Severe Menstrual Cramps

Peata

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I know the males probably won't want to touch this one for their life, but if anyone out there has insight, I would appreciate it.

I was awakened from sleep at about 2:30 a.m. with what was quite likely the worst menstrual cramps of my life.

The uterus is a muscle. Imagine it as a fist. Imagine you are clenching your fist as tightly as you possibly can. That's what was happening in my lower abdomen.

I consider myself to have a high pain tolerance, but it was almost my breaking point.

It even seemed to affect my bowel. I kept thinking the cramps would subside soon, so I just tried to bear with it and go back to sleep, but after about an hour, I got my magnesium oil and sprayed that on - giving my abdomen a good massage. That didn't help at all. I took 1/3 of an aspirin and washed it down with mineral water. It didn't help, so I did an accupressure trick that used to help in the past. It helped some, but not completely, and I couldn't lay there all night clenching my fingers around my wrist, so I took the rest of the aspirin.

FINALLY, after 3 hours of torture, the pain subsided enough that I could sleep.

I've felt like utter carp all day, similar to how I felt a week ago after ODg on the PUFAs at the July 4th parties: drained, achey, tired, ugh.

This is the 2nd month in a row I've had a day of bad menstrual cramps since Peating. Last month was when it began. This time it was horrible. Prostaglandins, estrogen, blah blah. What's going on?

I must figure this out so I can prevent it from happening next month.
 
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Peata

Peata

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I am thinking what I've done differently the last couple months, and that was drinking alcohol around that TOM. In fact, the night I had those severe cramps, I'd had 3 drinks that day/evening. So I'm stopping that and see if it helps for next time.
 
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Peata

Peata

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Also, I must go back to the carrot salad.

When I grate a carrot and stir in 1 t. coconut oil, 1 t. salad vinegar, and salt, it really does seem to have a noticeable positive effect over just eating a carrot. I wish it worked the same by just eating the carrot because I am too lazy sometimes to grate the carrot. However, it's worth it.

There was a time when I grated a whole bag of organic carrots ahead of time and kept it covered in the fridge. Then I could just spoon some out and mix in the vinegar, coconut oil, and salt. I'm going back to that method.
 

honeybee

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Do you have a hx of any estrogen dominace issues like endo, cysts or fibroids?
 
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Peata

Peata

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honeybee said:
Do you have a hx of any estrogen dominace issues like endo, cysts or fibroids?

Yes. No cramps for a long time, but just the last couple months, I've had first day of period being very crampy.

Hx of PCOS, fibrocystic breasts...

Only in the last few years has estrogen dominance really become a huge deal, and I didn't even recognize what it was until recently.
 

honeybee

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Me too all but endo. I've had great results from using vitex, and then switching to progest e. I think the carrot salad is good for the estrogen too. It's been several months since I had any severe cramping.
 
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Peata

Peata

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Honeybee, did you use Progest-E at full strength when you started out? Or work up to it?
 
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Peata

Peata

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I think there is something to aspirin lowering estrogen based on my own recent experience. Someone, I think it was Jenn, mentioned earlier to me that aspirin would help, and anytime I felt my fibrocystic breast problem start up, I'd take 1/4 to one whole aspirin and it helped.

My hormones must be extra whacky lately because normally I'd get the fibrocystic breast stuff going on a week before my period and it would stop during my period. This time I didn't really get it before, but it's been bothering me some NOW -when period is over. ?? So I've just been taking 1/2 to 1-1/2 aspirin per day (not the whole dose at once, I'm still a little concerned about a lot of aspirin) when I feel the need.

I read on another site that studies have shown aspirin is an aromatase inhibitor, which reduces estrogen, and that a dose ranging from baby aspirin to regular aspirin daily will have this effect. I know this is old news to Peat-ers but I'm still learning as I go, and I have to test some things out for myself.

My goal is to reduce my estrogen as much as I can, as I feel that is the final challenge I have to look and feel my best, and be at my healthiest. My thyroid stuff seems to be improving slowly but surely.
 
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Peata

Peata

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I probably shouldn't have just said "reduce estrogen", but raise progesterone.

So starting today I'm going to try to do higher doses of Progest-E and stick with it. I tried to use it in the high doses rec'd by Dr. Peat a few weeks ago but it made me feel bad. I waited a week and started it again at slightly lower doses and did OK but then my period came and I stopped taking it. Now I feel I should start in again even though I'm not at the middle of my cycle.
 
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j.

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So is high estrogen and low progesterone the cause of cramps? Does just taking progesterone fix it?
 

charlie

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Peata, please let us know how it goes. Hope you get some relief.
 

honeybee

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I made a mistake the first time I tried Progest e and used 1-2 drops/day. BIG TIME ESTROGEN dominance symptoms-so I stopped. Then I decided to try again about 3 months ago, and started dosing 2-3 drops, 2-3 times a day. MUCH better. I am taking during the 2nd half of cycle.
I have heard of others who have used whole bottles in short periods of time for severe issues.
Since I had cyst issues which I believe never fully resolved (I had a huge painful one about 2 years ago and I am still occasionally symptomatic), I am considering larger doses (like double what I am taking now) to perhaps resolve the cyst once and for all.
Its all trial and error, monitoring yourself. What works for me may not for you, etc...
 

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