From Health magazine
Katherine Sutherland, an ob-gyn in Mountain View, Calif., knows something about terrible periods—and not just from her patients. She used to soak through tampons every hour, excusing herself to go to the bathroom between appointments. Heavy bleeding made doing what she really loved—hiking—especially difficult. Truth is, she wanted her period to go away altogether.
In 2003 Sutherland, then age 51, got her wish. She had a minor surgical procedure called NovaSure to remove her uterine lining and stop heavy bleeding. And she hasn’t had a period since. “I was delighted,” she says. “Up until that time I’d never missed one period.” Sutherland recently hiked 8,000 feet to the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu in Peru.
Many women, perhaps 95%, have period issues—bleeding like Sutherland’s, debilitating pain, out-of-control PMS, or annoyances like constipation or diarrhea. Thanks to a variety of new remedies that can make over (or eliminate!) periods, you don’t have to suffer. We’ve collected the best fixes for five of your most common problems.
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Comments (34)
One more solution:
I had all of the problems mentioned, especially pain and heavy bleeding. When I was in college, the campus doctor told me that having a baby would solve the problem. He lied. Neither Baby #1 when I was 28 nor Baby #2 when I was 32 solved the problem. My solution was to take the pill every month except when I wanted to get pregnant; that was in the days when it was considered dangerous to continue the pill after age 35, even for non-smokers like myselt. Since I did not want the kind of life I would experience without the pill, my decision was to have a partial hysterectomy (ovaries left in) when I was 38. That absolutely was the wisest decision I ever made regarding my health. It allowed me to live normally, and menopause somehow sneaked around me with no problem. I know this is not the right choice for most women, but it allowed me to live a normal life without going off the radar for part of every month.
I agree with this writer 100%. I had exactly the same symptoms for years,and experienced doctors telling me I was hysterical and needed psychological
help. I tried everything they told me. Now we know that some women have extremely high proglastin levels. When I think of all the wasted years !!! I was so happy the day I had my hysterectomy, knowing that at long last the mood swings and pain would finally be over. Many years later now I still bless that surgeon.
Oh, if only Seasonale and Seasonique had been around when I was younger, I might have gone on to bigger and better things, like completing my masters and Ph.D. right after college. Instead, my life has been a harrowing roller coaster ride of successes and failures, and just being all over the place. I can’t make a decision–to save my life–always wavering and flailing. My hormones have devastated my life, my marriage, my career. My periods were so heavy it was as though a faucet was turned on every month, the pain was debilitating…twice I fainted. I’m finally getting some relief in my peri-menopause. I swear, Men have all the luck, and they don’t even realize it.
I have been considering the Novasure procedure. Its good to hear a successful outcome from an ob/gyn.
“Oh, if only Seasonale and Seasonique had been around when I was younger”
Can you believe female doctors having been using the so-called European method — taking regular old birth control pills continuously — for years, but us patients were told to take placebos every month because we needed to feel “natural” or in touch with the moon, or some such nonsense?
I am 38 and have been taking regular birth control straight thru for about a yr and it has been great ! still have the bloating and cravings but no mess,no headaches,etc ! love it !
pls i have problem which is my mentural circle does not flow well it flow only two days noly and stop.
what could have been the cause of it.
You know, I’m disappointed that there are not more natural cures in this. Listen: being a woman is not an illness to be medicated and normal menstration is not supposed to be illness. There are a TON of simple dietary changes that can reduce pain and trouble. Check out a book called Fertility Cycles and Nutrition on ccli.org I found that a supplement called Oona is particularily helpful in reducing cramps and gastrointestinal issues, if you can’t find it, look for Cramp Bark Extract at your local health food store. Taking other drugs always seemed like a negative cycle to me, more toxins in my system to give me more headaches and trouble.
SOMETIMES GET HEAVY BLEEDS AND CLOTS, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM
Heavy bleeding & large blood clots are NOT NORMAL! Get checked for fibroid tumors! I tried everything – the Pill, Chinese herbs, acupuncture, you name it – nothing worked until I discovered a large fibroid tumor was making me bleed so badly. I had it removed with outpatient surgery without even an incision – my Dr did it with a hysterscope – only 5 days ago, & I FEEL GREAT! No more bleeding! Ladies, you don’t have to live like this – go see a good woman OB/Gyn surgeon!
hew may cook going big sex
hew may cook going big
I know this article is about how to deal with PMS, but I don’t know if I agree with the suggestion to go on birth control. I’m 24 and I was on BC for about three years when I was in college and it just made me feel worse! Yes, my periods were lighter, but my mood swings were terrible and I fell into a deep depression- I was a completely different person! The one time I did skip the placebo week, I was an absolute terror and the mood swings were uncontrollable! I also tried the Nuvaring and that had the same effect on me after a few months. I had terrible muscle pain and I was ALWAYS tired. The doctors never tell you just how bad the side effects can be- I’m not saying this to put down doctors- both of my OB/GYNs in the last few years have been amazing and thoughtful women, but I think they need to let their patients know the risks associated with the Pill beyond the fact that you could get blood clots! For me it wasn’t worth it. If you do go on the Pill, keep careful track of your mood swings over the first year because that will tell you if it’s changing your entire personality.
