Menstrual cramping during or after exercise (Question for th

mixedfeelings

I've noticed recently when exercising, for say over an hour, I've started to get identical pains to menstruation cramps in the same place, well actually when exercising it's usually on the left hand side, during menstruation it's usually on the right hand side.

Does anyone else experience this?

When it is my time I usually exercise to help with the pain and it works but the rest of the month it causes them.

I've had an IUD put in within the last six months and plan to ask my gynecologist about it but I was wanting to hear if anyone else suffers.

onequirkygirl

I suffer to something very similar to this! For me...I get intense uterus contractions (I know it's contractions because sometimes its so strong I'll spot afterwards)....but it usually occurs anytime OTHER than during menstruation - especially during ovulation. It is by far the worst pain I have ever experienced in my life....and I'm not even a whiner so it's bad haha.

For me, it's induced every time I try to run (used to happen in high school a lot) and anytime I'm exerting myself excessively.

It gets so bad that I'll have to sto and literally just resist screaming, doubled over on the floor. My dads alomost called the ER once because it was so bad - but it will go away in ten to fifteen minutes. Feeling normal feels like bliss at this point. I had always chalked this up to being overweight, but apparently really thin people get this too and I am not really out of shape anymore.

I found an article that may help you. Apparently endometriosis causes this, I think it's also normal....just another little blessing from our lovely uterus.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Exercise--Fitness/Low-abdominal-pain-when-running/show/223041

I have that link bookmarked because I haven't found anyone else in real life who suffers this- I'm not glad you do but I'm glad I saw your post! I hope you can find a solution. It's really frustrating when you're trying to improve your fitness level and your body decided to go into labor all of a sudden....

Laura_Ivy

Could it be cramping from your ovaries maybe? I don't really cramp much during my cycle but when I am ovulating I feel it bad and end up nauseous. Mine started when I had my paraguard IUD inserted. I would definitely get checked out by your ob/gyn in case you have uterine fibroids. good luck!

ishallnotwant

I've noticed that after an unusually heavy workout sometimes i'll cramp and spot a bit-not super heavily but enough to notice it's happening. I also noticed that if i'm working out and losing weight a bit my cycle comes a bit early sometimes. I have an IUD too, don't know if it has anything to do with the symptoms, I just thought it was interesting that we both have them and have similar symptoms.

mixedfeelings

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Exercise--Fitness/Low-abdominal-pain-when-running/show/223041

I have that link bookmarked because I haven't found anyone else in real life who suffers this- I'm not glad you do but I'm glad I saw your post! I hope you can find a solution. It's really frustrating when you're trying to improve your fitness level and your body decided to go into labor all of a sudden....

Thought I better not quote it all but thanks for the link! I think it's time to check it out rather than ignore.

mixedfeelings

Could it be cramping from your ovaries maybe? I don't really cramp much during my cycle but when I am ovulating I feel it bad and end up nauseous. Mine started when I had my paraguard IUD inserted. I would definitely get checked out by your ob/gyn in case you have uterine fibroids. good luck!

Last year when I had my IUD put in I had a hysteroscopy (ouch) and a biopsy (aaarrrggghhh please stop!) I think I was okay there, eurgh it was horrible, apparently it looked good though. I'm due to go back so I think I will have a word.

mixedfeelings

I've noticed that after an unusually heavy workout sometimes i'll cramp and spot a bit-not super heavily but enough to notice it's happening. I also noticed that if i'm working out and losing weight a bit my cycle comes a bit early sometimes. I have an IUD too, don't know if it has anything to do with the symptoms, I just thought it was interesting that we both have them and have similar symptoms.

I think it must be related, my periods haven't settled since I had it put in but they have been lighter except last month which was just after I really started to push myself to do more and more exercise (I'm off work recovering from something else so I have the time at the moment) I started to have more cramps and my period lasted 11/12 days.

bonnasaurusrex

When I first read your post, I actually thought about how I get upper abdominal cramping when I exercise and I'm dehydrated. After reading some replies, I don't think that it is related, but just wanted to remind you to stay hydrated as well. Who knows - maybe it will help!

Shell2122

I have a similar issue during extensive workouts. when i over exert myself during exercise, i get really bad cramps where i have to stop what I'm doing cause I'm in agony fort about 10 minutes. But when it goes away, i can go back to doing whatever exercise i was doing with even more energy. I'm very frustrated with having to deal with this pain it stops me from pushing myself too hard for fear of passing out from these cramps.

KWHelper

I have gone through this for about a year and a half. For a long time it was just very bad, curl-up-in-ball, someone is trying to twist your cervix menstrual cramps after about 10 minutes of any exercise. I went to the Dr. and she found nothing wrong, even with an ultrasound. About 3 months ago, I also started spotting a little in addition to the cramps - went to the Dr. again, still nothing. I was so frustrated because I'm really trying to get into a steady workout routine and the cramps make it hard to even move much less run.

I did some research and found some info that had to do with hormone imbalances and prostaglandins (the chemical that regulates cramping). It seemed as if Magnesium and Fish Oil supplements might help - and that a deficiency could be the cause. I was skeptical but desperate. I started taking both supplements about 2 weeks ago and within a few days I noticed a serious lessening of the symptoms. Sometimes the cramps don't even come at all (when they ALWAYS used to). And sometimes they come in a much milder form and subside much sooner - it's almost bearable to exercise right through them, or at least just walk through them. I have no idea whether it's the magnesium or the fish oil or both, but if you are suffering from this and can't find an answer, please try this!

scubagirl86

I am glad I found this post. I just finished a 5km run and have the worst cramps ever, this is the first time its happened to me. I"ve had my iud for five months and havent had any issues so far but I could see that it could be related. I'm also going to try the fish oil and magnesium as suggested. I am just hoping that this doesnt keep happending.

mtns2010

This is an older thread, but I'm going to reply, anyway, in hopes we can help each other figure this out some day. Twenty years ago, sans internet, it was impossible for me to find anyone else who had ever experienced the same symptoms as me.

