Ladies only!

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

Guys, I'm warning you now I doubt this will be a conversation you will want to get into so I recommend turning back right now... go on... trust me on this...

So ladies, every month I suffer awful period cramps and very heavy bleeding and I've been known to pass out with them a few times. I was put on 2 types of the "Pill" A while ago and was very sick with them so I never returned for this problem in case they put me on another which would make me sick.

Have any of you gone through this and found an effective way of relieving the symptoms? someone recommended the implant that goes in the arm which seems okay but I would like to explore all options if possible.

fawndam

been there done that...i finally had a Mirena put in...and after about 7 months it got WAYYYY better...now after 3 years i have hardly no period at all....it fabulous!!!

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

been there done that...i finally had a Mirena put in...and after about 7 months it got WAYYYY better...now after 3 years i have hardly no period at all....it fabulous!!!

Thank you for the reply Do you know how long that would be effective for?

jen0731

You can have Mirena in for 5 years. The dr can take it out at anytime if you decide to try and get pregnant. I had the Mirena and loved it! It was the best birth contorl I've ever had. I used the pill and the depo shot in the past.

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

You can have Mirena in for 5 years. The dr can take it out at anytime if you decide to try and get pregnant. I had the Mirena and loved it! It was the best birth contorl I've ever had. I used the pill and the depo shot in the past.

Thank you very much for the help I think it will definitely be something I look into. Especially knowing it can be removed any time.

JessigirlJb

Besides birth control im going to recommend a good iron supplement during that time of the month

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

I'll try and get some extra iron in there too. Thanks

juicy011

I'll chime in because I have Mirena too. The Pill always made me feel sick and with Mirena I don't get sick at all. Plus it made that TOM very short, like 2-3 days.

mommamindi

I have the implanon, it is the implant that goes in your arm. It is good for three years, and actually the most effective form of birth control available (according to my doctor). I have no period anymore, its only been in for 9 months! I love it!!

lindsy721

You might be interested in some more natural options, especially if the hormones are causing issues. I've been off of hormonal birth control stuff for years, and was able to get my period-related issues and pains and stuff under control with natural means.

Try this book first: "Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition" by Marilyn M. Shannon, 4th edition. Really, really helpful. The first edition was kind of more geared toward people trying to get pregnant, but she's really expanded it to include all of us, the people just wanted to get rid of heavy bleeding and cramping and other problems.

Keep us posted, sweetie!

hunlun1

Remember everyone is different. My daughter could not do the implant, made her so sick and she gained alot of weight. Hopefully you find something that will agree with you. Good luck.

saratogaaileen

Another vote for the Mirena, Got mine in April and have had the best "months" of my life. x

Dani_wants_to_be_fit

Thanks a lot girls for all the advise and input. Definitely going to try the Mirena I think since it's being highly recommended.

AggieLu

No offense to anyone. Taking a pill is not an answer. Why stop something that is naturally meant to happen? You're hurting yourself. Wake up, people!

I tend to have a painful menstrual cycle. I soak a towel in hot water, apply to where the pain stems from, a few minutes, no pain

pudadough

I have always had horrific cramps. Even when I was 10 years old. Exercise does NOT help it. Makes it worse, in fact. I've also passed out before and if I don't get it under control I will be vomiting and unable to walk on day 1.

My advice? Stop messing around with BC altogether if you don't need it to prevent pregnancy. It makes me SO ANGRY that they are still throwing that stuff at us after 50 freaking years. The only good thing it may do for you is reduce bleeding (heavy bleeding means a heavy endometrium and possible endometriosis.) I don't have heavy bleeding, so it was useless for me. And made me psycho and fat.

My advice? Walk into your OBGYN and demand heavy painkillers. I've used hydrocodone and even Valium with great success. Strangely enough, buspomine (Buspar) works well for me, too. Basically anything that is a relaxant or anti-anxiety works. It is so infuriating that doctors can't make that simple connection. The uterus is a muscle. The muscle contractions cause the pain. So obviously a muscle relaxer would help! DUH! But initially, they will just look at you like you're a drug addict.

allifantastical

been there done that...i finally had a Mirena put in...and after about 7 months it got WAYYYY better...now after 3 years i have hardly no period at all....it fabulous!!!

I love my Mirena. I've had it the 5 years and I'm getting ready to get another one in Oct. The insertion hurts, but it's totally worth it! Especially being period free for 5 years!

jaxxie

DEPO, no period, no problem! Best of luck to you!

mommamindi

No offense to anyone. Taking a pill is not an answer. Why stop something that is naturally meant to happen? You're hurting yourself. Wake up, people!

I tend to have a painful menstrual cycle. I soak a towel in hot water, apply to where the pain stems from, a few minutes, no pain

I dont take a pill to stop my period. I am on birth control to not have a baby again. I dont have bad craps, I never have. I am however resistant to every form of birth control I have been put on (except the implanon so far).

lindsy721

No offense to anyone. Taking a pill is not an answer. Why stop something that is naturally meant to happen? You're hurting yourself. Wake up, people!

