cramp relief

I am wondering what others do for pain management. I get cramps from hell every month and have been prescribed pain medication to help deal with it, but that only does so much. I also try using heating pads, eating more foods with potassium, exercising, etc. and I still can't seem to get control over the bad cramps I have. Anyone have any other suggestions? Things they have tried with success? I'm making another doctor's appointment once I'm done with my period, but in the mean time, I'm trying to deal with the pain and need other options. Thanks in advance.  

[AnnieBrooke]

Advil in the prescription strength.  (In other words, double the over-the-counter strength.)  Since it's an antiprostaglandin and not a pain killer, it reduces the angina-like cramps, for me.

[sweetpea03]

Thanks, I'll try that and see how it works. Just nervous in that I don't want to cause stomach bleeding by taking too much Advil.

[AnnieBrooke]

If you just take it during your periods, it will not have enough time to cause any issues.  I think issues with Advil have happened with long-term usage (months and months) or when alternating it on odd days with Tylenol for months.  Have never heard of five days' Tylenol use (even in prescription strength) causing the slightest issue at all.

[AnnieBrooke]

Excuse me, the last sentence was supposed to be "Have never heard of five days' Advil use (even in prescription strength) causing the slightest issue at all."  (I'm sure the same could be said of Tylenol, but the subject is definitely ibuprophen.)  lol

[sweetpea03]

Well I had been on and off different pain medications for another reason and after one doctor had told me to use Advil, 3 pills 3 times a day, after about 5 days of doing that I had pretty bad stomach bleeding/pain. It may have just been the interaction with the other medication tat I had been on prior to using Advil, but it's made me nervous to use Advil again. I know Advil is more hard on the stomach, while Tylenol is more hard on the liver. I typically try to avoid medication, but I need to do something for pain relief. I did try it this morning and it seems to have helped, just don't want to be doing this for long.

[AnnieBrooke]

I never needed it but for the first two days of my period.  

Advil is not a pain reliever or pain medicine, it is a muscle relaxer, basically.  In other words, it blocks the prostaglandin that cause muscles to cramp, so they don't cramp.  That's why it is so good for menstrual cramps.  I don't recommend pain pills or opiates for period pain, but Advil can be just the thing.