I suddenly began having THE WORST cramps I have ever had in my life this afternoon. I tried drinking lots of water, in case I was dehydrated, but that didn't help. I laid in bed for a while and snuggled with my enormous dog, as he usually has the effect of a hot water bottle on any kind of stomach or menstrual pain I have. I know it sounds silly, but he has this soothing, hypnotic, healing warmth that never fails to make me feel better, and he is so good at knowing when to put up with me. Unfortunately, this didn't help today. I was in so much pain that I was dizzy, had chills, and actually threw up. That was new. I tried for as long as I could to avoid taking a pain reliever, as I know they're not good for me, but I finally caved. The pain has receded a bit, enough so I don't feel nauseous anymore and I can sit up and type, but it is still pretty unbearable. I have been searching for suggestions on how to relieve menstrual cramps without medication, but I haven't found much. I would be forever indebted to anyone who can help me, as I know the extra-strength tylenol will wear off eventually and I don't think I can handle that pain again. It was seriously bordering on a 10 out of 10 on the "pain scale." Thanks.
--maggie

Ooh, been there, done that. That was typical for me before I went on the pill two years ago. The only thing that worked for me was to take 3 Advil. Tylenol couldn't even touch the pain.

If I could catch the cramps early, I was fine, but if I woke up with them, or ignored the warning signs, it was bad. I would get them so badly that they made me vomit--but then I would start to feel better almost immediately. I hope you feel better very soon.

Hi Maggie Mae,

Has this been going on for a while? If it is something that keeps up each month, you might want to check in with an ObGyn about the possibility of Endometriosis. You totally might not have it, but I'm just throwing it out there because you described some of the endometriosis symptoms that I have (agony, extreme nausea, dizzy, etc). As much as I hate to rely on it, the only thing that works to dull the pain for me is Excedrin (or better yet, Goody's powder - the Southern form of Excedrin because it works within minutes). Whatever works for you, the key for me is to take the pain relieve on the very FIRST sign of cramps. If the cramps take hold, there is very little that can be done to dull the pain for me. And even though I prefered to do the 100% natural methods, the pain was far too severe for me to even think of going without.

Unfortunately, most mainstream doctors know very little about Endometriosis, still aren't sure what causes it, and certainly don't know how to treat it. They typically recommend birth control pills, which are NOT good for candida. Natural practitioners would be much better as far as info and treatment go. I have also noticed a connection between my overall candida/health symptoms and my candida symptoms. So hopefully it will start to get better as we heal.

I don't log on to the forum that often anymore, but feel free to email me if you want any more info about Endometriosis. Also, I would recommend using the search function on here to get information on both that and bad cramps in general.

I hope you get feeling better, and that this does not strike again the same way for you next month!

~Tia

Hi Maggie,

That sounds dreadful! I hope it was just a fluke bad period and that it will not happen again. You might want to check in with your doctor since they so suddenly increased in severity. I hope you don't have endo. Poor Tia has suffered with it and told us horror stories about how difficult it is.

You might want to search PMS on our forum for some tips on how to balance your hormonal system out a bit before the fact. Evening primrose oil, fish oils, Vitex and other herbal products can be helpful as can B complex vitamins. These are typically taken all month but in the last week of your cycle you might add some other herbs like dong quai for example. Do some reading about these ideas and see what feels right for you.

Tia's right about using pain killers correctly if you're going to use them. If so, taking them at the first sign of cramps is important and you can then take much less usually.

Good luck and I hope you feel much better. Can you use a hot water bottle along with the dogs support? I'm sure his energetic vibrations are good for you, even more so because he's male. Male people and dogs have a calming effect on women. I forget where I read that study...not everyone would agree with that statement of course!!!!

By the way, you haven't recently increased your caffeine intake have you? This can cause terrible cramps.

