Cramps suck. I've tried ice cream, Advil, rest, and ice cream. What now?

[tjdee]

Plus, I'm sleepy. While my sweet SRK is helping :silly: ... what do you ladies do for cramps/PMS/etc.? Seems my cramps have gotten worse as I'm getting older, did that happen for anyone else?

Should I have tried chocolate instead of ice cream? Hell, it's always time for chocolate.

[norml]

1. Well there's always, you know...

Sex and or herb?

[peekaloo]

28. Herb parted the Red Sea? I thought that was Moses.

:evilgrin:

seriously drink lots of water after the sex and herb.

[Sanity Claws]

32. Did you mean sex with Herb?

Where's Herb?

[gollygee]

2. norml's suggestions or alcohol

I find a glass or two of wine quite help.

[GCP]

3. Heat and gin!

Use a hot water bottle on your abdomen and have a good stiff drink. A female MD once told me that gin works well because it dilates the blood vessels in the uterus.

[EFerrari]

8. That sounds like it would work! I've used CalMag and crannberries

for the WORST cramps in the WORLD for years. I don't know why Calcium w Magnesium works and I don't know why cranberry juice works. Maybe the color makes me feel better. :silly:

[BuddhaGirl]

14. magnesium relaxes muscles, that's why it works for cramps

the malate form of magnesium usually works fairly well for me. :-)

[EFerrari]

19. Why is all this such a big secret? Geeze.

:)

[momophile]

4. try ice cream

seriously, I take Tylenol with codeine.

[joneschick]

5. get the stick on heating pads

they're on the shelf at the drugstore above the tampons. Then go lie down on the floor in front of the sofa with your feet on the sofa and your butt up against the bottom of the sofa. I have 3 teenage daughters and they're always reluctant to do this, but it helps. Get someone else to get you a nice drink with one of those bendy straws.......

[Haole Girl]

6. I had to have a hysterectomy, so thank goodness I don't have

those any more. But, when I did, I used to eat chocolate...followed by 2 Motrin. Worked for me!

[Catshrink]

10. Me too -- I had fibroids

for years and didn't know it. Suddenly everything made sense and NO MORE CRAMPS!!!! or headaches from hell...or "accidents"

[Haole Girl]

11. It's great , isn't it?

Makes me wonder how much better my quality of life would have been if I'd had surgery 10 years ago!

[Catshrink]

12. Yep.... I've thought about that too.

I'd double over in pain -- it would take 20 minutes to pee. It's nice to have life on a even keel.

[faithnotgreed]

7. definitely the old heating pad

works great
i cant imagine ice cream feeling good though i know everyones different

now chocolate i can see....

for me the heating pad works wonderfully
its all i need

hope you feel better

[JVS]

9. Cocaine!

[fizzgig]

13. these are all good suggestions

i usually drink a beer or two and use a heating pad (i have an iud, so my cramps are nearly unbearable), sometimes i resort to muscle relaxers.

however, i've found that stretching, especially my lower back, also helps. it seems if other muscles in that area are more relaxed, the cramps ease up

but nothing's wrong with sex and herb }(

[mzteris]

15. Evening Primrose Oil

but take it all the time......

for cramps- for me red wine seems to work better than white wine or beer.

The remedy I *used* to use - back in the - er - younger days - is no longer an option. :hippie:

[u4ic]

18. Seconded

:thumbsup:

I hardly have any cramps, nausea, etc since starting EPO (about 8 years ago). You'll have to find the right dosage - I take 2000 mg a day. Within one month of starting it, I had a reduction of all my symptoms by about 50%, by month 3, all gone.

Make sure you get a reputable brand.

It helps your skin stay soft, too. :D

[supernova]

16. I recommend sex

It's the best cramp relief of all. Same muscles, afterall. :-)

[Lydia Leftcoast]

33. Agreed

:-)

[LeftyMom]

17. Heating pad or vibrator nt

[Ava]

20. aleve is the best and way better than advil

try it or any other off brand of naproxen sodium instead of advil and see if that helps.

