Trilliums Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Any advice on helping a teen deal with severe menstrual cramping? She started on bc pills last month for cramping but this month they are even worse. I called the doctor but probably won't hear back from them until tomorrow. Is it likely that trying different brands/active ingredients is needed to find one that works? New territory for me! She was on bc pills previously for cramping, before living with us, but went off them for a while. At first her cramping wasn't that bad, but each subsequent month it has grown worse. The ones she took before are not available in this country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slache Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I don't know about bc. Lots and lots of crunches helps me. I sometimes fill a Nalgene with near boiling water to keep my abdomen warm under a blanket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iamonlyone Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 Some teens don't ovulate when they have a menstual cycle, so their bodies don't release extra progesterone. Our daughter had horrible cramping that caused her to vomit and pass out. We found out at the doctor that she was estrogen dominant. They prescribed a low dose of progesterone, and that took care of the problem for her. Hope you find something soon that works! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndGenHomeschooler Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I have no real advice but just wanted to say that I understand what she's going through. When I was a teen I had severe cramps on the first day complete with a fever and vomiting. I never took anything for it but would just sleep it off. Daily exercise helped and when I was consistent I would be able to stay functioning. My sisters were/are the same way. Having my first baby seemed to solve the problem - but that's not a treatment plan I'd recommend to a teen. Hope you find something that helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyBC Posted February 12, 2015 Share Posted February 12, 2015 I had a prescription painkiller/muscle relaxant in my teens. I think the name was Ponstan. As 2ndgenhomeschooler mentioned, exercise did help and having my first child solved the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Heating pad? My dd followed in my footsteps when she started, and she had pretty heavy flow and bad cramps. Someone suggested using Clary Sage essential oil, and she says it really helps. We use Eden's Garden oils, and I believe that they have a PMS Ease oil that seems to have good reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 If you're in Canada, you can get Tylenol 1 (the one with codeine) from the pharmacist with no rx. It's behind the counter.If the bc isn't helping, she should def keep trying to find a different one. Dd was prescribed 550 mg tabs of Naproxen (an nsaid) & those did helped a fair bit but she ended up finding a bc that worked & that helped much more.Without it, dd was vomiting & pale as a sheet in bed for a 1-3 days/month.Also, you may wish to pursue whether she has endometriosis. Teens can have it but drs don't often look for it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBJones Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I give my DD a daily dose of calcium D3 (gummies--just one) for cramps. We thought she had an abdominal migraine. It seems to have helped. I also take calcium daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandragood1 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Do ask the doctor to check her hormones. I have also found that Vit D3 helps but not necessarily the same day. Take it daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Some teens don't ovulate when they have a menstual cycle, so their bodies don't release extra progesterone. Our daughter had horrible cramping that caused her to vomit and pass out. We found out at the doctor that she was estrogen dominant. They prescribed a low dose of progesterone, and that took care of the problem for her. Hope you find something soon that works! Thank you. I will let dd20 know this. She's still having really bad cramps after trying different bc pills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 My daughter has debilitating cramps and nausea the first day of her cycle. My pediatrician explained that sometimes certain hormones start going and if you can slow them down then it will be better. The trick is stopping it early. So at FIRST DROP she takes TWO Motrin or Advil, as recommended to me by her Dr. She has to take two, and she has to take it at the absolute beginning. If she waits 20 min., then it doesn't work very well. If she gets her period in the middle of the night, and tries to take Motrin in the morning, then it doesn't seem to do anything. So the trick is to take it immediately as soon as she realizes. I have tried to get my daughter to predict when her period is coming, with varying degrees of success. We have the Book Cycle Savvy (written to teens) and an app for her phone to make it easier to chart. When she is careful, she can predict when her period is coming and take one Motrin the night before and then one when she gets her period and that works great. But, the problem is getting your teen to keep up the work of charting and other stuff that she needs to do to predict. Sorry that she is suffering. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsabelC Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 If she is in severe pain, please get her some specific period pain medication. Yep, actual drugs. I had a terrible time with it when I was a teenager; people advised things like chamomile tea, hot water bottles, and various herbal remedies. I'm sure that kind of thing works for some people, and I'm all for natural remedies when they are effective, but the problem is that what some people call cramps is only a relative mild discomfort, whereas bad cramps are actually a debilitating condition (I can honestly say that contractions in labor were fun compared to my teenage menstrual cramps). It really isn't helpful when you are curled up in fetal position moaning and hoping to die for several days and then somebody says "have you tried lavender oil?". