PERIOD PROBLEMS
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sarahpphotography wrote: »
FYI, I have 3 kids, my oldest is 13, and i don't feel like I need a reminder that I am young and fertile anymore - I have teenage eyerolls to remind me of my ability to produce offspring. >.<
Thanks for the support, though.
You made a statement and I responded with what I think is an appropriate response. Periods are not a death sentence. Go see your gynae about your periods. You might have cysts or something that is causing your symptoms.
You think women who have immensely painful and intense periods don't go see their doctors and gynos about it? I've had the full workup. I'm cyst-free. I just have incredibly painful periods. You don't. Well, lucky you.7 -
I get cramps so bad I have nearly passed out from them. Some of us have cramps comparable to labor pains and they're impossible to ignore. I actually like walking when I hurt like that. It's not what I WANT to do (which is curl up with food and a heating pad), but it helps me.
The walking doesn't require concentration or coordination. But it increases blood flow, which helps with the pain from cramping (caused by oxygen depletion). I also can't eat while walking so I'm not stuffing my face. Eating never reduced the pain, it was a distraction, and walking also serves as a (less delicious) distraction. Bonus, it helps this me out so I sleep better when I do lay down for a nap or night.
Just wanted to put it out there for the ladies that experience this kind of cramping. Go see your doctor, it is not normal. If your period cramps make you feel like you're going to pass out, induce you into vomiting, make you miss school or work, or otherwise hinder the quality of life that you would have while not on your period (ie, you can't do the things you would do while not on your period because you're in so much pain), its not normal. Talk to your primary care or gynecologist about endometriosis. I have periods like some have described and it is a medical condition (I ended up losing an ovary because of it). Don't think you're just a wuss when it comes to period pain. Get checked out. Endometriosis can't be cured, but it can be treated so that you're not in so much pain.
Diet wise, I have a few cravings, but I really don't go all that hog wild when its that time of the month or getting close to it. I just make sure to have some chocolate on hand - an ounce to curb cravings and I'm usually good.
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I'm happy that the contraceptive pill exists. I don't take a break in taking it apart from maybe 3 times per year and have no problems with pms, no pain, no feeling sick or otherwise uncomfortable. It's heaven-send for me.1
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I get cramps so bad I have nearly passed out from them. Some of us have cramps comparable to labor pains and they're impossible to ignore. I actually like walking when I hurt like that. It's not what I WANT to do (which is curl up with food and a heating pad), but it helps me.
The walking doesn't require concentration or coordination. But it increases blood flow, which helps with the pain from cramping (caused by oxygen depletion). I also can't eat while walking so I'm not stuffing my face. Eating never reduced the pain, it was a distraction, and walking also serves as a (less delicious) distraction. Bonus, it helps this me out so I sleep better when I do lay down for a nap or night.
Just wanted to put it out there for the ladies that experience this kind of cramping. Go see your doctor, it is not normal. If your period cramps make you feel like you're going to pass out, induce you into vomiting, make you miss school or work, or otherwise hinder the quality of life that you would have while not on your period (ie, you can't do the things you would do while not on your period because you're in so much pain), its not normal. Talk to your primary care or gynecologist about endometriosis. I have periods like some have described and it is a medical condition (I ended up losing an ovary because of it). Don't think you're just a wuss when it comes to period pain. Get checked out. Endometriosis can't be cured, but it can be treated so that you're not in so much pain.
Diet wise, I have a few cravings, but I really don't go all that hog wild when its that time of the month or getting close to it. I just make sure to have some chocolate on hand - an ounce to curb cravings and I'm usually good.
Again - you don't think I have already done this? No endo. No cysts. Nada. Some of us just crapped out that badly in the genetic lottery.
And yeah, I still get the cramps on BC. The difference with BC was that I went from three or four days of agonising cramps rendering me useless every month, to half a day to a day of cramps every three months.2 -
I'm very fortunate in that I don't get a lot of cramps around my period--sometimes a little back pain but nothing severe. However, I do eat like a HOG. I just realized it, when I had a very bad pair of binge days on the 11th and 12th of this month. I looked at MFP and saw that at the same time in March, I had binges. And the same time in February. And in January. And then the penny dropped.
