STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

ILoveChoo · Hermes

cramps? (might be tmi)

Elle · Hermes

I would say go on the pill NOW - your doc should be able to help you skip a period to adjust your cycle so you won't be on your period for your wedding, and you also won't have to deal with pills/no sex drive for your honeymoon. You'd only have to be on them for a month or so. HTH! Feel Better!

-- Edited by LMonet at 11:46, 2005-09-22

blubirde · Chanel

I agree with LMonet - the pill is really the only way to go. You can take it continuously so you won't have your period on your wedding day/honeymoon.

Sometimes the pill affects my sex drive, too but I'd rather have to work a little harder to get in the mood than deal with everything else. Also, you could try changing pills. Sometimes a different level of hormones can affect you differently.

My BFF uses the ring (you insert it) and she says it's tons better. I'm too much of a wuss to deal with all that but maybe it would work for you?

Cricket · Gucci

I just spoke to my doctor the other day about my cramps. Mine are excruciating too. She said to take 800 mg of ibuprofen (I take Advil WITH FOOD, very importantif your taking that much) every 8 hours for the 2-3 days leading up to your period and then through when you have cramps. If your stomach can't handle that much ibuprofen at one time, take 600mg every 6 hours or 400mg every four hours, etc. She said other than hormones or the pill, this is MY only option. I'm going to try it this month. I've heard it before, but for some reason never tried it.

Bastet · Kate Spade

I used to get awful kill-me-now cramps. The Pill helped some, I only got them for 2 days instead of the whole time. I asked my gyno for a prescription and she gave me Naproxen, which is basically Super Aleve. I know there have been some health warnings about Naproxen, but I asked her about it and she said that if I am using it only a few days a month I have nothing to worry about. It works really well. But, drinking alcohol w/ it is pretty much out of the question unless you want to take an involuntary nap.

A friend of mine has a prescription for Cataflam (sp?) which she said worked like a charm and didn't make her tired. Maybe ask your gyno about those 2 drugs if you don't want to go on the Pill.

twinkle · Coach

Bastet wrote:

I used to get awful kill-me-now cramps. The Pill helped some, I only got them for 2 days instead of the whole time. I asked my gyno for a prescription and she gave me Naproxen, which is basically Super Aleve. I know there have been some health warnings about Naproxen, but I asked her about it and she said that if I am using it only a few days a month I have nothing to worry about. It works really well. But, drinking alcohol w/ it is pretty much out of the question unless you want to take an involuntary nap. A friend of mine has a prescription for Cataflam (sp?) which she said worked like a charm and didn't make her tired. Maybe ask your gyno about those 2 drugs if you don't want to go on the Pill.

Bastet, does the Naproxen make you tired even if you don't drink alcohol w/it?

Cortney1982 · Chanel

Oh what a bummer! I would totally plan any vacations so they don't land on that time of the month. I used to always get sick to my stomach with pain, throwing up, shaking and sweating. Last time instead of my usual Midol, I took my good ol' Children's Motrin liquid. Worked perfectly.

FashionPrincess · Hermes

I've also heard that taking a good calcium supplement and uping your calcium intake in food will help ease cramps, like start now and continue thru your cycle.

ILoveChoo · Hermes

thanks girls! Looks like I'm gonna be stocking up on pain killers and calcium suppliments.

Coutney- I'm gonna have to try the children's motril thing too. That sounds exactly like what happens to me, so maybe that will work...

Bastet · Kate Spade

Mara wrote:

Bastet, does the Naproxen make you tired even if you don't drink alcohol w/it?

It doesn't make me feel tired, but I only take it for 1 or 2 days/month. The bottle has one of those "use caution while operating heavy machinery" stickers on it, but I don't feel a difference.

blink · Coach

Years ago in high school, I was in the nurses office for one day every month because I had cramps so bad that I felt like I couldn't get out of the fetal position. Now, this is going to sound super obvious, but the week before your period starts be prepared by drinking about a gallon of water each day. I am telling you from experience that this will make a difference in the severity! If you already almost drink this much water daily, then you should seriously ask your doctor for help.

Otherwise, Ibuprofen worked pretty good for me and I figured a heavy dose couldn't be that bad for me just once a month.

erin · Chanel

this is a bit extreme, and maybe invokes bad connotations with sixteen candles, but maybe your doctor can prescribe you muscle relaxers? i used to have AWFUL cramps and my doctor prescribed these. (also i had some percosets left over from when i had my wisdom teeth removed, and i used to cut these in half and take them around my period)