Hi all ! I have horrible horrible cramps when I get my period which is now sometimes twice a month. I have always had bad cramps due to having endometriosis and probably have it again. My question is does anyone have any suggestions as far as an over the counter drug or prescription (that I can get from my gyno.) that helps with bad cramps ? I am currently and have been for a long time now taking advil (which contains ibuprofen) and it is harmful to the stomach taken for long periods of time and I am now experiencing bad stomach problems hopefully it is not from advil abuse. I would appreciate any feedback.

cat-e hi,

I'm a big fan of Evening Promrose Oil for cramps. I've suffered with them in the past and about three years ago they were horrendous. Then I discovered EPO and over time they improved a lot so that now I can carry on and not groan for hours on the sofa with a hot water bottle pressed against my tum. Aparently the EPO is supposed to help reduce prostaglandins which are apprarently the bad guys when it comes to causing the pain. Having reduce the severity of the cramps I can usually manage what pain there is with ibruprofen which obviously is not an option for you if it contributes to your stomach problem. Hopefully your GYN/doctor, maybe your pharmacist or someone here at PS could help with that.

hugs
robin

thanks robin for the advice. I am currently taking epo and have been for a long time now but does not seem to help the cramps.

oh bam and double bam. I wonder if there's anything else out? I started using flaxseed oil about 12 months ago maybe that could have help. I have also been caffeine free for 12 months too. I cut out a lot of refined sugars, now eat a hich fibre diet. Actually when I looked at a good diet for endometriosis my diet is pretty close and I was just trying to clean up my diet not help endometriosis. Assuming that you're following this diet too with your history of the problem I'm stuck for more ideas. Having had bad cramps, I really hope that someone can come up with a recommendation that will help you. Good luck.

hugs
robin

Hi cat-e!

Horrible cramps, vomiting, passing out, diarrehea........my doc finally prescribed Anaprox. It is in the naproxen family. Has worked great for me, but I must take it with food on my stomach. Doc says that all the pain has to do with prostglandins. I started out like this when I was a teen and then it let up in my child bearing years and now it is back in peri. Good luck with whatever you try! TerriC

2 and one-half Aleve is equal to the prescription version I was given. It doesn't totally take away the pain but makes it so I can function.

A friend of mine takes some sort of muscle relaxers for her cramps. She said they make her really tired, though.

When I stopped eating the brand of cereal I was eating in the morning (it contained soy protein) my cramps were reduced about 80%. I know soy is very popular here for helping symptoms, but I'm convinced cutting it out of my diet as much as possible (soy is in a lot of stuff you'd never guess) is what helped me. I had been getting terrible breast pain too right before each period and now I get very little if any.

I had tried evening primrose oil but it made me sick to my stomach and flax mad my skin break out like a teenager's.

I've head that those heat patches you can buy to wear really help also.

Terri I had almost forgotten about the vomiting and passing out that I had with my cramps as a teen. It was interesting that you said your cramps then started again with peri. Mine have followed the same pattern, they also came back with avengence as my periods shifted at the begining of peri. I didn't have the vomiting or passing out but at one point I could barely stand. Horrid. Glad you've found something to help. My cramping is more manageable now thank goodness. Good luck.

robin

I had terrible cramps before I had kids.I would sit in a hot bath or sit with a heating pad.I've been getting cramps a couple of days before the last few months but they seem more in my lower back or bowel area.I wonder if those pads that they have for back pain that you stick on and heat up would help? They also have something in the health food store called crampbark tincture it's an antispasmodic.