Sever period pain - exercise NOT helping!

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sazroy
sazroy Posts: 262 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I can hardly walk :( I'm on the pill but skipped my period recently (which have been told by doctors is safe to do so don't give me crap about it - it's a controversial topic and both sides have fair points but this post isn't about that) Just going to the shops last night felt impossible, tried to push through the pain but really I had to do my shop in under ten minutes just so I could get back home. Have taken two Ibuprofen and one Paracetamol.. no help. Using a heat/wheat bag, no help. I start work in 2 hours and don't know if I can last the 7 hour shift. But my main concern is.. I can hardly move and exercise and trying to push through it is not helping. I lost 1.1kgs (2.4lbs) last week and this week so far have lost nothing (no gain though) and it just brings me down not being able to exercise to keep losing the weight. Any women out there who can offer advice? I know alot of you will say that exercise will help, but every person is different and if you haven't suffered crippling period pain before than please don't judge.
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Replies

  • lwagnitz
    lwagnitz Posts: 1,321 Member
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    I get really bad period pains too. It feels like someone is crushing my ovaries. I'm actually supposed to get it checked out to make sure it's not cysts... but anyway.. I've found that heating pads work a lot. You can get little portable belt type ones at a pharmacy. They'd be in the same area as icy hot (but DONT get icy hot). Also take a potassium pill - that helps a lot too. And drinking a lot of water helps.
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
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    Sometimes you just have to take it easy for a day or two.

    This too shall pass.

    But if it's unusual, you should probably let your doctor know.
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
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    If you're hurting that bad, I would totally skip the exercise. Missing it for a day or two isn't going to hurt a thing. Take a hot shower, use the heating pad, painkillers, etc. Like another poster said, potassium seems to help (making sure I get enough) as well as magnesium.

    If commiseration would make you feel ANY better, I'm skipping my workout tonight for the exact same reason. I'm not in near as much pain as you, from how you describe it, but I am crampy, have spent two exhausting days in court on jury service (which is like watching paint dry) sitting on a bench that seems designed to crush one's tailbone, have not eaten enough or had much water during these two days, and I just want to go to bed with my heating pad! :sad:

    If you stay within your allotted nutrition goals, skipping a workout or two isn't going to stop your progress I don't think. Hang in there, it will be over soon! :flowerforyou:
  • ChaosBomb
    ChaosBomb Posts: 5 Member
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    One thing I've found helps me with cramps, is eating lots of green veg. I saw it recommended on one of those late night health shows and thought why not... and it really did help a lot.

    And my sympathy. I don't think there are many pains that are worse.
  • trizzell79
    trizzell79 Posts: 153 Member
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    Are you getting enough calcium?

    Maybe you have endometriosis, one of the symptoms are very painfull periods. it's actually fairly common.

    Why not call in sick and take it easy if you don't think you can work.

    Maybe try another type of birth control that you don't get a period. Such as depo or mirena. Or try seasonele where you go 3 months between periods.

    Sorry I don't have much advice on what to do right now. I usually pop an ibuprofen and an acetaminophen.
    Can you get buscopan over the counter where you are? In Canada we need a prescription, but it often helps with cramps.
  • lwagnitz
    lwagnitz Posts: 1,321 Member
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    I used to be on seasonel or seasonique whatever it's called... I wouldn't recommend it. I know everyone is different, but it made my cramps WORSE, in addition to giving me ovulation pain. Now I have it even now that I'm not any birth control. It also made me EXTREMELY moody and gained 30+lbs when I was on it, for only 4 months.
  • klethal
    klethal Posts: 2
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    Is this much pain something that happens normally for you? If not, you might want to get that checked out. Severe pain that's unusual might not be caused by cramps, but could be something like a cyst or even an ectopic pregnancy.

