Severe cramps in dd please help

[Only me]

My 24 year old dd is having very severe menstrual cramps. She gets cramps every cycle and they are often pretty painful but usually taking Ibuprofen or Midol and using a heating pad helps. Some months aren't too bad. This morning she was vomiting from the pain. She had just taken Ibuprofen so I gave her a Midol which contains Tylenol instead of Ibuprofen as well as a few other ingredients. She also took a Xanax. She takes it for anxiety but I thought it would help. She also has one of those heat pads on her abdomen (the type that stick to the skin).

 

Right now we are trying to decide if she should go to the ER. Is there anything dangerous that could be causing severe cramps that they would help in the ER? A few years back she has something similar and she went to the Ob/gyn. They did an internal (extremely painful and she was crying uncontrollably). Other than that they just had her take Naproxen.

 

If we go to the ER it will be a minimum 1-2 hour wait but we've had to wait as long as 5-6 hours. During that time she will be miserable having to wait sitting in a chair and also if she has to vomit again. She also just got over a flu like illnesss so I hate to expose her to any new germs since I'm sure her resistance is down. I'm sure they would do another internal but other than that I doubt they would do more than give her something like Naproxen and then tell her to follow-up with her on/gyn. I'm going to try to convince her to go see one soon to be checked for endometriosis but she has resisted. The last time she had an internal (her first and only one) was so painful so she refuses to go back and at 24 it's up to her.

 

In the meantime I want to know if it would be good to go to the ER or if that would just make things worse. We are also about to get a lot of snow after getting several inches last night so that is an issue too but of course her health is most important.

 

Is there anything else I can give her at home that will help her pain?

Edited December 11, 2016 by Mom in Suburbia

[Farrar]

I've had cramps like that. Someone else may have a sense of something that could be dangerous, but I wouldn't go to the ER for that. As much as she'll likely hate it, I would try to make her stand up and move some. I hated doing that, but it helped.

 

And then I'd make her make an appointment with the OB/GYN and raise hell until she gets some long term help. There's an underlying reason. In my case it was bad endometriosis. But don't let them offer her some naproxen and send her away. It's so patronizing. It's like, just suck it up, sweetie. No. She's in terrible pain. Push them to help her.

[Terabith]

I've also had cramps like that. Heating pad, ibuprofen and naproxen, lying in a dark room.

[Kassia]

I've had cramps like that. Someone else may have a sense of something that could be dangerous, but I wouldn't go to the ER for that. As much as she'll likely hate it, I would try to make her stand up and move some. I hated doing that, but it helped.

 

And then I'd make her make an appointment with the OB/GYN and raise hell until she gets some long term help. There's an underlying reason. In my case it was bad endometriosis. But don't let them offer her some naproxen and send her away. It's so patronizing. It's like, just suck it up, sweetie. No. She's in terrible pain. Push them to help her.

 

I agree.  Someone needs to rule out anything physical that is causing the cramps (I was also thinking endometriosis).  I'm sorry that she's suffering.  

[Bambam]

I have one with bad cramps. Like out for two days bad. We are still working on trying to find a solution, naproxen is helping much. 

And, no, I don't think I'd head to the ER because that would just be miserable and they would probably just give you some extra pain meds. No followup, no real diagnosis.

Time to make an appointment with doctor and push to get a better solution. 

[MedicMom]

The ER won't do anything much for her. With a very painful internal exam, I would be suspecting endometriosis as well. There are ways to handle it, but she will have to see her ob/gyn.

[wapiti]

Just a thought, but I'd consider trying a magnesium supplement (I like mag citrate) and other electrolytes to help relieve some of that strong contraction of the muscle.  Kinda depends on the exact mechanism of the source of the pain...

Edited December 11, 2016 by wapiti

[poppy]

I had cramps like that for about 18 months .

 

The ER may give anti nausea medicine which would help but it's likely not worth the wait since you know this will pass.

 

Birth control pills helped tremendously.

[Tanaqui]

If this is routine for her, she needs to see a gynecologist, and keep looking for one who won't just send her away with painkillers.