I'm in my 40s and have had this issue for most of my life -- cramping during exercise or extended exertion. For me, it feels like my monster menstrual cramps. Same as Shell -- I end up on the ground wherever I am (hiking trail, the snow field where I'm cross-country skiing, the bathroom) curled up in a ball from the pain, feeling clammy and as if I could throw up from the pain. I understand the fear of passing out from these.

For me, it happens between periods. I have also always had excruciating cramps during my periods, only those last longer.
I'm not convinced it's endometriosis per se, but that's how my doctor and I label it, for lack of a better diagnosis. I have a personal theory that it may have something to do with me being a DES daughter, so I'd be very, very curious to know if anyone else has a similar history.

That's great if diets or supplements work for some of you, and I'm a believer that natural remedies are always the best choice. For me, supplements and diet changes have not worked, so my choices have been deciding what is the lesser of three evils -- trying a hysterectomy not knowing if that will solve the problem or not, balancing my hormones with the b.c. pill, or taking Aleve or Advil every day (they have to be prostaglandin inhibitors -- for me, other pain killers, such as Tylenol, don't work for this).

cafeaulait7

For me it's definitely endometriosis, and that won't be seen on an ultrasound or during pelvics (unless your endo happens to be in certain spots). I take Prometrium to stop my periods, and it works like a charm. It's just progesterone and bio-identical (but FDA approved). Please try it before getting a hysterectomy, etc!

I can see how an IUD problem could be similar. I've never had one, but apparently they can irritate the same areas in lots of women (my sister got hers removed after it poked into the wrong spot and got painfully stuck in tissue!).

My endo was so bad that there is seriously no pain like it, so I was floored that just a hormone could take that pain away, btw. Mine wasn't a mild case pain-wise, lol

KatesHouse

I have had this problem since high school. I'm sure the gym teacher thought I was faking it, but every day when we ran laps I had to stop & go curl up in a corner for 10-30 minutes. Whenever I run or engage in sudden aerobic exercise it happens: crushing pain, cold sweats, the whole package. My doctor's input is: "That's weird."

I'm in my 40s now, and after decades of trying to tough it out and take the minimum amount of medicine (and only when I was already suffering badly) I decided to throw in the towel.

My solution is to take 1 or 2 ibuprofen one hour before exercising. It always works for me.

I'm not keen on taking so much ibuprofen, but I do take it with a lot of water and keep my hydration up during and after exercise.

I'm not happy that anyone else has it, but I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one.

chimera79

Oh my gosh! I've been searching for an explanation of this for years! I've been experiencing this pain for 16 years, whenever I run hard. Cramping that starts mild and progresses quickly, followed by time on the toilet, nausea, cold sweats, and feeling like all I could do was curl up in a ball on the floor. Makes it scary to exercise away from home. I've never had an iud or endometriosis. I never even have cramping during my period, just a bloated feeling. When I gave birth to my first child two years ago and labor contractions hit, that's when I realized that post-running pain I'd experienced was actually uterine contractions. The weird thing is, I've given birth twice now and being in labor is more tolerable than these post-running pains. Awful! :-(

Nadiana

I just finished a long KB snatch routine and had HORRIBLE cramps for about 10 minutes afterwards. I used to do transdermal magnesium but I haven't in a while. I will see if it helps. Just glad I am not the only one with this problem. :-/

joybedford

I get this too and don't have an IUD fitted. It seems to happen after my longer runs but I sometimes with other workouts too. It thankfully doesn't last long for me though. I have also had spotting after an intense workout.

sad_kitty

I've had 2 Mirena IUDs (I have bad endo) over the last 10 years and as I've never had children, I had a problem with mine migrating with uterine cramping. Exercise/movement induced as well as with my period. Usually it would correct itself but one time my doctor had to intervene as I cramped so hard it came partially out. Anyhow, I did notice movement/exercise did make me aware of the IUD as it was probably moving around in my uterus. Sometimes it was a sharp cramp, sometimes just a heavy feeling that radiated down to my thigh. Depending when you got yours and if you've had children, this may just be something that quiets down on it's own as your body gets used to the device. If it continues to give you grief, I'd recommend asking your doctor about it. I found epsom salt baths to help a bit pain wise.

karishabussell23

Yea I have had the same thing happen, I even bled a little, I thought ok was alone glad I'm not

simplyunique18

I had the same problem when I ran in college. About 1-2 miles into a run my uterus would start contracting, and I would be in the fetal position for 5-10 minutes. After they went away I could run even better. I went to several doctors. None had a clue. One doctor told me to take 800mg of ibuprofen before running. That worked well until I ended up with ulcers. Finally one doctor recommended I go on birth control as he thought I may have endometriosis. I have been on birth control for about 8 years and have not had the uterine contractions since. Now I want to get pregnant, but I am afraid to go off birth control for fear that the contractions will return if I exercise....

verhunzt

I have this exact same problem since almost 2 years. My uterus starts cramping, really really bad after or during a long workout and it is the worst feeling ever. I feel better when I get the flu than when I have this. Cold sweats, nausea, and this enormous pain that just won't stop. And I'm freaking cold. Even in summer when I wear long sleeves and long sweatpants, I will get fricking cold during those cramps.
When it started I would hide in the bathroom while we had P.E. classes in school. It was terrible, because before that, I used to love sport. But those cramps made me hate it.
I'm actually glad to read about this.. maybe I will go to a doctor, I'm not on birth control so.. maybe getting on birth control will help me with this. Thankyou guys so much!