menstrual cramps in early stage of period

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ap - 12 Jul 2005 17:18 GMT

Hello,
Anyone experience cramps *only* at the beginning stage
of period (typically for less than a day) that go away
when the flow starts?

I have experienced this for many years now and I tend to
cut down on *all* foods except water/bread to keep
the pain low. I do this the first day of the period only.

What remedies have worked for others that experience
cramps early on that go away once the flow starts?

I drink coffee once a day in the morning with some fresh
ginger and I take a multivitamin every day. I also lift
light-weights 5 days a week.

I want to stay away from medicines :-)

Thanks,
C

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bae@cs.toronto.no-uce.edu - 14 Jul 2005 15:01 GMT

>Anyone experience cramps *only* at the beginning stage
>of period (typically for less than a day) that go away
>when the flow starts?

Sounds pretty common to me.

>I have experienced this for many years now and I tend to
>cut down on *all* foods except water/bread to keep
>the pain low. I do this the first day of the period only.
>
>What remedies have worked for others that experience
>cramps early on that go away once the flow starts?

Most people find that OTC painkillers are pretty effective.

>I drink coffee once a day in the morning with some fresh
>ginger and I take a multivitamin every day. I also lift
>light-weights 5 days a week.
>
>I want to stay away from medicines :-)

Menstrual cramps are normal and natural, so you can just go ahead and
suffer if you prefer. Note that most OTC remedies for menstrual cramps
include caffeine, so you are already taking a "medicine". Aspirin is
a less stomach-irritating form of a component of willow bark. Willow
bark tea is a traditional remedy, and tastes awful enough to convince
people it's doing some good, and make them reluctant to overuse it.

I've used aspirin or ibuprofen for more than forty years now. Ibuprofen
is probably the most effective for most people, IIRC because of the way
it affects prostaglandins, hormones involved in causing menstrual cramps.

Menstrual cramps can be mild and annoying or severe and incapacitating.
It's up to you to decide when and whether to put up with them or take
the immeasurably low risk of one or two aspirin or ibuprofen tablets
per month. I'm sure you do many things every day that are less natural
and more dangerous to your health, like breathing urban air, driving or
crossing streets.

Think it through. Best of luck to you!

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