Okay, so lately I’ve been dealing with some pretty gnarly period cramps, and it’s been a whole new ballgame since I hit perimenopause. I figured I’d jot down what I’ve been trying, just in case it helps someone else going through this fun stuff.
Tracking the Mayhem
First thing I did was start tracking everything. Seriously, everything. I grabbed a period tracking app (there are tons out there) and started noting down:
- When my periods started and stopped.
- How heavy the flow was (light, medium, Niagara Falls).
- When the cramps hit, how bad they were (on a scale of “meh” to “kill me now”), and what kind of pain it was (sharp, dull, throbbing).
- Anything else weird that popped up, like headaches, bloating, or feeling like I wanted to punch a wall.
This might seem like overkill, but trust me, after a couple of months, I started to see some patterns. Or at least, I confirmed that there was zero pattern, which is also helpful to know, I guess.
Trying Stuff Out (and Failing Sometimes)
Next, I started experimenting with different ways to deal with the cramps. Here’s what I’ve tried, with varying degrees of success:
- Heat: Old reliable. I dug out my heating pad and wrapped myself up like a burrito. Sometimes it helped, sometimes it just made me sweaty.
- Over-the-counter painkillers: I popped ibuprofen like candy (not really, I followed the directions, mostly). It usually took the edge off, but didn’t always eliminate the pain completely.
- Exercise: Okay, this one was a struggle. The last thing I wanted to do when I was doubled over in pain was go for a run. But I forced myself to do some gentle yoga or go for a walk, and sometimes it actually helped. Sometimes.
- Diet changes: I’ve heard that cutting back on caffeine and sugar can help, so I tried that. I’m not gonna lie, it was rough. I missed my coffee. The jury’s still out on whether it actually made a difference.
- Herbal stuff: My friend swears by some herbal tea,so I have given it a shot. Tastes a bit like grass clippings.
The Outcome(so far)
The period pain had been really bad some days I took some pills which helped a little, I put hot water bag on my tummy it worked well! I also did light workout, and then I felt much better.
So, that’s where I’m at. It’s a work in progress, and I’m still figuring things out. Perimenopause is a wild ride, and I’m just trying to hang on. If you’ve got any tips or tricks that have worked for you, leave a comment! We’re all in this together, right?