Still not sure what to do about it for next time. Maybe I can at least be easier on myself, mentally, and not beat myself up for eating too much. Or maybe I can adjust for those days, knowing that they're coming, and try to have a "contained binge", if that makes sense--allow myself more than usual but not as much as when I binge. And be easier on myself, because I don't want to work out those two days before I start my period. Like I said, it's not that I'm in pain, just that I have zero energy. Maybe allowing myself to indulge in a very early bedtime and a little extra food with no mental stress will make those days easier.1 -
Due to a large fibroid, this is me:
For two days, I'm housebound and exhausted. I had to postpone Thanksgiving and Christmas last year, and canceled Easter. I do see my GYN regularly. At this point, the only thing that can be done is a hysterectomy, but the fibroid will shrink on its own when my estrogen levels plummet at menopause, so I am holding out for that. I'm 49.
I do what I can for exercise, which sometimes is limited to picking up sticks in the yard. Last night, we expected a freeze, so I was running around covering up all my plants, and that wore me out, which of course does not the rest of the month.
However, for over 30 years, my period was no big deal.
My appetite spikes up premenstrually and I eat normal foods at maintenance level calories for a few days.
@Francl27 has had good success recently with considerably less premenstrual food cravings by reducing simple carbs. I think she was hypoglycemic just premenstrually.1 -
sarahpphotography wrote: »So, I am pretty happy with myself. After a month of eating well, tracking my foods and making better choices using MFP, coming in under my calorie goals and making an effort to be more active, I have lost nine pounds. YAY!
Then aunt flow came to town.
My seemingly great stride has been broken, I simply want caffeine, chocolate, chips, and ibuprofen for all my meals. Also I'd prefer to sleep all day, but since I can't do that I have planted myself in my couch cushions.
Is this me? Am I crazy? Last night, as the stack of Jillian Michaels DVD's taunted me from across the room, I tried to summon the powers inside me to do something to continue on my productive journey. Something - Anything?
I managed a few deep stretches through my tight hips and thighs and calves before pouring myself a small glass of red, and a handful of gummy bears.
Periods are the worst. Right?
How do y'all do it?
What I found really helped with my period was taking Magnesium-OK - Amazon sells it.
Before I came across this, I was like a bear with a sore head, very tender breast, backache, heavy periods and extremely emotional. I thought I was going crazy; I was listening the radio one day and this was mentioned, bought it and let's just say, my life with periods did a complete 180 from the hell I was going through.
Magnesium-OK is a unique one-a-day nutritional supplement especially for women. It contains a balanced combination of six important minerals and eight vitamins to help support general health and vitality throughout the monthly cycle. Magnesium contributes to the normal function of the nervous system, to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue and to the maintenance of normal bones. Vitamin B6 plays a role in the regulation of hormonal activity and zinc contributes to the maintenance of normal red blood cell formation.
Magnesium-OK one-a-day tablets can be taken every day of the month on an ongoing basis.
Ya, chocolate cravings can be a sign of magnesium deficiency so taking a supplement can help with that. I eat small amounts of high quality chocolate daily, but I no longer have intense premenstrual food cravings. I've made other changes as well:
When I do the following, I don't have cravings:
1. Get sufficient sleep
2. Exercise regularly - when I get the happy hormones from exercise, I'm not prone to seeking them from food.
3. Get sufficient protein in relationship to carbs. I'm not low carb, but reducing carbs and upping protein worked for cravings for me. See also http://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/fuller/understanding-satiety-feeling-full-after-a-meal.html
4. Eat moderate amounts of fruit. This makes me less interested in higher calorie sweets.
5. Take a magnesium supplement. This can be especially helpful for women premenstrually.
6. Save foods like chocolate for after dinner, in small amounts1 -
I get cramps so bad I have nearly passed out from them. Some of us have cramps comparable to labor pains and they're impossible to ignore. I actually like walking when I hurt like that. It's not what I WANT to do (which is curl up with food and a heating pad), but it helps me.
The walking doesn't require concentration or coordination. But it increases blood flow, which helps with the pain from cramping (caused by oxygen depletion). I also can't eat while walking so I'm not stuffing my face. Eating never reduced the pain, it was a distraction, and walking also serves as a (less delicious) distraction. Bonus, it helps this me out so I sleep better when I do lay down for a nap or night.
Just wanted to put it out there for the ladies that experience this kind of cramping. Go see your doctor, it is not normal. If your period cramps make you feel like you're going to pass out, induce you into vomiting, make you miss school or work, or otherwise hinder the quality of life that you would have while not on your period (ie, you can't do the things you would do while not on your period because you're in so much pain), its not normal. Talk to your primary care or gynecologist about endometriosis. I have periods like some have described and it is a medical condition (I ended up losing an ovary because of it). Don't think you're just a wuss when it comes to period pain. Get checked out. Endometriosis can't be cured, but it can be treated so that you're not in so much pain.
