A dear lady just left the following question on an older post:
I am hoping you or any of the ladies who read your blog can offer me some assistance. Here’s my problem. I have stopped using birth control pills after using them for several years. I originally began taking them in my teens to treat horrible menstrual cramps. Now that I am not taking the pill my cramps are worse than ever. For the first two days of my cycle I am in such pain I am unable to function. Tylenol and other over the counter products provide no relief. I have been to 4 doctors in the past 5 months and they all have the same answer. When I tell them I will not take the birth control pill I am told there is nothing they can do for me. There is no known medical cause for my extreme pain I have been checked for endometriosis, cysts, cancer and any other problem. I’m at my wit’s end! I cant deal with this much more. Anyone have any ideas, suggestions or advice?
Have of you faced a similar situation, or do you have some advice to share? I’m sure any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. And if you feel led, you could leave this lady a note in the comments section to tell her you’re praying for her.
September 27th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Diet can play a huge role in PMS symptoms. I suggest finding the book “Pain-Free Periods” and following its recommendations.
September 27th, 2009 at 9:28 am
I also noticed an increase in menstrual cramps when I stopped taking the pill, although it is far from as severe as this lady’s. I hope her situation is only temporary!
Here are some things that have helped me: taking a magnesium supplement, making sure I get enough exercise during the rest of the month, being well-rested (taking naps if necessary) and perhaps most importantly drinking plenty of water. I *really* notice it if I’m dehydrated at this time as the cramping is much more severe.
Also I have a friend who has far more problems than I do – she keeps a calendar of her menstrual cycle so she can begin taking ibuprofen (Advil) 2 days before she expects her period to begin. This helps her a lot more than starting to take it once the pains have already started. Perhaps this is worth a try if she has not already tried it?
Regardless, I will pray for her to find relief.
September 27th, 2009 at 10:56 am
I struggled with the same issues for 10 years. The one main thing that has helped is pregnancy! The cramps are much, much less now that I have had children. If that isn’t an option for you at this time, another thing that has helped significantly is using cloth menstrual products. For some reason, my flow and cramping are lesser when using cloth, but are stronger when I use disposable products. Another aspect is to really watch your diet when the time for your cycle is about to begin – avoid dairy (especially low fat dairy – full fat, raw (unpasteurized/non-homogonized milk is best), make sure to watch your sugar intake, etc. I will keep you in my prayers, I know what a struggle it is!
September 27th, 2009 at 11:33 am
I was also on the Pill for years and had a lot of serious cycle-related problems when I got off of it. I credit the book Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition by Marlyn Shannon with helping me completely turn it around. That book was truly a God-send for me. I highly, HIGHLY recommend it. The Amazon link is here: http://tinyurl.com/y9fsrtj
God bless you, and you’ll be in my prayers!
September 27th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
You might can find a good herbalist or chiropractor that can help. One thing that really helped me was taking a very low dose of Wild Yam Root from about 5 days before an expected period until it ended. I know many ladies who have gained relief from taking Red Rasperry Leaf (not Red Raspeberry Flavor) tea or capsules. You can also try avoiding hormone mimicers and disruptors … any types of grains or sugars, soy, and milk is a good place to start (fermented milk products are less bothersome … hard cheese, yogurt, kefir). If you can’t find a good herbalist, try finding a midwife, as they often know people or information that can help. I’ve had a lot of relief following the Mercola Diet.
September 27th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
I’ve always had severe, crippling cramps, and I’ve never taken birth control. Pregnancy cured them for me too – but after about five years they came back
Meditation and prayer work best for me. That probably sounds trite, but the fact is its all I’ve got left! And I think it just calms my mind until the pain passes. And the breath control it involved stopped me hyperventilating and making the pain worse.
There is something called Ponstan that is a medication you can take just before your period that apparently helps really well. (I tried but was allergic). Also, half an aspirin beforehand can help too.
As far as diet goes, my biggest trigger is caffeine.
Good luck finding a remedy, I will keep you in my heart.
September 27th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
My daughter has had terrible trouble with her periods also. Doctor said starting one week before cycle, cut sugar way down and increase B vitamins.
God bless you. I hope you will find relief.
It works!
September 27th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Evening primrose oil and an good herbal combination like Estroven seems to really help hormonal imbalances for ladies with this kind of issue. I used to work for a naturopath and I suggest that she look into seeing one. They can do all sorts of bloodwork to check for food allergies and hormone levels to see what naturally can be done to help with these issues. God Bless!
