Period pain is crippling me

[Froggy623]

Not an AIBU just in desperate need of help.

My period pain is crippling me, days 1 / 2 I’m taking back to back ibruprofen, at night also taking paracetamol as without I just can’t sleep through.

Tonight the pain woke me up again but I feel so sick I’ve only managed to take ibruprofen, I think the paracetamol will make me sick. I feel like it will catch my throat and I’m currently sat on the bathroom floor in anticipation for vomiting. I’ve also been on the toilet a few times tonight.

I’m in agony and can’t take it anymore. I’ve been to the doctors and had scans all is fine below, I just feel like a massive wuss. Does anyone have any tips to help to put me out of my misery?

Ademonyosis sufferer here. I am literally counting down to the menopause as this is just unbearable. It’s like being in the mid stages of labour most months and being expected to function normally throughout. I found that you can buy naproxen over the counter which has helped a bit but make sure you take some antacid with it.

As a stop gap, try some Solpadeine Plus - it should provide much better pain relief.

Another vote for mefanamic acid here too. I used to be doubled over and throwing up for the first three days of mine but I was on that for a few years and it definitely helped. Contraceptive pill was my biggest relief though and now I’ve switched to one where I don’t have periods at all so even better.

I used to live on painkillers during my periods, I'd been back and forth to the docs had some scans and told it was nothing. Few years on I'd had enough and went back, had more scans and insisted on a biopsy, nothing was found in the end but they did give me the mirena coil. I was so skeptical over the years and for the first 6 months it was hell, I had horrible pain and bled for 6 months solid, but im now nearly a year in and I have spotting 5/6 days every 4-5 weeks and couldn't recommend it more.

I know it doesn't work for everybody but honestly has been game changer for me.

I had something similar but the excruciating pain would last for up to a week before/during/after period. Solution was a micro pill. I've taken it for over 10 years and no periods=no pain (no side effects). I probably have a mild case of Endo (I say mild because it can be easily managed with the pill) or similar but I'm 41 so I'm almost at the point when period will be out of the picture.
I'm not saying this is a solution for you but maybe something to try when you are trying to get diagnosed etc.

So I've got stage 4 endo, adenomyosis, fibroids, adhesions, the lot.

After a miracle child, many gynae mishaps and the approach of perimenopause I recently realised I did NOT have to live like this. I'd had occupational health diagnose me as technically disabled and I thought fuck this right off, frankly.

I went back on the minipill a decade after I last bothered with it. Game changer. Not had a period for six months. It's like living with the privileges of being a man. Honestly, you don't realise how easy life can be when you're not in near-constant pain for no good reason other than the patriarchy hasn't sorted out period pain yet.

I am now post menopausal but had terrible period pains when younger. I have had scans recently for something menopause related and they diagnosed adenomyosis which has probably been triggered by hrt. I was told i probably had it for years and it would explain my history of painful periods. I had a scan a couple of years ago and they didn't pick it up. So as another poster said - very hard to diagnose.

On dealing with pain I found exercise unusually effective but it's the hardest thing to do. If I could start exercising it helped a lot. No idea why.

All the usual painkillers help but not enough.

Ahhh you poor love, I so sympathise! The only thing that helps me is the ibuprofen x codeine pills you can get - I think it’s called ibuprofen plus? You do need to be careful with it as obviously codeine is addictive, but for the first few days each period it’s the only thing that helps me!! You can get it from any pharmacy, no prescription needed x

My experience in case it helps now or in the future:

I had awful periods, and for a long while, because I thought I might want a baby soon-ish, no hormonal contraception. Absolute nightmare , throwing up at work because I couldn't simply take two days off every month. Wish I'd gone to a doctor and advocated for myself. I hope you do.
I was not a wuss... Or if I was childbirth isn't half as bad as everyone makes out. Similar pain level.

I used to find that if I could find a way to relax or sleep it would help. Being tense made it worse. Cocodamol good for sleep. Ibuprofen otherwise.

After I had my lovely son I had the Mirena coil put in. Life changing. Almost no period and no pain. 😊

Painful periods are not normal!! Please speak to your GP about this. I have been going back and forth about my periods for nearly 20 years and finally diagnosed with endometriosis in 2023!