Diet wise, I have a few cravings, but I really don't go all that hog wild when its that time of the month or getting close to it. I just make sure to have some chocolate on hand - an ounce to curb cravings and I'm usually good.
Again - you don't think I have already done this? No endo. No cysts. Nada. Some of us just crapped out that badly in the genetic lottery.
And yeah, I still get the cramps on BC. The difference with BC was that I went from three or four days of agonising cramps rendering me useless every month, to half a day to a day of cramps every three months.
Did you gyno do a laparoscopy? That is the only way to truly diagnose endo. My gyno didn't think I had it either, until I finally convinced him to do a laparoscopy. I had such bad endo and fibroids they had to take out my uterus (I was done having kids anyway). I wanted to say "I told you so" so bad.1 -
I'm lucky that I don't get painful periods, but I do want to eat all the foods from like 3 days before until the end of day 2. I try to have willpower.....try...ok, that doesn't really work so I just switch to maintenance and go easy on myself. I never weigh that week either. No point making myself crazier than I already am.1
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I have an IUD and am lucky enough to not have my TOM. I haven't had one for many years. I do tend to know when my time would have been by the little spike of sweets in my diary but that's about it. My nurse looks at me funny when I go in for my annual appointment and she asks the constant question of "when was the first day of your last period?" I say "1997"
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I've been lucky and didn't have the pms like so many women have. I can't imagine being down and out for days with it. I feel bad for you ladies that are suffering
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I've been lucky and didn't have the pms like so many women have. I can't imagine being down and out for days with it. I feel bad for you ladies that are suffering
Thank you! It was awful. PMS was like having the flu for a week, feeling like I dying, period for a week with heavy bleeding, wishing I would die, and then it took a week to recover. A lot of women who don't have issues in that department don't understand. There were a few "friends" that thought I was just weak. I truly appreciate your kind words!
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madhatter2013 wrote: »I have an IUD and am lucky enough to not have my TOM. I haven't had one for many years. I do tend to know when my time would have been by the little spike of sweets in my diary but that's about it. My nurse looks at me funny when I go in for my annual appointment and she asks the constant question of "when was the first day of your last period?" I say "1997"
Yep! I say February 2013, and it takes them a minute to register. Then I get the "huh?" look, and I explain. My primary's nurses have stopped asking. I know I'm PMSing by the hives I get on my boobs (which have decreased dramatically after my hysterectomy), and the slight craving for potato chips.
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Christine_72 wrote: »
+1
Yeah, at my age, I just want the whole thing to be over. Every 3 weeks I'm thinking, "You've got to be kidding me. Stop already!"
Yeah I'm young and fertile with zero desire for children, so I could do without the reminder as well. But it is nice when it arrives and I get that moment of stress free no baby yay feelings. Then my joy passes because period -_-2 -
I got the implant hoping it would do something and stop my periods all together, but it didn't. It was really a shame. So now I have this implant and still the pain medication.
I get what people say about going to doctor if you have pain. As I didn't for a long time as I was quite embarrassed and thought it's just expected. Also as my sister and mum both had pain, it just seemed like something we as women have to put up with. All the over the counter medicine did nothing to help the pain. It was only after years of this as a teenager, and some googling, that I got over the embarrassment and asked the doctor for the real pain medication. It alleviates it a bit. Unfortunately for my sister, it does not help her at all.1 -
I feel for you. I really do. I have a few tips that have helped me sooooo much. Don't be hard on yourself when you are on your period. I have read it really is a time to NOT do any heavy or strenuous exercises. Walks are good. Your body is doing so much during this time and deserves nuturing. I rarely get any cramps anymore. I used to get them so bad, I relied on Tylenol so much. Now, I found something that helps before the cramps ever start. I take flax seed oil and sometimes salmon oil as well. Taking the flax seed oil, ground flax seeds and ground chia seeds along with the salmon oil through the month is best for the biggest relief. But the flax seed oil has made the biggest difference is resolving my cramp pains. I take the flax seed oil with food. Start out slow on the flax seed oil It doesn't taste very good and if you take too much all of a sudden it can cause nausea and a little bit of loose stools. So, start slowly. I also grind flax seeds and chia seeds and add them to yogurts and etc... That really helps as well. Small amounts of chocolate are not bad at all. Dark chocolate is great. Have a baked potato as well. They contain nutrients that can really help how you feel. Proteins are a great idea at this time particularly.
I hope you feel better soon. Hugs!!!1 -
I can relate I'm on my period right now and I usually eat a snack after work between 130-170 cals well this week I have been eating 2 snacks and about 250 altogether worth of snacks.
