Ladies only! Working out with painful periods

IronBatMaiden
IronBatMaiden Posts: 377 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I'm not sure if some of you have seen my other thread in another board about Aunt Flo issues, but just to give you some background, I've dealt with irregular cycles in the last 4 years. It boils down to some kind of hormone imbalance where my body won't make enough progesterone to ovulate and menstruate every month. The last two months since starting exercise, I hadn't had a period until last night. So now I have to deal with pain while working out.

For the last two nights in a row, I was dealing with horrible cramps that were made worse with working out. Last night was probably the worse out of the two. I almost stopped because the pain was so bad! As soon as I got home and took a shower, I curled up on the bed in a ball of pain! I didn't end up going tonight because I just felt drained and I soaked through a tampon to where it stained my panties and shorts. (Sorry for the tmi.)

I just ordered a menstrual cup and I'm gonna see if that acts as a good alternative to tampons, but I have to ask. Does anyone have any tips for reducing or getting rid of menstrual pain while working out and getting a good burn in?
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Replies

  • dawniemate
    dawniemate Posts: 395 Member
    I find exercise always reduces the pain. Try to work through the pain doing exercise it always helps, cut down on sodium as well. You may find primrose tablets help too. Failing that a double vodka might do the trick !!
  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
    I'm sorry you are having such bad pain. Have you tried pain killers.. If over the counter doesn't work a dr can prescribe stronger ibuprofen or something similar. I personally can't get through menstrual cramps without taking something.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    My period (and ovulation) pain has changed and increased since I've had kids, so I can sympathise with the struggle. Sometimes exercise is the absolute best pain killer, sometimes it just doesn't work or the pain is too intense and I have to stop. It really is a matter of trying to work past the pain, and if you can, the exercise hormones can give some wonderful relief. But don't be too hard on yourself if you can't sometimes. I made it to the shoulder track during pump on Saturday, and then ended up crouched on the floor trying not to cry in front of everyone. 'Twas somewhat embarrassing!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    It's going to depend on how bad it is for you. Mine are pretty bad.
    IronBatMaiden wrote: »
    Does anyone have any tips for reducing or getting rid of menstrual pain
    Yes - heavy doses of prescription NSAIDs and not doing anything except lying there letting my uterus do whatever it needs to do
    IronBatMaiden wrote: »
    reducing or getting rid of menstrual pain while working out and getting a good burn in?

    Nope
  • MissJay75
    MissJay75 Posts: 768 Member
    Mine are pretty bad. For me, it's not so much about the burn as it is about keeping my routine. If I start making excuses not to workout, it gets easy to keep skipping workouts. So I almost never do a regular workout, but I try to do something. A walk, or some yoga. I make myself put on workout clothes, and do something for 10 minutes. My deal with myself is if after 10 minutes I want to stop, I can. Usually, but the time I have bothered to change clothes, and get started, doing another 20 minutes is doable.

    And afterward is miserable. It feels like they hit me double after activity.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    ** although, taking 200 mg ibuprofen (not aspirin, not acetaminophen - ibuprofen, like advil) every 4 hours for 2-3 days before your period starts can help reduce pain bc it decreases prostaglandin activity. if you track your period with an app, you can work out the timing.

    this helps things hurt less for me than when i forget to do that, and am woken up in the middle of the night by surprise uterus violence. not enough less to try to work out.
  • MoiAussi93
    MoiAussi93 Posts: 1,948 Member
    I only get bad cramps once in a while, but when I do exercise usually helps. So does ibuprofen. It has to be ibuprofen. That works much better than anything else for me.

    Btw, I got a menstrual cup a couple of years ago...I highly recommend it.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Cardio in general helps in my experience. And painkillers, regardless of exercising. What works for me is ponstan (mefenamic acid).
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    How many days do your extreme cramps last? If it is only a couple, why not take rest days? Mine are not bad enough now that I can't exercise but when I was younger, they were awful. I can sympathize with you on that and really think that a couple of rest days would be fine.
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    I normally take a couple of Ibruprofen even before the cramps start.
    As soon as i see the first traces, i pop a couple of painkillers.
    Funnily enough, sometimes my best workouts are at that time of the month!
  • Clarewho
    Clarewho Posts: 494 Member
    I would definitely recommend you speak to your doctor as there are medications and birth control methods that can help you. If you can reduce the loss and the pain you will find it easier to keep moving :smile:
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    I find yoga with a lot of twists and no inversions helps. I'm not sure why but it feels better after. running sucks when i have my period.
    ibuprofen helps but the idea is you want an anti-inflammatory. you could ask your dr for help. I do find advil acts as a blood thinner and increases my flow.
  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
    edited September 2015
    When I was on birth control I had no menstrual cramps at all which was great but I felt like birth control changed my body for the worse and made me gain weight so I quit. But some don't have any negative side effects. Might be worth trying if your pain is intolerable.
  • IronBatMaiden
    IronBatMaiden Posts: 377 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    How many days do your extreme cramps last? If it is only a couple, why not take rest days? Mine are not bad enough now that I can't exercise but when I was younger, they were awful. I can sympathize with you on that and really think that a couple of rest days would be fine.

