'period Tips'...

[DancingLight]

I have been supressing my period for, I think three years now (Bliss right? Yes, but now I need your help to get me through this one!)

My ANS doc and my gyn and I all agreed it was long overdue that I have a period (as I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm having a LOT of bleeding and need to shed my lining)...

IF this is a topic already posted PLEASE direct me there and save your precious energy typing a response. I had NO idea how to search for this question...I know we've discussed a LOT about who uses birth control and whether or not we feel worse during our periods...

BUT...what I want at this MOMENT is YOUR BEST PERIOD SURVIVAL TIPS!

I may sound like an idiot asking this, but it's been so darn long since I had a period that I forget what to do.

I was up all night last night peeing CONSTANTLY, and have been that way all day (every hour or more) even with DDAVP and Sanctura! (Anything to do about this). I didn't sleep at all. And I had the sweats all night long (I sound like I'm menopausal with my sweats!). So far, flow hasn't kicked in much yet.

I usually don't manage great with Aleve or Advil as they are constipating, but I think that may be my best bet to get through this? Any of you Motrin fans? I've never taken it before but heard an Ob/Gyn say it was the best thing to take during periods.

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've already got the heating pad and am laying low b/c I'm so tachy and exhausted. This should be fun! As, I am only on DAY 2 off of the pill!

Later alligators!

Emily

P.S. Just a bit of a laugh:

I have been planning to have a period, but was going to wait until my mom's work was a bit less chaotic in case I was so down and out from my period (I used to be miserable and I am way sicker now than I was last time I had a period)...

But then, I thought, my body is screaming at me to have a period, and I feel like my uterus is saying 'let me bleed' and blah de blah.

So, my mom and I talked it over today and decided I'd just give it a go now...

And, lo and behold, I go to take my after lunch pills (which are filled in a pill pack by my caregiver) and there is NO PILL for today. I realized then that the decision had been made FOR me! And that explains my night last night! I don't think this week of packs has my pill in it! (I think she forgot to tell me that it had run out for this round of pill packs)

I am soooo careful about checking every day before I go to bed that my pills are all there, but I missed them this go around I guess...I take meds up to 8 times a day and so many pills it is hard to keep track!

Luckily I had a decent supply of feminine supplies sitting around the house to use!!!!! So, my mom didn't have to make an emergency run to the store which she has NO time for right now!

Oh, I love my brain!!!!!

[Sophia3]

Well no tips from me except to keep hydrated and salty snacks and whatever meds help you boost blood volume. I took two Aleve to help with my cramps or the generic. Also hot rice sock was a MUST for me.

Do you lie with FEET above your heart level or even better, above head? When my period would make me sick, I would lie with feet stacked on pillows or over back or edge of sofa above my head. It can help anytime with gravity problems but also would help during period junk.

Good luck, kiddo.

[morgan617]

Yes Emily, advil or ibuprofen is the drug of choice for the aches and pains and cramps of periods, by gyne's.

You may not have a big flood, you have been suppressed, so the lining may need to shed, but there may not be as much as you think there might.

If the progesterone did it's job, it won't allow a huge build up. Funny, sort of about the pills. I could never take my meds without a pill box anymore and I only take about 4 different ones!!! Sad, but true.

Heating pads are good. For those of you interested ,having an orgasm helps cramps too. I used to know the reasoning behind this, but can't remember now. Also, there's this yoga kind of position, where you put your head on your hands, all four limbs on the floor, like a pet and lift your rear in the air. Your chest down towards the floor. Something about that position helps relax the uterus, also makes you pass gas , but that's another story. Although, many moons ago (get it, moons) periods made me miserable with gas and diarrhea, so it may help.

Hope you get through this okay, sweetie! morganmama

[Sophia3]

Oh MY! Morgan..Don't bring up 'tooting'...Emily may not stop giggling.

But after my hysterectomy, that position you mentioned helped me immensely..as did putting the side of my face on the floor...That helped even more but not sure why.

[India]

Emily,

I LOVE heating pads--I've got a herbal thing that you heat and reheat in the microwave. That, in combination with some pain killer soothes the cramps for me. My doc told me that taking painkillers BEFORE your period actually starts can help both alleviate pain during the period and its heaviness. Not quite sure how that would work. But she recommends Ibuprofen rather than tylenol.

Don't know if you can manage it, but gentle exercise always helped me--I am not always able to do this as I get very symptomatic during my period. But if I am not feeling too bad, a gentle walk does help.

I've also found that cursing helps...But, as I am supposed to be a responsible adult, in charge of setting an example for impressionable youth, I am not going to officially recommend that

India

[DancingLight]

toot, toot, toot! hehehehehe!

sophia and morgan...do you mean the 'downward facing dog pose?'...not sure i am even strong enough to do that one anymore, but may try!

and sophia, i LOVE to elevate my feet above my head...and my ANS doc says, DO WHAT WORKS. so i will do that more now! i have an adjustable princess bed, as i call it.

anyways, i just took aleve....but now i am thinking i should take advil b/c of morgan's advice? is motrin the same as advil? dumb question.

i know i tolerate aleve and i like that it lasts the 12 hours....but we'll see....why is ibuprofen better?

um, as for the orgasm...we'll leave that one go...too sick for that!

thanks y'all!!!

and, yup, i've got the heating pad by my bed, which is good b/c doesn't require trips to the microwave as i am much more dizzy and tachy!

love,

your favorite period girl

[JaneEyre9]

Hey Emily!