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Dutch gin. Seriously. The Dutch kind, like Bokma, has a lot of juniper berries in it. My father used to give it to me (very small dose, maybe an ounce?), and it worked wonders. I think juniper berries are a specific for cramps, but just chewing on the berries does not work as well as the gin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I got more severe cramps as a teen. It stopped when I was around 23. So sorry she's going through this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 I had severe cramping as a teen and into my twenties. Actually, it's still fairly horrible in my 40's. Bc pills should help. She may need a different brand, and I also think it took about three cycles for them to start helping me. Also, take Advil/Motrin regularly right from the start of her period before the cramps set in. That used to help me a lot. Even now, when I have cramps, I'll take 600 mg of Advil with a double shot latte. The Advil with caffeine seems to work better for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IdahoHomeschooler Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 She needs a monophasic bc pill that she can take straight through, without having to take the placebo pills that cause a period. if not able to switch, then taking Motrin/Advil/ibuprofen 2-3 days before her period, around the clock, can help. I also take a drug that is designed for spastic bowels, called Levbid, or generic Hyoscyamine. This works wonders, and I am forever grateful to the PA that initially prescribed it for me. I am thinking about trying the Dutch gin method, though ;) I love a good martini! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Just reading your post made me crampy, and it's been 16 years since my hysterectomy. Cramps, for me, were debilitating. Agonizing. I did have endometriosis and adenomyosis, but didn't know till my twenties. It was severe. I had a hysterectomy very young as a result. I agree with IdahoHomeschooler's post wholeheartedly. And pain meds. Real pain meds, not chamomile tea, just like another PP said. :) Find an excellent gynie. And then explore BC pill options. The one that worked best for me was hard to find in the US, I think it was a very low dose progesterone only. And I skipped the placebo pills. Invest in a cushy, wonderful heating pad. And stay supportive. The pain is demoralizing. And frustrating. Glad she has you for help and support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 My daughter has debilitating cramps and nausea the first day of her cycle. My pediatrician explained that sometimes certain hormones start going and if you can slow them down then it will be better. The trick is stopping it early. So at FIRST DROP she takes TWO Motrin or Advil, as recommended to me by her Dr. She has to take two, and she has to take it at the absolute beginning. If she waits 20 min., then it doesn't work very well. If she gets her period in the middle of the night, and tries to take Motrin in the morning, then it doesn't seem to do anything. So the trick is to take it immediately as soon as she realizes. I have tried to get my daughter to predict when her period is coming, with varying degrees of success. We have the Book Cycle Savvy (written to teens) and an app for her phone to make it easier to chart. When she is careful, she can predict when her period is coming and take one Motrin the night before and then one when she gets her period and that works great. But, the problem is getting your teen to keep up the work of charting and other stuff that she needs to do to predict. Sorry that she is suffering. :( :iagree: When I was a teen I had a prescription for naproxen (now available over the counter as Aleve). I took a double dose when my period started. The dose had to be taken then even if there was little or no cramping. The medication did not work if I waited until the cramps became unbearable. Subsequent regular doses were taken on a set schedule for two or three days. I was another teen who vomited and passed out from the pain. Teachers would take one look at my pale face and send me to the school nurse. She insisted that my mother take me the doctor. The naproxen did not entirely relieve the cramping but did make it non-dehabilitating. My cramps continued into adulthood. They did not stop until my first pregnancy. I got mild cramps after that but nothing like what I endured prior to pregnancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Any advice on helping a teen deal with severe menstrual cramping? She started on bc pills last month for cramping but this month they are even worse. I called the doctor but probably won't hear back from them until tomorrow. Is it likely that trying different brands/active ingredients is needed to find one that works? New territory for me! She was on bc pills previously for cramping, before living with us, but went off them for a while. At first her cramping wasn't that bad, but each subsequent month it has grown worse. The ones she took before are not available in this country. Yes, try a different formulation. My DD had this problem. I had never seen someone so incapacitated by menstrual cramps! A couple of band-aids for the meantime: Advil PM, taken religiously (though within the guidelines), heating pads, Icy Hot menstrual heat wrap. ETA: actually, i think the brand is not Icy Hot, it's Therma something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 We use 3 ibuprofen and a rice sock, heated in the mic. Ibu is an anti-prostaglandin, the hormone that causes cramps. If you can get her to chart, taking it prophylatically before the period starts can keep the hormone lower and really help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trilliums Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Reading the replies has been helpful. Thanks so much everyone. Her face was pale and clenched in pain plus she was near falling when getting up. Mostly she has stayed in bed, clenched in a ball. I do think there is something going on beyond normal cramps. I do think taking pain killer/ ibuprofen before onset is crucial. I know even for milder cramps that is key for me to having a lower pain period. We will try to get more specific help from the doctor about treatments available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Red raspberry leaf is a uterine tonic. Red raspberry leaf tea always helped my most painful cramps. Make sure it is real raspberry leaf and not just a raspberry flavored tea, and don't put milk in it or it will curdle. WebMD I don't know why anyone would recommend chamomile for cramps?