Period pain keeps her home.

moonstone

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 2:49 pm

Amarante wrote:

I had very bad period pain as a teenager. So bad that I either had to lie down with the nurse or sometimes my friend's mother would drive to take me home. Sometimes I would break out in cold sweats and feel faint.

Most women have fewer issues after childbirth.

What does seem to work for me is Motrin or the generic because it actually inhibits the production of prostaglandins which are what cause the contractions of the uterus which are what causes the terrible pain.

The trick is to take it a day or two BEFORE you get your period so that the prostaglandins don't get produced in such large quantities.

We are not talking about a dangerous opioid or taking a huge quantity of painkillers every day. We are talking about talking a safe non-addictive very effective pain killer for a day or two every month so that your daughter (or any other woman) with cramps doesn't suffer so badly.

The bolded is so true! Exactly what I came here to say. You've got to take it before the cramps start, or you miss the window of opportunity.

I'm another one who suffered terribly in high school and college. I would sit in class doubled over in pain before going home. The pain was horrific. Thankfully it got better the older I got - maybe having kids helped, I don't know.

What we women have to suffer through!!

Chayalle

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 3:00 pm

My DD had AWFUL periods when she was in high school, and yes, she pretty much stayed home the first day, if that first day was on a school day. I trusted her and knew that she knows herself and what she is capable of doing. She tried prescription Naproxen and Ketoprofen and they didn't help much, though they did take the edge off somewhat, but wore off before the next dose could be taken. She was dizzy, nauseous, and had pain going down her legs from her stomache, it was that bad. Hot water bottle, hot showers, etc...all help a little, but it was tough stuff.

ETA she was 14 when she got her first period.

B"H in her later teens it has gotten somewhat better, and now that she's a working gal, she is in no fun but she manages without taking off.

I have a niece who told me it was awful till she had her oldest daughter, and then it got better. I was so grateful to her for telling me, because my periods weren't so bad as a teen, and she helped me understand my daughter.

So trust your DD, OP, and let her learn how to be good to herself and take care of her needs. Let her be the one to decide if she's able to sit in school or not.

tichellady

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 3:15 pm

I used to black out when I would have my period. Birth control pills were amazing for me. Totally life changing! This was after I tried prescription pain relievers, heating pads, etc
Pms wreaks havoc on my digestive system so I get terrible stomach pain and can’t digest dairy or beans etc during that time of the month ( and sometimes vomit or have diarrhea too). I agree that starting with an obgyn is a good plan to see what can be done to help and try to rule out any serious issues.

Chayalle

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 3:19 pm

Amarante wrote:

Thank you so much for posting this. So interesting. Wonder if it would help my DD.

How much motrin do you take a day or two before? Like 1 pill every 6-8 hours?

amother

White

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 3:49 pm

I had horrific period pain as a teen. The pain was as bad as serious labor contractions. Unlike contractions which give you a break in between it just went on and on and on... So it was definitely worse than labor. Taking motrin/Advil as soon as the pre period spotting started helped (b4 the cramping started). But it only made it bearable so I wasn't screaming in pain/passing out from the pain. There was no way I was able to be anywhere but in bed doubled over and crying. My mother wasn't willing to entertain the idea of birth control pills because fear of "messing things up" Rolling Eyes

With age and childbirth (I'm now the mother of my own teen who b"h doesn't have cramps even close to as bad as I did) my cramps got significantly better. Being on BC now makes a huge difference and now I just pop two Advil and can go about my day with just a bit of residual discomfort. I cringe when I remember what I went through as a teen.

BTW I had no fertility issues. Had a very regular cycle. Got pregnant quickly every time. So my severe period pain was just that.

amother

Papaya

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 4:07 pm

My period pain as a teen was always excruciating. I would literally feel like I'm dying, from the sheer pain. I'd walk around the house clutching my stomach looking like a crazed zombie. I would take teen mydol which I found very helpful or advil. I looked up yoga techniques that soothe menstrual cramps and would try to do them. If it hit at work, I'd usually run to the bathroom lay on the floor and try to breathe and do some yoga.. or just sit and breathe. Massaging my stomach area would also sometimes soothe me.

Please validate your daughters pain. Show her that you care about her terrible pain. Look for ways together with her that she can help herself. Caring can go a long way to make the pain bearable. Perhaps give her a massage.

Also I recall that when I had to start counting and figuring out the exact days of my period it really helped. I felt like I knew when it was coming and was armed and ready to deal with, and not schedule outings or appointments that day to be able give myself the time I need. So perhaps you can give her a calendar.. or there are a bunch of cute online ones.

One more thing: knowledge is power. If she didn't yet learn about what happens in her body at this time then buy her age appropriate books that describe, let her talk about it and I'd say allow her to take off from school. You caring about her pain is more important then anything she learns in school. Show her that you really trust her and you are there to help her and make her comfortable in any way.

amother

Lavender

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 4:47 pm

Ruchel wrote:

Warm bath? cute. Try having PAIN. Same for people suggesting "plants" for migraines. Urgh.

I wasn't one who suggested it and no idea if it helps for this though when I was suffering from terrible gallstone attacks (and yes the pain was much worse than contractions) then having a boiling hot bath really did help. In that case I think it is because the heat helps dislodge the stone though just pointing out that these kind of things really can help at times...

mommy3b2c

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 5:40 pm

Op, your post really bothered me. You sound like you have no empathy for your daughter. I also used to skip school. I needed to take 4 advil every 4 hours to keep the pain at bay. I remember some days, writhing in pain, telling my mother to step on my back to try and put some pressure. If your daughter says she's in to much pain for school, she's in to much pain for school. Period.