You made me laugh with your uterus begging to bleed.

I can't tolerate the pill, so i am a period expert! I get soooo sick every month with my period. I tend to rely on Ascriptin which is aspirin coated in maalox. It helps my IBS cope with the onslaught of pain killers. I also rely on the heating pad. (I really like the peel and stick ones you can buy at the store because then i don't have to worry about a cord.) I drink a lot of water and keep my feet way up. Also, I survive by distracting myself with movies and staying as still as humanly possible. Sometimes a lower back massage helps too (as well as warm water on the back)!

Good luck...hopefully it will be over with before you know it!

Kristen

[Jan]

Advil and Motrin are both Ibuprofen. My obgyn told me to start taking 3-4 pills every 4-6 hours as soon as any pain started and don't stop until the period is over. I don't do that much because eventually it hurts my stomach.

Do you have to be off the pill the full 7 days. I used to only go off for 3 days, and now I am down only skipping two days. I find the less time off, the quicker I recover.

I find that my headache starts 3 days after being off the pill, and will continue through day 4 and 5 and then I feel better. So hang in there, know that there is an end in sight.

[gwen]

hi. my daughter had the worst nausa, sweats and retching at the start of her period. Our gp- a woman- said when she was in med school a professor said if only women would take 1 aspirin 5 days before they suspect they would help themseves. well my doc and her 5 sisters also had rough periods, and she couldn't believe no one had ever mentioned it!!! it was like male drs knew something and hadn't shared a mesage on it. My daughter has had excellent results with this. it is a blood thinner but it is such a small dose. hope it helps.

[morgan617]

The headaches are probably caused by the drop in hormones during that time. They do make a pill now that you take for that 7 days that still has a little estrogen in it and you might find it helps with the headache you get......

Toot toot Emily.....yes ibuprofen and motrin are the same.....naprosyn is a little different make up, if I'm not mistaken the aleve is non prescription stength naprosyn, hence the 12 hour relief. Which ever helps and you can tolerate.....

Feel better soon......

[Tanzanite]

A Hysterectomy

If you're on the pill, you dont actually need to stop to have a bleed. They only built in the withdrawal bleed to make women feel more happy about taking it and feeling safe that they had a 'period' (yeah right!). The lining doesnt build up, it only starts to build up when you a week free of the pill because of lack of hormones.

[becky]

emily,

thank you for starting this thread, i have really bad periods and have stayed on my pill for three or four months i can't remember! but i'm feeling really bloated and moody and like i "need" a period, so i've taken my last pill today.

However - i've stopped my ssri's last week and i'm taking 1/6th of the dose of florinef i was on, and i still have vertigo! (ten weeks now) so i'm dreading it in case these factors make it worse.

i just constantly faint when i have a period, so i may hibernate for a week! oh and the spots have started aready and i can't stop crying!!

good luck

becks x x x

[Gena]

Hi Em, so sorry to hear your body is in so much distress over this. The only way I get through the first couple of days of my period is to take 2-3 Advil every 4-6 hours. It works like a charm with the cramps. I only do this for the first two days and then after that my cramping is pretty much gone.

I pee like a race horse too for the first few days just like you are! I start retaining so much water before my period that I think my body has to pee it all out during my period.

I agree with everyone else that the heat pads / rice socks are great. Look on the bright side, at least you can deal with it in the comfort of your own home and not have to go to work, etc.

I think part of the night sweats and discomfort is your body adjusting to not being supplemented with hormones everyday. So that should eventually get better.

Hugs and best wishes,

Gena

[jhjd]

I love to turn the shower nozzle on hot and blast the center and lower parts of my back with it. But heat on my uterus itself never helps that much. I've found sometimes that leaning over the bathtub so that the cool part is pressing on my lower tummy helps with the cramps.

Hmm, just realized that between these two things and the GI issues I develop with my periods, I spend a lot of time in the bathroom that time of the month! Oh, the joys of being a girl.

[Guest dionna]

motrin is what i have been taking for the past 3 years now. i take it for everything. the military's motto seems to be "take motrin and drink more water." that is their cure all. oh you busted your head open? here take motrin and drink more water. lol.

dionna

[mom4cem]

Have it as we speak. Was wondering why I was tachy out of nowhere yesterday with chills and lo and behold, a good morning to me! Heating pad does wonders for me. Unfortunately it does not wrap around my whole body!..I will do the rice sock also. Either the heating pad stays in the back and the rice sock in the front.

Advil, and sleep.