Period cramps and Crohn's Disease

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xoxava

xoxava

Joined
Jul 7, 2010
Messages
343
So I'm 19 and being treated for crohns...hoooraaayy. I've been on treatment a little over a month and now I'm experiencing my first period cramps along with crohns! Ah! Talk about pain!!!! Any advice on the cramping or how to get comfort? I can lay down and take a pain pill and the pain is still unbearable. In sitting here writing this in tears wondering why on earth anyone has to go through this. I am so tempted to ask for surgery and not have babies. Its been a dream of mine to be a mom but honestly I'd rather adopt a child then go through both of these pains at the same time. Where is the hope :(
 
I take low level birth control pill to lessen my period days. My doctor also wanted me to go on it because I had a cyst that bursted on my ovary. I thought it was another problem with my ileum so I went to the emergency room. It was painful, I thought it was my ileum! Thank goodness it was not another issue that happened. It might help, I am not sure but it does lessen the days you have your period with no side effects for me. I still get more ill when I do have it but for not as long as before.
 
Ahhh sweetheart I don't have crohn's but hot waterbottles might help for the period pain, a hot bath perhaps??? xxxxxxxxxxx
 
I've been on the pill since I was 14 because of pain like that. Nothing was helping and I was vomiting often so using the pill is a great way to lesson the amount of pain you have. I highly recommend it as I don't believe you can have surgery at your age without already having had a certain number of children. I don't know if the state laws on the subject are different or not but from what I understand is that you need to be over 30 or have had at least 2 kids or it has to be a medical emergency for a doctor to even consider doing the procedure because its not reversible and no doctor wants to be sued.

I started on Ortho Cyclen but now take Ortho Tri Cyclen because my insurance no longer paid for the Ortho Cyclen. They work just the same though.
 
Oh honey, you poor thing.
Just like with Crohn's pain, a hot shower can be a lifesaver -- after 15 minutes or so with the water pouring down, I find my stomach relaxes and the cramping decreases. Others find a warm bath can do same.
Concentrate on drawing in big, deep breaths (through your nose, if you can) and letting it out slowly through your mouth. You might also try progressive muscle relaxation ( example: http://stress.about.com/od/generaltechniques/ht/howtopmr.htm), but of course we need to be careful about tensing up anything around the abdominal area since that can do bad things to Crohn's pain. Even tensing and relaxing the other muscle groups can help, though.
Tylenol menstrual or other period painkillers are a help for many people. Many contain caffeine, so watch for that ingredient if you can't have it.
Thinking past today's pain, I agree re. the birth control pills. You can even take them continuously and have a period only every 4 months (if you do not take any breaks, you'll likely experience more break-through bleeding and occasional cramping).
If you can sleep, there's no rule against sleeping through the worst of the pain, either.
Take good care.
 
I use to take a large kitchen towel, wet thoroughly, and put in the microwave for a couple of minutes. Make sure it was still wet, but dry enough not to soak anything. Wrap it in a bath towel and lay it on my stomach for about 20 minutes or until it cooled off. It's been a few years, but that use to be my favorite pain reliever. I hope you can figure something out soon.
 
Im not a girl but I knew that my ex told me that she would take a warm bath and just lay there for awhile. She said it takes away the pressure feeling.
 
I recently started taking an Omega 3 supplement that has primrose oil in it, which is supposed to help alleviate PMS symptoms. I've noticed a HUGE difference since taking it and a reduction in the severity of my cramping during my menstrual cycle. I used to be a chronic ibuprofen pill popper before I was diagnosed with Crohn's. This most recent cycle, I only had to take 2 extra strength Tylenols the first night I started my period just to make sure I slept well and didn't have to take it again after that.

It may or may not work for you, but if you aren't too keen on the idea of taking birth control and want to go for something more natural look into primrose oil.

I always enjoyed warm baths too, but they never lasted long enough for me. I always started cramping immediately after getting out!
 
