Thread: Um...help?

well, yes we need 12 periods a year...thats how we were made !
BUT, after a certain age..mine was 50, ...you need a female doctor....sounds like your time is now !
my mental pause was not treated correctly untill i found a female health doc.

I had a tubal ligation a long time ago, sooo not sure a doctor would give me such a thing.

Nope, probably not. It's really a birth control device. The period going away is just an extra bonus for all your pain and misery the first few weeks.

Originally Posted by Mayliz

Nope, probably not. It's really a birth control device. The period going away is just an extra bonus for all your pain and misery the first few weeks.

For me the period going away was a false promise in the form a a cruel joke. I bled for 6 weeks solid before going back to a relatively normal cycle.

I'm sorry for your pain, Kash. That would be rather cruel.

Mine went away the very month it went in. I suppose it depends on which type you use -Mirena or copper- and how your body responds to it.

I haven't had any serious problems with mine after my "initiation." Honestly, I thought I was going to pass out in the doctor's office after he used a sound device to measure the cervix. Even thinking about it makes me hyper-ventilate.

Originally Posted by zamora

well, yes we need 12 periods a year...thats how we were made !

Well, technically we are made to be having babies on a regular basis, since that's what female animals do. So 12 periods a year isn't actually natural.

Originally Posted by Mayliz

I'm sorry for your pain, Kash. That would be rather cruel.

Mine went away the very month it went in. I suppose it depends on which type you use -Mirena or copper- and how your body responds to it.

I haven't had any serious problems with mine after my "initiation." Honestly, I thought I was going to pass out in the doctor's office after he used a sound device to measure the cervix. Even thinking about it makes me hyper-ventilate.

My first one was copper. It was absolutely fine for 2 years then it dropped into my cervix and the Dr at the time prescribed codeine rather than actually trying to find out why it had suddenly gone wrong It got picked up when I had an ultrasound to check my appendicitis wasn't an ovarian cyst. I got it taken out (which was a really "fun" day, sheer carnage) and replaced with a mirena. I know a few ladies with mirenas, some have no periods at all, some have regular spotting, some entirely variable and unpredictable and some have no difference. For me I don't actually notice much of a difference from the copper coil, the cramping isn't so bad, but it still very much gets in the way of sleeping, walking, dancing...

Still, like the Dr who refused to take the copper one out when I went to her with the pain said, it's a whole lot better than an unwanted pregnancy!

Originally Posted by badriya_al_ahmar

Well, technically we are made to be having babies on a regular basis, since that's what female animals do. So 12 periods a year isn't actually natural.

and breastfeeding until they are 1-2 years old, which would also stave off the monthlies...

Originally Posted by Kash13

and breastfeeding until they are 1-2 years old, which would also stave off the monthlies...

I nursed my second child for about a year and was really bummed when I got my periods back after 5 months. Grrrrr . . . Of course, I knew it was more likely than not that this would happen, but I should be happy for those 5 months . . . and I am!

Deborah

Ladies, ladies, ladies! Oh my gawd. Not one of you knows about this gem!?! Raspberry LEAF tea. Period. (Ack, bad pun!) It is a god/goddess-send. It can at least mitigate cramps (if not make them go away). It boosts your iron. It even relieves that bitchiness that we develop (that most of us won't admit to, but drives our SO's crazy until they figure out that it's *that* time of the month). The one thing I've not seen it help is the bloating (three out of four isn't bad). I've sworn by this for YEARS. When my daughter got to that age and had the HORRIBLE cramps like when I first started, some simple raspberry leaf tea made her life SO much better. I have recommended it to countless of my friends and family over the years, and everyone who has every tried it keeps it stocked in their kitchens. The local co-op in my town makes sure to keep it stocked as there are lots of other women (that I haven't told) that use it too. Get yourselves to your local co-op and get yourself some loose leaf raspberry leaf tea. Don't thank me, just try it for your own sake.

Wow,Tedi-
never heard of this before?!?!

*hurries to the health shop*

Well, technically we are made to be having babies on a regular basis, since that's what female animals do. So 12 periods a year isn't actually natural.

This is a good point. Also, I've read that in the past women may have had fewer periods and fewer fertile years. This is because better nutrition (some might say excessive) and things like hormones in the water supply bring on puberty earlier these days and also mean that the female body can theoretically sustain 12 instances of optimum fertility a year. There is a school of thought that in the not too distant past female fertility was more like oestrus in other mammals (namely once or twice a year only).

Currently I don't suffer too badly, though I do get this incredible stiffness in my whole body just before and during - I feel like the tin man, more oil! However, when I was in my teens I had a terrible time and once fainted from the pain and hit my head on the bathroom sink!

