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Hello,
To get rid of menstruaI
discomfort I take vitamins from
the B
Complex (one daily) and low
iron dose make feel
very well. No PMS, no awful pain,
tired maybe the first day. I live
in a sunny place, so I don't take
A, or D vitamins, also I drink
milk and derivatives, a cocktail
of carrot, beet and orange juice
at least 3 times a week, and
plenty of water....
But for me the B complex and the
iron have been the key to make me
feel better.
April 2011
Essential Fatty Acids Pill
Prevents PMS, Study
Suggests
ScienceDaily (Mar. 1, 2011) - A
pill containing a mix of essential
fatty acids has been shown to
significantly reduce the symptoms
of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Researchers writing in BioMed
Central's open access journal
Reproductive Health tested the
tablets by carrying out a
randomised, controlled trial in
120 women.
Calcium stopped her cramps
Hi.
I suffered severe menstrual
cramps for 20 years (starting at
16) that left me crying in bed for
at least two days a month. Then I
read SOMEWHERE (I think it was in
a book by Herbalist Rosemary
Gladstar but I won't swear to it)
that the biggest reason we have
cramps is because in the few days
leading up to our periods, our
bodies become depleted of calcium.
This made sense to me as I
couldn't drink milk as I was
lactose intolerant. She suggested
a 600 mg calcium supplement to rid
ourselves of the cramps..
I started taking a 600 mg calcium
supplement (the Walmart brand
Spring Valley has been tested by
women's magazines and absorbs
well.) I started with the
supplement the day my period
started, (yes, I should have taken
one every day but I was testing
her advice)
I took it for two days and had NO
cramps! I tried this every period
for six months and the cramps
disappeared. Never to be heard
from again. [I suggest trying also
a magnesium and a vitamin D pill
with the calcium to increase
absorption.]
As the mother of six daughters,
I've gone on to recommend this for
their cramps too. It has worked
like a charm but must be 600 mg.
250 won't work. Our bodies can
absorb a maximum of 600 mg at a
time so taking more than that in
one pill is a waste. I made my
discovery nine years ago and am
still cramp free as are five of my
menstruating daughters
The best kudos came from one of
my daughter's friends. She had
cramps so bad she threw up
regularly while on her period. I
asked my daughter if she told her
about the calcium. She had, but it
hadn't worked.
I asked what mg she took. 250mg
was the reply.
I told her she needed more. The
friend was picking my daughter up
to take her to school that day,
and lo and behold she'd just
started her period and the cramps
were already bad. She'd already
thrown up and felt like she was
going to do it again. I went and
got her a 600 mg calcium
supplement, My daughter called
from school 20 minutes later
telling me her friend was cramp
free and she couldn't thank me
enough. To this day, her friend
still uses the calcium supplement
and hasn't had a cramp since that
morning three years ago.
One of my daughters forgot her
calcium one morning and was in the
school nurse's office having
horrible cramps. she had me call
attendance and get her older
sister released to come home and
get her a calcium pill. The school
nurse called and asked about the
calcium thing. I informed her of
my discovery several years prior
and even after my daughter told
her it worked like a charm, she
informed me she couldn't "dispense
medical advice" to students "by
just suggesting they take a
Calcium supplement!!"
Try it, it won't hurt, and who
knows? you might just feel your
last menstrual cramp.
Reach for the sky because if you
should happen to miss,
you'll still be among the stars.
