Women.. I've got a TMI question

redmagpie91

What town do you live in? I'd be happy to do a search for clinics that might be able to help you.

^^^ THIS RIGHT HERE. I would call around for you as well. If you are for some reason busy or not very good with the internet there are plenty of us who would help.

kbmnurse

Really? get to a MD.

MomTo3Lovez

I get you don't have money and what not cause neither do I and it sucks, just out of curiosity if you have 3 kids and are not working how did you get denied for medicaid? I applied for medicaid in NC I might add, I'm not pregnant, not disabled, I had just moved to NC from NY with 3 kids and no job and I got approved for medicaid.

That being said, you have 3 kids for crying out loud find a way to get yourself checked out by a doctor to make sure you are ok, you need to stay healthy not only for yourself but for your kids.

edited for a typo.

AdrieLittle

Are you charting your cycle at all? I would really recommend it. There could be underlying problems that you're not seeing without charting. There's a lot of support with charting as well- like on TCOYF.com, or myfertilityfriend.com.

To chart, you just take your temperature every day and record it. The temps should form a pattern- and if not, they could help to point to a specific issue. I started charting about a year ago, and because of my charts, I've found out that I have PCOS- I never would have thought to check for that otherwise, but my charts show that I'm not ovulating, despite semi-regular periods.

Charting your fertility is really interesting, too- I've never felt so in-tune with my own body. I'd recommend that before anything more drastic- all it costs is a thermometer, and it could help show you what's going on.

hirstrl

mine are absolutely horrible also. i try to workout but i get fatigued very quickly. i just tone it back by going for a walk or something light but i just try to keep moving.

as for seeing a dr. yes it is smart to make sure it isnt a serious medical condition. however, mine have always been on the heavy side but after i had my tubes tied it is far worse than ever. i have gone to multiple dr's and they even would weigh pads and i had a sonogram and after all of that their answer was to go on birth control or to just deal with it.

some women just are cursed a little more than others so we just find a way to deal with it. as unpleasant as it is

FatFreeFrolicking

Those of you that have a heavy, horrible period, do you still exercise during that week?

I used to, but it led to more heaviness, cramping, and a lot of times, bad clotting and I've since stopped even thinking about doing much at all during this week. I've always had bad ones, but used to push through it, but is it really worth it if THIS is what happens? I don't know what else to do besides just stay away from my treadmill, but I feel guilty. Exercising, even just going grocery shopping while it's that time of month, I come home and it's just awful.

I don't even know what's causing these issues, I've never had clotting before my 3rd baby was born.. he's 9 months old now and the past 6 months, I've had heavier, crampier, and clotty periods than I have in my life.. It just worries me.

Sorry for the TMI, just no where else to ask :blushing:

Clotting isn't always a sign that something is wrong. Your body typically releases anticoagulants to keep menstrual blood from clotting as it's being released. But when your period is heavy and blood is being rapidly expelled, there's not enough time for anticoagulants to work. That is why clots form. HOWEVER, if the clots are larger than a quarter, you need to be seen by a GYN. Even if they aren't larger than a quarter, you still need to see a GYN because you've had a change in menstruation after pregnancy and it has continued to last 9 months after giving birth.

How long were you on birth control? If it was for less than 6 months, you didn't give it long enough to benefit from its full effects. Birth controls can take 6 months to regulate menstrual cycles. I started birth control 5 years ago for endometriosis, heavy bleeding, severe cramping, etc. It wasn't until a year of being on the pill that I noticed a difference in my cycle. I've been on Junel (Lo Estrin) for 5 years now and during my cycles, I rarely bleed.

As far as pain medication… I personally don't get relief from Advil. I have a prescription for Naproxen that I take during my period. It works within 30 minutes and is a miracle drug for me. I've heard lots of women say Aleve works the best for menstrual cramps. Maybe you should give that a try.

As far as exercise…. exercise during menstruation typically helps cramps. Try doing something lighter like yoga or pilates instead of the treadmill during TOM.

cadaver0usb0nes

You should be able to go to a planned parenthood if there is one in your area, they are income based, all you have to do is bring a pay stub and fill out medical history. I got birth control pills from them for $9 and they offer cheap yearly exams and paps.

Also "Aleeve" is naproxen and you can get that over the counter with no prescription, it works better for me than ibuprofen or acetemetaphin.

Magdaloonie

This means what? That you don't believe it's actually covered? I had been paying for my annual exams even with insurance until last week. All covered, no co-pay. Local health clinic in a poor, rural area.
This is your health. You shouldn't make it about your politics...unless the laughing things mean something I'm not getting.

I would say, try a different birth control pill. Obama made those free for women, so you don't have to worry about cost on those. The pill is what helped me. I would cry and scream from the cramps I would get. I am now on the shot and I love it! Look up different options for doctors in your area that are willing to help you financially.

:noway: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

My thoughts exactly.

bimpski

with Obama-care the law of the land, there is no reason for you not to have insurance! your state has a web site where you can sign up.

mandi_spicer

"It's not my fault that I have a heavy flow and wide set vagina."

SomeNights246

Sorry for the TMI, just no where else to ask :blushing:

Not true.

Exercise as much/little as you feel comfortable with, but discuss this with your GYN. There are treatments available and you need to make sure this is not a symptom of something serious.

No insurance and I am poor

Most health clinics will do papsmears free of charge.

with Obama-care the law of the land, there is no reason for you not to have insurance! your state has a web site where you can sign up.

Haha... My mom and I got a quote that cost more than our monthly rent. That was the 'cheap' quote. BUT the lady on the phone said it's okay! Since we're on poverty level, we don't have to pay the fine! So, it all works out! ...

