Last night and today I have had flooding, soaking a super plus tampon every two hours. This morning, I sat down to eat breakfast. When I got up, my low back went into spasm and has been that way all day, as has the dang heavy flow. Has anyone else experienced really bad back pain and spasms with heavy flow? Is this part of peri or should I look for another cause for the back pain? I have not done anything that would bring it on, like twisting or heavy lifting. I hate to sound stupid, but this is my first flood and I'm not sure what is expected/normal and what is not. It seems like it is so easy to blame everything on peri.

Gracie2006

I have had heavy periods all my life with endometriosis, so when peri struck I found the flooding, and heavy periods to more of an inconvenience than a worry.
But I can imagine if you have had normal periods all your life, the prospect of flooding could be quite stressful.

I know that it is very normal to experience flooding during peri.
For me I no longer use tampons, as I found tampons a little too unpredictable and the clotting, also often experienced seem to escape past the tampon, more easily than with a pad.
I also found the tampons pretty drying.

For me a flood would be with a super tampon, only lasting 1hr 1 . 5 hrs.
Currently I experience about one day of flooding a month, and the rest would be deemed very heavy bleeding for 3 days and then brown spotting till about days 9 or 10.

I also get a back spasm often at the end of my period, and in fact often experience my lower back needing an adjustment each month due to the hormones that are produced at this time. I guess they are the same ones during pregnancy that make it more likely to put your back out.

I hope this post gives you some comfort. I would really suggest charting your period symptoms each month, and then you will be in a better
place to see a pattern, and if you are still feeling worried, the charts will give you something to show your doctor.

Good luck, and I would suggest an anti inflammatory for the back pain, as I find this helps.
Like you, I can put my back out, just bending over, ie with little strain

I often feel stiff in my back around my period.Sometimes I feel like I have been lying down too long.Really stiff and achy.Hope you feel better soon.GOD-bless

To follow up. The spasms lessened each day as my period progressed. Yesterday was just spotting and the spasms calmed to just an ache. Today I am back to normal as far as back pain goes. I can't help but think this was more than a coincidence. I guess I will know at the next flood?

Gracie,

I always had lower back (and pelvic) discomfort during the start of my period. Also, the last couple years I had a lot of flooding, requiring me to mostly stay home the first few days of my period, for fear of bleeding through everything - truly a pain! I even had to lay towels on the furniture... The doc recommended some testing, and all was normal - just peri!

What helped a lot with the discomfort was to take Advil, recommended by my physician. Supposedly it helps calm the prostaglandins which can cause pelvic spasming. I'd take it at regular intervals (using the recommendations on the box) for the first 2 days of my cycle.

The good news is that I'm now just about 3 years post-menopausal, and yes, we really do stop bleeding one day! It is HEAVEN not to have periods anymore, and all the highs and lows of one's cycle. No tampons, pads, soiled clothing. I went out and bought all new undies and nighties. AWESOME!

(((BIG HUGS)))

JJ

Really? It will really stop one day? I've stopped TWICE and it just keeps coming back. MEH!!!!!

As for the back pain with flooding--oh yeah, been there done that. For me flooding was soaking a super tampon in less than half an hour. That's why I had the two ablations. I'm wondering if I'm due for #3, since it looks like my periods will never, ever end!!!!!!!!

Let us know how you do next month, Gracie. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Oh, yes, it will, and if it makes you feel any better, I had two periods in 2004, 6 months apart, and then went ELEVEN MONTHS without one - you can imagine how I felt when it returned, so close to the 1-year mark!

But yup, almost 3 years with not a drop.... again, it's heaven! Hope you get there soon.

(((HUGS)))

JJ