Putting the Rue in Menstruation

[shanmonster]

So I'm on powerful anti-inflammatories for the crippling cramps I get while killing bees. The cramps are so bad that if I'm not medicated, I am unable to function. I've had to call in sick sometimes two or three times in a month because of it, and that is just not acceptable. I don't think anyone should have to lie agonized in bed in foetal position for three days each month unless they're Hitler or Pol Pot.

Well, it almost got worse than that for me this month. You see, once I moved to Kitchener, my body tried to synchronize itself to snowy_kathryn's schedule. So I got the horrid cramping for two days, without benefit of my pills because I forgot them in Ontario in all the rush and panic to get back to Fredericton in a hurry.

The cramping happened for two days, and then Aunt Flo just disappeared.

Great, I thought. It means I'll be starting again on my regular cycle.

And yes, I did. Yesterday, while busily working out at the gym, I was washed over with a wave of ennervation and dull pain. All of a sudden, simply holding weights became agonizing. My hands burned with arthritic pain, and I had to set the bar down and hold my hands in a limp position. I managed to finish the workout despite the pain, but I couldn't keep up with my usual pace.

And then when I went to get changed afterwards, my poor underwear told me the reason for all my woes.

I took the anti-inflammatories when I got home (zero_design was a sweetheart and mailed them to me), but it takes a while for them to kick in. And besides--they're not pain-killers. So I'm afraid yesterday wasn't a very productive day, since most of it was spent sooking about and walking daintily, trying not to make things hurt any more than they already did. And then, once the pills had kicked in, I helped aberrantmist move into her new place. I am currently sans roommmate (save for f00dave, natch).

This morning, I'm waiting for my pills to kick in so I can go to the gym, finish my mail-outs, and go see a movie with gha5t and lindalicious. Come on pills--work faster. And let my cramps be gone by tomorrow so I can go running at 8:30 AM.

Comments

[pamcash.livejournal.com]

feel better!

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I do, already.

raining blood

[starmae.livejournal.com]

What type/s of anti-inflammatories do you take, Ms. Lady?

And what's the killing bees reference?? I know I'll feel silly when/if you reveal. . .

Re: raining blood

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Bee-killing is a reference to Pliny's Natural History of AD 77:

"On the approach of a woman in this state [menstrual], must will become sour, seeds . . . sterile, grafts wither away, garden plants are parched up, and the fruit will fall from the tree . . . Her very look, even, will dim the brightness of mirrors, blunt . . . steel, and take away the polish from ivory. A swarm of bees, if looked upon by her, will die."

The anti-inflammatories are Apo-Naproxen. They work very well.

[sageincave.livejournal.com]

I have "submissive menses" too, and I hate it. It pisses me off to conform to other people's bodies' schedules.

Yep, I'm a control freak.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I'd rather dispense with the menses altogether, but that's not going to happen without pregnancy or birth control, and I want neither.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Birth control meds, that is.

[sageincave.livejournal.com]

Sounds like your uterus has you by the, um, uterus. My cramps used to be terrible (worse than breaking a bone), but I grew out of it, thank goodness.

Yay for drugs that damp pain and nausea!

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

a regular exercise program would help with cramping

Dear God in heaven. How bad would my cramps be without my exercise, then? Heh...

The worst is over for now. The pills do work--they just need time to kick in.

[zero-design.livejournal.com]

Ahhh good, they made it. I was worried that I'd messed up the package somehow.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Nope! They're here, and I'm very grateful. THANK YOU!!!

[zero-design.livejournal.com]

Good good! You're welcome :)

[daughty.livejournal.com]

Yikes. Period pain really can be awful. Thank Goddess for the invetion of painkillers!

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I prefer naturally-occurring painkillers, but the pill variety work, too.

[daughty.livejournal.com]

Naturally occurring? What are they, then? I usually take 400 mg Ibuprofene.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Pot.

[daughty.livejournal.com]

Oh, okay! Can't have it, though. Completely messes with my brain chemistry and my antidepressants, gives me awful paranoia.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

It gives one of my friends terrible headaches. Not everything works for everyone, but it works perfectly for me. I'm grateful!

[daughty.livejournal.com]

Is it legal in Canada, actually? In Germany, it still isn't...

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Legal? No, not really, although it's on the cusp of change. But if someone gets busted for having a joint, they were on their way for being busted for something else, anyhow. It seems to be used more as a legal technicality than anything. I've seen it smoked brazenly out on the streets in public, and no one gives a shit.

[real-bethy.livejournal.com]

Have you ever been to a doctor for your cramps? I had life-destroying cramps myself, but after a few tests, it was discovered that I was suffering from endometriosis. Once I had treatment for that, my life got 110% better.

Feel better soon!

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

The doctor prescribed the pills to me. But frankly, I'm doubtful of her doctoring skills. She didn't check me for anything (not under the hood, and no tests). She just said that women's periods change throughout their lives, and that mine was giving me bad cramps now, so take these pills.

They're working, but I can't help but wonder if there's some other way.

[daughty.livejournal.com]

This is really not a good way to dianose anything. Or rather not diagnose anything, because she didn't check. Women's periods do change throughout their lives, but it can be related to a medical condition like endometriosis, PCOS, fibroids and the like. Can you see an ObGyn?

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I agree that it's a terrible way to diagnose anything. My doctor is pretty useless. She'd rather put me on pills than actually check for any problems, and this is across the board, not just for one or two things. When I get back to Ontario, I'm going to see if I can find myself a better physician. Doctors are very difficult to find around here. Here's hoping it's easier in Ontario....

[daughty.livejournal.com]

Good luck with finding a better doctor!

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[real-bethy.livejournal.com]

You should definitely get another opinion. I mean, why take drugs for extended periods of time if you can actually **fix** whatever is wrong, right?

Of course womyn's cycles change throughout their lives - but it's good to rule out other issues before chalking everything up to "one of those things". I am a firm believer that if you are in pain, your body is trying to tell you something - nobody gets crippled by agony for no reason.

Any way you can see a gyno? It could really pay to be tested for endo - many, many womyn have it, and it's often undiagnosed because often nobody thinks to look for it - doctors just hand out painkillers assuming that a lot of womyn are just wimps and can't handle "that time of the month" (but that's a rant for a different day).

http://www.endometriosisassn.org/index.html and http://www.endometriosis.org/ and http://www.womenshealthmatters.ca/centres/pelvic_health/endometriosis/index.html are pretty good websites that might help you out (just ignore the shlocky stuff!:))

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Yup. Second opinions are hard to find around here for the simple virtue of doctors being scarcer than virgin porn stars.

I already explained to my doctor that these cramps are far worse and more dehibilitating than any cramp I had this side of menarche. Bah.

I'm hoping it will be easier to find a decent physician back in Kitchener.

[potbelly13.livejournal.com]

Start looking now and get on a waiting list. I moved from Manitoba to Quebec 4 years ago and it took me 2 years to find a Dr. here!