(Like my pun😉?)

amother

Aubergine

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 6:23 pm

I also experienced excruciating pain with each period. Unfortunately for me childbirth did not alleviate it (only menopause did).

What did help somewhat, was taking Aleve (or Advil) in high doses at the first drop of blood - BEFORE I felt any pain. Then I was careful to keep taking new pain killers before the previous dose wore off - even waking up in middle of the night - because it’s easier to ward off the pain than to stop it once it starts. (You can check with a doctor - sometimes a different painkiller can be used on a different interval cycle to keep from any breakthrough pain.)

Even while on pain killers, although the worst of the pain was eased, I still felt pretty crummy and often alternated between hot showers and curling up in a fetal position with a heating pad or hot water bottle.

In order for her to attend school, her pain needs to be validated and alleviated, as noone be expected to function effectively in school while suffering from excruciating pain.

esther36

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 8:47 pm

Op please be sympathetic to your daughter! My mother took me took a Dr and tried vitamins and all sorts of pain medication since my cramps were so unbearable! If I got my period in school I would always leave early the pain was so intense. The only thing that helped a little was Aleve or 600 mg ibuprofen and two Tylenol every few hours. Heating pad was soothing but I was always doubled over in bed on day one & sometimes day two also!! It's a real intense pain that just because u didn't have can't understand your did but I really do!! I cried every month and rolled on the floor writhing in pain! I feel for her:(

amother

cornflower

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 9:31 pm

Everyone said it already but yeah period pain can be beyond awful, just took dd to the gyn and we are starting the pill because she needs to function in school and there are no lasting side effects AT ALL. This fear of the pill is sooo last century!

amother

Mistyrose

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 9:41 pm

smile wrote:

It’s my 14 year old. She is VERY sensitive and emotional. She got her period this year. And always has to come home from school or miss it bc of her pain. I give her painkillers or even plant based drops to help her. Showed her some exercises to do too.
She thinks no one got it as bad as her.
I keep on telling her that she has to be tough and continue her life with it. She can’t every month stay home. And that all the girls in school have it and still go.
Any tips how I can deal with this? advices how to help her physically and emotionally that she manages in school?

I was exactly the same way as a teenager. I would miss school or go home early all the time because of my period. I would go through very strong pain and I would feel nauseous. Sometimes even painkillers wouldn't help me. All I can tell you is that it's totally normal and that 2 of my relatives went through the same thing. Bezrat Hashem one day when your daughter gets married it won't be as painful.

Orchid

Tue, Oct 17 2017, 9:56 pm

amother wrote:

No one is mindlessly afraid of the pill.
There are real and published side effects.
Why not check them out?
I'm not telling you not to take it, but good to know what you're putting in your body right? Unless you're the one who is afraid - of knowledge?
I have taken the pill myself for various reasons. But it was with full knowledge of the side effects.
OP's daughter may yet need the pill to be able to function. No judgement. Just a call to get knowledge. How can you be against that?
And - one last thing- you don't necessarily "feel" side effects for them to be occurring. If a drug is known to cause an increase in blood pressure, for example, you don't "feel" your blood pressure increasing. Or if known to increase the risks of blood clots, you don't "feel" your blood slowly clotting - until you have the actual clot. I have taken drugs that cause the adrenal glands to work less effectively. I'm sure that has happened, without me feeling anything different about my adrenal glands.

Zehava

Wed, Oct 18 2017, 12:16 am

amother wrote:

I am not the conspiracy theory type but life has told me that there are no shortcuts and everything has a price.
Confusing the body for years making it think it's pregnant through a constant flow of hormones may be the right choice in some situations like preventing pregnancy and more kids than you can handle.
I had the mirena, which is only one low dose hormone, for a while and yeah it was great but there were definitely side effects many of which I didn't realize were there until I removed it.
As far as I know The pill is a much larger amount of hormones.
I would keep my precious daughter home any day of the week rather than messing with her fragile, just-emerging, beautiful fertility.
These hormones affect everything from energy to random cysts popping out to body hair to acne to headaches to insulin resistance and much more. Our bodies are interconnected.
Bottom line risking the pill on a teen because of normal pms is like taking an addictive opioid for a regular headache. Wholy unnecessary and a big risk.

amother

Smokey

Wed, Oct 18 2017, 12:24 am

smile wrote:

Please try natural vitality natural calm plus calcium magnesium anti stress organic raspberry lemon. Her muscles are probably missing magnesium and or calcium and hence the pain/ contractions. (you can find it on amazon. some of the health food stores in boro park sell it for this very reason)
HER CLASSMATES PROBABLY DO NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE.

amother

Magenta

Wed, Oct 18 2017, 12:38 am

Even if you are correct that your dd is more emotionally upset than in actual physical pain (not sure how you would ascertain that), just by your supporting her, empathizing, trying to help her lessen the pain, you will be boosting her emotionally.

ra_mom

Wed, Oct 18 2017, 1:07 am

esther36 wrote:

This. I took Aleve for days and had to drink Gatorade so I wouldn't dehydrate. If I got it in school I also had to head home to lie in bed until the Aleve kicked in and even then I had a lot of cramping pressure.
Thankfully childbirth helped with the cramps and now regular Advil or Motrin is ok for the first day BH.

yitel

Wed, Oct 18 2017, 1:11 am

Period pain would make me want to climb the walls. Alleve worked very well for me as a teenager and BH it did get better after having children. I forgot the term for it, but I remember the doctor saying I had a very thick uterine lining- fibroids? And it gets better with having Kids.