period pain and fainting during a period (may be TMI)

[AmberFool]

For the last 5 or 6 cycles, I have been really dizzy a few days before a period, a day or so of brown blood and then when I get my proper red blood period, I have severe/intense period pain, basically where my bladder is and on my back. It's so bad that I actually can't walk straight. The pain usually lasts for 2 days. My period lasts about 8 days in total.

Yesterday, I had the period pain before I started my period, I was sweating buckets and a few hours later I had dark brown/black stringy blood. I took painkillers, including the middle of the night which took the edge off the pain.

This morning I woke up dizzy and sick. I managed to get to the bathroom, but collapsed. I have been in pain and dizzy for the rest of the day and I still have not had red blood.

Has anyone else fainted during their period? What did your doctor diagnose? I went to see my GP today and he has given me mefenamic acid which has more or less taken the pain away almost instantly. But I need to go back when I am not on don't I and insist the pain is investigated?

How old are you?

48

Yes you need to insist that it's investigated.

Been there too OP.
You need to get a gynae opinion; it's probably nothing serious, or you're menopausal, but it's not 'normal' and needs investigating. Quite possibly it's fibroids (mine was) which are treatable.
I would feel as if I had a cannonball in my pelvis, as well as the pain etc.

I got what's called secondary dysmennorhea when I was in mid 20s: so went from never any period pain to lots. All of your symptoms are what I was like at my worst.

You're probably complicated by perimenopause; I read it means very heavy periods in many women.

Thing about mefanamic acid is that you are supposed to take it starting 1-2 days before your period is due. So if it works I'd take it, but may also have a chance to talk to GP about if there's anything else you can do to manage your periods. 8 days is much longer than most.

I've had this kind of experience. Think it's called a vaso-vagal attack (google) and can happen with severe period pain.
Like you I had it once before the flow really got going.
Staggered upstairs from downstairs and had to lie down for an hour as felt like I was dying. Faint, sweaty, dreadful.

I don't think it's anything to worry about. I'm older than you and on HRT which gives me a 'period' and my dr thinks all is okay ( he's a gynae). But go and get checked out. It's probably peri menopause and just different hormone levels causing it.

I often faint or feel faint when I have a period because I have low blood pressure. The other symptoms you describe are familiar to me as well as I am peri menopausal. A few tests done by your GP should hopefully put your mind at rest.