Have a great day
February 2007
Hi there,
Just thought I'd share my
story. I've got a
bicornuate uterus (you can
compare it to a normal
uterus or research it more
on Google). Plus I have a
double-lined uterus with each
lining twice the thickness of a
regular lining. So, I was
told that with the double
linings I might start having two
periods per month at some
point. Well, I don't know
which is better, two periods per
month or one KILLER once a
month! Currently I suffer
from one HELL of a period once a
month. I wonder if the
people who have 'heavy' periods
could even compare to
this. Because of the two
double-thick linings, it's like
having four times the amount of
a regular person. It sucks,
but what I do is as soon as I
see or feel a hint of my period
coming, I load up on Ibuprofen,
which lessens the
pain. Heating pad helps,
walking, sleeping, plus I have a
very loving husband, who
massages my lower back gently,
because it's so very
sensitive. I was on the
Pill for 10 years and decided
that was enough. The
Pill also made the pain a
bit more bearable, plus my
periods were lighter, but I
don't know if anything out there
is strong enough to eliminate
all the pain. I guess I was
lucky to be a VERY late
bloomer. I didn't start
till I was 17. I remember
being so upset because my
younger sisters had theirs and I
didn't. I guess my body
knew I wouldn't be able to
handle the pain at a younger
age. Even with all this, I
always welcome my period, it
feels like such a cleanse every
month. Plus it sure makes
me appreciate being pain-free
and mobile again when it's all
over. It's kinda like my
monthly reminder to enjoy life
as much as possible whenever you
can!
I'm 32, no children, even
though everyone's told me to
have a child and it would fix
it. I've been told by my
doctor that I would have a very
difficult time getting pregnant
because of the bicornuate
uterus, plus I have one severely
damaged ovary from a cyst that
burst. So I decided children
weren't for me. So instead
I run a daycare
centre! Much more fun, plus
I get paid for it!
January 2007
Hi,
It's nice to read all the
wonderful contributions.
For me when I started
initially at 13, I had basically
no pains but as I grew older the
pains started with cramps,
vomiting and all the like.
Nothing I took seemed to work.
But it's only on the first day
and after that I don't really
feel pain.
Growing older I realised that
taking long walks, taking deep
breaths and releasing it
again and not stressing
myself too much both
physically and emotionally just
works like magic for me.
A friend introduced me to a
painkiller (BrustanN brand name)
which I sometimes take - 1 or 2
tablets the first day (6 hourly)
and it works.
I also believe if your pain is
severe you could start your
medication a week or a few days
before your period actually
starts.
January 2007
Number one cause of cramps for
me is caffeine. When I give up
caffeine, my cramps become much
more manageable and most difficult
symptoms of PMS go away. Also, I
firmly believe that pain is a
message and that looking very
critically at my life and making
changes in my habits and
relationships has done so much to
ease my "flow."
March 2006
Kia Ora Harry, ["Hi" in Maori]
Firstly I think your site is
marvelous. Thank you for such
candor and honest edu-tainment!
I tried to add my thoughts to
your "Would you stop menstruation
if you could?" section via your
Web site but it refused to work
with this computer.
Here is what I think. Please add
it to your panel.
Or perhaps dismiss it as crazy
hippy conspiracy femmespeak - this
is what I was inspired to write
nonetheless..
I have had my period since I was
fourteen. It came late, but I was
glad.
While growing up I never felt
like a girl, and was an utter
tomboy. I felt in fact deeply that
I would never become a woman, and
dreaded such an occurrence. I
sometimes wonder if this is why I
developed so late. Girls in the
changing rooms at school would
laugh at my flat chest and rather
than wishing I was like them I
would secretly think "Well, I'm
glad I don't have those ugly lumpy
things on my chest- ugh!"
I grew up on a dairy farm and
the sight of women's breasts I
related in some weird way to the
grossly enlarged udders of dairy
cows, forced to expel milk twice
most days of the year.
For a long time I guess you
could say I struggled with my
femininity. For a long time I
really thought of myself as
"feminist." I liked that women
could act like a man, work like a
man, drink and do drugs, have sex
like a man, work sixty hour weeks,
and what of it - screw you - we're
the same - we're Equal! I beat my
body hard with martial arts and
exercise.
During this period -(Ha!) - I
suffered extremely bad cramps
during my menstruation, to the
extent of being bedridden and in
agony. I remember screaming and
moaning incapably and dreading my
periods. Every four months cramps
would come along that made me want
to die, they were that awful.
