serious menstrual cramps?
I am 27 now and since I was about 20 I have had very severe cramps. It usually only lasts 2 days but for those 2 days I am not able to function. I have to take an overdose of Ibuprofen and lay the whole day in bed with a heating pad. I've tried many different pain killers including a few prescription narcotics but nothing helps much. My other symptoms include (but not always) Diarrhea, vomiting, blackouts, cold sweats accompanied by hot flashes, and pain throughout my entire body especially my abdomen, thighs, and lower back. I have been to several Docs who have all done paps, blood tests, & sonograms to check for any cysts or endometriosis (not sure of the spelling on that one). They've found nothing. Recently I have noticed that I will start spotting about a week or so before my period and even occasionally when I am ovulating. Does anyone have an ideas? Could there be something wrong with me that the docs are missing? Could there be some hormonal thing going on?Or is it that I am just a very unfortunate woman who gets bad cramps? Oh, I don't know if this has any relevance but my mom started going through menopause in her early 40's. Could there be some genetic correlation?
Comments
I used to have the very same cramps. I had tried pain pills once or twice, but since they did not bring relief, I went onto look for other solutions.
First thing I would suggest is not use pain killers. There is something going on with your body and the pain killers only mask the issue (if they work at all).
The symptoms that you describe fit into a condition known as premenopause or perimenopause. This does not mean you are going through menopause.
What it means is that your hormones, estrogen and progesterone, are out of balance resulting in symptoms of varying severity. This imbalance could have occurred from birth control pills or even environmental estrogens.
What I would have given for someone to tell me there is an answer, a solution to my monthly problems! Well, there is.
You need to get an understanding of how your hormones work. To do this, I recommend you read the book by John R. Lee, M.D. titled "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause".
Don't be fooled by the title. This book most definitely applies to you and your symptoms.
My doctor once told me that my symptoms were part of being a woman and there was nothing that could be done. Hogwash!
Educate yourself, educate your doctor or find another. Then get your hormones in balance.
I honestly think you are just someone who gets really bad cramps, sometimes when you get cramps your body reacts to them and makes you feel straight up sick. Half of those symptoms you describe can be from the pain alone, a lot of people have diarrhea during their period. The black outs and cold sweats are a little strange, I would have to guess your hormones are going crazy. Just recently I started getting very strange things with my period and im 26. This last time I had severe cramping for 2 days with really bad anxiety like symptoms even tho i've never had anxiety and after my period it disappears. Hormones can do WEIRD things. Go to a gyn dr or someone who specializes in hormones so you can be tested for defeciencies.
Fret not, I go through the EXACT same thing. I saw a doctor when I was about 17 and he prescribed some amazing pain killers that I've been on for a while. Ask for a pain killer, a prescription strength pain killer and going to a general practitioner won't do anything, you need to see the gynecologist for woman problems.
The only thing i can suggest is that you go back to the doctor and insist on more tests. I had the same symptoms and it was found out that i had endometriosis- this did not show on a normal scan it was found on and MRI scan along with cysts
Hope this helps a bit