my car because I feel unable to drive home.
I Generally have one bad day, with a maybe 6 to 8 hours of these issues. I'm my mid twenties.

Yes, I experience all the symptoms you list. I have had a laparoscopy to rule out endometriosis, I do not have it or any other abnormalities.

I have mefanamic acid prescribed, it is excellent and the pain is mild when I take them. It is important to take them as soon as or if possible before the pain starts. Naproxen and co codamol can help as well. Paracetamol/ibuprofen wouldn’t touch it for me.

I would advise asking for a prescription of mefanamic acid if you haven’t already, and possibly a gynae referral for investigations. For me, it is my ‘normal’ however and I live with it.

@Rhubarbpeony my periods are exactly as you describe, and I was finally diagnosed with endometriosis last year. I'm in my 30s, the diagnosis took 19 years and 2 laparoscopys. You need a specialist to find it and treat it.

Your level of pain is NOT normal. You know something isn't right, don't let them fob you off. I wish I'd shouted louder a lot sooner, as the endo has now caused infertility.

Best of luck!

I used to get all this while younger and know others who had the same. I don’t think it’s out of the norm - afaik it’s not indicative of any other health condition, it is literally just that some women get extremely bad period pain (though obviously speak to your doctor to rule out other problems). However you can get prescription painkillers and other support from GP so you don’t just have to put up with it.

I get the same symptoms as you op,have done since i started at 12,I'm now 43.actually relieved by the vomiting as this is usually followed by less severe pain.
Dr's fob of with painkillers,my mum said it would ease after kids,oldest is 14,it didn't help.hoped being sterilised would help but no improvement after that either.The only thing that ever worked was the depo contraceptive injection but they've refused to give it to me since I turned 30.

@acquiescence was your surgeon an endo specialist? It can easily be missed during laparoscopy investigations by those that aren't specialists.

I was told I categorically didn't have endo after my first lap. I found a specialist who did another lap and she found and diagnosed Endo Stage III, as well as many cysts - just because they didn't find it, sadly doesn't mean you're definitely not suffering with it. :(

There is no normal, I get none, my dd ends up in bed with a hot water bottle

I have awful periods (all of the above plus passing out if I go up or down a staircase).
I am on the combined pill which eliminates all of these symptoms.

I'm post menopause now but menstruation pain used to be so bad for me. I have fainted with pain, thrown up, been immobolised with pain, sent home from work, but could barely walk. I went my gp tons of times, nothing abnormal was discovered. I suffered from the age of 17 until I had my first child at 27 then the pain disappeared. The only break I got was when i stayed in oz for six months. I remember bracing myself for the pain and nothing happened, my period was pain free. Then no pain for the whole of my time there. Back to England, had one pain free month then back to hideous pain again, the type where I couldn't speak with pain. The only difference from my oz v British life was that my sis in law made me get up every morning with her for an hour in the gym. Diet was pretty much the same. I've heard that exercise really can help, anyway good luck because I know it's horrible and you feel like you could nearly die when the pain reaches a kind of crescendo.

Yes to the majority of those. I have endo. Collapsed once unconscious, ended up in A and E with severe pain.

I know it's horrible and you feel like you could nearly die when the pain reaches a kind of crescendo.

That’s exactly it - there’s nothing you can do except hope you survive until the cramp passes!

Every month I take well over the recommended dose of ibuprofen and buscopan. It worries my husband, but in the moment I can’t think beyond the pain and risking a stomach ulcer seems worth it for the prospect of some chance at relief.

Endometriosis.
Theres only really one way (other than just symptoms) to properly diagnose and that is through a Laparoscopy.

Any pain which leaves you physically weak and literally crying for several days needs to be looked at surely?

I would say your level of pain and general conditions around your period do not sound like the average woman (based purely on conversation and general discussion amongst friends and online etc)

You shouldn’t have to suffer like this. Try the GP for a referral to a gynaecologist

I’m so sorry to everyone else who experiences similar. It is a terrible way to live.