What do You Do?

[DreamfulOne]

...To relieve cramps? Do you get them strong or light? Mine are very light...but they are annoying. I usually drink hot tea and take an advil or sit around the house. Thankfully everytime I come on my period ....its either early in the morning during the week or on a Saturday

[AKAtude]

Now, Dreamful, you know this TMI, but I'll post anyway!!!! I'm not scurred. lol I don't always experience cramps. I don't take medication unless I absolutely can't take the pain. I find that walking around helps me more than sitting, sometimes a heating pad works, and I stay away from caffeine beverages. Also, I always break out one week before so I have to keep the acne medication handy.

[prospectiverushee]

My cramps are semi strong. They come the first day I come one my period. Usually I just take to Aleve and 30-45 minutes later, my cramps are gone. That the easiest part of the whole process. The worst part for me is the PMS before hand. This last time, the day before I started, I was eating like it was going out of style. Now if they could find a cure for PMS, I'd be one happy girl

[DreamfulOne]

Originally posted by prospectiverushee
Now if they could find a cure for PMS, I'd be one happy girl

YOu aren't lying about that! I have to agree w/ you. I can definitely go without all that comes w/ your cycle! The bloated feeling, cravings for chocoloate, cramps (when I get them), headaches, etc.

[exquizit]

I usually take a warm bath and drink a hot drink.

I also turn on some relaxing music and get in my favorite PJs and just get into my own zone. Once I relax they disappear!

[korkscru]

This thread was meant to be because MY cycle came on today and I feel like ABSOLUTE CRAP. I have a hernia (which is the result of my two pregnancies) and it bothers me a lot. So whenever I have my cycle, the light cramps seem that much worse because of the discomfort that I have because of this hernia. Usually for the first 3 days of my period, I don't want to talk, be bothered, be touched, or anything. My husband is good about it however. He KNOWS that he doesn't want to get on my bad side when I'm going through this (and ususally EVERY side is my bad side). My doctor prescribed a pain medication to be used as needed. So usually I take that, take a nice hot bath, put on my cotton GRANNY DRAWS along with a semi-tight black girdle (to keep my pads in place), put on my cotton pajamas, and TRY to SLEEP my way through the first 3 days (which is impossible because I work).

I ALSO suffer from PMS and THAT ain't no joke. Sometimes I even get on my OWN nerves when going through PMS. But I just can't help my moods and/or cravings of chocolate (which I don't normally eat) and caffeine.

I tell you, Ladies, MEN will NEVER be able to understand all of the trauma that a woman's body goes through (pregnancy, cramps, child-birth, periods, bloating, cravings, mood swings, and I'm not even mentioning the REGULAR health issues).

[Sugar_N_Spice]

This is why I did not go out tonight...my cramps are usually bad the first couple of day...sometimes I even throw up. I tend to have very heavy periods, which last for 4 or 5 days...this is probably why I am very Anemic and have to take iron tablets all the time.

The pains of being a woman sometimes...

[Soulful Soror]

Originally posted by DreamfulOne
cravings for chocoloate

I was just going through this THIS week! I'd grabbed a handful of hershey's kisses out of the candy jar at work before I left for the day....I got on that train & commenced to unwrapping them & popping them in my mouth, one right after the other...I was really into too, until I looked up & saw this man watching me with a frightened look on his face.....I was embarrassed a little & slowed my pace...but, of course, kept eating the chocolate..

[AKAtude]

I think we've been around each other too much because our cycles are beginning in the same week if not same day! I have to eat chocolate, too. Korkscu, I know what you mean about the granny underwear, but I just can't wear any old thing. I still have to wear my Vickie's products, but I use the briefs for three to four days. I'm glad mine are short (3-4 days), and my cramps are only for the first half of the first day or night.

[DreamfulOne]

Originally posted by AKAtude
I think we've been around each other too much because our cycles are beginning in the same week if not same day!

That's why I started this thread because I was going through that then. I'm much better now as far as the cramps...but now I have this awful, God-forsaking pain behind my left eye which always comes the day before or after my cycle.

[youngneducated]

HI there is a new product out on the market that claims to releive cramps. It isn't a pill it is a creme that you rub on. I just read about it its called Menastil. Check out the site at www.menastil.com

[korkscru]

Well, AKAtude, I would be so lucky to have a cycle for 3-4 days. My cycle usually lasts for 5-6 days and they are heavy for the first 3-4 days. I've also noticed that my PMS and cramps have gotten relatively worse since I've had my tubes tied. It's almost like I can FEEL myself ovulating---NO JOKE.

I was just thinking. After having my daughter at age 23, my choice of birth control was the Depo shots. I stayed on those shots for 5 years (I got off of the shots one year before getting pregnant with my son). And when I was on the shots, I had NO cycle at all. Just think about it. I didn't haveto worry about buying pads, cramps, bloating, stomach pains, headaches, or cravings, or anything like that. Boy, THAT was the life!!! My mother and mother-in-law feel that my body may be preparing itself for "the change" (I'm 32-years-old now) and this may be the reason that I'm starting to feel so strange.

Anybody else know what I'm talking about or am I the only SENIOR, senior Sisterfriend in the house?

[Sugar_N_Spice]

Originally posted by korkscru
My cycle usually lasts for 5-6 days and they are heavy for the first 3-4 days. I've also noticed that my PMS and cramps have gotten relatively worse since I've had my tubes tied. It's almost like I can FEEL myself ovulating---NO JOKE. Anybody else know what I'm talking about or am I the only SENIOR, senior Sisterfriend in the house?

LOL...You are not a "Senior"...I laugh at my Mom every time she starts that mess...Old women don't get asked if they are my "Sister"...

"32=Old"??? I don't think so...I'll be at least 28 yrs. old (Hopefully 30 though) before I have my first child...That's the best time of a person's life, IMO, b/c you still look youthfull, yet you possess more "wisdom" that you did when you were 20 (my age)...

I have other freinds my age whose cramps are as bad as yours (and mine) or worse--and I'm only 20!!! Dayum, at least you're almost done...

[korkscru]

Thanks Sugar_n_Spice. Usually I'm not down on myself about my age. It's just around that time of the month that I get this way. And, I must admit, on SOME occasions I feel older than I am because I've got an 8-year-old daughter that asks ATLEAST 100 questions a day and a 2-year-old son who can often be a HOLY TERROR. My husband and I are ALREADY planning what we're going to do when we retire (now ain't THAT a kick in the head?). Sisterfriend, if I could be 20-years-old AGAIN, boy oh boy!!! I was living the life back then. You'll better understand what I'm talking about whenever you have children (even ONE child will do). All I'll say is don't wait too late to have kids. You don't want to be 60-years-old with a 15-year-old. KIDS AIN'T NO JOKE!!!!!

[tickledpink]

OK. I get them bad enough to be disabling. I have to take Naproxen Sodium prior to it, during it and after it, in conjunction with Tylenol. The drs. claim this can be somewhat normal (and I've gone to plenty), but I still don't think so. And let's not talk about PMS. I get that about a week and a half before, and it seems the older I get, the worse it gets. Anyway, I can't wait for menopause!