Get rid of my PMS and my cramps

Last night I threw up because of the pain. I haven’t thrown up as a result of my period for at least four months, maybe more.

I’m still having pain, but it’s more of a soreness than an actual pain.

And it’s 5 AM. I woke up an hour ago. Grr. I think I’ll just take a leisurely time getting ready for the day, and go to work early.

Next period will come March 28.

I didn’t realize I was so close to getting my period until I hit my toe this morning and it hurt 10 times worse than it normally would (one sign of PMS for me).

I’ll take Aleve right away!

It also explains why I’m soooooo tired, even after getting a pretty good amount of sleep…

This is the most pain-free period I have ever had in my life. Here’s what I did:

I was expecting it to start on January 30.

On January 27, I took an Aleve with breakfast.
On January 28, I took an Aleve with breakfast.
On January 29, I took an Aleve with breakfast.
On January 30, I took an Aleve with breakfast.
On January 31, I got my period and took Aleve with breakfast, in the afternoon, and at dinner. I knew that if I waited for the pain to get bad before I took medicine, I’d have to deal with horrendous pain for at least an hour before it kicked in.
On February 1, I did the same thing.

Today I didn’t take anything. I have some minor cramping, but not enough to keep me from doing anything.

The worst thing that happened was I woke up at 5:30 yesterday morning because of cramps, but I took medicine right away and by the time I went to work I was fine (if a little tired).

I hate taking so much pain medication, but it definitely helped.

My next period is expected to arrive on February 28.

Now, how to get rid of PMS? It affects me badly. It goes beyond “bad mood”. I’m embarrassed even to talk about it because I become a monster! I hate it! I think next time I’m just going to stock up on chocolate the week before and eat some with every meal. I only eat chocolate once a month, and that’s when I “need” it. Hopefully I won’t become a basket case and cry all the time.

I was supposed to get it yesterday. For the last four days I’ve been taking naproxen (Aleve) every morning to help with the pain, but now my stupid period is taking forever. And I had the worst day of PMS ever on Monday. I was in tears all day.

I’mmmm ready! I’mmmm ready! Well, not really, but if I have to get it, I’m ready to get it now.

Oh, and girls: The best invention ever. It’s already saved me lots of money in feminine hygeine supplies: http://www.divacup.com

For the record, and since I’m going to the doctor on the 11th and they always want to know when was the first day of your last period…January 2. And it’s a good thing, too. I was sick a week ago and I went to the doctor and they were almost positive that, because of my symptoms, I was pregnant. I assured them it was quite impossible, and I’m not sure they believed me – but now it’s sure. I’m not pregnant (see, I was right! And I would know! Duh!)

I’m actually doing pretty well this time around. Took Aleve this morning when I started to feel sick. Someone left a doughnut on the table at work and I ate it before I realized that I didn’t know whose it was or anything. I also had some more chocolate when I got home, but not very much.

Recent changes in diet: I no longer drink coffee. I miss it dearly, but it upsets my stomach and was part of the reason for me being sick for Christmas week.

I’m also drinking more water. After being sick, I was taking prescriptions to keep my stomach under control. I’d always heard it was bad to drink a lot of water right before or after you eat because it messes up the stuff in your stomach, but in my case I think it really helps. Now I’m only taking the medicine once a day if I really need it, if at all. I drank a lot of water before, but I didn’t concentrate it at meals.

And I’m getting enough sleep. Strangely, I’ve been taking naps daily for a few days. I just now took an hour or two nap – at 6 pm! Crazy. But I feel so good.

Between the lack of coffee, the more water, the sleep, and the Aleve that I took right at the start (for some reason I always forget how much that helps if I take it at the right time) I’m pretty much pain free right now. I’m going to make me some tea, and finish Anne of Avonlea.

I’ve been getting free chiropractic care. It helped a little but not amazingly. Like, now I can actually work even if it’s my first day, when before I couldn’t even stand or think or anything.

Yesterday was one of those days. Actually, it was the second day on my cycle. I alternately cried and laughed all day. As soon as I got home I ate an entire box of chocolate. And I don’t even like chocolate. I think this womanly phenomenon is one of the weirdest things that can ever happen to people.

Warning: This entry contains references to female monthly occurances.

So, I started yesterday. It hasn’t been as bad as usual. Here’s something funny; I got it two minutes before I had to leave for work, so I was moving around a lot at work. I was in pain, but I knew I had to work, so I just bore through it. Oh, and I took Aleve as soon as I got it. I took Aleve again when I got back, and I fell into bed and slept really hard.

