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Are my extreme cramps during my period normal?
Hello,
I am 21 years old and I have had heavy, long periods (7 days) with really really bad cramps since a young age.(As soon as my period started at about 13 years old) They are also very irregular at times: My last 4 cycles were for example 19 days, 26 days, 31 days and then my last current one was 40 days long. I sometimes find that the longer my cycle is, the worse my cramps will be on my next period. I have had one ultrasound done at age 18 but the doctor did not find anything suspicious. They didn’t diagnose the reason for my heavy period or extreme cramps but just prescribed me the pill qlaira which I took for about a year and a half. It didn’t really help with the cramps but it helped with the heavy period. After I went off the pill my cramps got way worse for a while. Now they are back to how they were before. My cramps can be so severe that when I get them I get nauseous from it, even taking multiple Ibuprofen won’t help, I even threw them up once because I got so nauseous from the amount of pain I was in. Working when I have these types of cramps is impossible. Since I went vegetarian at age 18 my iron deficiency (which I probably got from my heavy bleeding) went away because my period is a bit lighter and not as long as it used to now.
I would like to mention that my aunt on my mothers side had endometriosis, my mother had breast cancer and my grandmother (also on my mothers side) had non-hodgkin-lymphom. I am suspicious because these all seem like hormone related diseases. I am not trying to self diagnose myself or anything but sometimes I believe I might have endometriosis too because I know the amount of pain I am in when I have my period can’t be normal.
I would be very thankful to hear the opinion of a doctor and would be happy to hear your advice. What should I tell a doctor if I go see one? Are these problems normal?
Thank you for your reply in advance!
Sofia
I am 21 years old and I have had heavy, long periods (7 days) with really really bad cramps since a young age.(As soon as my period started at about 13 years old) They are also very irregular at times: My last 4 cycles were for example 19 days, 26 days, 31 days and then my last current one was 40 days long. I sometimes find that the longer my cycle is, the worse my cramps will be on my next period. I have had one ultrasound done at age 18 but the doctor did not find anything suspicious. They didn’t diagnose the reason for my heavy period or extreme cramps but just prescribed me the pill qlaira which I took for about a year and a half. It didn’t really help with the cramps but it helped with the heavy period. After I went off the pill my cramps got way worse for a while. Now they are back to how they were before. My cramps can be so severe that when I get them I get nauseous from it, even taking multiple Ibuprofen won’t help, I even threw them up once because I got so nauseous from the amount of pain I was in. Working when I have these types of cramps is impossible. Since I went vegetarian at age 18 my iron deficiency (which I probably got from my heavy bleeding) went away because my period is a bit lighter and not as long as it used to now.
I would like to mention that my aunt on my mothers side had endometriosis, my mother had breast cancer and my grandmother (also on my mothers side) had non-hodgkin-lymphom. I am suspicious because these all seem like hormone related diseases. I am not trying to self diagnose myself or anything but sometimes I believe I might have endometriosis too because I know the amount of pain I am in when I have my period can’t be normal.
I would be very thankful to hear the opinion of a doctor and would be happy to hear your advice. What should I tell a doctor if I go see one? Are these problems normal?
Thank you for your reply in advance!
Sofia
COMMUNITY LEADER
It is hard to say. Some women do get bad cramps and it is normal. Ibuprofen really helps me. Regular exercise helps me and drinking extra water. But mostly ibuprofen. Don't assume that your cramps are outside of normal. However, the irregularity of your period is a pain. I'd consider going on the pill to see if it can regulate you. Talk to your doctor about that.
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