I have recently gotten off hormonal birth control. I was on it for eight years, six consecutively. Has anyone ever wondered what hormones are doing to our bodies year after year of taken them? Or does anyone find it strange, Birth Control is mainly for the western culture? It is not made to work with women bodies around the world. I am glad I read this article. I just wonder why we persistently push the pill or the shot when there are other ways? consider asking your doctor about different options. I am not ready to have children but the ironic thing will be when I try. If I can’t will it just be because, or will it be the eight years of taking hormones, constantly lying to my uterus. telling it that I’m pregnant.
I had extreme bleeding for over 6 years. I tried the Pill,The mirena uterine device,Hormones, and finally he new endometrial balloo ablation which removed my uterine lining.
The last one I was told would solve all my bleeding problems. It didnt,I endured the Bleeding for 3 more years until finally it backed off on its own a month before I was due to schedule a Hysterectomy.
just letting women know the ablation or Novasure did nothing for me
I also had the endometrial balloon. You need to have an experienced doctor do it. I have fibroids which caused extreme bleeding. Women with fibroids don’t get good connection between the balloon and the lining. My doctor’s procedure was to first clean out everything with a D&C and then do two passes to make sure that all the nooks and crannies (courtesy of the fibroids) were touched. Bleeding has steadily decreased, now it’s just spotting for two days after one year. Everything has improved–the moods, energy (I was iron-deficient from all the blood loss). I actually get my “periods” more often now–three weeks, which means declining hormone levels (I’m 42) but I actually feel less depressed overall. I highly recommend it.
Hello Dee, I was reading your article. and I had the endometrial balloon ablation done in June 09, and my doctor said that I will have light periods or none at all, but it didn’t work for me, because I am still bleeding heavy, so I want to know what made your doctor, give you an hysterectomy, because my doctor said that I didn’t need an hysterectomy because nothing was wrong with my ovaries. So that’s why he didn’t suggest the hysterectomy. But glad to here that everything turn out to be fine with you. But what could be wrong with me.
Im in a very desperate moment as of now because i had a menstraul disorders.doctor said that i might have an hormonal imbalance.i had to suffer of too much blood flow away from me and my menstrual period almost dosent want to stop anymore.in fact as of now ive been 2 months having this flow of blood i cant anymore that it s still my monthly period.im afraid that the doctor might just say that im sick of what or what so ever.please people do help me how can i over come with this kind of problem.i dont know what to do i went to the doctor one time and she said that there is one part of it that cuases bleeding when my period came it becomes thick that causes to bleed until it dosent stop until the next month came for my new period thats why it dosent stop.sometimes it finish for 2 months then after 2 weeks here it comes again.i dont know but i had an appointment on wednesday april 1 to the doctor and check what was going on.i think i need to have a cleaning inside i dont know what does it called.just need your all opinion regarding this.now i look so pale coz lot of blood coming out from me.sometimes i feel dizzy and make my head goes round.but i dont have any thing to do.pls help me regarding this.thank you very much!
JENNY, go see another doctor, or a specialist OB/Gyn. your doctor is obviously incompetent. do not take signs of abnormality lightly!
I’ve been using all kinds of natural ways to handle severe menstral cramps and PMS. My secret weapons are:
1. pull back on caffine-1-2 cups of coffee a day ok.
2. If I’ve had too much caffine which can cause worse cramps and PMS,I take some B-12 and drink some cramberry juice to flush my system. I notice a different within 45 mins to an hour.
3. Workout regularly-this helps control stress which is a huge factor for causing cramps.
4. Take suppliments, especially B-complex, B-6 and B-12.
5. Watch the alcohol intake, because it can make PMS worse.
I also suffer from severe cramps but since I’ve been following this routine for the last 3 yrs, I’ve been much happier and felt much healthier, experiencing less cramps.
The worst for me is the mood swings, I cry the day before, so I always know when I’m due, and anything can just set me off, into almost hysterical crying, even just a word spoken to me slightly out of tone, and I become so easily agitated, and often lash out at people, in a desperate attempt for someone to just grab me and calm me down. I feel so bad because I know I don’t mean it, and why it’s happening, I just can’t help it. I’m going to ask the doctor if valium would help (I also suffer from mild public phobia). The cramps are absolutely terrible too, on the first day. I’m completely stricken for about 2 hours usually, I can barely stand, and I can’t really walk anywhere. When it’s that bad I find it helps to have a warm drink, 5 advil/panadol, and eat something straight away. It’s worse on an empty stomach, by far. Then I’d curl in a fetal position in bed with a hot water bottle, and I’d be almost 100% again within a few hours. It’s so infuriating sometimes, it just ruins anything I had planned the day before, the first day, and the next. :(
-my friend last year had a period lasting a bit over 2 months, and it made her very sick too, the doctors never found out what was wrong either.
I tried a chiropractor for another issue and my cramps were a TON better. I too, have suffered for many years. Also, Laparoscopy to get rid of endometriosis also helped, but it might not be a long-term solution.
