Jeannie in NJ Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 she is regular each month but has been having severe cramps for the past year. She has tried Midol, Advil, Motrin but nothing helps. SHe lays in bed with a heating pad and that helps, but she is in public school now and can't be staying home in bed each month. Any suggestions? I have her take extra calcium as I had heard that can help but it hasn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 she is regular each month but has been having severe cramps for the past year. She has tried Midol, Advil, Motrin but nothing helps. SHe lays in bed with a heating pad and that helps, but she is in public school now and can't be staying home in bed each month. Any suggestions? I have her take extra calcium as I had heard that can help but it hasn't. My daughter is/was the same way. Her pediatrician gave her a script for Naproxin and she takes it about a week before she gets her period. It has made a world of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 she is regular each month but has been having severe cramps for the past year. She has tried Midol, Advil, Motrin but nothing helps. SHe lays in bed with a heating pad and that helps, but she is in public school now and can't be staying home in bed each month. Any suggestions? I have her take extra calcium as I had heard that can help but it hasn't. Get her on a good quality calcium/mag and B complex sup. Not one you get at a drug store or department store but one that you get at a good healthfood store. I have never see it not work. I had a friend that ended up in bed for the first 2-4 days of her period. She started this and the next month never went to bed for cramps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 My daughter is/was the same way. Her pediatrician gave her a script for Naproxin and she takes it about a week before she gets her period. It has made a world of difference. aka Aleve. It's the only thing that has ever worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefly Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Red raspberry leaf tea. Just make sure it's not the "raspberry flavored tea"--you want the actual leaves. Make a very strong brew and sweeten with honey if she likes (the taste is a little bitter). I usually get relief in under 20 minutes, but YMMV. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapphireStitch Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 My daughter has terrible period cramps, and I did also before I had kids. Here are a few things that help my daughter: •magnesium---it's a natural muscle relaxant. Be careful about taking too much, though, because it also has a laxative effect. •Advil/ibuprofen at the VERY FIRST SIGN of cramps, or start it a day before if her cycles are regular enough to know when she'll be starting. My daughter has found that she gets a lot better pain relief if she takes ibuprofen as soon as she feels any little twinge of cramping. •water---dehydration causes muscle cramping, so staying hydrated is important •exercise---she does Pilates and other core strengthening exercises, but she also rides her bike a lot for aerobic exercise and goes dancing once a week. Exercising on a regular basis seems to help her some. •Vitamin D---this is conjecture on my part and I haven't seen anything official from medical sources about this. But I've noticed that DD has an easier cycle if she's been outside in the sun a lot. This winter she started taking Vitamin D every day to help boost her immunity and I think she's having to take less ibuprofen. I take Vitamin D in large doses because of a deficiency and I noticed my periods became lighter after I started taking it. (I am 47 years old, though, so my body's changing all the time and it might just be correlation rather than causation!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fivetails Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 If they're bad enough that she's laying in bed with a heating pad, I wouldn't force to to go to school. I used to get them *horribly* when I was right around her age - maybe a year and a bit older - and it was AWFUL. Very very painful and no way could I have sat in a hard desk and listened to someone lecture at me all day. I ended up going to the doc and got a prescription.. have no idea what it was though, this was 16 years ago or more LOL ...big blue horse pills.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancer67 Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I also wanted to throw this out as a last resort. Some IBS meds make cramps ALOT better(I know my Librax did, but I did take it for IBS, and it ended up being two-fold) My Dr, had told me this upfront. Three years and really nothing for cramps. Also, taking Prozac will give you less cramps, and get periods back on track. I would try the natural remedies fist then the Naproxin(Aleve), and last resort the above that I mentioned. Some Dr's are quick to prescribe BC pills, but I am against that, personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 she is regular each month but has been having severe cramps for the past year. She has tried Midol, Advil, Motrin but nothing helps. SHe lays in bed with a heating pad and that helps, but she is in public school now and can't be staying home in bed each month. If she knows when it is coming, take small OTC doses of motrin (200 mg twice a day) for the 3 or 4 days BEFORE her period starts. Then, when she does start, a normal dose of 400 will control it. I have to rush to work, or I'd explain it all, but it was the difference between some cramps vs. vomiting and writhing all morning for me. Learned it from the Merck Manual. Take the motrin with food. Yogurt was my food of choice. Oh, and at one crucial point when I couldn't miss anything, I went on the pill. Since I was not using it for BC and I was poor, I skipped every third day of the pill. I didn't spot and it worked like a charm. If you aren't