Menstrual cramping during or after exercise (Question for th

Hello everyone!
Just decided to add my own personal experience with this. Around the age of 20 this started for me while I was taking a run for a PT test as I am in the Army. I doubled over in pain about a mile into the run and I am sure that everyone thought I was faking it. This happened to me every run after that I was not on my period. I could not pass a run to save my life and everyone assumed it was because I was lazy. I went to my primary care physician and he looked at me and basically said it was mental. No one believed me and I was at my wits end. I felt helpless laying on the ground time and time again in the fetal position for 10-15 minutes until the terrible pain would just disappear. It didn't gradually get better it was PAIN PAIN PAIN then GONE. I could start to understand why my onlookers looked at me like I was a drama queen. I finally went to my OBGYN and she did an ultrasound. Everything came back normal including all of her exams and bloodwork. At this point I was 23 and she suggested I try IMPLANON. I said sure why not 3 years of birth control. As soon as she put it in I was able to run like a normal human being. It was awesome. Problem is implanon can cause breakthrough bleeding. Very annoying. I also began to take a vitamins (DIM, Pharmaceutical Grade Omega 3's, and Vitamin D3) I would sometimes bleed for an entire month. At the age of 26 (now) I got it taken out and was switched to Loestrin FE. I also stopped taking my vitamins because well they were expensive. This past week I was doing some cross fit and the pain RETURNED! Again I laid there on the floor in the fetal position until it left. There could be so many things wrong with all of us and I hate to say it but having this whole uterus thing SUCKS. I have never had children and never had any problems but this and allergies. I am going to start back on my vitamins and see if that helps anything before I go to the new method of NEXPLANON. I recommend all of you read about DIM (diindolyethane). It is like eating 20 branches of broccoli or any other type of cruciferous vegatable and who doesn't like to eat their broccoli in a pill?!?! I worked in an OBGYN and this vitamin takes xenoestrogens (bad estrogens) and knocks them off of receptor sites which increases the binding of good estrogen thus increasing uptake of good estrogen. Bad estrogen causes cysts etc while good estrogen promotes a healthy cervix, healthy breast tissues, etc. I encourage everyone to read about it. I'm going to try that and my Pharmaceutical grade omega 3's to see what happens (make sure they are say pharmaceutical grade because the low grade fish oils at supermarkets rarely have enough potency to be beneficial to the consumer. I buy all of my vitamins off of amazon.) Since my great OBGYN has moved away and I don't really trust my current one (she has gotten things wrong several times), I am going to try these methods and report back to this thread with hopefully good news. Good luck to everyone experiencing these issues. MAN, I feel like a woman. =[

I started to experience this exact pain when I got off BC about 2 years ago. It always happens when I am about 2 miles into my run and I have to stop for about 5-10 mins while I have extreme craps. Then it pretty much goes away and I can finish my run no problem. My husband and I have been trying to conceive during all this time, so going back on BC is not an option. I have noticed though the cramping only occurs the 2 weeks right after I should have ovulated up to when I actually start my period. Is anyone experiencing this problem and also having trouble getting pregnant?

I have only ever had mild cramping but never really thought about it... however mixed with trouble getting pregnant, honeslty I'd talk to your doc about possibility of endomitriosis.. especially with the timing.

I am so glad I found this. I've noticed I get really bad menstrual cramps on REALLY hot days when I run. I also have a "mini-period" when I run long distances, but today I only ran three miles and had a short period. I also get these cramps when I ovulate, and a day or two before my period, regardless of exercise. Two days before my period, I'll be keeled over in pain ever 4-5 hours for about 15-minute increments. The day before my period this occurs every hour or two. It's extremely painful, and it's been occurring since I was 19. I've gone to the dr. about it, but I've been told my female parts are all normal, but there could be something going on with my colon. Does anybody experience this kind of pain before their period?

This started happening to me earlier this year. I used to train a lot, via USMC boot camp workouts offered here in NYC. Never had an issue, I was also on the Depo shot at the time, so I never got my period. Started taking boxing classes in February and in the middle of the class I got severe menstrual like cramps. I had to stop and go sit in back on a bench. It hurt so badly I threw up in bathroom because I became so nauseous. I had stopped the Depo shot in December of 2012, and since then I get really bad cramps when I do get my period, but now I am getting them during EVERY workout. I tried to go to boxing classes but every single time I would get the most severe cramps, so I stopped going. I started training again, did a new bootcamp class and in the middle of the class I felt it coming on. Did some deep breathing and it never got too bad and I was able to continue. This does not just happen when I am about to get my period, it happens at any point I begin to workout. I wonder if the Depo shot left any effects. I have been off it now for over 2 years.

I'm 51 and don't have periods anymore but I still get this cramping, all the parts are still in there. I've spotted once when I did heavy running. So I have no idea what causes it.

This is exactly what happens to me, and it's happened ever since I started running when I was 19. If I go running in the few days before my period, I'll start to experience menstrual cramps about a mile in, without fail. I thought first that I could just run through them- WRONG. This resulted in excruciating pain that left me doubled over. What works for me is the moment I feel them coming on, I just walk until they subside, usually less than 5 minutes, and then I can finish my run with no problems. The rest of my cycle, I can run with no issues. Can't help you with the conception issue though- have no idea if there may be a connection there, I just attributed it to heavy exercise inducing cramps right before menstruation..

I didn't read all of the replies so someone might have already said this but I've found that it helps me to walk until it goes away. I can get pretty intense pain that feels like menstrual cramps when I'm running. I used to stop and wait out the pain but in my experience, the pain doesn't last as long at such a high intensity if I walk. I don't know if this helps but I thought it might be worth mentioning. Like others have said, it sounds like something your doctor should be a lo of help with. Good luck!

The same exact thing started happening to me around the time I turned 40. I'll put my experiences down here in case it helps someone figure it out. I've exercised regularly for the past 20+ years. I've never had the cramping until recently (the past few months). I'm not a runner, but any exercise I do...about 15 minutes in I get very bad cramping that feels just like the menstrual type. Usually it will stop on its own after about 10 minutes. Most of the time I exercise through it because I exercise with a group and find it easier to keep going then to explain to people why I'm doubled over or curled up on the ground wimpering...though that's EXACTLY what I feel like doing. There usually isn't any nausea - only on occasion. I haven't taken birth control for about 10 years so an IUD is not what's causing it (at least on my end). I also drink a lot of water every day (80oz or more) so it shouldn't be dehydration. The cramping is not all the time...it's usually about 10-12 days after my period and lasts about a week. I also find that if I take an aspirin or Tylenol 30-60 minutes before I work out then it's not an issue. I hate to take meds though, so I'd like to find a more permanent solution. I'm kind of wondering if it might be a polyp or maybe ovarian cyst...as that can be one of the symptoms, I believe. I haven't gone to the doctor yet, but if she figures anything out, or I have any success on my own, I'll post it here.

I had my iud removed because of exercise causing cramps. I was perfectly fine until my period. Had really bad cramping when i tried to do abs. Tom finished, went back and pushed myself. Cramped for an entire week. On the floor withering in pain kind of cramping.

Had it removed immediately.

I’m so thankful I’m not alone with with this problem! I’ve struggled with this off and on for years and haven’t been able to find a pattern. I’ve tried different work out routines, weights only, cardio only, ect and that hasn’t changed it. I was diagnosed with PCOS and now knowing that it is likely tied to hormones makes me feel like I’m not going crazy and there is a cause to this. THANK YOU!!