I had severe cramps until I got to college and the doctor prescribed tylenol with codeine. I would be writhing on the floor with pain. I only needed one or two, depending on how early I caught the onset of cramps, which was difficult since I was never “regular.” I know people can become addicted to this drug so they don’t ever prescribe it any more. But I sure wish they did, because one or two pills a month sure beats the expense and habit of taking pills every day, or having all the other procedures done. My daughters suffered like me, and never found a way that helped them completely.
I’m two days late on my period.I’ve never been late since the first day i had my period.I had a tubal ligation five years ago and i’ve never been late since then either. Could it be possible that i’m pregnant?
I too had heavy, painful periods with large clots and diarreha. Birth control pills worked well until after my second child. I heard about Seasonale and asked my doc about it. She said I could just take any monophasic birth control pill the same way and it would cost a whole lot less! I’m a military dependent and she told me they have been doing this for military women when they have to deploy or go out in the field for years! They worked well for a few years and they I started bleeding all the time. She referred me for an ablation, but after talking with the OB/GYN, I opted for a TVH (total vaginal hysterectomy). I still have my ovaries and I am loving life!
Two comments:
-I was on the pill for three years. The first one was fine, but during the second two any provocation and I would throw up: too much coffee, too much exercise, more than two glasses of wine, etc. I stopped the pill and got an iud (the copper one, not the hormone one). Problem solved!
-Best medication for “lady problems” = pot.
Around the time I turned 40 I began having much more extreme problems with my cycle. Heavy bleeding, increased frequency, and much more intense PMS. My doc put me on Yasmin, with directions to skip the placebos. The Yasmin has helped with the cramps and heavy bleeding, but the mood swings seem worse, and I cannot get my body adjusted to the continuous dosing. Although I take the active pills continuously, my period comes anyway. My doc advised working to adjust by taking 2 or 3 months, then a short (3-4 day) cycle, but my period starts monthly while I am still taking active pills. My last cycles were only 2 weeks apart, even though I was continuously taking the Yasmin. I am not sure what a better option might be. Any thoughts?
I have sometimes heavy periods and now I’m having blood cloths. They are really bad.
I was living in Korea when my supply of NuvaRing ran out. I am horrible at taking pills plus I wanted something that would last a while, something I could forget about. Birth control while living overseas is not something I wanted to lose sleep over.
I ended up getting an IUD and have loved it ever since. I get stronger cramps and heavier bleeding, but over all my period settled down to about 2 days. The cramps are inconvenient and unpleasant, but nothing debilitating. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.
The day I turned 40, it seemed over night my whole body changed. I gained 15 pounds, my periods got heavy with lots of clotting and the headaches became worse than at any other time in my life. My appearance changed and I looked tired and bloated all the time. I’m now 47 and still going through a cycle of heavy periods mixed with months of hardly anything. The headaches improved. My GYN said all this is normal, but did some tests (at my request) just to make sure, as this was very unusual for me. A book by Ann Louise Gittleman, “Before the Change” suggests as we reach menopause, our bodies become estrogen dominant. To help we need to get a “high quality” progesterone cream and offers other supplements, etc. I’m going to confirm with my GYN and give some of them a try. Why they don’t tell us these things and let us go through so much is the real mystery to me. After all, this is their specialty. This is an older book, she may have an updated one with newer remedies. Good luck!
Yes I am 37 years of age and have real bad menstrual cycles all my life i have been on and off of the pill and the patch nothing seems to work . I have had no children i have been to ob/gyn doctor but he has stated I have a polp and a cyst on my left ovary and possible a cyst on the right i guess i am needing to to see what in the world is going on with me ..
I used to have very severe menstrual cramps and bloating but now I don’t since I changed my life style. Living healthy is very important to relieve cramps. I walk 30 min a day on the treadmill at a brisk pace, eat a low fat vegan diet ( this has help the most) high in produce, get enough omega 3’s (from flax , canola oil, walnuts), vitamin c ( oranges) , potassium ( bananas, potatoes, etc.), calcium ( spinach, soy, etc.), magnesium (almonds, whole grains, navy beans, pumpkin seeds, etc.), folic acid (wheat germ), vitamin e( spinach, carrots,almond,etc.). I also avoid msg, carbonated beverages, fake sugar, caffeine, smoking, booze. I find taking hot baths and drinking very strong raspberry leaf , ginger, mint, fennel tea help as well.I also take a liquid dairy free probiotic everyday that helps with the constipation and gas from pms.
Regarding heavy bleeding, it is important to check with your OB/GYN if you have very heavy menstrual bleeding. I discovered I had Uterine Fibroids which were causing the heavy bleeding and clots.
I am much better now. I started using Natural Progesterone cream to balance my estrogen dominance and I had a Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) proceedure done. In a UFE, they block the arteries that feed the fibroids. The incision was tiny, they feed a tiny catheter up the femoral artery. They use x-ray technology & dye to locate the arteries that need to be blocked to the fibroids. I was awake during the proceedure and recovery was less than a week. My fibroids have shrunk by over half, my periods are much, much lighter and I was able to keep my uterus.
With the NovaSure surgery is it possible for a woman to have babies?
Menstrual Cramp Remedies