In bed with debitilating period(?) cramp

[BooseysMom]

Please can someone help. No pain killers are touching it! I have cramp like I've been kicked right in the centre of my stomach, no appetite and nausea and a constant headache down the right side of my eye. I've had a bad cold and thought this was a tummy bug but it happens to co-incide with my period. But the weird thing is I don't have the usual lower ab cramp. I'm 46 and feel peri-menopausal. I haven't had the coil or anything for 10 years as we've been ttc dc2. My gp said the periods and pmt will def improve after having a baby..well they haven't and are worse than ever! Although it isn't always as bad as this month. Does anyone else suffer like this?
Thanks x

I'm peri-menopausal, and I've only started to experience period cramps over the last 2-3 years - I managed to escape cramps all the way from teenage years until recently, and it's horrible! Today was the worst I've been, headache, my entire torso .... I didn't have the option to stay in bed, DH was away until lunchtime and our son is autistic so has to be watched/entertained. Painkillers got me to the sofa!

I feel for you. Fortunately I only seem to suffer for about 24 hours so, fingers crossed, tomorrow I'll be back to normal.

Do you have a fever?
Have you ever had pain like this during a period before?
The way you describe it doesn't sound like period pain.
Please don't do what I did and fall into the trap of describing it to doctors as being "like period pain", because they will dismiss it as period pain or a gynae issue and they won't bother investigating other possible causes of the pain.
It sounds like stomach pain to me and it could be a gastro issue rather than a gynaecological one.
If you seek medical advice (which you should if the pain is unbearable and doesn't respond to painkillers, and/or if you have a fever) please tell them it's abdominal pain! Don't say it's like period pain!

@EggysMom..thanks for the reply. Yours sound bad too. But the pain is weird as it feels more like a tummy bug. Can I ask what painkillers you take? Paracetamol doesn't work on the headache and ibuprofen makes my stomach worse. Hope yours ease soon.
Thanks x

@AnotherEmma.. thank you..well I've had a feverish cold but not feverish now and it's weird it's co-incided with the period. I do recall one other period like this and i think I had the same kicked in the centre of the stomach feeling. It's the pain I can't fathom! So difficult to know what to say to a gp. I dread periods and the pmt is awful. Also have palpitations constantly.

Definitely avoid ibuprofen if it's stomach-related. Do you have any co-codamol?

I had unbearable abdominal pain recently, was prescribed naproxen which didn't help and gave me reflux pain in addition! Eventually got a prescription for dihydrocodeine which worked. Apparently codeine and dihydrocodeine are more effective if taken with paracetamol.

That definitely doesn't sound like it's period related. My ds was ill with a stomach bug last week and he had bad stomach cramps with it. I could only give him paracetamol as he wasn't eating but it didn't touch it. When he had eaten something I gave him ibuprofen which did help.

Cross post. That does sound awful, I sympathise. I guess it could be your period if it's happened during your period before. For me I think the period was a red herring but still don't know the cause (waiting on a scan).

Mine's definitely period-related, I can tell by timing (!) and seems to be travelling up and down so it is lower abdomen but then back and then tummy and round again - a bit like a rolling wave.

That said, it's beginning to ease at last. I do take ibuprofen, I figure that even if it only kills the headache, that leaves me feeling a little better than otherwise. Off for a hot soaky bath now!

@AnotherEmma.. thank you x

@delilahbucket.. yes that sounds like what I have..I think it's just happened to co-incide with the period so a double whammy! Did your DS have a cold first? Was he sick with it or have diarrhoea? Did he have bad wind?! Embarrassingly that's what I have! thanks x

@EggysMom...that sounds horrible too. How are you feeling today? I think mine is easing off at last! x

@BooseysMom The cramps have eased (though flooding continues!), I'm just really tired after yesterday! Hope you feel more human as the day goes on. What we go through, eh?

@EggysMom.. I like the fact you're Eggy's
mom and I'm Booseysmom!
Yes what we go thru indeed! As my dear mum used to say.. "next time I'm coming back as a man!"
Mine was def a stomach bug which was timed nicely with AF! Like you, i feel done in today.