Take care,

TLC

Hi Tarilee,
The cramps didn't come back, and when the pain had subsided and I could think clearly, I realized I was probably pretty dehydrated since I was running around all day in 80+ degrees. I have been making sure to drink lots of water now, so I think that helped. The weird part is that the cramps were premenstrual, and I haven't even gotten my period yet. This has never happened before - I usually get mild cramps and crazy mood swings before/during my period. This time, my moods are more stable and the cramps were insane! I'm wondering whether this could be related to the drastic weight loss I have been experiencing? I have lost 46 lbs. since Nov., with most of it happening in the last few months. I am ordering some digestive enzymes, as I think I am developing nutrient deficiencies. Not to mention that my ribs are showing - yuck!

And yes, I am ashamed to admit that my caffeine intake did increase over the weekend. My brother and his fiance came to visit and everyone was eating ice cream and chips all weekend, and I kept "treating" myself to a coffee instead. Bad idea!! But another reason to kick the habit . . Thanks!

Thanks for everyone's replies! Tia, I'm sorry that you have struggled with such painful periods for so long. I don't think I could handle what I have read about you going through, seeing as how yesterday afternoon was so unbearable to me! Hopefully this was a one-time thing for me, and I will definitely be more aware of the onset if it happens again, so I can deal with it more effectively.
-Maggie

Glad to hear you're feeling better. If it continues, the other thing to ask the doctor about would be fibroids.

Thanks kay! I am feeling much better, but I am concerned about the weight loss and potential effect it could be having on my period. I will keep in mind your suggestion to ask about fibroids. I haven't been to the doctor in a bit, since I wasn't getting any productive help. I'm in the process of trying to find one that understands and can help me sort through my candida problems, because before, I was just getting all kinds of prescriptions to treat the various symptoms, all of which were making me worse! Thanks again for your responses!
-Maggie

Yeah, I meant to comment on your weight loss and forgot. I've lost 12 lbs and my periods are all out of whack--and I'm on the pill!

Last month it started a full week early and this month, I am so PMSy, complete with tender breasts, and that hasn't happened in ages. I have no doubt that the weight loss is playing a role in this for me. And yours has been even more dramatic, so I'd give it some time and see if things start to level out. If you go to the doctor, they'll just tell you your body needs some time to adjust. (And that's why it took me so long to get to a candida diagnosis--we kept waiting for my body to "get back to normal" after I lost 40 lbs.)

Thanks for sharing your experience kay. The pill is actually another reason I am hesitant to see a doctor about the changes in my cycle. I cannot take the pill; I have tried just about every different option available in the past and every one made me the most depressed that I have ever been in my life. I just recently read that nearly every oral contraceptive out there contains some form of dairy as a "filler," and after discovering my severe reactions to dairy, I have a feeling this is a big part of the problem, in addition to the major hormonal upheaval they cause. I think if I went to the doctor and he/she suggested I take the pill to regulate things better, I would probably lose it. Of course, this is also after being prescribed a steroid nasal inhaler that I "needed" for a "sinus infection," even though it said right on the package that it could cause a funal nasal infection. When I said that I was pretty sure the issue was fungal in nature to begin with, and so didn't want to take it, the doctor told me it was definitely bacterial and I NEEDED to use it. Needless to say, it is still in the box, and I haven't been back to the doctor since . . .
Thanks again, and I hope your PMS eases up soon. Keep well!
--Maggie

Hi Maggie--I'm so sorry about this happening, but I'm glad to hear you're doing better--what better comfort is there than a huge, slobbering beast by your side in times of need?!!

I will just throw my two cents in here though--caffeine has a horrible effect on my period--it literally changes my cycle (it comes a week early) and the cramps, dizziness, nausea are severe. For me, I"ve learned over the years to at least lessen my intake of coffee if not forego it completely.

I understand your reluctance to see a doctor, but even if you just use him or her to rule out any other possibilities it may be worth your time.

I hope this post finds you feeling well,

Ashley

HI TIA!!!! I know you'll probably not see this because you're not on much, but if you do can you let me know how everything's going with you? I'd love to hear about it...Hope you are well!