    The premenstrual cramps last for about a week, but 2-3 days before and the first day are usually horrible!! I feel like I 'm getting stabbed in my vag! I took one rest night last night but I might be up for it again tonight since the pain has lessened (the flow, not so much).
  • IronBatMaiden
    IronBatMaiden Posts: 377 Member
    Clarewho wrote: »
    I would definitely recommend you speak to your doctor as there are medications and birth control methods that can help you. If you can reduce the loss and the pain you will find it easier to keep moving :smile:

    I'm seriously considering getting the Mirena IUD to lessen if not stop the flow. At first, I hated having irregular cycles, but once it hits me, I almost miss not having it around!
  • IronBatMaiden
    IronBatMaiden Posts: 377 Member
    HereToLoseOrWin wrote: »
    When I was on birth control I had no menstrual cramps at all which was great but I felt like birth control changed my body for the worse and made me gain weight so I quit. But some don't have any negative side effects. Might be worth trying if your pain is intolerable.

    Yeah that's one of the reasons why I won't go on the pill but I am gonna get an iud as an alternative.
  • vixtris
    vixtris Posts: 688 Member
    I used to have painful periods before I started working out regularly. Now, I don't get as bothered by cramps. If I do, I take some advil and get to work! I always feel better afterwards.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    People who haven't had absolutely horrible periods have it in their heads that a little bit of exercise will make the cramps go away. Not the case for those of us who have at least two days of feeling like someone set our uterus on fire, stomped all over it, ran it through a mincer and then shoved it back in. Plus your back and the back of yuor legs feel like they do when you are running a high fever. Really bad periods don't only affect your uterus, either, they can cause digestive and bowel issues. I've had surgery for endometriosis, so it's better than it used to be. But running during the first two days of my period is totally impossible.

    Take it easy the first two days. There is nothing wrong with taking a couple of days a month off while you have your period.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I'd go for the yoga and skip the cardio. I want my muscles relaxed not in spasms.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    Exercise used to make it better but since around age 38 the pain, and so many other symptoms, during both my period and ovulation have increased to where I just take a couple rest days if I need to. I manage my calories through eating only so exercising or not won't change my goals.
  • jvs125
    jvs125 Posts: 223 Member
    My periods used to be ok but I have come to realize that it was only because I was on the birth control pill for so long. Now that I'm off it, the pain is awful and the flow is like a murder scene.

    I started using a menstrual cup about 6 months ago and while it's much better than tampons (on so many levels), it's still not perfect (I'd only exercise right after insertion just to be sure).

    But aside from the pain and the blood bath, I also have no energy what so ever on the first two days (probably because I'm losing so much iron), so I take rest days for 2-3 days and that's that. I am not one to rest for more than 1 or 2 days, but it is still beneficial to the body so my period is the perfect time for that reset.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited September 2015
    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    tomatoey wrote: »
    ** although, taking 200 mg ibuprofen (not aspirin, not acetaminophen - ibuprofen, like advil) every 4 hours for 2-3 days before your period starts can help reduce pain bc it decreases prostaglandin activity. if you track your period with an app, you can work out the timing.

    this helps things hurt less for me than when i forget to do that, and am woken up in the middle of the night by surprise uterus violence. not enough less to try to work out.

    I had been doing that, and it does help, but you risk overusing the advil and taxing your kidneys and stomach lining. My GI made me go off it entirely. :-(

    True - for stomach, taking it with food helps. Kidneys, I don't know :/

    Anecdotally - lots of women I've talked to have experienced a reduction in pain after childbirth. It's an extreme measure, admittedly.
  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
    hbrittingham wrote: »
    People who haven't had absolutely horrible periods have it in their heads that a little bit of exercise will make the cramps go away. Not the case for those of us who have at least two days of feeling like someone set our uterus on fire, stomped all over it, ran it through a mincer and then shoved it back in. Plus your back and the back of yuor legs feel like they do when you are running a high fever. Really bad periods don't only affect your uterus, either, they can cause digestive and bowel issues. I've had surgery for endometriosis, so it's better than it used to be. But running during the first two days of my period is totally impossible.

