ouch. painful periods! page

[thaijinx]

I've always had painful periods. If I dont dose up on painkillers I can guarantee that on The first day I'm doubled over, on the floor or in bed, sobbing because the pain is too intense. The only way I can describe the pain is like red-hot daggers inserted into my ovaries, sending out waves of pain, accompaniment nausea, sweating and the runs! Its seriously no fun.

Strangely, since primal, the pain intensity has gotten worse. Ive had to double my painkiller dose, just to get through it.

I couldn't work out why that was so, until I read this article, suggesting that all the usual suspects were to blame (bad oils, sugar, refined carbs) but also MEAT (but NOT fish).

Endometriosis and Prostaglandins

I have definitely increased both my consumption of meat and fish since primal (meat inparticular) so I'm wondering if that could be the cause. Have any other ladies out there had the same or similar?

I might try to eat more fish and less meat next month to see if it affects it.

[jammies]

I hate to be all over the latest trend on the forum, but I have found that my menstrual cramps and even more so, my midcycle pain really improved when I added some iodine to my diet. (A doctor suggested this to me several years ago and it really helped.)

I think when we start eating primal we forget to add in a little iodine. Do you get any?

[j3nn]

I've had horrific AF visits since I was about 19 or so. I have hormonal issues that haven't been officially diagnosed or resolved, so i feel your pain. What has helped me: natural Calm magnesium supplement. When I don't take it daily, AF is definitely worse. My doctor recommended taking cold pressed primrose oil caps. I've also heard blackstrap molasses helps.

Try cutting down on meat before and during but be sure to get plenty of iron. And if you can see an endocrinologist, try to get a complete hormonal profile done. Also, you might want to have a scan of your ovaries, you might have cysts that are aggravated by your period.

[bloodorchid]

i've been right there with you many times on the sobbing nausea pain, but mine has gotten much less painful since my grain consumption went way down and my meat consumption went way up. mostly chicken, but lots of eggs and plenty of beef too

one thing i've tried to keep consistent is a daily full spectrum multi (gnc womens ultra mega) and fish oil. i'm pretty much a vitamin and supplement nut but those are the consistent ones

[Sol y Sombra]

Let me share some experience. I don't know if it can help you, I don't even know if it's anything sustainable. I have always had some menstrual pain - not too bad really, but my last period (this is my third since going primal) was pretty much painfree - that was an new experience for me and a very nice surprise. I am inclined to attribute this to my increased consumption of flaxseeds. I know the primal community doesn't regard flaxseeds as something very beneficial - if you eat them for their omega 3 content, they are pretty much useless, fish oil is a much better choice. But I have come to enjoy the taste, in fact I love flaxseeds both on fruit and in yogurt. I use them as a replacement for walnuts (they sting on my tongue, so I can't eat those) - just to get a nuttier and a richer taste. I've also read flaxseeds can be beneficial for PCOS (which I have), so that was why I thought I'd give them a try in the first place. And then I loved the taste. So after I had eaten them for over a month, this last period was painfree and I hope it's the flaxseeds. I'll stick to this new habit and see how my next period feels.

So you could try flaxseeds, although I can't really guarantee they would work.

[jo]

I had a phase of painful periods a few years back and found out much later that is was PCOS. I don't know why it got better though. I agree with the iodine theory. Give it a try.

[moonablaze]

other than HBC, the biggest help for my cramps was actually switching to a DivaCup. I was totally skeptical but I was really impressed with the change. With tampons and no HBC I used to be curled up in a ball trying not to puke the entire first day of my period, even with RX doses of ibuprofen. With just HBC, I could get through most of the day with the RX ibuprofen. With Divacup and HBC I can take 2 regular advil and I'm totally functional.

[Aldergirl]

The pain (and tiredness) in my periods has gone way down after I added chicken liver (for the iron) in my diet. I eat an average of 1 oz a day (some days a little more, some times none for a few days to make sure I don’t overdose on vitamin A).

I also have noticed that my periods are really painful if I don’t get enough water, and also if I’m very stressed.

other than HBC, the biggest help for my cramps was actually switching to a DivaCup. I was totally skeptical but I was really impressed with the change. With tampons and no HBC I used to be curled up in a ball trying not to puke the entire first day of my period, even with RX doses of ibuprofen. With just HBC, I could get through most of the day with the RX ibuprofen. With Divacup and HBC I can take 2 regular advil and I'm totally functional.

Oh, yes, I forgot about this! I'm a pad person myself, but I have noticed less pain after I switched to 7th Generation pads. They lack the chlorine and many other chemicals found in normal pads, and I think those chemicals were messing with my hormones to a degree... So, you might want to experiment with more natural products and see if that helps...

[Raine]

It's not all meat that is bad it's only red meat as it's inflammatory. You will want to cut out all dairy as well as it to is inflammatory. I recommend doing a google of "inflammatory foods". The entire nightshade family are bad as well.

[Grizz]

We have recently discovered the surprising cure for female problems, and sooo simple:
Severe Deficiency Symptoms for the ladies:
* Migraine headaches (5,6)
* Painful periods/heavy periods (5,6)
* Pelvic pain (5,6)
* PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome-cysts on the ovaries ) (5,6)
* Endometriosis (5,6)
* Fibroid Tumors (5,6)
* Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) (5,6)
* Breast pain (fibrous tissue) (5,6)
* Cancers in female breasts & organs (5,6)

Severe Deficiency Symptoms for the Men
* Prostate problems including Cancer (7,8)
* testicular cancer (7,8)

(5) Iodine Deficiency and Estrogen Dominant Diseases - Jorge D. Flechas, MD - YouTube
(6) Iodine for Health by Donald W. Miller, Jr., MD
(7) Cancer and Iodine - The Iodine Project
(8) Iodine Deficiency - An Under-Recognized Epidemic

Please, if you are having any of the above symptoms, join with us at the Iodine Thread. The majority of Americans are severely deficient iodine for some very surprising reasons, and iodine supplements are the proven magic bullet for so many diseases listed above:
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread45205.html

Grizz