September 27th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
My daughters and I have experienced a variety of problems with our cycles. From, for me, longer, heavier, and much more painful cycles than what I used to experience when I was younger, to, one of my daughters experiencing incredible nausea. The others mostly had problems with cramps. A couple of us also would develop rashes where the edge of the pads came in contact with the insides of our thighs. There are several things we do now that have greatly helped, or altogether eliminated our problems.
1)Eating a much healthier diet. We very rarely eat out, and when we do it is not fast food. We also avoid processed foods at the grocery store. Almost without exception, if it is in any way prepared we don’t buy it, we buy ingredients and prepare the food ourself. The main catalyst for doing this was hyperactivity in one of my children, but we noticed that it helped our cycles as well, especially with the one who had the extreme nausea. She never has nausea anymore. We are trying to follow some of the suggestions in Nourshing Traditions now.
2)I drink Momma’s Red Raspberry Tea, available from The Bulk Herb Store. You can google their website. This has helped me a great deal.
3)We now use Seventh Generation pads. I don’t know if it’s the fact that they are chlorine free, or what, but we don’t get rashes anymore.
All in all, the improvements we’ve had are: elimination of all nausea (one other would experience it once in awhile), reduced cycle length, much less cramping, far less (and some months, no) back pain, less bloating, and no rashes. My headaches have also lessened in intensity and frequency.
There was a time when I could tell you exactly when I would be starting just based on the fact that I was getting a headache and my back would start REALLY hurting, but now it can slip up on me sometimes.
I hope through some of these, or any of the suggestions from the other ladies, you receive some help.
I will be in prayer for you.
September 27th, 2009 at 7:26 pm
I have no clue, although I do remember that my cramps seemed to lessen after my first child was born. I am sorry for all the pain, though.
September 27th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I second the recommendation for Marilyn Shannon’s “Fertility, Cycles & Nutrition.” In addition to dietary changes, Shannon suggests supplements of magnesium (800-1000 mg/day) to treat severe menstrual cramps.
September 27th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
I’m really sorry to hear this! I don’t have any personal anecdotes to offer, but I want to echo a few comments from above.
First, look into the red raspberry leaf tea. It’s available at GNC among other places. I drank it in my 3rd trimester, as it was supposed to help strengthen the uterus.I’m convinced it worked. It’s also supposed to help with cramping.
Also, consider trying cloth pads or a Diva Cup or something 100% natural. I have also heard among friends that their cycles are much different after they’ve used these products instead of disposables because of the chemicals in them.
Best wishes!
September 28th, 2009 at 7:48 am
Hi there – sorry to hear you’re having so much pain! I would also second the recommendation for magnesium supplements: 400-500 milligrams before bed of magnesium citrate (not oxide). This may have a little bit of a laxative effect; if it bothers you, you can split the dose and take half in the morning and half at night. Magnesium has much scientific evidence to support using it for chronic pain especially menstrual-related pain. Also, Omega-3 fatty acids can be very helpful in regulating pain; take fish oil supplements. Another thing that can be helpful is chaste tree berry (also known as vitex) extract. It is a very strong herb wonderful for regulating the reproductive functions. Especially good to help normalize the cycle after pill use. 2 droppers full in hot water once a day.
A website that lists all these resources and more is here:
http://www.moondragon.org/obgyn/disorders/dysmenorrhea.html
You may not have the energy for any of these approaches, or may feel overwhelmed by the multiple and conflicting things people recommend for you. I am recommending what worked for me, as a sufferer of severe chronic pelvic pain myself – and this is also what I recommend to my patients (I am a midwife in training).
Acupuncture also has wonderful things to offer around women’s reproductive health – you may prefer to find a good acupuncturist/traditional chinese medicine practitioner and simply follow their lead on your treatment.
Whatever you decide to go with, I wish you well, and hope that you find healing and relief from it!
Sarah
student nurse-midwife
September 28th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Hello!
I am sorry to hear about your pain and also your frustration at not having any answers – but there is HOPE. Every symptom we have is an indication of a cellular problem – from allergies to “you name it.” If you give your cells what they need (nutrients) then your body will take care of it’s own health challenges. That is how God designed us – that our bodies would heal themselves. We are fearfully and wonderfully made.
So, now the question is what does my body need? There are so many options out there and every woman is different. BUT, if you give yourself the FULL spectrum of nutrients (especially in the form your body can utilize it best – raw vegetarian food) you will not only be treating the symptoms but you will be getting at the ROOT of your health challenges.
My family takes a raw whole food supplement that has been AMAZING. This may or may not be for you. It is not a symptomatic approach to health – but think about it – we don’t have headaches because of a lack of Tylenol. My family has found relief from acid reflux, asthma, PMS, and especially fatigue – we just have more energy now. I don’t sell this, I just refer others to it. You can take it or leave it. However, If you are open to taking a look, please e-mail me (llsantos5 at msn dot com) That way I can give you the whole picture. I also have testimonies from people who are now free from similar symptoms.