    Take it easy the first two days. There is nothing wrong with taking a couple of days a month off while you have your period.

    I agree I think some people don't realize what a really painful period is. It is hard to put a measurement on pain so when others compare their periods to mine I just let it go. I am climbing walls when I have mine and the first day ibuprofen only has minimal affect and I have to take it very often which of course is not an ideal situation. I know your situation is a little different because of the edometriosis and gym probably has no affect. However for me and maybe for some others I noticed if I go to the gym regularly the next month the cramps are a little easier than compared to not exercising at all. Not sure what the connection is but it is what I noticed. However the first day of my period are never tolerable enough to go to the gym.
  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
    HereToLoseOrWin wrote: »
    hbrittingham wrote: »
    People who haven't had absolutely horrible periods have it in their heads that a little bit of exercise will make the cramps go away. Not the case for those of us who have at least two days of feeling like someone set our uterus on fire, stomped all over it, ran it through a mincer and then shoved it back in. Plus your back and the back of yuor legs feel like they do when you are running a high fever. Really bad periods don't only affect your uterus, either, they can cause digestive and bowel issues. I've had surgery for endometriosis, so it's better than it used to be. But running during the first two days of my period is totally impossible.

    Take it easy the first two days. There is nothing wrong with taking a couple of days a month off while you have your period.

    I agree I think some people don't realize what a really painful period is. It is hard to put a measurement on pain so when others compare their periods to mine I just let it go. I am climbing walls when I have mine and the first day ibuprofen only has minimal affect and I have to take it very often which of course is not an ideal situation. I also experience the digestive issues. I know your situation is a little different because of the edometriosis and gym probably has no affect. However for me and maybe for some others I noticed if I go to the gym regularly the next month the cramps are a little easier than compared to not exercising at all. Not sure what the connection is but it is what I noticed. However the first day of my period are never tolerable enough to go to the gym.

  • Raedar1
    Raedar1 Posts: 2 Member
    Hello, i am a yoga teacher and have learned a few things about bodies over the years. I have a few suggestions for you that I've learned from personal experience and this applies to all the ladies. Menstration should be a time for rest and surrender where you honor yourself as a woman. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't work out. You just need to tone it down a bit. A few things to avoid during your cycle: dont do any abdominal workouts, this puts strain on your uterus and will increase your flow unnecessarily, don't do exercises that generate a lot of heat. Your body natural heats up when menstruating which is already taxing your system. Don't invert your body doing handstands or hanging upside down. Avoid twisting your abdomen when stretching.

    I recommend taking and learning restorative yoga poses to do during your cycle. There are many poses that provide releif for cramps and bloating. You can easily find classes online.

    Do take fish oil and primrose oil regularly. Another thing that made a HUGE difference with my cycle was sleeping on an earthing blanket. Also known as grounding blankets. You can find them online. You can achieve the same benefits if you spend 45 minutes a day grounding your feet in either grass, sand or cement as well. Look up earthing. It provides many benefits and helps balance out the rhythms of your body. Hope this info helps!

    Namaste!
    IronBatMaiden wrote: »
    So I'm not sure if some of you have seen my other thread in another board about Aunt Flo issues, but just to give you some background, I've dealt with irregular cycles in the last 4 years. It boils down to some kind of hormone imbalance where my body won't make enough progesterone to ovulate and menstruate every month. The last two months since starting exercise, I hadn't had a period until last night. So now I have to deal with pain while working out.

    For the last two nights in a row, I was dealing with horrible cramps that were made worse with working out. Last night was probably the worse out of the two. I almost stopped because the pain was so bad! As soon as I got home and took a shower, I curled up on the bed in a ball of pain! I didn't end up going tonight because I just felt drained and I soaked through a tampon to where it stained my panties and shorts. (Sorry for the tmi.)

    I just ordered a menstrual cup and I'm gonna see if that acts as a good alternative to tampons, but I have to ask. Does anyone have any tips for reducing or getting rid of menstrual pain while working out and getting a good burn in?