I have suffered periods all my life and headed for menapause if there is a God. Every month I suffered from periods. T'3s or percs helped and a heating pad. Being the on the pill does help or the IUD. Hope you feel better soon, hugs.
 
I take the mini pill for mine, I could not handle another period. No periods, very low amount of hormones, its been a godsend for me!

Hope thats some help hun
 
Awww, I hope you find some relief soon. I personally don't need to worry anymore about period pain (I had a hysterectomy just after I turned 40 - because of painful and awful periods - it has been the best thing I ever did!!).

However, I work at a school and a lot of the girls who get really bad pain use a heated wheat bag and it seems to help them.

I hope that you can get this sorted. The Crohn's is painful enough without other pains as well. Good luck xx
 
In addition to all of the suggestions above, I'd like to add something that worked for me. I'm still undiagnosed, and during a recent flare I ended up seeing a different doctor since my regular docs were both booked up. This doc decided that I'm suffering from depression and IBS, and he prescribed Dicyclomine, which is an IBS anti-cramping med. It didn't do anything for my flare, but I tried taking one during my most recent period, and it stopped my cramps. So you may want to talk to your doc and ask about your prescription options for anti-cramping meds. Good luck!
 
Oh God! I feel your pain!
for me, it was worse than Crohns, and childbirth put together!
I was on the Pill from the age of 14 too!
but I also took a med called Ponstan Forte (mefanamic acid) it works by blocking out prostaglandins which cause pain and inflammation, it was especially formulated for painful periods, but unfortunately, it is classed as an NSAID! (probably caused my Crohns!!!)
but check with your doctor, cos Ponstan doesn't contain Ibuprofen. (but it works!!)
WARNING! this med mustn't be taken with Methotrexate!!
xxxx
 
I generally go for chamomile tea, a warm bath and lots of lavender! Also some gentle stretching (try the 'bridge' yoga position PM me if you can't find it) can help.

I don't tend to have horrid periods any more...I used to get them a lot but i'm on loestrin 30 now and they're just a minor inconvenience...hope you get some relief soon!
 
Thank you thank you thank you! This has been horrible and I didn't know where to turn. I felt so bad for complaining about my pain but it was worse than my crohns cramps and I was having a flare! Thank you guys so much for the suggestions and support!! :) hugs to everyone!!
 
Still cramping really bad but just turned on the heating pad! I also took a mild pain pill so I can get some sleep (hopefully) I've been on bc since I was 16 and I take loestrin 24 but this is the heaviest period I have ever had its really strange!
 
Hi dear,

I hear you on the cramping. It sucks. :(

I was on the pill for 7 years and the period cramps went away, so that will definitely help. (Got lots of other side effects though, so I eventually quit.)

When I was in hospital my nurse told me that some people find it effective to take a paracetamol along with something called Sobril to easen the cramps. I never took it though, since I could manage without it (and Sobril can be habit-forming). But apparently that should work very well. Talk to your doctor about your cramps, and see what he suggests.

Good luck!
 
I have a microwave dinosaur (he relieves my cramps and makes me smile!) so I use him when I'm really bad. Also a hot bath does help..

I'd always take ibuprofen before, but that was when I thought I had colitis. Now I will only take it in really dire situations (although this sounds like it). Paracetamol doesn't help so well. The last couple of months I've had really heavy periods and my last one went through the usual length then started all over again! Weird.. and annoying!

But I've been there too.. don't give up though.. it won't be like that forever and as the medication kicks in I'm sure it will calm down..

I've never taken the pill, I can be quite stubborn with medication. But I have no doubt it would help me if I did! Haha..

I really hope you're feeling a bit better now. It sucks to be in that much pain and I hope we've helped and you find some relief.
 
There is birth control out there that can make it so that you only have a period once every 3 months or so, what about trying that?
Ponstan worked for mine, but seemed to aggravate the crohn's, everyone's different though.
 
I'm on the Nuvaring and for the most part I think it helps in the cramp department, however I only had maybe two or three periods without being on birth control while also having Crohn's and I don't remember them.
 

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