I went off birth control 4 years ago and ever since then I have been developing ovarian cysts. Sometimes i get lower back pain that extends down my buttocks and feels like sciatica . I also get what feels like menstral cramping after intense exercise. During ovulation i also experience uncomfortable cramping. My periods are pretty regular (maybe off by 5 days tops) and they are not heavy, just normal and they last about 4 days. The pain i get during some periods is so intense, i want to throw up and i feel like i am literally dying. It is not like that every period, but every second or third however they are always quite painful although some worse than others. I suspect the worst pain is possibly when a cyst is bursting and this can occur anytime during the month and not just the period. This is really affecting my life. I don't know what to do. Would going back on birth control help. Why do i get the cramping when i work out sometimes? Are these little cysts bursting?