using it for BC the lower dose is not harmful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I was told that my cramps would get better after having kids. No such luck. Two Aleve tablets have really been the only thing that has worked and I usually only need them the first day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 You want an anti-prostaglandin--that's why motrin works. A high dose (600-800) can help a lot. ITA the PP who said to take it 3-4 days before the period--if you do, just have her take 200 then, and yes, do make sure she has something in her tummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KS_ Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 •magnesium---it's a natural muscle relaxant. Be careful about taking too much, though, because it also has a laxative effect. I'll second the magnesium. I always had horrible cramps and took too much ibuprofen in high school and college that I developed an ulcer and can't take it anymore. I've been taking magnesium for a number of years now, and almost never have *any* noticeable cramping now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Red raspberry leaf tea. Just make sure it's not the "raspberry flavored tea"--you want the actual leaves. Make a very strong brew and sweeten with honey if she likes (the taste is a little bitter). I usually get relief in under 20 minutes, but YMMV. :) I was going to suggest this as well. I drink a pot a day for several days before the onset of my period and when I am faithful with this, it totally eliminates cramps. None. I use a tablespoon or two of leaves in a four-cup pot, then pour it into my cup through a strainer. Or, you can buy the tea in bags. In the summertime, I make the sun tea and drink it cold from the fridge. I would also look at her diet. Is she eating a lot of meat and dairy? When my diet is more vegetable based I have no trouble with cramps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeannie in NJ Posted October 16, 2009 Author Share Posted October 16, 2009 how much magnesium should I have her take? She weighs about 84 pounds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim in Appalachia Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I know it sounds crazy, but I had to cut out dairy when I nursed my 3 boys. I had no cramps, and I had always had bad ones. At the time I thought I just grew out of them (I was also turning 30). But after I added dairy back into my diet the cramps came back. When I mentioned this to my dh (who is a doc), he said that dairy is known to contribute to cramps (why doctors don't tell you these things I'll never understand. :glare:) Now I just try to cut dairy out a few days before hand. It helps. Cutting dairy out completely helps a lot. It is hard to cut out all dairy. Dairy just doesn't mean milk and cheese, but yogurt, butter (or margarine), or anything made with those products. Do you know non-dairy products have dairy in them? They have the milk protein, but not the lactose. (You do want Calcium, but you can take a pill for that) If the cramps are bad enough it's worth trying to go without dairy for a week or two. Of course, I tell my girls that but they are unwilling to try. I just tell them not to complain when they're suffering. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emeraldjoy Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Yes, this! She can take more than the script says; maybe give someone a call because I cant remember how much, I think 500mg 3 times a day?? That is what my sister does. She can actually function now. It has to do with prostalaglandins (sp?) if you want to look it up. e My daughter is/was the same way. Her pediatrician gave her a script for Naproxin and she takes it about a week before she gets her period. It has made a world of difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I had such bad cramps when I was younger that a teacher actually sent me home. I suffered terribly when I was younger and did stay home from school whenever possible. No suggestions but I hope she feels better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Talk to the doctor. I used to have horrible cramps, along with throwing up, every time I had my period. I got a prescription pain pill, that helped, though it didn't always solve the problem. There were times when I had to stay home. Not every month, but it's a bad situation. Poor girl. I've been told that birth control pills can help with cramps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Same as some other posters mentioned. I start taking Advil/Motrin 2 days before I start and it helps but basically just makes me able to function. Unfortunately, I've never had regular periods so often I'm guessing based on other factors. I think it's worth mentioning to a doctor though if it continues. My mother had endometriosis and I have adenomyosis. I think catching it earlier on sure would have helped manage the pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 how much magnesium should I have her take? She weighs about 84 pounds. :bigear: And should a girl take it all the time or just when the period is starting or a few days ahead? And ditto the B complex? And is it ok to take the B complex in addition to a multi which she already takes? Dd suffers terribly. She inevitably throws up and she's just a wreck for about 2-4h in the morning. Her cycles are still a bit irregular so it's been hard to start the ibuprofen in the day or two before..... Usually day 1 catches her unawares. Day 2 and 3, I wake her up very early in the morning to take her dose of ibuprofen and let her stay in bed for another 2h with a heating pad. Then another dose and then if she gets up about 30 mins later, she's OK. She says the cramps rarely wake her & they rarely hit her when she's lying down - she'll think she's ok, get up and within 5 -10 mins she's writhing on the floor in the bathroom. I want to try one more cycle with some of these suggestions in this thread & otherwise I'll take her in for rx for Buscopan or similar...