Doctors prescribed heavy-duty
liver toxic painkillers,
contraceptive pills, hormonal
adjustment, or even surgery. I was
resistant to all these treatments,
distrusting this kind of
suppressive "medicine."
I tried acupuncture, yoga, herb
teas, Tibetan medicine. Stupidly,
I tried all this while not
changing the way I ate or lived.
After panicking one day in an
exceptionally bad period I was
ambulanced to the hospital and was
left, untreated and in agony, on a
bed in the corridor, (they refused
to treat me because they thought I
was mentally unstable, or on
drugs, that's how crazy I was from
the pain - staff wouldn't even
refill my hot water bottle for the
pain) I went into some kind of
pain-induced zone of a Zen-like
calm, and thought: I've got to do
something about this. The medical
establishment will not help me. I
have to do this by myself. Who am
I?
It is obvious to me now my hard,
dare I say "male" (though I have
no idea what it is like to be
male) lifestyle of hard work, late
nights, drinking, smoking, eating
badly and sporadically, six cups
of coffee a day, drugs, etc., were
responsible for my state. I had
been suppressing my femininity and
trying to live some kind of
exceptionally driven existence.
I had been duping myself.
Now, several years later I have
barely a twinge during my periods,
which are light and last for about
four days.
This is how I got there.
1. I eat very minimal animal
products.
2. I don't drink caffeine.
3. I eat minimal processed
foods.
4. I don't drink or do drugs to
excess (occasionally I will have
half a glass of stout and the
occasional joint or brownie).
5. I relax with yoga and
capoeira.
6. I walk and cycle moderately
for fitness.
7. I drink a lot of water before
any other beverage.
8. I work lightly, as a job
cooking what is considered "slow
food."
And that's it. These things
worked for me.
I basically slowed down, and got
in touch with my body and stopped
being so demanding. I laugh and
smile a lot more, for the joy of
being.
And there is a bit of an
ideology behind this, which I will
try to explain.
Basically I think as women we
have to engage with our connection
to the planet and stop harmful,
hurtful (I could almost say
demonic) activities.
I don't judge anyone who wishes
to stop their menstruation, but I
think that modern western
existence is fundamentally
anti-feminine, and that we are
being reshaped into suffering
worker drones for capitalism.
Does that sound radical? Scary?
Plain ridiculous?
I think the African original
woman has a lot to teach us, to
stop the pain and the frustration.
Of feeling like a ROUND peg in a
SQUARE hole.
Women are intuitive, nurturing
beings. Our bleeding is a tool for
empathy. If we charge our love for
ourselves, for all beings and for
the planet our natural strength
and fulfillment will emerge. Women
are strong, sweet mothers of
wisdom. Witches of herbs, minerals
and stews.
We don't need to compete with
men, they have their foci and we
have ours.
We are best placed in careers
that emphasize our feminine
aspects of nurturing, natural
wisdom, healing and other kinds of
generous giving. I am not trying
to demean women in writing this,
rather that femininity has been
and is continually being demeaned
in this society.
I know many women who get very
upset at this. I'm not suggesting
that we are not intellectual or
that we are only mothers and
homemakers, rather that we need to
give our femininity importance,
and breathing space instead of
suppressing it for work, or play.
I give thanks to all women who
have fought long and hard for our
rights - to those bright shining
sisters.
But what have we lost in the
fight for so-called "equality." Do
you feel equal? Really?
It's okay to feel tired - relax,
have a bath, a walk, a cup of tea.
It's okay to feel bitchy - let
it out in a good chat, a letter, a
workout.
It's okay to ask your man (or
maybe woman) to be gentle and take
time - we need to feel
appreciated, loved or respected,
to want to make love in the
highest sense.
It's okay to not want to have
children - it is a marvelous,
scary event, but our bodies are
undeniable geared to produce
offspring.
It's okay to say hey, I'm a
woman, I want time with my mother,
sister, women, in our feminine
pursuits.
It's okay to wear a dress, a
beautiful flowing sacred garment,
releasing our belly organs from
constriction. It's okay to be sexy
- to feel our powerful kundalini.