[Canadian Socialist]

22. I've heard good things about Aleve

but we don't have it up here. Sigh. I used to get awful cramps... staying in bed crying for 2 days cramps. Then I found out I had a 10 lb. ovarian system. Had that removed. Now the cramps are a nuisance but not crippling.

[Ava]

24. sorry to hear that

do you have any type of naproxen sodium there?

if not i can only offer you something my granny taught me and i find to be quite useful. find an old sock, fill it with rice(if you don't have rice, birdseed or peas will work) and tie the top of it off so that the rice can't get out. stick it in the microwave for about 2 minutes and then take it out. lay down and rest and lay the sock on top of the are you are cramping in.

i always find this to work for me, so i hope it works for you!

[yvr girl]

29. Aleve is good. You can get it in Canada by prescription

It's called Annaprox or Naproxin. There are different strengths available as well.

A hot bath always works wonders for me - as hot as you can stand it - just don't pass out like I did.

[Darth_Kitten]

21. Hot Baths.......

and rest. :) :hug:


:grouphug: Female Solidarity.

[spinbaby]

23. There's always menopause

I never thought I'd look forward to menopause, but these last few years leading up to it have been hell. The gyno tells me that it's because I'm not ovulating which screws with my hormones and that it's perfectly normal. Still sucks. Ibuprofin in large doses helps some. And hopefully menopause. I'm 52, surely it'll happen soon.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

25. You're not going to want to hear this,

but exercise - moving around, getting the endorphins working - is the best anti-cramp treatment available.

As for pain relievers, people are big on NSAIDs like Aleve and Motrin, but they also can increase bleeding because of their anti-inflammatory properties, so watch out. Handfuls of Extra-Strength Tylenol work just as well, but make sure you take them ona full stomach.

Honestly, getting up and moving around - going for a long walk at a fair clip, or even just ambling along - will really help.

And pray for menopause.

If your cramps are getting worse as you get older, you're probably developing fibroids. Mention this to your gynecologist on your next visit, because there are a lot of options available now to prevent you from having to endure years of awful pain.

Good luck, honey. And don't forget to sing "I Enjoy Being A Girl" before you say your prayers tonight.

Oh, and keep in mind that once we're all through with periods and cramps and all that stuff, we can sit back and enjoy watching the men as their prostates turn into basketballs.

Fair's fair, after all.

[patsimae]

35. Yes, probably fibroids

If they are getting worse as she gets older. If she is childbearing age, consider endometreosis.

However, cramps are often caused by an excess of prostaglandins in the system, so ES Tylenol is unlikely to work; Ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Advil, is an antiprostaglandin agent. Any NSAID (naprosyn, Alleve, etc.) would probably help.

However, just from personal experience ( having suffered from menstrual cramps for about 37 years) exercise does little or nothing to relieve them.
At any rate she should make an appointment with her gyne.

[reyd reid reed]

26. Sounds like my life...

As I've gotten older, and with each pregnancy, the cramps have gotten worse. I practically live on Advil for five days out of every 21. That's another thing...they've gotten closer together, too.

And I'm sleepy. Doesn't matter how much sleep I've gotten the night before, I'm sleepy. Last night I slept for 8 hours and the night before, 9...and I could still take a nap right about now.

And, y'know what...chocolate and ice cream might not actually help (seems like a hot bath and Advil are about the only things that really do), they sure as hell don't hurt. And make me feel soooooo much better.

[dysfunctional press]

27. flexeril.

my wife is constantly into my stash this time of month.

[tigereye]

30. Motrin, food of the gods, always worked for me

and chocolate cookies, although caffeine is supposed to make cramps worse.

Hot shower, chamomile or peppermint tea always made me feel better. And a massage, if you have a person available...

Oddly, since I had a kid 10 years ago I don't have the 24 hour super cramps I used to have, only minor ones for a few days... weird. And I'm in perimenopause, so I never know when the "muse," as I call it, will strike. :)

hope you feel better!