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidbits of Learning Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I'm going to throw this out since it hasn't been mentioned. I would take her to the gynecologist. My sister had horrible cramps and was diagnosed with endometriosis before she was 17. If it is beyond the normal still can function cramps, then it is a good idea to take her to a dr. just to get it checked out. Severe menstrual pain is one of the first symptoms. I would get it checked out early just to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I always found that if I drank soda in during or a few days before, that I would get cramps worse. So there's something that might help. Other than that, I also vote for Aleve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapphireStitch Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 how much magnesium should I have her take? She weighs about 84 pounds. The magnesium tablets I buy are 200 mg each. My daughter takes 1 or 2 per day and she weighs about 120 pounds. She would be thrilled :glare: to know I'm discussing this on a message board...but she tends towards constipation most of the time, so taking that much doesn't cause her problems. I think I would try 1 per day and just see how they affect her. She should probably take them all month long if she can tolerate them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cillakat Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 My daughter has terrible period cramps, and I did also before I had kids. Here are a few things that help my daughter: •magnesium---it's a natural muscle relaxant. Be careful about taking too much, though, because it also has a laxative effect. •Advil/ibuprofen at the VERY FIRST SIGN of cramps, or start it a day before if her cycles are regular enough to know when she'll be starting. My daughter has found that she gets a lot better pain relief if she takes ibuprofen as soon as she feels any little twinge of cramping. ...........snip........ •Vitamin D---this is conjecture on my part ) Agree on all counts Magnesium and potassium are the relaxors. Sodium and calcium are the contractors. Magnesium citrate is the most laxative of the typical supplemental magnesiums....for some this is good;) I can't take it at all so I stick with magnesium glycinate or one of Albion labs other patented chelated mag formulas I absolutely adore Jigsaw Health's timed release formulation of one of Albion's magnesiums. jigsawhealth.com There is evidence that D is helpful in terms of lessening both pms and cramping. 1000 IU per 25 lbs body weight is an appropriate dose. D3. iherb.com Advil should be started *the day before* and with food. It can be taken with three capsules or lecithin (a phospholipid from soy) to make it even more effective. Neptune Krill Oil is a huge lifesaver for me. Two caps daily from midcycle through the first day of bleeding. iherb.com :) katherine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Talk to the doctor. I used to have horrible cramps, along with throwing up, every time I had my period. Me too, although my cramps always went away after I threw up. It was like all the tension was released, and they went away. I learned to not fight it--go right to the throne, lean over and get it over with. :glare: It doesn't happen like that anymore. Before that, I'd just get bad cramps and a little bit of sugar helped. My older sister used to drink catnip tea that my mom would make for her. I never wanted to try it since I didn't like the smell. They said it worked, though. She had bad cramps too, and went on BC for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Jessica* Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Does she use disposable pads or tampons, or an alternative like cloth pads or a menstrual cup? Once I stopped using disposable products and switched to cloth and a Diva Cup my cramps magically disappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 It may sound odd, but I have seen many people report that their cramping was drastically reduced after they switched to using a menstrual cup (like Keeper or Diva) and cloth pads rather than disposable tampons and/or disposable pads. My cramping has never been very bad, so I can't report a drastic difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 Not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but the Thermacare Patch for Menstrual pain is a lifesaver for me. It is like laying in the bed with a heating pad, only you aren't in the bed! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluemongoose Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I was like this with the vomiting and curled up in pain and unable to go to school. I also passed out. Later I became a vegetarian, and cut way down on the dairy too. Around that same time, no more cramps!! Then I read in a women's health mag that meat and dairy problems especially those with added hormones can make period cramps very painful. Don't know if it is really true, or just a study they were working on, but it worked for me anyhow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cillakat Posted October 16, 2009 Share Posted October 16, 2009 I was like this with the vomiting and curled up in pain and unable to go to school. I also passed out. Later I became a vegetarian, and cut way down on the dairy too. Around that same time, no more cramps!! Then I read in a women's health mag that meat and dairy problems especially those with added hormones can make period cramps very painful. Don't know if it is really true, or just a study they were working on, but it worked for me anyhow! Just a theory. but probably what makes it work is that when you eschew those foods from your diet, foods with more magnesium take over the place of those calories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 (edited) Everyone foofoos me until