I guess what I am trying to say
is that our conception of
femininity is a very warped thing
in this fast track existence, and
that by trying to be men, to
compete in their pursuits is a
dangerous thing for our cycles,
our well-being, our woman-ness.
I wish every woman could observe
nature on a daily basis, sit in
her garden and tend vegetables,
have time to make a simple meal,
be able to sit, chat, sew and
comfort.
I'm not ashamed of being a
woman. I don't desire to climb and
claw and cut throat in a race to
the top. I'm glad to be educated
and respected but I don't need to
fight for that - my perception of
myself is more important than
reality.
It's easy for me to say this,
living in a society where woman
are not subjugated to terrifying
things like circumcision or
sanctioned rape. These things are
perhaps female suppression of the
most extreme.
But what other subtle
disharmonies are we subjected to?
Perhaps unrealistic and perverted
expectations? Perhaps a white
Western male order?
(Please, no disrespect intended
to any real men, the description
of which is for real men to
consider)
I made myself very ill trying to
fit an unfeminine mold, and I feel
very much for the women I know,
trying to compete, distancing
themselves from their empathy,
their connection to the earth, to
the ancestresses in pursuit of
male fame, glory or success.
What is female success? How
about we try and uplift our
sisters in pursuit of that? How
about we give that cycle, circle,
the respect and love it deserves.
In love, sisterhood and humility
-
and with my arms open in embrace-
****
March 2006
As far as I'm concerned, diet
seems to have a great effect:
eating smoked mackerel, salmon (or
other similar types of "fatty"
fish), mussels, etc., a couple of
times during the 14 days before
period greatly improves mood and
makes menstrual pain almost
non-existent. I have also found
milk thistle (available in
capsules) to be have a very
beneficial effect on mood. I also
found that after my first (and
only) child, bleeding decreased
significantly.
Franco-Brit, aged 40
November 2005
"Calcium-rich diets may
prevent PMS," 13 June 2005,
NewScientist.com news service,
by Anna Gosline
"Encouraging women to eat a diet
rich in calcium and vitamin D
could prevent the development of
clinical premenstrual syndrome,
suggests a new US study. The
findings suggest that by consuming
four servings of low fat dairy
products a day, women can reduce
their risk of developing the
disorder by almost 50%." Read the
story.
From 13 to 19, I had terrible
PMS and cramps that often left me
doubled over in pain, plus very
heavy flow lasting six days.
Nothing seemed to relieve the
cramps.
Since 19, when I adopted a
vegetarian diet, the PMS almost
disappeared, flow decreased by
half, and I have much less severe
cramps that rarely last more than
two days. I try to take some
ibuprofen only on the first day,
when the cramps are the worst.
Drinking ginger and chamomile
teas, eating very spicy foods,
avoiding caffeine, and increasing
my intake of calcium all seem to
offer enough relief to make things
tolerable.
Californian, age 33, started
at 13, regular cycle, no
pregnancies
May 2005
I find that either eating a
little bit of chocolate helps or
having a hot or cold chocolate
drink, using milk. Personally I
have a milk shake and it always
works for me. I don't see the need
in taking a drug (paracetamol). It
might help but it is still a drug
and milk is more natural.
April 2005
Hello Harry, I just chanced upon
your site. I really like your artwork page
that described your cafe
experience - it reminds me of some
of mine. And I like your artwork
for the fact that it is varied and
fun.
With regards to a pain remedy, I
am astonished to find that nowhere
has it been mentioned (yet) that
exercise helps.
I am a pretty regular "bleeder"
approximately every 28 days who
feels quite lucky that for most of
my life, starting from when I was
9 years old, my parents stuck me
in all sorts of extracurricular
activities: taekwondo, soccer,
cross-country skiing, down-hill
skiing, and even for a year in
high school I took ballet.
