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Endometriosis UK
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Period Pain

Anyone got any ways of stopping period pain? Mine are crippling, my last hope was tranaxemic acid which hasn't touched it, and I can't keep taking 3 days off work every month. I'm desperate for something to work as my last hope now is childbirth which we've reluctantly decided to put off for a while longer. I'm as dosed up on paracetamol/ibuprofen/cocodamol mixtures as I can be to carry on working with children, but have never found anything else to help and I'm desperate. Any ideas? x

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Hi kate,

Tranexamic Acid is used to reduce blood flow not pain so that may be why it isn’t helping, Mefenamic acid is better for treating pain. I use tramacet it’s a mixture of tramadol and paracetamol. I find I am able to still function at work with this without feeling spacey like I do if I take tramadol. Naproxen isn’t too bad either I just find I have to take that before the pain reaches a certain level... catch it early so to speak ha ha.

All the best xxx

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Yeah I'd hoped that reducing blood flow would reduce pain as I get labour style contractions, but I've been on trans acid 3 months and am still bleeding through pads every half hour. I wish it was just the pain that was the issue but I get horrible nausea, my bowels are awful and if I'm alone with kids I can't run to the toilet, and the fatigue is awful, I don't trust myself not to pass out. I'm hoping today to come to some agreement with work about time off because I hate having to take 2 days off a month but without a diagnosis there's not a lot that can be done x

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Ahhh I feel for you, I flooded through my clothes at work my last period it was mortifying. I can either get the pain or flow under control but never both together.

Can you not push for a laparoscopy, doesn’t seem fair that you don’t have a diagnosis. I had mine in May and although I didn’t want endometriosis I felt relieved to have a reason for all my pain and symptoms.

I hope your work are supportive xx

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I had one last November, nothing was found but I'd been on birth control for 4 years at that point so they thought it might have been keeping something at bay. Was just diagnosed with heavy periods and pain which I don't feel is like a good enough excuse to be in so much pain, if that makes sense x

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How infuriating. Have they considered adenomyosis, that’s often associated with heavy bleeding and similar symptoms to endometriosis yet more difficult to diagnose as it’s inside the uterus, so wouldn’t show up on a lap. I think it can be picked up on an MRI in some cases, have you been down that route? Pisses me off that they just fob women off and send them on their merry way in pain with no answers! You could also ask to be referred to a BSGE centre, as general gynaes can miss endometriosis unless it’s more obvious xx

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Yeah that's what I thought it was, I'm sure I was told my womb was large after a scan but my lap said everything was normal and I was totally discharged which was infuriating, and I don't have it in me to go ask for an MRI but I'm running out of options!

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I just want to say yay to the les mis username!

I would recommend going back to your gp regarding pain, there may be other options and maybe even a pain team he could refer you to? Maybe discuss a tens with them?

From a non medical point of view you could look up anti inflammatory foods (I think coffee is my weakness at the mo so I have cut that back slowly), herbal teas, heat/cold packs, try a hot bath etc.

I’ve recently heard about how todo a castor oil pack, has anyone tried this?

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Hi, Les Mis is life right? Haha. Yeah the offered me gabapentin but that was to take daily, since coming off the pill, pain through the rest of the month has stopped, but every time I bring up pain they're like 'just go back on the pill' which I really don't wanna do, but I'll look into other options. Touch wood it hasn't been so bad today, have made it into work and not felt too sticky, so here's hoping it's uphill from here!

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Should also add, I have ibs and food intolerances so I've got a lot of food cut out of my diet anyway, but still get constant wind and bloating. Read this could be from the inside but also symptom of adenomyosis x

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I’m the same, sometimes it feels like I can’t even tolerate water!

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Right? It's so annoying! I was doing fine til I got back to work and went so dizzy and nauseous that I've had to come home and now I feel so guilty, I really don't wanna have to keep taking so much time off work but there's little else I can do!!!

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Hi Kate, So sorry to hear it's been tough. I have 33 years of adenomysosis and endo under my belt, well literally.... so understand . I recommend norethisterone as a treatment that happily stops the pain. It's classed in the same group as contraceptives but is actually used as a specific and often efficacious treatment for breast cancer and endo. I've found it to be good, no more pain. Take care!

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Hi Harry. Are you taking norethisterone at the typical noriday dose or stronger? I'm switching from cerazette (non stop heavy bleeding and pain for months with only the occasional one week break) to noriday. Obviously hoping it will help at the noriday dose but have read that you can double dose or short term to stop the bleeding an even higher dose xx

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I was one of the first on the Pill & it did the trick except they didn't pick up endometriosis which is now 9-10mm thick at 71 yrs & nobody wants to Know as can't be examined as too painful possibly lymphoedema ? Before the Pill found codeine & hot water bottle helpful to certain extent .

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