I find that diet does help me. A little more soya in the week or so before I'm due makes a big difference. I've never tried raspberry leaf tea but I have heard good reports and also I know that many dog breeders give it to whelping bitches to make them more comfortable!

I find raspberry leaf makes it worse, gets it over with quicker, but I get a couple of days of serious carnage instead of a few more less dramatic ones.

Hmm... Sounds like the benefits of raspberry leaf may be based partly on personal body chemistry (possibly genetics). Sorry to hear that it does that to you. Wish you could obtain the benefits from it that others of us do. Bummer man.

I guess I'll give rasperry leaf tea a try if it ever comes back. Looks like it was a one-day event...seriously you guys, the FIRST TIME in my life, and I'm 30! I never ever had them before, nor did I crab out around the time. That is, any more than regular crab. *sigh* I don't mind all the other stuff about getting older; I love my new wrinkles and my white hairs, but this kind of thing is just not OK. And how can the pain be worse than a full on fist fight?!

I had terrible symptoms on the first day for a while, but it was when I was younger (18-19). Vomiting, diarrhea, major weakness, chills, keeling over pain that really felt like labor. Went to the DR. put me on birth control and it got so much more manageable. I still get some of those symptoms but it no longer interferes with my ability to go to work, etc.

BTW (providing you're not one of the unlucky few that have problems with it) raspberry leaf tea is also excellent for any low iron points (anemia) in your life. I use it occasionally when I'm feeling exceedingly run down. Word of warning - The husband tried it once himself for a low iron/feeling run down point, but drank it in the early evening. For him it was like having a full pot of coffee. (I don't think he slept at all that night.)

Also if I don't feel like having the whole jolt of iron at once, I'll take my cup of tea and put it in a water bottle (16-20 oz size) and dilute it with water so that I can sip on it throughout the day - a self generated time release. ..l;,

Rasberry leaf tea? Wow, I'm going to get this tomorrow 'cause I always feel run down since I wake up in the morning.

Well, it might be due to my insomnia...Who knows. But if it gives me more energy during the day, I'll try it. As for period pains, I haven't had any serious problems in years. Luckily.

*Knock on wood.*

Raspberry leaf tea improves the tone of the uterus muscle - this is why it is good for the last trimester of pregnancy (improves contractions) but not the first 2 (when you really don't want contractions). Improved tone is supposed to make it easier to clear the uterus during a period, but I guess if you already have "lovely" strong contractions, it might be less helpful.

Brea, everyone. I'm not a doctor, but I am someone who has suffered from endometriosis all my post-puberty life and here's what I say:

1) If this came on suddenly, I agree with earlier posters: have yourself checked out for fibroids, or for an ovarian cyst, which can come on very suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, and be extremely painful.

2) If these and any other anomalies are ruled out and this continues to be an issue whenever you have your period, have your thyroid levels checked. An underactive thyroid, even one that is slightly underactive, can contribute to...

3) Endometriosis, a common and really #*@&#&ing annoying condition that causes HORRIBLE cramps. I went for ten years before a doctor suggested that that might be my problem. I promptly had the very minor surgery to treat it, which helped about 50-60%. BUT, I was still hypothyroid, and this was not treated until a few years later. That helped a great deal, too. But...

4) Ayurvedic medicine (traditional Indian medicine, thousands of years in practice) really fixed me up. Under the care of an Ayurvedic physician, I learned what my own personal constitution is (we're all quite different), and thus which foods might contribute to my pain. Here's what I found out: for myself, at least (you may be different), the following foods are hemorrhagic, meaning they cause more bleeding during menstruation, which means more pain: Ginger, walnuts, saffron, peaches, apricots, alcohol. I was very surprised about ginger. I used to drink ginger tea to treat cramps. I tested the Ayur. dr.'s recommendation one night - I ate a meal with a lot of ginger and saffron in it while I had my period. BLAM! That's all I'll say. The herbs she gave me have really helped, as well. It's like night and day.

5) I still take 800 mg prescription Ibuprofen. But always with a full stomach - never take it on an empty stomach!

5) Regular Calcium-Magnesium supplements, and Evening Primrose Oil capsules, help a great deal.

6) Stay warm. I agree with the no ice water rule. And Thermacare pads are evidence of a higher power that loves us.

7) I disagree that your age has much to do with it. Things like this can happen to any woman at any age. 30 is young. And...I haven't noticed anything getting worse after 30, myself...if anything, everything's in better shape than before, actually. Just take care of yourself, find out what you need. And get rid of that doctor! What a stupid thing he said to you! God!

- Leela

Thanks Leela. I'm not sure they have that kind of doctor in my area.

