Has anyone have any pointers for treating severe dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramping)???

Question

I have been experiencing this menstrual pain since onset of my menstrual cycle at age 12. I have tried everything from prescription medication to oral contraceptive pills and herbal remedies. I cannot tolerate NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) or OCP's - I become violently ill. I have had two children, and I compare my pain to actual labor pain!!! Is there any help out there?

My gynecologist told me I have cysts, but they are minor, and the only option she gives me is birth control. I have tried four different kinds, and they all make me sick. I pass blood clots the size of plums. My doctor seems to act as if this is normal???

I truly appreciate all the info from everyone. I realize now that I am not being treated correctly by my OB/GYN. I need a second opinion from another OB/GYN. Thank you, and keep more suggestions coming.

Answer 1

have you tried the heat patches that sre out i have heard that they work really well or just a hot bath with relaxing smells and candles might help too

Answer 2

If you tell me the following, I will be better able to advise:
- how old you are
- is your period very heavy when you are NOT on birth control pills?
- how long did you stay on the birth control pills when you took them?

I agree with the person who said it might be endometriosis. This is when the lining of the uterus pops up in places where it cannot be flushed out of the body when your period happens. Therefore, it can be very painful.

The reason I ask if you have had kids is there is another option called Mirena. It is a hormone-containing IUD. It is like birth control pills in that it stops your endometrium from thickening and resulting in a large menstrual flow (thus solving your blood clot problem.) The good part about Mirena is that it is only "local effect," i.e. it only affects your uterus (which sounds like the focus of your problems) and the area around it with very, very low dose of hormones. Therefore, you won't have the illness you had with birth control pills (although if you stick with birth control pills more than 3 months, you probably would find that the illness goes away). You might try what the other respondent mentioned - birth control pills straight through for 3 months to reduce the painful periods to once every 3 months (or even longer - there is now a "yearly" pill where you have one period a year.) However, you still have to go through the acclimatization period when you start. You are the best one to decide whether 3 months of "morning sickness" type illness is worth it to remove your monthly pain.

One other good thing: some women end up not having ANY bleeding after inserting Mirena, so that is an added bonus.

Anyway, it is something to discuss with your old doc or your new doc. IUD's got a bad rap a long time ago with the Dalkon Shield problems, but there has been a lot of improvement since then, and if you ask European women what they use after having kids it is mostly IUD's.

Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Is this doctor you're referring to a GYN? If not, go see one. If he/she is a GYN, go see a different one, it is not normal to pass clumps of that size, not at all. Have you tried the birth control shots, patches or the new ring? Maybe you will tolerate those better than the oral form. There is not much else that can be done if it truly is just the dysmenorrhea. There are procedures that make you stop having your periods...that should most definitely take care of it. Ask your doctor if you would be a good candidate.

Answer 4

Heating pads. Exercise. I was just DX with PCOS not too long ago (that sounds alot like some symptoms of it)and the specialist told me that pretty much the only way to control it is with birth control, and that if you cannot tolerate pills, that the IUD is the next best thing because it is inserted into your uterus, and delivers very small amounts of hormone continuously without any systemic reactions (it only puts hormones in the uterus, not the rest of the body). I would try that if I were you. The only other thing that worked for me was 800mg Motrin, but, if the side effects of it are more bothersome than the problem than they aren't worth the pain. Good luck

Answer 5

OCP? Do you mean oral contraceptive pills? Have you asked your doctor about the nuva ring? The ring is inserted vaginally and the hormones are a lot less than those of 'the pill' and may work to relieve the severity of your cramps. The ring might not make you vomit because of the amount of hormones and the way that they get into your body. Also, have you been checked for pcos? Ask your doctor.

Answer 6

I'll second the "talk to your gyno about the pill" answer. My mom used to cramp so bad she would pass out, and I was once sent to the ER with the misconception that my appendix had ruptured (nope, just horrible cramps!) - my mom was put on the pill as a teen and so was I and it was definitely worth the relief! HUGE DIFFERENCE! Look into it. The other thing you might consider if you don't want to go the technical medical route is a product called "SoySentials" by Reliv. My boss's daughter used that instead of the pill and it eliminated her cramping and her flow wasn't as heavy - many women say it's a Godsend. Good luck!

Answer 7

I feel for you. I have the same thing and it's horrible. It's hard to tell someone you had to miss work because of cramps. But I know where you are coming from. I spend at least one day a month in bed wishing I'd die.

I have heard that acupunture can help (though I haven't tried it myself). Also, regular exercise and a good diet are supposed to help along with plenty of rest. I haven't found those things to be very helpful - but everyone is different.

Have you tried different oral contraceptives? I know that there are several different types and they all have different features and benefits, so to speak.

The only thing that helps me is heat. If I absolutely have to be at work I wrap myself in a heating pad and try not to move. This sounds strange, but you know those sticky heat pads (that stick to your body and stay warm for several hours)? I have bought the ones that you are supposed to stick on your back and stuck them to my abdomen - and it helped quite a bit.

I don't know of any remedies to prevent the onset of dysmenorrhea. Good luck to you.

Answer 8

You did not mention a heating pad applied over the offending organ. That heat can really promote muscle relaxation. (We are talking muscle spasm here.) In labor they keep telling you to breathe...it gives oxygen to the uterus muscle....so try breathing deeply? Any pressure on the uterus is really painful so an empty colon can be important. Try stool softeners early on and some sort of big laxative during pain like x-lax or glycerine suppositories or those fleets enemas? Couldn't hurt to try once, anyway. The big medicine you get from your doctor..muscle relaxants, valium, and anything with codeine in it. Why not? What are you paying him for? If he cannot give you real help for real pain then he must refer you to a pain doctor. Trust me that those guys are not afraid to give you what helps, but you got to have a referal. Mention suicidal thoughts during peak pain periods to get attention. Good luck?

Answer 9

I used to have serious problems with my period. My doctor gave me heavy-duty pain killers and a pill so I'd only have my cycle every 4 months. That seemed to do the trick. Only problem now is that I can't drive while menstruating. How funny is that?

Answer 10

I think you need to see the doctor and see what he / she can suggest. I would have suggested ibuprofen but you say thats no good. The pill should have worked as you are not really having a proper period with the pill . Good luck you have me stumped.

Answer 11

A hormone called prostaglandin is responsible for the symptoms. Sometimes a disease or condition, such as uterine fibroids or endometriosis, causes the pain. Treatment depends on what is causing the problem and how severe it is.