    If your birth control isn't helping regulate your periods and pain, and you're unhappy with it, it might be time to try something new. Lots of women have to try several different kinds of contraception before they find something that works with their unique physiology. I was on the pill for awhile but was crap at remembering to take it. I eventually got an IUD (the Mirena) and oh man, best decision I ever made. Consider dropping in to somewhere like Planned Parenthood, or a women's clinic, to talk about your options? Many GPs don't have specific enough training to be able to thoughtfully recommend one method or another based on your info.
  • Birdie
    Birdie Posts: 256 Member
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    The only thing that worked for me was uterine ablition, but you have to be done having kids. And you look pretty young.
  • Owsla135
    Owsla135 Posts: 350 Member
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    Try putting the heating pad on your lower back rather than on your stomach, also if someone is around who can rub your lower back it might help. Hope you feel better... I really do know how it is. I used to be in a ball crying with cramps. The only other thing that helped me, which I don't recommend for you since you are on medication and have to go to work, is a few drinks.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    I take Excedrin migraine for serious cramps and it really helps...
  • Kickinkim418
    Kickinkim418 Posts: 257 Member
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    I had sever pain and bleeding. My doctor suspected it was adenomyosis. THe only problem was that we couldnt tell until he actually removed my uterus. I had my uterus taken out a year ago and sure enough I had adenomyosis. I feel so much better now....I never have any of that pain!!! Please go get checked out! Its not normal if it interferes with your daily activities.

    Take Care!
  • stellarcanicula
    stellarcanicula Posts: 50 Member
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    That was the biggest crock of shiitake mushrooms anybody ever told me! I will NEVER exercise to relieve cramps EVER again!!! It made them 30 times worse than before! Worst advice EVER!

    See your doctor to prescribe a prescription med to help with the pain. God bless the pharmaceutical companies for creating muscle relaxers. (not sure if that is already the med your taking).

    I usually just have to take a day to lay in bed and wallow like an injured lamb.
  • sazroy
    sazroy Posts: 262 Member
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    Wow so many comments (I had a shower and got ready for the day straight after posting this, now to catch up!)

    laybabe821 - I've had cysts in the past and had to have surgery to have one removed completely, my last two periods have been quite painful so I'm going to book an appointment to discuss it all with my doctor, I've been on the same pill since I was 16 (now 23) and never had a problem, but hormones change as you get older so maybe it's time to try something different. I'll see if my chemist has the portable heat things you're talking about, I have seen the stick on ones at the chemist before, worth a shot!

    Jeme3 - Yep, thinking a doctors appointment is in order.

    NCchar130 - Wow, you sound like you've had a sucky past few days. I take a multivitamin daily that has potassium and magnesium in it but this is my first period since starting that multivitamin so maybe it's not enough, I'm not sure. Well at least I can say I'm not gaining! Which is very good considering most of the times I have my period I gain weight lol thank you :)

    ChaosBomb - Thanks, I'm not a huge fan of veggies but if I have them mixed in with say chicken stirfry I absolutely love them, sounds like stirfry for dinner this week lol

    trizzell79 - Yeah definitely enough calcium, whenever I have bloodwork done my calcium levels are always above average lol, I've been tested for endometriosis in the past but that was all clear. I did have surgery 4.5 years ago to remove a cyst on my ovary so I think I'll speak to my doctor about that just incase anything else has popped back up. Would love to take a day off but I'm out of sick leave because I had bronchitis a couple months ago :( So can't afford to have the day off but if it really gets bad I may ask to leave.. just see how I go I suppose. Pretty certain I can get buscopan over the counter here (in Australia) will see :)

    trizzell79 & laybabe821 - Have not heard of this seasonele thing but with the pill I'm on you can skip your period for 3 months anyway.

    klethal - Yeah this pain is not normal but I've been on the same pill for 7 years now, I'm definitely going to discuss this with my doctor, maybe it's time to switch or have further investigation.

    Birdie - I'm 23 and have no children but definitely want them one day so that's a no for me on that one haha

    Owsla135 - Haha a few drinks would be lovely right now but I also suffer IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrom) so those few drinks will have me in a different sort of pain lol have tried the heatbag on my back but is only helping slightly. Just hoping I can stand up all day for my shift, 7 hours on checkout is not good for cramps lol but I'll just dose myself up on everything I've got and see how I go :)

    kimosabe1 - Haven't heard of that medication, something else to discuss with my doctor when I go to discuss the pain then.