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Some teens don't ovulate when they have a menstual cycle, so their bodies don't release extra progesterone. Our daughter had horrible cramping that caused her to vomit and pass out. We found out at the doctor that she was estrogen dominant. They prescribed a low dose of progesterone, and that took care of the problem for her. Hope you find something soon that works! Wow, I wish my parents would have done that when I was a teen. That was me. I would vomit, I would pass out, I would be laying in bed in the fetal position in utter agony for hours. My doctor just said "ibuprophen". Of course, that was 30 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 One thing that really helped me was to "deep massage" my hips/lower back/lower abs areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewe Mama Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Add me to the vomit and pass out list. Nothing I tried worked. I was finally diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis after twenty years of suffering. I hope you are able to find the root cause of her pain. Normal cycles should not be that misery inducing. :grouphug: to all who suffer with this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeaTotaler Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Another one who suffered severe cramps, nausea, passing out. Dealt with it by taking pain killers and sleeping with a hot water bag and missing out on life a few days every month. Years later when dealing with infertility discovered I had severe endometriosis and fibroids. So very sorry for your dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 A appointment with a gyn might be in order just to make sure there isn't anything else going on.........esp. something that could affect her fertility in years to come. Our doctor gave my daughter prescription strength Alieve and told her to take it morning and night starting THREE days before her period started and for the first 2-3 days. She said the inflamation, etc. starts before the period even starts so starting the meds a few days in advance helps ward it off. It really seems to work here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 That was me too--sweating, vomiting--just completely unable to function. I finally was given what is now called Aleve today, but back then it was a prescription medicine with a different name. It really was a miracle drug for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Oy. This post brings back such bad memories. I'm glad that you are taking her pain seriously. There are different kinds of "bad cramps" as people on this thread have discussed. There are ones that are confined to cramping which respond to home remedies. There are the other kind that are a whole body reaction, something that I have wondered whether in retrospect was close to shock. Count me as vomiting, curled on the bathroom floor, shaking, sweating, and puking. I didn't pass out, but came close. I was a 3 season varsity athlete, so plenty of exercise, but when cramps hit, I could barely walk let alone exercise. I am old enough that ibuprofen wasn't on the market yet when I was in my late teens/early 20s. However, the drinking age was 18 back then. What worked was if I had a couple drinks when the first hint of pain started (pain proceeded period), I could fall asleep and sleep through it. That wasn't always practical, though, and sometimes I missed the window. BC pills did eventually provide relief for me. Heat applied to the abdomen did help some. In your current situation, you could try ibuprofen or alleve while waiting for the right bc pills. I agree with others about going to a gyn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 A chiropractor is worth a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Have her start taking alieve (two, every twelve hours, used to be the prescription drug Anaprox) three full days before her period is due. That will block the prostglandins that are causing the pain. Have her go on a progesterone-only pill, or maybe even nuvaring if she can handle the icky factor. Get unsulphered blackstrap molasses, and put two heaping tablespoons full into a mug of warm milk. You can also add ginger, cinnamon, and black tea to make it taste more like a chai latte, but the unique combo of iron, magnesium, sugar, and calcium will help a great deal with cramps. She should try drinking it every day if she can stand it. If she's very disciplined, she could try a low fat vegan diet for a month and see if that helps. I once found a fact sheet on painful periods from PCRM (physician's committee for responsible medicine, a vegan outreach of PETA), and followed their diet. I could only stick to it for three weeks, but my periods stopped being painful for more than a year after that. I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard good things about a supplement called Nature's Way DIM-plus. ETA PCRM link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkTulip Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 I'm so sorry she is going through this. I also had debilitating cramps to the point I couldn't stand or walk, vomiting, and severe diarrhea. On top of all that, my period was very unpredictable - anywhere from 26-42 days, so I would never know when it would hit me or plan in advance. I remember in college I had some professors who had very strict attendance policies and at the beginning of the semester I had to go tell them that I would need to miss an unknown day or two due to "female issues." There was a lot of stammering, red faces, and mumbling about how they would excuse me (older men who were from a generation that didn't discuss that kind of thing). I also remember trying to walk back to my dorm and wondering if anyone would stop and help me if I just collapsed on the sidewalk. I would take 800 mg. Motrin, curl up in the fetal position with my heating pad, and try to sleep it off. Once I started having children, it has been exponentially better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaz Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 When I was a teen I had a prescription for naproxen (now available over the counter as Aleve). I took a double dose when my period started. The dose had to be taken then even if there was little or no cramping. The medication did not work if I waited until the cramps became unbearable. Subsequent regular doses were taken on a set schedule for two or three days. The naproxen did not entirely relieve the cramping but did make it non-dehabilitating. My cramps continued into adulthood. They did not stop until my first pregnancy. I got mild cramps after that but nothing like what I endured prior to pregnancy. I had a very similar experience with only naproxen helping. Aleve is the best medication! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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