I started menstruating around
the age of 12. and never really
felt too much "pain" about it -
you know just squishy discomfort
and all the embarrassment that
comes with the learning process of
how to deal with blood letting go
from your body on a monthly basis
that you haven't figured out when
it might come just exactly yet.
With regards to the pain, I
never really experienced it too
much compared to my best friend
who described severe pain - I
never really knew why and felt
that I was just lucky I guess.
That may be part of it but what I
did notice is that after I stopped
playing soccer on a regular basis
after college (and fell into a
state of being severely OUT OF
SHAPE) that my pain and discomfort
ratio went up significantly.
Now I gauge how much out of
shape I may be by how much I feel
the ache in my lower back knocking
me around my period. I figure it
is good sign if it is relatively
dull or nonexistent but if it is
sharp and annoying I know I better
get into a better habit of working
out again - sit ups, running, yoga
or pilates are the ones that my
body seems to prefer best at the
moment although I hear swimming
(wear a tampon!) is also very
relaxing as well.
Well, it won't work for everyone
but, hey, I figured I better throw
my two cents in. There are all
sorts of wonderful effects that
come from being in better shape
physically. Don't get me wrong, I
love to cozy up on the couch too -
but when I read of people doubled
over from the pain I also just
wonder if more exercise might
help. I also have a friend who
suffered from endometriosis and
she managed to KICK IT entirely
without surgery. I'll try to get
her to send you a note as well
since I don't recall exactly all
the methods she used.
I'm also reading some really
great books about HEALING AND THE
MIND (interviews with doctors and
scientists) written by Bill
Moyers; THE ANATOMY OF THE SPIRIT
by Caroline Myss, Ph.D.; and just
kind, healing meditations found in
THE WOMAN's BOOK OF SOUL by Sue
Patton Thoele
Each of these books have really
offered some healing insights to
me along the way and encouraged me
to treat my whole body with more
kindness. I would highly recommend
them to anyone.
Finally, its funny but for me,
since I started having sex on a
regular basis with my man, it has
been an interesting transformation
in my own thinking about
menstruation. Since I am not ready
to get pregnant yet, and since
there have been a few close calls
I have come to look upon each
menstruation cycle as a true
blessing: a time where my body is
speaking to me in a different sort
of way - telling me what is going
on with it.
"In her class "The Positive
Power of PMS," Nancy Conger
states: "Studies show that a
negative attitude about one's body
and menstrual cycle is a major
factor in PMS. There are times in
your cycle when emotional and
physical sensitivities are on high
- but it is sensitivity to all
emotions and sensations, both
positive and negative. If your
mind set is that your cycle is a
curse, you may only perceive it
negatively when changes occur.
Some women have found relief from
PMS in just changing how they
value and honor their femininity."
Best wishes.
Age 32, Kentucky. I use: a mix
of natracare
<http://natracare.com>
organic cotton tampons (regular or
super) with re-washable glad rags
<http://www.gladrags.com>
depending on mood, flow and amount
of activity. most recently I have
been relying on the pads alone
which I feel is more healthy for
the environment all around.
March 2005
How cool to find this page with
all sorts of info on
it. Here's my take on it all:
Gentle lower back rub from
loving husband on the first and
second days is good! It
doesn't make the pain go away, but
it feels really nice and distracts
from the pain. I also drink a fair
bit of water (I'm in a warm
climate anyway), but nothing I do
seems to ease the bloating which
is (usually) always quite sudden
and very pronounced.
Diet also seems to have no
effect on the severity of the
pain/heaviness of bleeding, or the
diaorrhea. There are a couple of
nice oil blends that help
(more with relaxation and calming
than anything) and they all have
clary sage in them. Nurofen is my
painkiller of choice and works a
treat, especially on the lower
back pain which always accompanies
the intense period pain. A warm
compress on back/belly helps too.
I occasionally smoke a joint if
things are really bad (which is
most periods, actually). I find it
a great help with
relaxing and distraction from
the pain. I know it's not for
everybody [or legal in the
U.S.A.], but it works for me.