I havent went over calories but I figure you know its just this one week and then I'll be back on track. I just have an appetite that cannot be satisfied this week! 1 -
For me it is pms for 4-5 days before that does it. The first day of my cycle is a sleep, pop Advil for pain and feel like crap day, but after that I can get on with life. The pms though. Must eat all the things. Must sleep. Must have quiet.
I typicall try to walk. 2-4 miles a day on those days. Anything else tires me out too much to be effective at my job. I tend to do more IF those days as I want to be like a bottomless pit and that facilitates me allowing myself to do that after work without completely breaking the calorie bank. And I plan on more sleep. If I am short on sleep I have more cravings than are "normal" in that timeframe and I am just not at all personable. So I pan on an hour or two in bed reading and then lights out for at least 8hrs before my alarm. This routine works for me and keeps me from wanting to kill those around me. I actually set myself a phone alarm reminding me of the routine. That helps me remember before I get completely and fully irrational and snappy at everyone.1 -
I've been lucky and didn't have the pms like so many women have. I can't imagine being down and out for days with it. I feel bad for you ladies that are suffering
Thank you! It was awful. PMS was like having the flu for a week, feeling like I dying, period for a week with heavy bleeding, wishing I would die, and then it took a week to recover. A lot of women who don't have issues in that department don't understand. There were a few "friends" that thought I was just weak. I truly appreciate your kind words!
I get you on the heaviness. I actually have had 2 D&C's to help with that. I did hate that it was "Helter Skelter" (as I call it if you're familiar with Charlie Manson!) and last year found out I have fibroids but they never cause pain, thank goodness. They are shrinking as I've lost weight. Don't know if it's related or not but my doc was happy in any case. Years ago when I was going through some heaviness they put me on a hormone BC pill (sorry can't recall it's name) but it made me bleed for 3 weeks, hard. I was like WTF so I called the head nurse at my OBGYN and asked her if this was normal because I did not want to live my life on my period like this. Her answer...."you need to learn to live with it". Nope I said, I don't have to and I'm not going to! I stopped taking those darned pills and immediately by period stopped and went back to normal. I really disliked that woman for saying that!1 -
I encourage women with heavy bleeding to get their iron levels tested regularly and do what's needed to keep iron up. I'm anemic and have to supplement aggressively to get up to Low Normal. Without supplementing, I had incredible fatigue and malaise.
Note: iron supplements come in many forms and it wasn't until the fifth form I tried that I found something that kept my iron and energy levels up. I'm taking Iron Bisglycinate now.1 -
I agree with those that would prefer labour to periods. I told my gyn and my midwives that multiple times. Labour for me was short and easy. But that is possibly because the first day of my cycle is always hell; it has me primed and ready for labour. I would so do that monthly in place of my cycle. Everything is "normal" though according to medical know it alls.1
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Birth control has done WONDERS for my period. Very few cramps, manageable bleeding, lasts maybe 4 days. I also find that while I DO crave chocolate, it's easily satiated. I like to splurge on truly rich chocolate and eat it with a coffee, somehow makes it all the more dessert-y.
Also love Oreo Thins (4 are 140 calories), and Chapman's Premium Collection ice cream treats. The fudge brownie one is 170 calories, and is awesome after dinner.
Definitely eat the chocolate!! Just try to swap out something else for it, or work out an extra day after your period is over and you have more energy.2 -
sarahpphotography wrote: »
FYI, I have 3 kids, my oldest is 13, and i don't feel like I need a reminder that I am young and fertile anymore - I have teenage eyerolls to remind me of my ability to produce offspring. >.<
Thanks for the support, though.
You made a statement and I responded with what I think is an appropriate response. Periods are not a death sentence. Go see your gynae about your periods. You might have cysts or something that is causing your symptoms.
I don't think I mentioned they were a death sentence. I think I- very clearly- stated that my menses is interfering with my weight loss goals. On a weight loss forum where support is sought and given in regards to weight loss goals. *GASP*
I am not going to give every person here a detailed account of my family/medical history, what tests I have had done and doctors I have seen about my very heavy periods over the years to manage them.
What I was looking for was a little support in regards to a very normal, biological thing that I assumed other people had dealt with. SO sorry to burden you with the task of typing a snarky response.
Anyhow, another week, another pound lost. Hopefully this post can help someone else with the same issue.
See ya!0 -
Yes. I know someone who suffers from HORRIBLE pains the week before her cycle starts every few months. She throws up for a few days and it's hard for her just to stand up.I've been lucky and didn't have the pms like so many women have. I can't imagine being down and out for days with it. I feel bad for you ladies that are suffering
The worst I have to go through are my cramps in the morning.
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