Really bad period pain

[fikel]

Any tips to alleviate period pains, apart from the usual over the counter painkillers. My DD has them really bad on her first day of her period

In case you’ve only tried paracetamol, ibruprofen works much better. Hot water bottle / heat pack. Bizarrely even a normal cushion pushed onto the tummy seems to somehow help a little. Gentle exercise in theory - in practice DD usually so doubled up in pain she won’t move but after a few hours and maximum dose of ibuprofen it’s sometimes feasible to get her to walk round (though fear of flooding means she won’t leave the house).

But reality for DD is the above help but still she regularly has to have first day of period off school and I feel like a terrible mum making her go in in day 2. So hoping for better suggestions from others, as kept thinking this would improve as her periods settled down and now contemplating doctor eg for pill if still happening when she gets to GCSEs next year.

Lavender oil - a few drops mixed with a carrier oil and massaged over the abdomen for a minute.

I have endometriosis and find it really helpful

My daughter the same - always first couple of days. Took herself to doctor and got prescribed mefenamic acid. Takes immediately period or pain starts and is fab - controls it really well.

The best thing I ever discovered to use was a hot water bottle and to take Feminax Express, the contraceptive pill did nothing for me 😔

Ps: Cheapest place to buy Feminax express is Home bargains!

Thank you everyone, unfortunately the only thing she will have is calpol. She refuses to take a tablet even though she is 14. I have tried everything but to no avail.I like the idea of carrier oil and lavender. She has to have the day off school too due to the severity but not ideal now she is in year 10

Drinking peppermint tea can help

Ibuprofen is a Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory. It works directly on the inflammation caused by the uterus lining shedding.
It comes in liquid form if tablets are a problem. If her periods are regular you can start the ibuprofen a day early and it will be much more effective as the anti-inflammatory meds will already be at a helpful level when the period starts. Use a period tracker- most phones have then, Clue is a great app, to predict.
Paracetamol (Calpol) is a non-opioid painkiller. It is a different class of drug that can be taken concurrently with the ibuprofen when the pain starts.
Chat to your pharmacist- they are superhelpful!!!
Also a cup of tea with a teaspoonful of sugar. Caffeine helps, and a little blood sugar helps.

Reading with interest my DD is off today with the first day of her period pain. I've given her paracetemol & ibuprofen and she is feeling better but I am thinking she can't keep having time off school for it. On the other hard I remember what it was like and it can be brutal and she looks really peaky x

Mefenamic acid is the only thing to try really if usual Ibubrofen & Paracetamol don't help very much. MY dd was exactly as yours and suffered for over a year before giving in and trying the prescription. Feminax is no different to normal pain killers, has exactly the same ingredients, just marketing - and that came from a very knowledgeable pharmacist. Also try the Cura Heat stick on heat pads especially shaped for tummies and period pains, they keep their warmth for hours and hours and a frel comfort. It's awful seeing your dd suffer, but there comes a point in time when they cannot be stubborn about helping themselves.

If she will only take liquids you could give both Calpol and Nurofen liquids.
Buscopan IBS can be really helpful and I think the tablets are quite small

Ibuprofen melts,very useful in school as you don't need water and as easy to take as the liquid.
DD went on the pill for GCSEs,started 3 months before to make sure they suited her.

How about soluble paracetamol or soluble paracetamol with codeine. ( both can be bought OTC )
When I was a teen my period pain was so bad I'd faint at school, my GP advised me to take Veganin which is paracetamol and codeine