Really bad pain started in my
early 20's. Haven't used birth
control for over 10 years and very
happy about it. But I was
diagnosed with endometriosis some
years back. It was dealt with
and the pain did ease somewhat for
a little while, but in the last
couple of years, it's as bad, if
not worse, than ever. Periods are
generally regular - I have a 24
day cycle which goes a little nuts
sometimes.
Sometimes just lying down in a
cool, dark room, putting on some
fave tunes and deep breathing can
be a lifesaver. Conversely,
whacking some hardcore techno on
the player and having a big dance
can be excellent too! Different
things work for different months -
the common denominator is always
the pain, but depending on your
mood and situation, there are so
many different ways of dealing
with it. Really appreciate
being able to read about other
women's experiences. Thanks.
Queensland, Australia, 38 years
old, no kids, started at 10 years.
Very heavy flow.
January 2005
I drink a cup of red raspberry
leaf tea twice a day on the first
day of my period, and once a day
after that. It reduces my
pain a lot. I find it also helps
to take a day off work or school
on the first day and do a lot of
what I call "power relaxation" (I
coined the term to sound
like "power walking"). I lie
down in a comfortable spot and
focus on each muscle in my body,
especially the abdomen, and I
relax it. This doesn't remove the
pain, but simply taking the time
to relax makes handling the pain
ten times easier for me.
Later she added:
My main method of dealing with
PMS is writing in a journal.
I find that just before my period
I do tend to be more emotional
than I normally am. However,
the emotions I feel are not
irrational. I believe that "PMS"
is actually my body's way of
letting me know that I have
personal issues to deal with.
By journalling I am able to
explore my feelings and understand
the root cause of any emotional
discomfort I'm feeling. This
introspection forces me to deal
with unpleasant situations I may
otherwise have ignored and come to
a sense of peace with my life.
This changes my period from being
a time of heightened moodiness to
being a time of heightened
peacefulness.
From an ethnic Indian (the
country of India) woman living
in Canada, writing in November
2004 and March 2005
I asked my doctor what I should
do about the severely
painful cramps that leave me
curled up on the floor next to the
toilet, with the nausea,
fainting, diarrhea and cold
sweats that afflict me
occasionally when I have my
period. I endure these severe
symptoms with about three out of
12 menstrual cycles. (The rest of
the cycles are simply heavy
painful cramps with diarrhea and
only a little nausea.)
My doctor told me that "There's
a reason why it's called the
curse. Some women just have
periods like that." There was
nothing she could do for
me except to tell me to take
my favorite painkiller.
Every doctor has told me this,
with the exception of when I
was a randy teenager. My doctor at
that time recommended the
[birth-control] Pill, saying we
could kill two birds with one
stone, my cramps and the chance of
pregnancy. (I did take the Pill,
my cramps did go away, along with
my libido and any chance of a
sunny mood. I no longer take or
recommend the Pill.)
So my home remedy calls for
tracking my period and taking
painkiller (Naproxen [Aleve] seems
to be the best for me) starting
the day before I expect my period.
I stay home from work on the most
painful days, when painkiller
taken at treble the over the
counter dosage still leaves me in
pain. A hot water bottle helps.
Hot baths are a comfort.
I am 36 years old and have tried
every diet. I have been a
vegetarian, avoided caffeine and
sugars and wheats and salts. I
grew up on the traditional meat
and potatoes and salad diet. I am
no longer a vegetarian, but eat
whole, unprocessed foods only,
organic when I can. Diet does not
affect my painful periods. I have
had painful periods since I
was 13 years old. If
anything, the pain and bleeding
have grown a little worse as I
age.
