Really painful, heavy periods - what do you use to ease them?

[sparkler1]

I'm really interested to find out what people use for really painful, heavy periods. I used to suffer terribly as a teen. Extreme lower abdominal pains, pains down front of legs and really heavy bleeding. I also to feel faint at times and, although it never happened, it came very close to happening. I went on the pill at about the age of 16 and this eased the pain enormously and I have had practically no problems at all until now.
I stopped taking the pill just before christmas, GP recommended as I'd been on it for 17 years. Each month since then I've been suffering gradually more and more. That time of the month has come again and I feel terrible again. Really heavy, bad pains in stomach and legs again. I went into town and came over faint in one of the shops.

In a recent Avon catalogue there was a product that worked by magnetism. I think you clip it onto your underwear. Costs about £15 I think. Wasn't sure whether to buy it or not in case it wasn't much good. Unfortunately, I don't remember the name of it.

All I take at the moment is paracetamol. I'd be really interested to hear if anyone has some recommendations/tips please.

[themoon66]

MrsBigD... I suffered for ages. But then I was put on a massive dose of Ibuprofen for a knee problem. A good side effect is that it has cured my period pain totally. You say you take 800mg.... I'm on 1600mg at night!!

[rabbitrabbit]

I can also second the comment about Agnus Castus. Both that and the Sepia are well worth a try (be warned about the Sepia though as it can make the first period after taking it one of the worst you'll ever have-after that its ok).

Everyone else is right in that you should get checked up to see if there's an underlying condition-I was diagnosed with Endemetriosis (so you would think I would be able to spell it ) after a laporoscopy and nothing "conventional" worked for me.

hth and good luck.

[MrsBigD]

1600?!? isn't that the daily allowed amount?
Ibuprofen does help but it's not a long term solution . Especially as a friend of mine was on high dose of Ibuprofen for back trouble and it 'eroded' her stomach!

Also said that to the gyn who, after telling me that she has no idea what's wrong with me, asked me whether I'd tried painkillers.... daaah!

Sorry Sparkle1 going on a bit on your thread

[themoon66]

Yes MrsD, it is the daily allowed dose. I take it all in one dose at night time, as per instructions. Its a slow acting one, so that dose lasts me for 24 hours.

I've not been given it for period period.... I suffer joint and bone pain. I just wanted to say that I found the side effect of it taking away period pain to be an added benefit

[DebbsyandBibby]

in the uk buscopan are not discontinued ( i sell them)
also ponstan forte are very good on script from your gp.
i used to find a cocodomol and then 1 ibuprofen 400mg taken a few hours in between each other and a hot water bottle worked wonders.
used to as 18 weeks pregnant.

[MrsBigD]

D&B I'll have to corner my pharmacist then ;)

wonder if they do it for kids as well. ds has terrible gastroenteritis at the moment and his poor tummy is cramping non stop.

Cocodamol is great but knocks me out in an instant

Sparkler1 if you need it for night cocodamol and codydramol are good D&B jogged my memory there

[AttilaTheMeerkat]

"In the uk buscopan are not discontinued ( i sell them)"

Are they the IBS relief tablets?. They used to be another sort as well as those hence me saying discontinued.

On that subject I am wondering how many women out there have been misdiagnosed with IBS when infact its endometriosis they're suffering from? (particularly if their symptoms are cyclical). Quite a fair number I suspect.

[DebbsyandBibby]

Atilla the ibs may have been dicontinued i sell the prescription drug that is still readily available

[foxinsocks]

you can buy buscopan over the counter

it's exactly the same medicine as it used to be except now it is called Buscopan IBS relief

(actually, it really pisses me off when pharmaceutical companies do this - I went looking for Nurofen Sinus relief only to find that it had been renamed Nurofen Cold and Flu ggrrr - luckily the pharmacist was on the ball and pointed it out!)

[Chocol8]

Sparkler - your periods sound similar to mine, so sypmathies to you. I have seen the gynae several times and due to go to the docs again tomorrow. Gynae said i had 3 choices: pill (doesn't agree with me) mirena coil (having read the threads on MN i am not keen as i bet i'll be one of the ones who it doesn't agree with) or hysterectomy (i'm 40 and hoping to get pregnant again so not much good there).

I bought a Ladycare magnet about a year ago and tried it - nothing doing except getting magnetised to various metal doors and freezer etc, which was quite funny. However, i gave it to my sister to try and she uses it with complete pain relief every month, so it may be worth a try.

Good luck though, i'm due next week and so, so crabby and grotty, shouting at everyone - it's awful. Still, usually by wk 2 i'm looking like Pamela Anderson cos my boobs just swell so badly and are so painful i have to carry them around! But not this month, i'm just over emotional and irrational.

[Kirstya6]

I've just been for a smear test and I've started to bleed again I've only just finished on Monday after being on for 3 weeks with me haven the inplant in my arm and they haven't returned to normal can anyone help me thanks