 

In between now and when she gets serious help, I find that for my own not-as-severe cramps it works better if I alternate painkillers. First I take ibuprofen, then I take a single extra-strength tylenol, then I take an aspirin, then I take aleve, then I'm back on the ibuprofen. I rotate through them on a slightly less than hourly basis. But really, in her situation? It's a stopgap. She needs real care, and she needs it within one or two cycles.

[Mama Geek]

One or 2 Aleve helped me so much more than 6 or sometimes 8 Ibuprofen.  Has she tried that before.  It has made my life much better.

[gingersmom]

I had cramps like that starting at age 12. It was so bad at one point the school insisted I go home. Birth control was the only thing that helped.

[hornblower]

Yup, my dd went on bc pills because she was violently ill each month. 

Ibuprofen taken q4h 1-2 days BEFORE your period starts has been shown to help some women but obv only works if she's regular. 

I wouldn't go to ER. I would give her a tylenol 3 if you have any at home.  consider all the pain methods you'd use in labour - breathing, perhaps a bath, laying belly down on those big exercise balls etc. 

 & otherwise just wait it out & yes, see a physician and get it treated. I think she should have an ultrasound or an MRI to rule out endometriosis &/or go on bc pills. 

 

 

[Mandamom]

I had severe cramps like that for the longest time. Ibruprofen, sleep and heating pad helped the most. 

 

 

A few years ago I started supplementing with D3 and noticed a decrease in cramping. It was enough that I started supplementing my girls in an attempt to reduce cramping possibilities for them. So far they don't have the same issue that I have. I also noticed that regular exercise helps a lot. 

 

I would not go to the ER for it. 

 

I hope she feels better soon. 

[Ottakee]

I agree with seeing a doctor. Our doctor prescribed 500mg of Naproxen Sodium taken twice a day starting 2-3 days before she is expected to start and for the first 2 days. That did help...but they need to be fairly regular for that.

 

One dd got the Nexplanon and it has made things a world better for her.

[Only me]

If this is routine for her, she needs to see a gynecologist, and keep looking for one who won't just send her away with painkillers.

 

In between now and when she gets serious help, I find that for my own not-as-severe cramps it works better if I alternate painkillers. First I take ibuprofen, then I take a single extra-strength tylenol, then I take an aspirin, then I take aleve, then I'm back on the ibuprofen. I rotate through them on a slightly less than hourly basis. But really, in her situation? It's a stopgap. She needs real care, and she needs it within one or two cycles.

Does it hurt your stomach taking all of those? I never thought you could take Aleve along with Ibuprofen. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Only me]

Thanks everyone. It's settled down a bit. Taking the Pamprin that has Tylenol in it alternating with Motrin has helped a bit. We have Aleve which is Naproxen but I was concerned about taking that at the same time (alternating) with Tylenol. I'm going to suggest the magnesium.

 

I'm hoping I can convince her to see the gyn sometime this month to make sure she doesn't have something like endometriosis. I think she is just terrified due to her bad experience with her first exam. It was so painful since she was on her period.

[Guest]

My DD had this problem. She has been one hundred percent better since going on the birth control pill.

 

I understand how, at her age, you can't really *make* her go to the obgyn, but if it were my DD, I would not let go until she goes and I would not be against putting fear into her head to make it happen. She should take pain relievers before the appointment and go during a better time of month such as mid-cycle or just after her period ends. I would drive her there to be moral support. For my DD, we tried other medications and strategies before the BCP, but now I wonder why we messed around. It is not okay for a girl to be incapacitated a couple days every month because of her cycle. That is a medical problem and requires a medical solution.

[mom2att]

My dd had bad cramps that turned out to be a good-sized ovarian cyst, discovered after a trip to the ER. She's now been on the BCP for a year and the cyst has all but disappeared, as have the debilitating cramps.

[MercyA]

I've had cramps so painful they made me vomit, too. I have endometriosis and have had the ovarian cysts that often accompany it.

 

Endo cannot be definitely diagnosed without exploratory laparoscopic surgery. It's often treated at the same time it is diagnosed. 

 

Other than having a baby, the thing that helped me the most was a vegan diet. When I switched to a vegan-except-for-eggs diet because of animal welfare concerns, I wasn't expecting it to affect my endo. The effect was miraculous. In a couple months, my cramps were *greatly* reduced. I am no longer vegan, but I find dairy to be the worse culprit for increasing menstrual pain. If she can eliminate just dairy and most red meat, I think it would likely help her.