[miss_american_pie]

31. Calcium, magnesium, and chocolate

heating pad, and massive amounts of ibuprofen.

Mine got better as I got older, but not until after I had my first kid.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

34. I couldn't tell you.

My cramps are fairly mild. Doesn't matter, anyway; I'm so fucked up in the female department it isn't even funny. My mother is baffled; she was regular as clockwork from the very beginning. I can go anywhere from a month to 8 months in between, and I had my first period more than 2 years ago now. Let me tell you: when I go for more than 3 or 4 months without menstruation, when it DOES come, a super plus tampon lasts an hour and a half. x( x( x( x(

Sorry to hear about the pains, though. :(

:grouphug:

[XemaSab]

37. It took me YEARS to even out

I was never that irregular, but I'm still even now a bit off sometimes. :shrug:

[WritingIsMyReligion]

38. I'm just annoyed by it.

If I MUST bleed, let it at least be something I can fairly anticipate!

:grr:

:D

[Mutley]

36. Chocolate.

Solves all the world's problems. It could, anyway, given the chance. :D

[Ellen Forradalom]

39. Here, have some chocolate.

Women need chocolate. It's a scientific fact, proven by me over 25 years of menstruation.

[Left Is Write]

40. Exercise. Since I began exercising regularly two years ago...

I have had no problems with monthly cramps.

[Missy Vixen]

49. Exercise also does great things for

the sex drive. :blush:

Of course, I woudln't have any personal knowledge of that. Oh, no.

Julie

[RebelOne]

41. Anything alcoholic should do the trick.

Rum is a good remedy. I found that it is a good pain-killer, since it numbs the mind and body.

[riona]

42. From my experience

B&B Brandy or ginger brandy, heating pad and then fall asleep. (Not such a good solution for a workday!). Going on birth control pills worked pretty well. Finally, I ended up with a hysterectomy because of fibroid tumors.

[Random_Australian]

43. Bananas, the potassium in them is what you need, and some salt too

would not hurt. Most cramps are from ion imbalances after all.

[tjdee]

44. Thanks everybody.

I got sidetracked after posting yesterday, and didn't get back until now. I have taken some Aleve, which has yet to kick in...

I can't have sex you sillies! no boyfriend/man friend/paid escort...

Just wanted to thank everyone for the suggestions, I love DU!

[miss_american_pie]

48. Erm...

As with migraines, I believe climaxing is what would help, regardless of how it's achieved.

:hide:

[TexasLady]

51. yup!

good vibrations i always say!

[BlueIris]

45. I use Aleve (naproxen). That stuff worked for me when nothing else would.

And I tried everything (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, other anti-inflammatories, hormones and narcotics). Naproxen actually worked. Two Aleve on the first and second day of my cycle gets the cramps to go away. Who knew?

[cedahlia]

46. Chamomile Tea

Have you ever tried it? It has not only helped my cramps, but it also has helped when I've had an upset stomach (which sometimes goes hand in hand with the lovely cramps, anyway--it's fun being a woman, isn't it?) ;-)

Also, how much Advil do you take? I used to only take one at a time, every 4 hours, but my aunt who is a nurse told me it is perfectly okay to take 2 at a time. Just don't over do it...2 every 4 hours is probably okay, though. That's usually what I take to get me through the first day or two, when I have very bad cramps.

Hope you feel better soon! Cramps are truly evil, evil things! :mad:

[fleabert]

47. Cramp Bark! get it at Whole Foods or similar place.

it's a tincture, and your cramps will disappear. totally. I can't live without mine.

I used to eat Midol like candy to no avail, and I need more than the rec. dosage of Advil to even dent my cramps- CrampBark works like a charm.

do it- do it now!

[Jigarotta]

50. old wives tale

that may have something to it.

heat an aluminum pan or small cookie sheet in the oven, wrap it up in a towel and hold it against your tummy.

I know it's sounds wierd, but sometimes the old ways are good.

[sakabatou]

52. Hot pad?