Ashley

Hi Maggie,

I'm glad this has past. I hope you will do a bit of investigation though just to check that things are all as normal as possible with CRC. It's very true that candida die off, caffeine and dehydration are good explanations for cramps. However I'm concerned with your weight loss. It sounds like you're now well below your healthy weight if your ribs are showing. This is something that it's important to discuss with an MD. Maybe you could find a better doctor than the one you didn't feel was being terribly helpful? Of course MD's are generally limited to offering 'traditional' medical help but for diagnosis of certain conditions, their help is crucial.

Do let us know how you're feeling ok?

Take good care,

TLC

Hi Tarilee,
I just wanted to say that I appreciate your concern,and I am in the midst of a search for an MD who can help me. I think I may have found one - now I just have to wait until my school year is over so I can go without missing another day of work.
On a happy note, my period was completely normal except for those terrible cramps beforehand. It was a little late, but other than that, fine. And I gained 4 lbs this week! Wow, I never thought that would make me happy. Could it be the maca powder I have been putting in my tea? I read that it is really high in easily absorbed nutrients. Thanks again and I hope you are well too!
-Maggie

Thank heavens for that!

If you are clearing the wastes out of your colon, adding beneficial bacteria and learning to eat foods that do not coat the digestive tract nor cause interference of other kinds, you may be able to more efficiently use your calories. Many people experience a normalizing of weight after a while on this forum.

Keep up the great work!

TLC

Hi Maggie-would you be willing to take on another three pounds if I gave you a few of mine??!

I'm so glad you're headed up instead of down!

I noticed that folks in this thread are talking about home towns and professions etc,(in particular, Maggie) and so I was inspired me to point out the possibility of a privacy concern.

I just want to make sure that everyone here remembers that this forum is online and thus accessible to the public. Occasionally an internal thread will be pulled up by a google search. It is not unheard of though for the most part, folks need to come onto our site to pull up threads. However if key words were very specific, you could snatch up a snippet from inside our forum.

It is unlikely but there is always a remote possibility that your neighbour could be a fellow member on the forum. If this is the case, it is likely that this would be a wonderful thing to celebrate as you would then both have the potential for some mutual support with your program.

However it is also possible that you might have information circulating in your community that you only intended to share with your forum friends whom you have developed a special empathy and understanding with under the assumption that all information shared on the forum, stays on the forum.

You might not share quite the same way with someone who lives in a small community with you if you don't know or trust them enough to hold this information with them in the midst of your community.

In particular when we use our real names and the names of our city, someone could read our posts and identify who we are. If any of this concerns you at all, you may wish to have a nondescript forum name as well as keeping certain identifying details private. You can always share with forum friends via email if you want to compare notes more specifically.

Just as an example, though a highly unlikely one....I just googled "Maggie island candida coffee" and one of Maggie's posts above came up.

If this is a concern for anyone at this stage, though it's not possible to edit posts that are already up (if they've been up more than a few minutes),it IS possible to edit your profile. You can just change your name to something unidentifiable by people who know you.

Hopefully this is not of concern to any of you, but just in case...I wanted to 'put it out there' for you.

Take good care,

Tarilee

You really are right Tarilee.

My ex-husband--who is not computer savvy at all--decided to google me one day at his friend's house. A post filled with the intricacies of my bowel movements popped up for them out of nowhere! While this was amusing, I don't think I would have felt that way if the post he came across was about my (then) new boyfriend!

I often forget how much I share here and how personal it is. You guys know things about me most people don't--so cheers for the reminder...

Yikes, that's funny but I know what you mean about a situation in which that would not be funny. I google people at times, when I'm assessing them for one reason or another but strangely, I wait till I know them a bit before doing this as I feel it's a bit like looking in someone's closet without asking first. And no, I don't ask first but I do feel like I should have a bit of other knowledge about them first.

If you ever decide you want to change your profile name, to be a little less conspicuous, all your previous posts will be changed along with it.

Hugs,

TLC

Thanks--it's something I should probably consider at some point...