I had every symptom….pain, heavy bleeding, I vomited every month due to the pain. Back pain, pelvic pain, mid cycle bleeding but because I never struggled to conceive (GP’s exact words!!) they weren’t willing to investigate further.

I was diagnosed during my section with my daughter!

Just to say that it’s not always the case that with endometriosis you have pain all month through. I have severe endometriosis and it started with period pain on day 1 of my period. Over the years it progressed to pain throughout the month as you start to see anatomical changes in your organs where scar tissue has developed etc. There were other signs that were there but I would never have recognised them as endometriosis and it’s notoriously difficult to get a diagnosis/be taken seriously by some medical professionals. There are some really good support groups than can help people push to get referrals etc. My endometriosis was picked up on an ultrasound actually but only because my organs were already distorted. Your information is excellent, I just wanted to highlight that it’s not always the case as sometimes you can read things and take them as gospel and it can put you off taking things further

Post meno for a while here but used to really suffer with pain for first two days, constant ibuprofen and still awful. I accidentally found that tampons were making it way worse and when I switched to cups it almost went away. I don’t understand the physiology of why but it made a big difference to me.

Awful op. My daughter on microlite pill. She could not cope with bleeding/pain as in college. This helped alot. She had no energy. I hope you get an answer.

I haven’t read all previous recommendations but have you tried magnesium @Froggy623 ? I had awful period pains, I have quite a high pain threshold but I was really struggling. Various tests came back fine and so I did some research. Taking magnesium has meant my last four or five periods have been almost pain free. I’ve had a tiny amount of pain - but the type I could take a couple of ibuprofen and get on with my day. Totally manageable. I take these ones, daily (not just around the time of my period). https://www.nutritiongeeks.co/products/magnesium-glycinate-3-in-1

No I'm saying that some people discard them having endo if they only have pain on their period - because everyone describes it as a period condition when it's not it's a whole body inflammatory condition. If you have more severe endometriosis (which becomes a disability, impacts your mobility etc) you will be suffering across the month, often on opidos not for 2-5 days but most days on the month. Staging of endo was created based on how much it impacts your fertility not the pain. Some people with Stage 1 endo will be more disabled and in more pain than someone in Stage 4. So if your endo can be managed with the pill, or mirena, a few NSAIDs through it month then it's still horrible but some people do that every day - period or no period. For my whole life (since 12), I've used opiods everyday, and NSAIDs, and antispasmodic drugs with antiemetics, by mobility is just getting worse and I'm disabled nothing manages, every day is debilitating (normally worse than my period) - no pill or mirena (even though they are amazing tools, which people shouldn't not use or bash as it works for many). It doesn't mean it isn't painful or you weren't gaslight for years etc. Obviously it depends on the person but even some people beforw surgery in their teens struggle and their period isn't the worst of it. I also just think generally in news etc, we need to be more clear about that is not just a period condition, so many people disregard it as that and then the research focuses only on that and in public awareness - soemtimes people think you only need time off on your period and don't understand it as a chronic condition because the coverage on it centers on the period pain being the only symptom. Sometimes doctors will just focus on your period and abandon the other symptoms that happen outside your period. But yes thanks for the correction I should have added it into my post as well - just trying to allude to whether she has other pain in the month as well, as likely to strengthen case at doctors xx

Women’s issues are typically overlooked by the medical profession and women can actually be the worse culprits for this. Keep going back.

Its clearly not fine and endo won't be seen on scans. Super clean eating to reduce inflammation and a TENS machine but back to GP and make formal complaint if not referred appropriately

Request bloods to check your CA125 levels. High levels can indicate endometriosis and you will be referred for urgent investigation if they are about 35. Mine were 590, I was admitted that day for 3 days and had everything checked. Now confirmed endo and waiting for surgery.

I have this and I have endometriosis. It’s a symptom of the disease. Hot baths help a little - as hot as you can stand. Cuprofen is really good, too. But you shouldn’t have to put up with such extreme pain - def see your GP.