PMS & Pain

[Guest guest]

Does anyone else's pain get worse when you have/go through PMS? This

has been happening for about 8 months now. I feel flu like, achy, my

skin hurts, my muscles are a lot sorer and I have no energy, not even

enough to make myself something to eat!

Now I am always in pain 24/7 but this added onto it is just extremely

miserable . I just want to know if there are others out there that

have experienced this. Thank you for listening to me complain.

HUGS,

Donna aka LadyMagnolia1963

[Guest guest]

--- " Donna " wrote:

>

> Does anyone else's pain get worse when you have/go through PMS?

Hi Donna -

Absolutely! This is very common. There's something about the surge

of hormones that can make pain levels spike. I experience this same

thing. There are things you can do, however.

Talk to your gynecologist about eliminating or reducing the number of

your periods (and thus your PMS) by taking birth control pills

continuously, instead of taking them for three weeks and then

skipping the week of hormones (which is what the " week off " pills do -

they're only sugar pills.)

This is actually how birth control pills were designed to be taken -

it was the " marketers " who decided women wouldn't take them if they

couldn't get their periods, so they are the ones who insisted on the

week of sugar pills! (They were probably all men! Ha!) Lots of

research has found this to be safe. There is even a brand of birth

control pills out now getting heavy advertising (don't remember the

name) that is marketed specifically as a continuous form; however,

you don't need to pay extra for some special brand - you can do it

with any pill type or brand just by skipping the week of sugar pills

and starting the next pack immediately.

However, DO NOT start doing this on your own - talk to your

gynecologist first! For one thing, you'll run out of pills a month

or two early at the end of your script, plus your insurance may not

let you buy them closely enough to do this, unless the gyno writes

the script specifically so that you can take them continuously. But

more important, s/he may want to move you to a different formulation

of hormones that will be more gentle on your system, or may need to

monitor you for breakthrough bleeding for the first couple of months

while you adjust to this new schedule.

If you don't want to eliminate your periods completely, you can

greatly reduce the number you have per year by taking two or three

packs back-to-back, and then skipping a week. That way you only have

to suffer through maybe four or six periods a year, instead of

twelve, but you can still have some to make sure everything's working

correctly.

Talk to your gynecologist. There's lots you can do to help relieve

this extra pain, and your gyno should be very willing to work with

you.

Good luck.

Cheryl in AZ

Moderator

[Guest guest]

Oh, how I agree with Cheryl! I've stopped short of stopping the periods

altogether, but have been on birth control pills for a little over

three months for " abnormal uterine bleeding " . Although I don't have the

cramping, exhaustion, mood changes, et cetera that go along with PMS,

my minor arthritic parts do still hurt worse. One of my knees is very

quiet most of the time, except for that week. Then how it hollers at

me! Ah well, I'll take improvement any way I can get it.

(sidebar:)

And now that I'm just over six weeks post surgery, for a torn rotator

cuff tendon, I can say I think it was successful. I'm still doing PT

and still have to be careful, but I'm back to normal with my neck

hurting much worse than my shoulder. Now, if I could just get my neck

to behave itself!

Best wishes and lowest pain levels to all,

in Oregon

> >

> > Does anyone else's pain get worse when you have/go through PMS?

[Guest guest]

> miserable . I just want to know if there are others out there

that

> have experienced this. Thank you for listening to me complain.

>

> HUGS,

> Donna aka LadyMagnolia1963

Hi Donna,

I so know where you are comming from! I have the most horrible pain

and flu like symptoms before and 2 days during my period!

I would also love to know if any one else has any information on why

this happens to us chronic pain angels?

It can be so bad that it puts me down for about a week. How about you

Donna?

I am very sorry you have to go through this pms pain. It is not very

fun.

Any information would be a great help. I have been asking my pain

Doctors and they just say go on the birth control.

The problem with that is if your not a candidtate for the birth

control pill, because of health issues theres not much else you can

do about it!

Donna I hope you feel better soon! You will be in my thoughts.

Angel hugs,

Heidi Schmidt Or