Hmph.

Anyway. OP, I get you. My periods are still irregular. But when I do get them, they're bad. And I've always had bad cramping. It often leaves me bed ridden. Stretching helps sometimes when I'm on it, but I can't do heavy exercising at all. I was put on birth control in high school to help the cramps. it did not help, at all. All it did was make my periods last longer (as they had previously been 2-3 days). Which made me MORE miserable.

techgal128

Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. If I really feel that working out will make me feel worse, I'll skip it for that day and try to make it up later in the week.

Yep, this right here. Sometimes exercise can make your cramps better but other times, it makes things worse. If you are nauseated or in a lot of pain, just rest. No point making yourself sick over 1 or 2 workouts.

liekewheeless

Mine probably not as bad, but I try to do my work out. I double up on pad and tampon (if you tolerate them). Make sure they are fresh before you start.

I also don't have a good experience with birth control. My period got really sporadic and had a lot of spotting. I was on it for a couple of years and it was just getting worse so I quit. Much better now. At least I have one period and not mini ones in between the regular ones.

bald_navy_wife

Exercising during TTOTM actually makes me feel better and i read somewhere that exercising helps ease cramps and other symptoms that come with PMS

MaggieLoo79

If you are done having children, get an endometrial ablation. My period got so bad and the bleeding was so heavy, I couldn't be away from a bathroom for more than an hour. Seriously, I had to change my "super" size tampons that often. I ate ibuprofen like candy and the pain was still very intense. It really interfered with my life. No hiking trips, shopping, even work was really difficult. I carried an extra outfit in my car because bleeding through was that frequent. I went to my doctor and had the ablation. It is a minor surgical procedure (outpatient) where they burn out the insides of your uterus so that there is no lining to be shed anymore. I do still have spotting and some cramps, but it doesn't ruin my life anymore. Look into it if you can. My insurance covered it as medically necessary.

Disclaimer: This is not a birth control method. You can still get pregnant, and if you do, it is very dangerous! I think they call it a tubal pregnancy or something. My husband had a vasectomy, so it was no biggie for me.

Good luck!

whitebalance

Please go see a gynecologist... heavy, crampy, clotty periods can indicate something wrong that may be addressed more easily now than later. Could be just fibroids, which are benign but can be very painful -- or could be something more serious.

PikaKnight

Going to the doctor should be a no-brainer. No one is mocking you for being poor, they're mocking your excuses. I live in a very small town in the middle of Montana and live 45 miles away from the nearest clinic. Guess what? I still go because I have made it a priority to not get pregnant and to have lighter periods. I also am well under the poverty line and do not qualify under the AHA for insurance. I still somehow find $50 a year to shell out for a doctor visit. Even if it was $200 I would still do it because it's important to me and I can sacrifice elsewhere for it.

YOU decide what is important to you. Sure some clinics require medicaid but some don't. Plenty don't in fact. Also, your situation may have changed since last time. If you have no spouse that works and no job yourself then you should easily qualify.

Again, you need to check and see if your state expanded Medicaid. It used to be that you had to be pregnant or disabled, but most states JUST changed that to include low-income adults.

Being poor is NO excuse to sacrifice your health or even your comfort. Find a friend with a car. Use the inter to your advantage. Call around and don't stop until you find a place that can help you. There is always a way to find birth control or else 14 year olds wouldn't be able to get it. I am not being mean, but seriously, STOP making excuses and just go to the doctor.

Zhaylin

This might sound strange, but see about getting a prescription for Prozac or Celexa. I used to get very strange period pains. It felt like someone kneed me in the crotch a few hundred times. I couldn't even think about moving.
Then I started seeing a psychiatrist for anxiety. We tried a whole bunch of meds (we didn't know that it was anxiety at first- General Practitioners thought it could be bipolar or any number of things). After getting on Prozac I noticed I had NO period pains.

We later switched to Celexa because of insurance and price and it worked just as well.
It doesn't do anything about flow that I know of (I've never been a heavy bleeder though). If I've been taking a lot of caffeine, I'll still have ovarian cramps, but otherwise, the worst of the pain has been gone for over 10 years. Unless I miss a week of meds because I couldn't afford them or something.. then the pain returns.

A lot of doctors will work with you if you explain your situation. My OBGYN is also my new everything doctor. I have bad post nasal drip and a LOT of problems with my stomach (reflux, diarrhea after gallbladder removal) and she gives me free samples of Dexilant and Nasonex. I just have to call in and ask for them when I run out.

mkozmik

I used to have this issue. I literally hated to leave the house because I had to change a my heavy duty overnight pads every 20 minutes for the first 24 hours. Tampons were way out of the question

I finally talked to my doctor and had an uterine thermal ablation done by an OB/GYN.

Changed.My.Life.

Now I hardly have a period at all. Just some spotting. I still have some cramping, but nothing like before the ablation.

AND....I can do whatever I want any day in my cycle.

PLEASE NOTE: once you get the ablation done, you are advised to not have any more children. A D&C is an alternative, because it is less permanent, but may help with the same symptoms. As my OB/GYN said, "It's like resetting your system."

I hope you find something that works for you.

alyssa_6481

I have horrible periods myself and would range from 4-7 days long. I had tried birth control and that didn't work (even the higher hormone one a couple years ago). Lately I have been taking a B-Complex vitamin to help (per my chiropractor) and that has made a difference. My periods are more consistent and usually about 5 days long with only two days that are really heavy. The cramping is still there but not as bad and I just feel better in general.