Exercise during period w/ heavy cramps

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charliejmeyers
charliejmeyers Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you all do during this time? Looking for fun ideas to keep motivated and not give myself excuses. Don't have a lot of $ or a gym pass, so looking for at home ideas. I own a foam roller & some feet haha. Thanks
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  • kimkimcoleman
    kimkimcoleman Posts: 105 Member
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    I don't usually feel like doing anything for a day or two. I'll do some yoga poses to help with cramps.
  • sexymamadraeger
    sexymamadraeger Posts: 239 Member
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    I have awful cramps and really heavy bleeding these days. Taking a walk actually makes them much better. Heavy exercise does not. But walking my dog does. Sometimes it makes me bleed heavier afterwards. I can't take Advil so I only have Tylenol. But I've found ice packs really help slow the bleeding and the cramping. On my heaviest nights I sleep with an ice pack on my tummy.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Keeping moving really helps with TOM cramps I find. I might not feel like doing a workout but I just get on with it and voila the cramps disappear and I feel fine.
    Walking/jogging/ cycling are my go to exercise.
    And if none of those appeal try a YouTube workout, Jessica Smith / Fitness Blender/ Lesley Sansone to name a few.
  • Heather4448
    Heather4448 Posts: 908 Member
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    There are some BC meds that stop or lessen monthly periods. Maybe you should look into that as an alternative.
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
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    Look into using the Diva Cup. It saves me so much of the pain and discomfort and associated crabbiness (my jerk attitude is directly correlated with the amount of pain I'm in) of my period. The cup brought my pain from a 2-3 day rampage to a few days of twinge-like irritations.

    That said, I'm a fan of lots of stretching/yoga and whatever exercise distracts from the pain.
  • everher
    everher Posts: 909 Member
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    I take pain medicine, wait for it to kick in, and then I do some mild exercise. (i.e. walking) If it's really bad I just take a day or two off. I figure resting a day or two isn't going to affect my overall fitness level.
  • MsMaeFlowers
    MsMaeFlowers Posts: 261 Member
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    I used to flip off my uterus and do my normal work out while internally telling it that nothing it does will stop me from doing what I want to do. Then I switched birth controls to one that stopped my period and the cramps.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    My high school gym teacher always told me to work through the cramps. Anyway, I flunked two years of gym and had to make them up in summer school. Whoda thunk it?
  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
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    PaulaWallaDingDong wrote: »
    My high school gym teacher always told me to work through the cramps. Anyway, I flunked two years of gym and had to make them up in summer school. Whoda thunk it?

    Hey... me too! I flunked for attendance, though. But I never did anything when I was there anyway.
  • WendyLeigh1119
    WendyLeigh1119 Posts: 495 Member
    edited June 2017
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    Do you live near a "5Below" store? That's where I get all of my exercise equipment including the yoga mat I take to the gym. It's the same one that's $16.99 at TJMaxx.

    They sell dumbbells in dollar amounts up to 5 lbs (because that's $5....their max price), medicine balls (6 and 8 lb), Swiss Balls, weighted jump ropes, resistance band sets, even ab-rollers. All $5 or less. The Bone & Joint Institute I go to for my Physical Therapy gets most of their stuff there and clued me in. Saved me tons of $$$ on basics that you can do a lot with.
  • WendyLeigh1119
    WendyLeigh1119 Posts: 495 Member
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    Also...IUDs are still free at Planned Parenthood (get em' while you can!), good for 6 years, and will either dramatically lighten or stop your periods entirely. It's pure heaven. Plus less hormones than BC because it's localized and barely enters your bloodstream like BC pills and the Depo Shot do.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Assuming that the cramping is only for 2-3 days, I'd say that if you are totally miserable, staying home and resting is a good option. Sleeping is great. A couple of days off from exercising is not going to wreck you.
  • tomteboda
    tomteboda Posts: 2,171 Member
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    Walking really helps me. It increases blood flow, which is a big deal there.
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
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    Heavy workouts usually actually help me once I get going.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
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    I drink something with a little caffeine, do a lighter cardio for my two heaviest days and focus a little more on weight lifting.
  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
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    Mind over matter always helped me. A scenic walk, stretching and meditation, I distract myself with music and just press on.
  • rjan91
    rjan91 Posts: 194 Member
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    First of all, get your cramps under control. Personally, I use Aleve (naproxen sodium) and ibuprofen. Take something at the first sign of cramps - as this blocks those receptors that get stimulated by hormones that are released and keep taking them for as long as you have cramps. If you wait too long, those receptors are already stimulated and then it is worse. You can also try some over the counter Magnesium as this helps too. Then I would do whatever you feel like doing. For me it might only be walking, or nothing at all.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Tylenol and Advil for me too. I needed a bigger dose when I was bigger though. Unfortunately the pill didn't do anything to alleviate them.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    SafioraLinnea wrote: »
    Look into using the Diva Cup. It saves me so much of the pain and discomfort and associated crabbiness (my jerk attitude is directly correlated with the amount of pain I'm in) of my period. The cup brought my pain from a 2-3 day rampage to a few days of twinge-like irritations.

    That said, I'm a fan of lots of stretching/yoga and whatever exercise distracts from the pain.

    I'm lucky in that I've rarely had significant pain that interfered with exercising or any other activity. Most months I would barely even notice my cycle, except of course for the inconvenience of the blood. I can kind of tell it's coming on, though, because I experience physical symptoms of anxiety in the day or two before it starts. It's not like I'm worrying or having anxious thoughts, but just suddenly having sensations of anxiety in my chest (palpitations, tightness etc.) that go away a day or two after my period starts. I guess that's my version of PMS.

    But anyway, enough about that weirdness. I'm curious as to how/why the Diva Cup eases pain. I'm familiar with the product but have never used it.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    jenilla1 wrote: »
    SafioraLinnea wrote: »
    Look into using the Diva Cup. It saves me so much of the pain and discomfort and associated crabbiness (my jerk attitude is directly correlated with the amount of pain I'm in) of my period. The cup brought my pain from a 2-3 day rampage to a few days of twinge-like irritations.

    That said, I'm a fan of lots of stretching/yoga and whatever exercise distracts from the pain.

    I'm lucky in that I've rarely had significant pain that interfered with exercising or any other activity. Most months I would barely even notice my cycle, except of course for the inconvenience of the blood. I can kind of tell it's coming on, though, because I experience physical symptoms of anxiety in the day or two before it starts. It's not like I'm worrying or having anxious thoughts, but just suddenly having sensations of anxiety in my chest (palpitations, tightness etc.) that go away a day or two after my period starts. I guess that's my version of PMS.

    But anyway, enough about that weirdness. I'm curious as to how/why the Diva Cup eases pain. I'm familiar with the product but have never used it.

    Yeah I can't see how the cup would make a difference vs pads at least. I've tried it but never managed to put it in properly, after trying for HOURS.. which was painful to say the least... never again... (my period has always been too heavy to trust tampons).

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