    Kickinkim418 - No way I'll have my uterus removed (sorry) I'm 23 and I want children desperately. That's something I'd never consider unless my life was at risk which I don't think it is. I've been tested for all sorts of things in the past but the end result was a cyst so as I've said to previous posters I think it's time to talk to my doctor about the possibility I could have another one :/
  • sazroy
    sazroy Posts: 262 Member
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    That was the biggest crock of shiitake mushrooms anybody ever told me! I will NEVER exercise to relieve cramps EVER again!!! It made them 30 times worse than before! Worst advice EVER!

    See your doctor to prescribe a prescription med to help with the pain. God bless the pharmaceutical companies for creating muscle relaxers. (not sure if that is already the med your taking).

    I usually just have to take a day to lay in bed and wallow like an injured lamb.

    Lol!!
    Nah the tablets I'm taking are just standard pain killers but I combine paracetemol and ibuprofen together because alone they don't work (safe to combine them aswell because they contain different ingredients) but this time around the two aren't working for me :/
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
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    when heat isn't working... try something cold.... I used to get severe pains till to the point where I was nauseous and had a hard time focusing mentally on anything around me .... frozen bags of peas on my back and stomach were the only things that helped..... I will tell you that exercising your abs when you are NOT on your period may help for the next go round.... gradually over time my periods have gotten better and better the stronger my abs got..... now there is nothing more than mild discomfort and even that is minor....

    good luck and you have every girls sympathy for you at the moment... :flowerforyou:
  • sazroy
    sazroy Posts: 262 Member
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    when heat isn't working... try something cold.... I used to get severe pains till to the point where I was nauseous and had a hard time focusing mentally on anything around me .... frozen bags of peas on my back and stomach were the only things that helped..... I will tell you that exercising your abs when you are NOT on your period may help for the next go round.... gradually over time my periods have gotten better and better the stronger my abs got..... now there is nothing more than mild discomfort and even that is minor....

    good luck and you have every girls sympathy for you at the moment... :flowerforyou:

    Have gone to the chemist and gotten Naprogesiac which is designed especially for period pain, my sister in law swears by it. Other than that i have a doctors appointment in 2 days to discuss trying a different pill, something lower in milligrams or something. Thank you all for your advice, I was meant to finish work at 7 but spoke to my manager before my shift and she allowed me to leave work at 5 when the next staff member started :)
  • borichfan
    borichfan Posts: 208 Member
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    I used to have severe pain during periods, it was so bad that i would lay on a heating pad so long that i would get burns on my abdomen. I could not exercise at all at this time, it was all i could do to get up and go to work. My doctor told me about the "Her Option" procedure and i had ti done. I had it done at the womens clinic, they put me on the table like for a pap smear exam, they put this metal rod connected to a machine up in me and froze my uterus walls the procedure took about 30 minutes. The best thing i ever done. Now i have less bleeding and less pain. No more laying on heating pad, and most of the time, i don't even have to take any pain medication.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Try period-pain specific painkillers which include an antispasmodic.

    You also may want to consider changing Pills. I went from the combined Pill (Microgynon) to progestogen-only (Cerazette) as I was feeling really ill during my Pill-free weeks, as well as having a painful bleed. Now no period at all. Bliss!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    By the way, there's no reason not to run a couple of packs together and miss a bleed - in fact doctors say the only reason to have a break at all is because women like the reassurance of a regular period.
  • polishmehappy
    polishmehappy Posts: 92 Member
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    I sympathize with you. I have horrific pains on my hips. legs, and ovaries during my period. My Dr had to prescribe narcotic pain pills to be used once or twice a month. Rx Ibuprofen helps a little but not for long. I cant really exercise when I hurt that bad. Not even Ablation surgery helped me. Hang in there kiddo :)

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