What helps relieve your period symptoms?

[Largepizza]

Not an AIBU, just fed up every month.
Basically 2 weeks every month of sudden breakouts, bloating all over, especially on the stomach, headaches on one side of my head, feeling depressed, sore breasts and so on.
2 weeks of feeling normal then it starts again.
We shouldn't have to put up with it just because we're female. Just interested to hear what works for people, I'm not on any hormonal contraceptives.
Took the pill for around 12 years but didn't feel like it was healthy to take it indefinitely so I've stopped.

Half the time isn't really period symptoms but maybe hormonal fluctuations. Think this is why many people take the pill.

Exercise is the only thing that's helped me - daily exercise.

I remember hating my dad when he suggested I go for a walk and now I hate that he was right all along

I'm sorry you're having a lousy time.
My period days are over but I was just like you - two weeks out of every month were a write off. It had a huge impact on my life and it got worse as I got older.
Boobs agony, water retention, migraines, nausea and then the period itself was agony and I was dosed up on Neurofen Plus for days.
I think your only option is the pill to try and regulate hormone changes a bit.
Menopause for women like me was very welcome. Being free of periods gave me my life back.

Cutting out refined sugar and getting plenty of exercise makes a huge difference to me. I known it's not what anyone wants to hear, but it really has been life changing re my skin, mood swings and sore breasts.

The water retention was only ever helped by really limiting carbs from a few days before the period until it had finished. Hot water bottle if you get back ache when on a period.

Thanks a lot for your tips.