I have four sisters. Only one of
them suffers as I do. She has
found that diet does not
affect her painful cramps. She
also takes painkiller as I do. The
other sisters have no idea what we
go through. Lucky them. (July
2004)
The things that have worked best
for me:
Cramps Analgesic
approach: To avoid them
entirely, you need to be lucky
enough to be awake at that moment
when your period just starts, when
maybe you feel the first odd
little twinge, or when you see the
very first faint evidence on the
t.p. [toilet paper] when you wipe
after using the
restroom. Then, you can
attack with Naproxen Sodium (trade
name is Aleve, but you can find
generic formulations). Take
two immediately, and they'll last
12 hours, and you'll never feel a
thing. Cramping when those
wear out? Take another
course. I've tried ALL the
pain relievers, and these are the
best. These are the first pills
I've ever tried that can actually
relieve the cramps quickly, and
the ONLY ones that work after the
cramps have already taken hold.
Cramps "Natural"
approach: If you're averse to
taking pills, the next best thing
is those disposable 8-hour heating
pads, the ones made for menstrual
pain, that adhesively attach to
the inside front of your
undies. In fact, these are so
soothing, that I've sometimes used
them even with Aleve. They're like
a warm, loving massage that lasts
8 hours; especially wonderful when
you have to go to work everyday,
cramps or no. When I've had the
rare luxury to call in sick, or
when the cramps hit on weekends,
I've found some relief from
walking a couple of miles, or
writing on my computer, or playing
the piano or even
PlayStation. When I was a
kid, I used to mindlessly trudge a
circle around the first floor of
my parents' house, hour after
hour, just hoping the pain would
cease enough so that I could
rest. That was before
Naproxen Sodium.
Bloating: Although it
sounds counter-intuitive, I seem
to be able to avoid most of the
bloating by just drinking extra
water the days before. Just
keeping a bottle at my desk and
sipping at it frequently has
seemed to eliminate the bloating
issue.
Diarrhea or other g.i.
[gastrointestinal]
issues: Immodium. Or
just stay near a bathroom and hope
to have privacy when you need
it. Diet has no effect, at
least not for me. More fiber,
less fiber, no cheese, extra
cheese, more water, less: no
effect. I never noticed this
problem, though, until I was about
35.
- Ohio, 41, started at 9,
regular cycle, medium flow, no
pregnancies (July 2004)
I have been using Depo-Provera
for nearly four years, and no
monster problems, a little weight
gain is all. However, before
I started on Depo, I was not
taking any birth control and I
would have excruciatingly painful
first and sometimes second days on
my period. My solution for those
painful days was always a
plain-and-simple hot bath (minus
the bubbles), then a cozy spot on
the couch, a pillow rolled behind
the small of my back, and a hot
water bottle wrapped in a
pillowcase on my abdomen. (An
understanding Mom who makes you
soup is always a plus,
too). Hope this helps someone
out there. (July 2004)
Until the day that I scrape up
money and courage to remove my
uterus, I have a few more hints
for that time of month.
CHIROPRACTORS are my favorite
people. A quick adjustment in the
week before my period prevents a
lot of cramps and backaches. (I
don't have insurance, I just shell
out for it - oh, so worth it!)
Sleep naked on old/dark towels,
and if needed, put under your old
sheets a vinyl tablecloth (the
kind that are flocked on the
underside) to protect the
mattress.
Wear really low-slung panties
and no clothes with waistbands -
even slight elastic or other
pressure around my waist causes
nausea and vomiting.
Herbs like the Dong Quai and Red
Raspberry Leaf tincture from Zand
seem to help reduce cramps.
Eating food during the first day
or so gives me a stomach ache, so
now I just nibble on crackers and
drink juice.
Hit the library or video rental
shop. If I'm absorbed in a story
I'm less aware of my pain.
Distraction is great! I survived a
really bad period by watching all
the Twin Peaks episodes in two
days.
Since I've started the
chiropractor, movie-day,
free-waist regimen, I don't think
I've taken any Ibuprofen.
Diarrhea is still a problem
though. Fate often takes me to
Indian restaurants on the day
before my period, and bananas
never seem to be in the house at
the right time.
Stats: lifetime pad user,
regular cycle, medium flow, no
pregnancies.
Pennsylvania, 34 years old.
[She suggested I start this page
- Good idea!]
June 2004
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