Either way, I pray that the Lord would give you wisdom and relief.
September 28th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I have cramps myself that can range from mild (even non-existent, but that’s happened very few times!) to pretty bad. I remember once a gynecologist told me that cramps have to do with hormonal imbalance, particularly having to do with progesterone levels that are too high. He gave me a certain medicine to help with the imbalance. I took it for two months, and it worked on the second month.
I didn’t continue using it – can’t rmember exactly why, I think the doctor didn’t consider it to be a permanent solution. But then, it did not have any side effects, and I’ve never been on the pill, and the doctor was for avoiding any kind of medicine that wasn’t really necessary.
You can always ask your doctor about it – I remember the medication had nothing to do with birth control pills at all!
September 28th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I understand.
It’s terrible that we are led to use birth control pills when so many natural treatments can help, and not hinder us for years to come. I am praying for you.
I treat my family all naturally, and the best herbal I have found so far for menstrual difficulty is Evening Primrose Oil. It is affordable and safe. I would try the dose on the bottle, and it does take a little time to work. The other miracle herb is Vitex. Take 1 capsule 2-3 times a day.
Best wishes to you and God Bless!
September 28th, 2009 at 11:17 pm
Mrs. P. Thank you so much for creating a whole post just for me! Ladies, Thank you so much for all the advice! For those of you who said pregnancy helped, talk to God about that one, its in His hands now! I have made an appointment at the holistic health center I often visited before we moved over an hour away. The center offers chiropractic, meditation/relaxation, accupressure, accupuncture, massage therapy and a whole bunch of other stuff. I will be meeting with the chirpractor as well as the nutritional staff to look at my diet and the possibility of adding suppliments to my treatment. Im looking forward to the appointment I have had positive experiences with the team in the past. I just cant believe I completely forgot about them. I will be sure to leave updates. A BIG THANK YOU everyone for all your prayers and thoughtful suggestions!
September 29th, 2009 at 7:14 am
You say you have been to 4 doctors in the past 5 months and they all have the same answer. When you say you will not take the birth control pill, they say there is nothing they can do for you? Sounds as if you saw 4 doctors with the same narrow-minded views — bad luck!
I would try all of the natural, holistic recommendations available — but don’t give up on medical science because of 4 duds. There might very well be a medical solution to your problem, and a doctor who respects your decisions (and maybe even shares your beliefs) can help you find it.
It can be tough, to negotiate the health system, even if you are lucky enough to have insurance. But just as there are all kinds of people in the world, there are all kinds of doctors, too.
I do hope you find a way to feel better.
September 29th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
There are Pain Management Specialist that may be able to help you. They are usually doctors or nurse practitioners. They can help with getting you the right treatments, medications, etc. They are usually quite creative in how to treat pain because they have a lot of patients that only want to try certain things or don’t want to use certain things.
Some things you can do now are eat healthy. Increase your vitamin intake close to your period times. And I know it sounds counterproductive but doing about 15 – 20 minutes of exercise (most people like to just walk) every day starting about 1 – 2 days before and ending 1 – 2 days after your period helps a lot. I know some people who say having sex in the first couple days of their period helps a lot. Sex helps most when you do it the day before your most painful day if you know what day that is during your cycle. Of course this will only help if you have a husband
I hope you are able to get the help you need.
September 29th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Sorry I have no thoughts on this. Hoping she feels better. I had a big fibroid that they said should have caused a lot of pain, but didn’t. I assume you’ve asked about fibroids already.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Sorry you are going through this! I use to have terrible cramps during my period. I was told to take Calcium which helped some. Really, pregnancy did do wonders for the cramps. I not sure if its because it helped or because Im so busy running around after my girls that I don’t realize Im in pain (I can actually say that since I sprained my wrist and didn’t realize how bad it hurt until I laid down in bed that night). Ive also heard Evening Primrose Oil does a great job as well.
Good luck. Hopefully you can find something that helps you.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:18 am
I just wanted to give everyone an update. Sorry it took me so long we passed bronchitis around here for a good month. My poor house still looks like a war zone but thats another story. Anyway the doctors at the holistic health center suggested I take the magnesium supplements and informed me that I have chronic dehydration. Aparently I have been living in a state of mild dehydration for quite some time. I have been making a concious effort to increase my fluid intake. Praise God, it has been working not only did I have a relatively pain free period last month. I have been feeling great over all. Again thank you to everyone for your advice and prayers.
November 6th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Mrs. Oliveira,
Thanks for the update. I’m so glad to hear that things are better. Praise the Lord!