  • LastingChanges
    LastingChanges Posts: 390 Member
    Raedar1 wrote: »
    Hello, i am a yoga teacher and have learned a few things about bodies over the years. I have a few suggestions for you that I've learned from personal experience and this applies to all the ladies. Menstration should be a time for rest and surrender where you honor yourself as a woman. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't work out. You just need to tone it down a bit. A few things to avoid during your cycle: dont do any abdominal workouts, this puts strain on your uterus and will increase your flow unnecessarily, don't do exercises that generate a lot of heat. Your body natural heats up when menstruating which is already taxing your system. Don't invert your body doing handstands or hanging upside down. Avoid twisting your abdomen when stretching.

    I recommend taking and learning restorative yoga poses to do during your cycle. There are many poses that provide releif for cramps and bloating. You can easily find classes online.

    Do take fish oil and primrose oil regularly. Another thing that made a HUGE difference with my cycle was sleeping on an earthing blanket. Also known as grounding blankets. You can find them online. You can achieve the same benefits if you spend 45 minutes a day grounding your feet in either grass, sand or cement as well. Look up earthing. It provides many benefits and helps balance out the rhythms of your body. Hope this info helps!

    Namaste!
    IronBatMaiden wrote: »
    So I'm not sure if some of you have seen my other thread in another board about Aunt Flo issues, but just to give you some background, I've dealt with irregular cycles in the last 4 years. It boils down to some kind of hormone imbalance where my body won't make enough progesterone to ovulate and menstruate every month. The last two months since starting exercise, I hadn't had a period until last night. So now I have to deal with pain while working out.

    For the last two nights in a row, I was dealing with horrible cramps that were made worse with working out. Last night was probably the worse out of the two. I almost stopped because the pain was so bad! As soon as I got home and took a shower, I curled up on the bed in a ball of pain! I didn't end up going tonight because I just felt drained and I soaked through a tampon to where it stained my panties and shorts. (Sorry for the tmi.)

    I just ordered a menstrual cup and I'm gonna see if that acts as a good alternative to tampons, but I have to ask. Does anyone have any tips for reducing or getting rid of menstrual pain while working out and getting a good burn in?

    Do you think stomach exercise and exercises that generate heat should be avoided through out the entire period or just the first 1-2 days?
  • aledba
    aledba Posts: 564 Member
    IronBatMaiden wrote: »
    The premenstrual cramps last for about a week, but 2-3 days before and the first day are usually horrible!! I feel like I 'm getting stabbed in my vag! I took one rest night last night but I might be up for it again tonight since the pain has lessened (the flow, not so much).

    Wow! That sounds like torture. Is it possible that you may have endometriosis?
  • aledba
    aledba Posts: 564 Member
    Raedar1 wrote: »
    Hello, i am a yoga teacher and have learned a few things about bodies over the years. I have a few suggestions for you that I've learned from personal experience and this applies to all the ladies. Menstration should be a time for rest and surrender where you honor yourself as a woman. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't work out. You just need to tone it down a bit. A few things to avoid during your cycle: dont do any abdominal workouts, this puts strain on your uterus and will increase your flow unnecessarily, don't do exercises that generate a lot of heat. Your body natural heats up when menstruating which is already taxing your system. Don't invert your body doing handstands or hanging upside down. Avoid twisting your abdomen when stretching.

    I recommend taking and learning restorative yoga poses to do during your cycle. There are many poses that provide releif for cramps and bloating. You can easily find classes online.

    Do take fish oil and primrose oil regularly. Another thing that made a HUGE difference with my cycle was sleeping on an earthing blanket. Also known as grounding blankets. You can find them online. You can achieve the same benefits if you spend 45 minutes a day grounding your feet in either grass, sand or cement as well. Look up earthing. It provides many benefits and helps balance out the rhythms of your body. Hope this info helps!

    Namaste!

    Great advice! It may sound like woo woo, but it's legit. You need to allow the flow of your body to cleanse you. You must embrace it and allow it to happen naturally. Enjoy a cool bath or soak your feet. The restorative poses are a wonderful idea!
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    I handle it by taking rest days during the first two days of my cycle. I am usually in a lot of pain and so exhausted I can hardly keep my eyes open, so I just take some nice hot bubble baths and try to relax. The thought of trying to work out during those first two days feels like torture for me, so I just don't do it. ;)
  • jsicam
    jsicam Posts: 3 Member
    I'm going to echo what a lot of other people have already said...YOGA! Even just mild cardio, like walking, can be painful for me. I've found the only thing I can really do and not be in horrible pain is yoga. Give it a shot. Try a class or find some videos on YouTube. If you haven't done yoga before, you'd be surprised how much of a workout it can be. Good luck!

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