Remedies for painful periods.(tmi)

[Thunderduck]

I have pcos and my periods are usually very painful, but yesterday was hellish. I spent most of yesterday afternoon walking in circles, making noises like a pregnant woman in labour and vomiting, then later crawling about on the lawn still moaning because the grass was nice and cool and it made me feel a bit better. All very dignified.

A call to NHS 24 and 4 ibruprofen,2 paracetamol and 2 buscopan later it finally eased.

What do you take when you have painful periods? I've had a prescribed drug from the doctor, that I can't remember the name of, for pain relief but it's useless.

I'm going to go back to the doctor but in the mean time I'm willing to try anything at all. Herbal remedies, OTC anything at all.
I'd have taken cyanide yesterday if it had been offered to me.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Poor you. I used to get Ponstan prescribed for me from the docs. But I didn't have PCOS, just very bad period pains for no particular reason at all really.

I eventually went on The Pill to get mine cured. The pains were never as bad even when I came off The Pill. Now I've had kids I have no pain at all!

Hot water bottle on the tummy always gave me a bit of comfort... or maybe the burning feeling took my mind off the other pains...

I normally crave the cold, extreme cold, when I feel nauseated but I'll try a hot water bottle when I can bear it. No bath sadly.

I'll get some Evening primrose oil and try that.

Dp and I are trying to conceive so the pill would be counterproductive, however I'm tempted to forget about conceiving for a year and get on the pill or something else to relieve this pain. I can't live with it.

Ahhh, sympathy for you. I have gone back on the pill after years off it, cos I have really heavy and painful periods. Is getting better already 2 months in.

The pill is sounding better by the minute.

Yesterday when dp arrived and I was still in pain, I said sod trying for a bloody baby, call the doctor and tell him I want to be booked in for a hysterectomy immediately.

Vit B 12 for two days before they start and then for the length of the period.

Thankyou. I'll try that too though I never know exactly when they'll start.

Ponstan worked for me...and slugs of neat gin helps relax the muscles. I mentioned this to a gynae in Belgium where I live, and he said that here they used to give Genever (Dutch gin) to patients as pain relief.

how long have you been trying for a baby for???
just wondering about endometriosis...

the gp should prescribe ponstan (take with food) which you should take as well as paracetomol, but stop ibuprofen as its a similar, but stronger drug.

Thunderduck

First thing I thought of when I read your meessage was endometriosis. It is the second most common gynae problem seen in women after fibroids. Note you have PCOS as well but PCOS would not be the cause of all this pain (I have both PCOS and endometriosis).

What is required here is a referral from your GP to a gynae. Herbal remedies and OTC stuff won't affect endometriosis and at best are short term solutions. Same with the Ponstan (mefanemic acid). Again it is just treating the symptoms rather than trying to work out what the cause actually is.

Endometriosis is NOT picked up on any blood test or ultrasound scan; its usually diangosed through a keyhole surgery operation called a laparoscopy. Also these days a hysterectomy is not always done if endo is present as the hyst does not always solve the problem.

At the very least you should be referred to a gynae; PCOS in itself with regards to ttc very problematic and often specialist help is needed in order to do so.

Two websites that may be of interest to you are:-

www.endo.org.uk

and

www.verity-pcos.org.uk

I drink raspberry leaf tea when my period pains are bad, I know most people use them on here for labour and childbirth reasons but in my experience they seem to help with the cramping/contraction type period pains I get.

Hope it helps- and you feel better soon