Extremely painful periods

[DinoMania]

Hi,

Any chances anyone can advise how to calm my period pain down? I've tried the usual pain relief and it doesn't come close.

Struggling to work as it feels like mild contractions.

I gave birth 8 months ago and every period (this being my 6th) feels so rough. Honestly close to taking the day off work except I don't think the men would understand.

Never had any period pain pre pregnancy.

The only thing that helped mine was having the Mirena fitted.

I can't take anything that messes with my hormones, I've tried many forms of contraception and each has made me suicidal :/

That’s such a shame as it’s been a life saver for me. Oral hormones have never suited me either.

Yeah the implant and injection were the same

As a teenager, it was so bad that I needed to be in bed for 4 or5 hours. Ibuprofen and paracetamol with codeine have been the most effective pain killers

Ibuprofen and paracetamolaren't cutting it.

codeine is great but I can't function on it! Had to take it post surgery and it made me completely do-lally and sleepy lol

I have one codeine a month as a treat. Gives you a nice dreamy feeling after all the pain.

In exact same position here. Last year finally I had an endometrial ablation (no endometriosis). Bleeding has stopped but the monthly pain rages on. I have since been prescribed Prigabalin (sp), helped a little bit, amitriptyline (hav8ng tried it yet as it was receommended for night t8me only) , and more recently fluoxetine (haven’t picked up prescription yet). I’m reallt at loss what to do next also because I plan to return to work imminently.

Big ibuprofen and using a mooncup helped my severe period pain.

That's the real issue is being at work with this pain. Which is why coidene is a big No as I wouldn't be able to even get to work if I'm on that. Guess I'll have to take a trip to the gp

Just to add, like you paracetamol and Ibuprofen don’t cut it. Codeine makes me feel ill and sick. Mefenemic acid makes a little difference to start with but then it intensifies to the point of not working anymore. I have combined mefenemic acid with ibuprofen, just doesn’t work the agony is debilitating and I have been investigated for endometriosis twice, no endometriosis.

Not medication but have you considered using a menstrual cup? Many report that it lessens pain and reduces the heaviness of flow.

You can usually insert at home and only need to empty after a full day outside the house, so it's not as fiddly as many imagine.

NaughtyButNise hope you (and me) both find a solution soon!!

menstrual cup how does it do that?

I just use pads and have just leaked through to my jeans. So embarrassed as surely one of the men I work with must have seen the big red patch on my way to the loo. Got my cardigan wrapped round my waist now. Ffs

secondary dysmennorhea...

I had the mefenamic acid on an empty stomach, worked for me.

I hope you keep trying & something works, soon.

I hope so too Dino, I really hope so.

Any such changes should be reported to the GP. Endometriosis cannot be ruled out here as this is a common cause of cyclical severe period pains and it can also cause heavy bleeding to arise. This is usually diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy; it can take a skilled surgeon to spot it because it does not always present typically.

I would keep a daily pain and symptom diary noting pain on a scale from 1-10; this will give the gynaecologist clues.

Secondary dysmenorrhea is pain that is caused by a disorder in the woman's reproductive organs, such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, uterine fibroids, or infection. Pain from secondary dysmenorrhea usually begins earlier in the menstrual cycle and lasts longer than common menstrual cramps. The pain is not typically accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or diarrhoea.

..what I read in many books in Uni library 26 yrs ago is why I said secondary. The definitions then were entirely symptomatic and not linked to causes (at least, not that I could understand). It's good if they can be reliably linked to causes now.

I always thought I had 2ndy, but now I wonder, perhaps I had bizarrely late onset of and bizarrely short duration (each month) primary dysm? Basically, my experience didn't fit either well. I suppose human bodies do many weird things.