I tend to have a painful menstrual cycle. I soak a towel in hot water, apply to where the pain stems from, a few minutes, no pain

This is kind of how I feel, too. I know a number of people who have had surprise pregnancies on various hormonal options (pill, Mirena, etc.) and the problem with some of these is that if you're not getting periods, you may not know you've had a failure until a couple of months into it. :-(

To the OP, you can always go for Mirena later. Try the lesser invasive stuff first. It's not common knowledge, heck I didn't know about it until I was like 22 or 23 and had already been using the pill for years. But it's worth it. I now have no cramps, just light bleeding, and no other period problems... and no synthetic hormones in my system! :-)

frando

I had severe pains with my periods too, but not to the extent of yours.

After going to the doctor and we worked out that I basically lost two or three times as much blood as I should have. I couldn't have the pill, due to my weight, and opted to have the bar implant. I've only had three periods since (this was about ten months ago), I've not had an issues with pain either though I do spot every so often.

The bar is a great alternative! Especially if you're forgetful like me x3

I tend to have a painful menstrual cycle. I soak a towel in hot water, apply to where the pain stems from, a few minutes, no pain

I used to have literally debilitating pain, when I was younger it wasn't uncommon for me to take a day off from school, college or work because I'd spend so long cramping in the fetal position it wasn't practical. A warm towel, hot water bottle or bean bag did sweet f*** all.

zyxst

When my cramps get too painful (ie: I can't move), I'll hop in a hot shower or use a heating pad. I've mostly gotten used to being in pain every month. I have to be in pretty bad shape to go for pain medication. Most of my family relies heavily on pain meds to the point that nothing gives them relief.

OTC like Mydol just makes me go to sleep which doesn't relieve the pain. BC has never made the pain go away.

AllonsYtotheTardis

When I was a teen, I had NASTY painful cramps, and I discovered that for ME - SALT was the enemy. I had to avoid salt and any high sodium foods around TOM. It made a huge difference for me.

I figure - we should be careful to not go crazy on salt anyway, it's worth cutting it out at times to see if it helps?

Good luck - I hope you find the solution that is right for you!

farroz

DEPO, no period, no problem! Best of luck to you!

I bleed 75% of the time on Depo


You have been checked for endometriosis right to make sure it isnt that?

deeharley

Sarsaparilla root - take a capsule a day throughout the month, then up the dosage to three or four a day during your period. It is amazing! Even if you forget the capsules throughout the month, it will help if you take it during.

pudadough

No offense to anyone. Taking a pill is not an answer. Why stop something that is naturally meant to happen? You're hurting yourself. Wake up, people!

I tend to have a painful menstrual cycle. I soak a towel in hot water, apply to where the pain stems from, a few minutes, no pain

No offense, but cramps are not "naturally meant to happen." They usually result from overactive prostaglandins or endometriosis. If you are able to stop your cramps with a hot towel, you have no idea what actual, horrible menstrual cramps feel like.

allifantastical

DEPO, no period, no problem! Best of luck to you!

I was on depo for 3 years before I got the mirena. No one told me there was a weight limit and I had been OVER the limit the whole time.

p0kers0ph

I had the equivalent of the implant in a pill, cerazette, dunno if it has the same name in the US?
I had pretty heavy periods before that, and mine actually stopped completely after a while, such a blessing! The pill, implant, can stop them.
Now I'm on a different pill because after a good few years I was getting breakthrough bleeding.

MommaSpunk

I had a mierna and it FELL OUT!

MommaSpunk

It was great the first few months and then I started cramping horribly and it got worse and worst..doc even checked it and at that point it was fine.. then one day... out it came

BamsieEkhaya

No offense to anyone. Taking a pill is not an answer. Why stop something that is naturally meant to happen? You're hurting yourself. Wake up, people!

I tend to have a painful menstrual cycle. I soak a towel in hot water, apply to where the pain stems from, a few minutes, no pain

this doesn't work for everyone, speaking from experience my cousin struggles to get out of bed and was in serious agony, and for me not nearly as bad as hers, but I'll be popping ibuprofen and paracetamol like there's no tomorrow, I was on the pill for this but I stopped taking it after I left my packet at home during a 3week holiday, will probably be getting back on it again this time !

opuntia

I get very intense pains and exhaustion for two weeks before my period. I tried the Pill around ten years ago, and it helped, but it had other negative effects, which were even worse than the pains, so I stopped taking it after three months.

Nowadays, I find what helps is to go for long walks every day, which include some hill walking. I don't know why this works - I first found it helped when I went hiking in Scotland with a friend. Now I just walk to work every day, which includes some hills, and this controls the pain, although doesn't fix it completely. Other types of exercise can make it worse, but somehow walking several miles, including uphill, helps - and if there is no uphill part, it doesn't help. Changing my diet also has helped - a lot of foods made the pains really bad, so I experimented with different food and found that eating very simple natural foods, in very small portions, helped. I have to avoid junk food or the pain gets really bad. I also need a lot of sleep during that time, or I become too exhausted to function. I eat food rich in iron, potassium and sodium, and that helps too.

The doctor has suggested I try different contraceptive pills, as it's likely a hormone imbalance, or endometriosis, and this can by helped with the Pill, as it alters hormone levels, but I don't want to risk it, as my body is very sensitive to whatever is put into it, and I don't want another adverse reaction. Having said that, having taken the Pill in the past, even though it was only for three months, has actually had longterm positive effects: ever since, my period has been regular, very light, and only lasts three days. Before taking the Pill, it was very irregular, quite heavy, and lasted five days.