they try it, and I have made true blue converts out of women with severe cramps. Fish oil. I swear, I promise. Sometimes I even buy them the first bottle just to prove it. Start her on them immediately if you can. When I realized how well the fish oil worked I started more: What I take almost every day :001_huh: 3 fish oil, 3 flax seed, B complex (totally balances out my blood sugar-no hypo crashes since) vit D, a multi, and a baby aspirin 3x a week. AND I don't get PMS anymore. Like, at all. The only thing that lets me know it's close is that I run out of patience faster. But no cramps. And my daughter (14) swears by it too. She was another that was in bed two days out of the month. The one month I totally blew my vits off I ended up in the ER with a vagal reflex (that's what the Dr said-I prolly spelled it wrong)-totally passed out on the bathroom floor. He wanted to give me a cryo abulation, but he had done a few that went wrong and no how no way was I gonna guniea pig for him. So I went back to the vits like the faithful and I've not had a problem since. Edited October 17, 2009 by justamouse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 My 16 yo has a prescription for Fiorecet and it has made them bearable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn in OH Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I used to have horrible cramps, along with throwing up, every time I had my period. That was me. Add in insane hot flashes and being curled up in a ball. I went to public school and missed plenty of days because of it. At some point I began taking Naproxen, I think I was in my 20's. I don't remember much about it other than it did help. If I were still in that position today I would try more natural remedies. I've become one of those people that doesn't like to take medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I believe naproxen (Aleve) is considered somewhat more effective for menstrual cramps than ibuprofen (Motrin). Prescription naproxen (Anaprox) was a miracle cure for me, after years of cramps so bad I would throw up, pass out, and miss several days of class or work every month. Also, many people don't realize they can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) at the same time as an NSAID like Aleve or ibuprofen ~ but you should only take one NSAID at a time (aspirin OR ibuprofen OR Aleve). Tylenol works by a different mechanism, and taking a Tylenol plus an ibuprofen (or Aleve) can be more effective than either alone. And I agree with supplementing magnesium, it's a great muscle relaxant. Magnesium can have a laxative effect, but painkillers can be constipating, so they balance each other out. Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) baths are a good way of getting magnesium into your system, as it's readily absorbed through the skin, and a warm magnesium bath can be comforting when you have cramps. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 When my sister was a teen her periods were awful...and only 19 days apart at most. Doctor and Mom put her on birth control as it made the cycle 28 days and eased the heaviness and cramping. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I don't have any advice, but just wanted to say ... Wow. I didn't know this was such a common problem. I used to have horrible cramps. I'd just lay in bed with a heating pad and cry. My mom would let me stay home from school. It was usually just the first day of the period that was that bad. For the rest of it, I could load up on Tylenol and be fine. They became more "normal" when I hit 17/18. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Does she use disposable pads or tampons, or an alternative like cloth pads or a menstrual cup? Once I stopped using disposable products and switched to cloth and a Diva Cup my cramps magically disappeared. I was going to say this - lots of women say their periods are much easier after switching to reusable products. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Everyone foofoos me until they try it, and I have made true blue converts out of women with severe cramps. Fish oil. I swear, I promise. Sometimes I even buy them the first bottle just to prove it. Start her on them immediately if you can. When I realized how well the fish oil worked I started more: What I take almost every day :001_huh: 3 fish oil, 3 flax seed, B complex (totally balances out my blood sugar-no hypo crashes since) vit D, a multi, and a baby aspirin 3x a week. QUOTE] :iagree: Also, has she tried deep muscle massaging her hips / lower back/stomach areas? This also helped me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 I believe naproxen (Aleve) is considered somewhat more effective for menstrual cramps than ibuprofen (Motrin). Prescription naproxen (Anaprox) was a miracle cure for me, after years of cramps so bad I would throw up, pass out, and miss several days of class or work every month. This was me. I used to take Anaprox & now use Aleve when needed. Get her some Aleve. It works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 Cinnamon is a powerful antispasmodic. I boil a cup of water in the microwave with a stick of cinnamon in it. Let it steep for a few minutes. I add a teaspoon of sugar or my ds won't swallow. ;) Give her as much as she'll drink in a day. My ds usually has four or five cups during a day when she's hurting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted October 17, 2009 Share Posted October 17, 2009 When my sister was a teen her periods were awful...and only 19 days apart at most. Doctor and Mom put her on birth control as it made the cycle 28 days and eased the heaviness and cramping. Just a thought. This happened to my ds twice. Once when she was 13 and another time in her early 20's. In both instances her doctor put her on birth control pills for six months and that was the cure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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