 

Other that than, I might suggest that she take B vitamins and magnesium all month and ibuprofen leading up to and during her period.

 

I wouldn't take her to the ER.

 

:grouphug:  :grouphug:  :grouphug:

[Tanaqui]

Does it hurt your stomach taking all of those? I never thought you could take Aleve along with Ibuprofen. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

If it hurt my stomach, I wouldn't do it :)

 

I was always told growing up by my mom and sometimes by doctors that it's better to rotate painkillers so you're less likely to overdose on one of them (particularly Tylenol - years down the line I finally found out why my mother was so paranoid about the stuff. Apparently she knew somebody whose sister repeatedly tried to off herself with Tylenol and eventually succeeded. Mystery solved. But seriously, you don't want to take too much of that, it'll really do a number on your liver.)

 

[ktgrok]

You may not need the tylenol with the naproxen, actually. 

 

Also, is she on her period now? Or expecting it? If she's not bleeding now, I'd be concerned about an ovarian cyst. 

 

As for seeing a doctor, my advice is to call and speak to a nurse. Ask them who is the most gentle, and has the most experience. Technique varies GREATLY between doctors. Some hurt me badly, but the one I go to now never does. I called and asked the nurses and that's how i found him :)

[AnnE-girl]

If it hurt my stomach, I wouldn't do it :)

 

I was always told growing up by my mom and sometimes by doctors that it's better to rotate painkillers so you're less likely to overdose on one of them (particularly Tylenol - years down the line I finally found out why my mother was so paranoid about the stuff. Apparently she knew somebody whose sister repeatedly tried to off herself with Tylenol and eventually succeeded. Mystery solved. But seriously, you don't want to take too much of that, it'll really do a number on your liver.)

I just wanted to add that excessive Tylenol can do serious liver damage, especially when taken with alcohol. The brother of a college friend ended up in the hospital several times because of this. He drank a lot in college and took large amounts of Tylenol for the resulting hangover and made himself very ill.

[Only me]

I just wanted to add that excessive Tylenol can do serious liver damage, especially when taken with alcohol. The brother of a college friend ended up in the hospital several times because of this. He drank a lot in college and took large amounts of Tylenol for the resulting hangover and made himself very ill.

Yes thank you. Unfortunately my cousin almost died from an accidental Tylenol overdose. She had been taking it in two medications at the same time and didn't know it. She had to have a liver transplant. My daughter is alternating between the Ibuprofen and Motrin that has Tylenol in it. I think it's a great idea to altenate between meds I'm just a little confused as to whether or not Naproxen can be taken soon after Ibuprofen. I saw a few places online that say they shouldn't be taken within something like 6 hours of each other but it seems like some people can take it without any problems. Actually tonight I'm going to suggest that she try the Aleve and then alternate it with Midol if needed. She is currently bleeding so I don't think it is a cyst but that is definitely something I will mention to her to ask the doctor. I actually had to have one removed myself since it was causing a lot of pain and wouldn't go away. Unfortunately she may have inherited my trouble with painful periods. I had an endometrial ablation 5 years back and it helped so much but of course she is too young for that.

[shawthorne44]

I had that problem too.   I remember praying to die once.   Holding a trash can while on the toilet is guaranteed misery.  

 

Things that helped me:

 

1)  BCP - that brought the cramps down to a normal level.  

2)  Magnesium that I started to take with the potassium for my RLS seemed to help some.  I have powdered Mg from Amazon that I just add to a little water.  

3)  When older and wanting to have a baby, progesterone cream helped a LOT.  

[fraidycat]

WARNING TMI to follow:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a teenager and young adult, my menstrual cramps were so severe they made me have diarrhea and vomit from the pain. Every month. I sat on the toilet with a garbage can in front of me. It was awful. No ER visits though, it was just part of life every month.

 

I had BCP and prescription painkillers to "help". But the only thing that cured me was childbirth.

[Bluegoat]

So, the vomiting in this sort of situation isn't necessarily from the pain - it can be from the hormones, a bit like with morning sickness.