All day today, I had to be at class or studying. I had constant responsibilities. I kept telling myself that I wasn’t really on my period, that I didn’t really have cramps. I did everything I could to distract me from them.

And you know what? I think it kind of worked. I think taking so much Aleve definitely helped, but I was able to get through work (physical labor), classes (sitting for long periods of time), studying (intense mental concentration), and just normal conversations and interaction, which I’m usually not able to handle. Sure, it was really difficult. I was in pain all day today, and I nearly snapped at several well-meaning people who touched my arm friendlily when passing (I have two touch extremes – I either hate it, and don’t want anybody to touch me, and I don’t want to touch anybody, or I constantly touch touch touch, and ask for backrubs, and want to cuddle. I feel sorry for my future husband! I’m so confusing.) But I did get through this day without cancelling anything or getting excused from anything. That’s AMAZING.

As a reward, I had a couple hours in which I’d planned to clean my room or start studying or something. Guess what I did instead? I put on a movie, wrapped up in a blanket, made myself some tea, and ate saltines until it was time for work. It was just what I needed. It felt so good just to relax.

And why shouldn’t I relax? I have no guilt for doing it. Allowances must be made for the monthly monster. My schedule can change, I can eat chocolate, I can relax. Anything that will keep me from being depressed or sad or angry. I’m actually really glad I got it yesterday, because that means I’ll be able to focus on studying for finals week, and my face will be clear by the time I (hopefully) have job interviews two weeks from now (my face breaks out once per month, very predictably.)

This next month, I want to exercise for 1/2 hour every day. It shouldn’t be too hard; my mom takes a walk every day, and I can always go with her, and we’re going to get a treadmill so I can start working on my running goal.

May 11 I started, which means it’ll be around June 8 that I’ll get my next one. I’ll keep an exercise log here. I won’t count tomorrow, though, because I won’t have time to walk. I mean, I could find time, but I’d be completely exhausted. Completely. There’s no possible way I could take a walk after I work. Especially since I’m on my period.

I’ll start Sunday, May 13. Okay!

Okay, I’ve given up on the sugar thing. Not because it’s impossible, but because it doesn’t make sense.

I know that I already eat way less sugar than the average American because I don’t drink pop at all and I very, very rarely eat dessert. These are not matters of restriction but of taste – I dislike most pop and can only drink a little bit when I do want some. I get full pretty fast when I eat, and I never have room for dessert unless I eat it a couple hours after the meal. So, I don’t eat dessert or drink pop. I get sugar from the fruits I eat, from instant oatmeal and cold cereal, from random occasional candies, and from Ovaltine.

My point: I don’t think sugar is causing my cramps, because I already consume less sugar than the average American. Cutting out sugar should be a last resort, not a first one. Being hypoglycemic, usually if I crave sugar, my body needs it. I’ll just get sick if I cut it out.

I’m going to find a yoga book and work on that.

I have not been doing well on my “avoidance of sugar” thing. It was probably not wise to make a decision to avoid sugar on the day before Easter. So, my roommate and I just took all of our candy and put it in a box and attached a sign saying “Please eat me! I am orphaned candy, abandoned by my parents, who had too much other candy and didn’t want me. Will you give me a home in your tummy? Thank you!” We put the box in the dorm lounge. That’s a nice thing about living in community – everybody shares. So, the candy is now outside of my room.

I am going to avoid all cafeteria desserts this month. That shouldn’t be too hard. I like the taste of dessert, but I’m not a huge dessert person, because by the time I eat enough of a meal, I’m too full usually. So.

-No candy in room
-No cafeteria desserts

Another source of sugar for me: Subway cookies. Since I work there, they are a huge temptation for me, especially when my energy level gets low. I don’t eat too many, though, and I figure that when I really crave them, I really need them. Work can be really stressful and very energy draining. So, I’ll continue to eat Subway cookies when I need them.

Sorry for grossing out any guys by mentioning this.

I know a lot of women deal with really severe pain during “that time of the month”. Some are worse than me.

From research, it looks like different things help different women – from the bizarre cures to the obvious. It seems like no one thing will help all women. So, I want to find the thing that will work for me.

There was one month where I refrained from eating much sugar or salt, and I hardly had any cramps that next time. I think I’m going to try that again this coming month and see if it helps.

More later. Sudden pain…gah.