Many of you have commented I should find another doctor, and this morning I remembered something that made me think you may be right. We were discussing my diet, and how I've had trouble losing weight (I don't gain it either, it just sticks right where it is). He asked what I ate and I said I liked Naked juice for breakfast. He interrupted me (which he did several different times during our meeting before I'd finished explaining anything) and said that one Naked juice has all the calories you need for one day. I said 'oh it does NOT, it doesn't have 2,000 calories!' and he didn't agree.

I got some this morning. 170 calories at two servings a bottle = 340. Which is a lot, yeah, but certainly not 2,000. Mostly this doctor wanted to talk about the lake and boating with me as well (he found out I used to be a deckhand). He also had some pretty sexist ideas that he kept saying 'no this is FACT' not jsut his personal opinion.

Soooo...thinking maybe you're all right about my needing a different doctor. He scheduled me for a million things (MRI, blood work, etc)...not sure why, as all this was done before when I'd gone years ago for the same reason and nothing was seen in any of that stuff. *sigh* What is it with the medical profession these days?

Um, YES you need a new doctor! This guy sounds like a horse's ass. Totally disrespectful, in addition to being uninformed, to put it kindly.

I'd like to reiterate, please please have your thyroid checked, but...not by this guy. He sounds like just the kind of doctor who would tell you that there's nothing wrong with your thyroid levels even if they're high. Find a doctor you trust, who listens to you and doesn't judge you or give you ridiculous misinformation.

Inability to lose weight despite exercise and healthy diet can be a symptom of an underactive thyroid. It's one of the most common, in fact. Others include being chilly a lot, even when others are warm; endometriosis (though not always, and not all endo is related); hair thinning/falling out; eyebrow thinning; low energy/tired all the time...I know I'm forgetting some, and not everyone experiences all of these. But please have yourself looked at. When my TSH levels were 2.7, I was 20 lbs. overweight, freezing cold, miserably moody, exhausted, and suffering from awful cramps and bleeding. Now it's 1 and I feel human again.

Also, consulting a holistic practitioner (in whatever modality you prefer) about what foods work for you can really help. For example, you may discover that things you thought were healthy actually don't work with your constitution. Maybe you need protein in the morning instead of sugar (juice is very sugary, even the good ones). Maybe whole fruit is better for you than extracted juices. Maybe you're not getting enough calories to support your activity level. Good luck. Please take good care of yourself!

- Leela

Leela-

Yes, this has been a source of a lot of frustration. Over the spring semester I was doing yoga 2 hrs a week, swimming 3 hrs, weightlifting 3 hrs, bellydance an hour a day. I generally eat salad, fruit, fish, and rice (living in Hawai'i will do that to you). This was why I asked my doctor why on earth it wasn't working. I've mentioned it here on bhuz once or twice too, but I can't imagine that I"m eating too much/poorly or too inactive (I also take my dog for walks twice a day, take her to the beach, etc).

I am also FREEZING all the time! I thought it was from living in the tropics and moving to Minnesota.

Well, that sounds like what I was experiencing before treatment. Don't lose hope - if you are hypothyroid, it's not difficult to treat, comparatively speaking. It just requires some research to figure out what works for you, and then some diligent self-care. It's not magic, but thyroid medication is so helpful. When it's combined with exercise and the right diet, it's doubly effective.

In my case, when I started to gain weight uncontrollably, I tried a little experiment. I put myself on a very restricted calorie diet - like, less than 1000 calories a day (while also working out a lot). I gained something like 15 pounds in a month! I'm not kidding. I was also told some pretty unhelpful stuff by doctors - "You're just getting older, aging isn't fun" (I was 26!); "You're not hypothyroid, you're just fat" (didn't go back to that lady, who, by the way, was built like a Pacer and clearly hadn't seen the inside of a gym in years). But as soon as someone actually listened to me, and I was put on Synthroid...it was like someone turned on the heat.

One thing I've learned from both Chinese and Indian medicine is to avoid raw, cold foods in cold weather. So I only eat salads and fruit in summer, when it's in season. In winter I stick with warm things. It's helped a lot. I think it has to do with not asking your body to use energy processing things that are difficult for it to deal with, while it's also trying to heal/function.

OH! Also. If you suspect underactive thyroid, cut out all soy products. Especially anything with Soy Protein Isolate in it. That means most energy bars and drinks, Tofu Pups, a lot of brands of veggie burger, things like that. That stuff is poison to the thyroid. I don't know about unrefined, whole soy like tofu. I love it and I eat it sometimes, but when I was at my most sick, I was also eating a lot of fake meat made with SPI. I found out about its effects on the thyroid later. And my Ayurvedic doc told me that soy is too estrogenic for me.

But all this depends on you. It sounds like you might have thyroid issues, but make sure as well that you get checked for cysts and stuff like that. Do both. I think there might be a relationship between the two as well, but I can't remember where I read that.
- Leela