 

If you take Naproxen or Advil before the pain starts, it acts to supress the hormones - that's why it is helpful with menstrual cramps, it isn't just the pain/anti-inflammatory aspect. 

 

So - it's important to take them before it gets too bad, or you have to wait for the hormones to clear away before feeling better.  When I was younger, I usually could tell when I was going to start my period by things like breast tenderness, bloating, and some other things, so I would be able to make a good guess when to take the pills.

 

Once it got bad, I found exersize helped some, though it was about the last thing I wanted to do.

 

BCPs helped a lot too, though personally I'd rather take the naproxen for a few days a month, if it works, rather than hormones all the time.

[Cinder]

I'm another who was helped significantly by taking the pill. Painkillers weren't working well and I was not functioning well enough at school or work. (Thankfully I worked in an office vs. a job where I had to stand/move all the time.) Sleep and heat helped but I couldn't keep taking days off from school/work. I had no other medical issues that caused the severe cramping.

 

:grouphug:  

[shawthorne44]

I thought of another thing I did that I discovered on accident.   It greatly relieved the cramps.  You need a chair that is a good height and configuration for this.  I recommend trying out the chairs in your house while you are alone.  

 

Lay on the floor with your butt where you feet would be, and your feet where your butt should be.  You need a chair, like maybe a kitchen chair where you can stick your feet through to the back.   The height of the chair should be so that your pelvis is hanging a little off the ground.  So, basically this is traction for your pelvis.   I'd get in that position and then in a couple of minutes I'd feel my muscles relax all at once.  The sudden absence of pain felt soooo good.  

[Jaz]

I took Naproxen as a prescription and would start with a large dose to catch the pain. Sorry she's suffering!

[Guest]

Having babies helped here too, both in putting the pain in perspective (natural childbirth with malpositioned babies was definitely worse!) as well as actually alleviating the symptom. It was the weirdest thing, but my periods haven't been nearly as painful since I had my first baby even though they've been much longer and heavier on average. But no craps like I used to get.

[AmandaVT]

I used to have vomiting, diarrhea and severe pain from cramps. My ob/gym put me on 550 mg of Aleve twice a day and birth control pills. It was night and day. 

 

My period did not get any better after having DS, it actually was worse until I got back on the pill. 

 

Hugs to your DD!

[Corraleno]

I found Naproxen/Aleve to be far more effective for menstrual cramps than ibuprofen or Tylenol -- but the key is to start taking it a couple of days before your period starts (or if you're not very regular, start taking it at the very first twinge of cramps). The nausea and diarrhea are also hormonal, and naproxen works as both a hormone blocker and a pain reliever. The prescription form of naproxen (Anaprox) became available when I was in grad school, and it was life-changing for me. Until then I would routinely miss a couple of days of school every month, because Tylenol and ibuprofen barely made a dent in the pain and had no effect on the nausea or diarrhea.

Naproxen is in the same (NSAID) category as ibuprofen and aspirin and should not be combined with those, but tylenol works differently and can be taken with any of the others.

[FriedClams]

I know this sounds wacky, but cod liver oil helped me a lot. I also take ibuprofen, starting on day 1 when it's bad. I'm allergic to naproxen our I'd use that.

[wapiti]

I know this sounds wacky, but cod liver oil helped me a lot. I also take ibuprofen, starting on day 1 when it's bad. I'm allergic to naproxen our I'd use that.

 

Not wacky at all IMO - fish oil thins the blood.  Good idea!  (I'm collecting ideas for a young relative)

Edited December 13, 2016 by wapiti

[treestarfae]

There could be extra growth on the lining that causes the body to keep trying to expel it. I would ask about a look around with the OB wand ultrasound if it persists.

 

Try strengthening back and stomach muscles. Cramping can hurt worse if your muscles are out of shape.

[TeenagerMom]

I have a teen who had horrible cramps.  We tried Naproxen for a few months and that helped but she really didn't get true relief until we switched to cloth pads.  Since we moved to cloth she has gone from 7-10 days of nausea, headaches, murder scene, stuck in bed...........to 3-5 days of slight crampy with a moderately light period. 

 

Last month she had to use disposables to wear with a uniform and could tell within a few hours....Cramping ramped and up and flow went heavier.  That made her a true believer.