Severe Menstrual Cramps and Nausea

[simplysarah]

I finished my first Whole30 two days ago but haven't started reintroducing anything yet. Yesterday, I got my period, and I'm experiencing the worst cramps I've had in a very long time. Not even my previous period was this crampy (when I was on Day 4), but it was late. 

 

I'm used to pretty painful periods, but this reminds me of the pain I had in high school where I'd beg my mom to come pick me up from school. I'm also insanely nauseated--to the point where even the thought of food turns my stomach. 

 

I've tried to cut starchy vegetables during my Whole30 since I am overweight, but maybe I need to put them back into my diet? I would really, really appreciate any suggestions to curb the cramps and the nausea. Before Whole30, I relied on Aleve/Advil to get me through the first couple days of my period, but I'm really trying to cut back. 

 

[Also, I don't have a tub or a heating pad, but I'll probably get the heating pad soon.]

 

Thank you!

[Tina R]

The best way to find out if this question has been asked before is to do a google search "whole30 menstrual cramping" There are a lot of disscussions about this topic. Here is a thread that I found. http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/10164-changes-in-menstrual-cycle/. I hope you feel better soon, I've been there and it is no fun.

[Carlaccini]

Hi There,

 

Yes check out the log above that Tina R mentions. It is fairly insightful.

 

I come from a place of horrible PMS symptoms, painful periods and terrible 3 day menstral migraines.  Basically I felt crappy for a minum of 10 days every. single. month.  So I feel your pain.  It is one of the main reasons why I did a whole 30.

 

It took me 9 months to get my hormones in a good place.  I do highly recommend adding starchy veg in quite liberally (at least once a day, more if you're pre-period) - don't worry about weight loss - it will happen. (I still ended up losing 35lbs in 7 months) You can start playing around with starchy veg portions when you get your hormones in a happy place.

 

Most days I still stay predominantly whole 30+dark chocolate, but in the past symptoms have ranged from symptom and pain free, to super heavy periods, some headaches from time to time but usually not nearly as severe or as long.  So this period this time could be worse than normal as your body adjusts, but next one could be a dream (I do mean that - symptom free periods are a lovely, lovely thing)

[Deb.]

I have had similar issues. I wonder if it is something to do with the animal protein. 

When I was raw vegan I had no cramps at all. 

[RedSparrow]

I just finished my first W30 as I started my period, and it is kicking my butt. The bleeding is light, but I've had cramps for 5 straight days now- not cool. I'm not a fan of being woken up half an hour before my alarm by pain. 

I used to have wicked cramps when I was younger, but they would only last the first day or two, and when I went on BC they calmed down. I think my body is just confused by the storm of new activity; in addition to the W30, I started on a new pill (insurance changed, and the old one became prohibitively expensive because it wasn't generic), and the bleeding started on week 3 of the pack while I was still taking active pills. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for alleviating pain from cramping? I have the heating pad (my monthly best friend since I was 12), but I can't exactly use it at work- I'm on my feet for 8 hours. And I don't want to keep taking the acetaminophen/ibuprofen cocktail that seems to be the only OTC method of relief I've found. 

Deb- You might be onto something. I hadn't made this connection before, but when I was vegetarian the cramps were almost non-existent. I started eating meat again toward the end of last year, and when I look back I realize that's about when cramping started creeping back in, and the flow got heavier and started lasting longer. I'm going to check in with my naturopath friends and see if they have any thoughts on it. 

[ShannonM816]

Does anyone have any suggestions for alleviating pain from cramping? I have the heating pad (my monthly best friend since I was 12), but I can't exactly use it at work- I'm on my feet for 8 hours. And I don't want to keep taking the acetaminophen/ibuprofen cocktail that seems to be the only OTC method of relief I've found. 

 

If you can find these in a drugstore near you, they might be helpful: Thermacare heat wraps.  I've had a hysterectomy and don't need them anymore, but they were somewhat helpful back when I did -- although to me, not as good as a real heating pad.

[MrsStick]

Re: animal protein causing cramps...if your body was lacking in protein earlier, then it's possible that your uterus (which is a muscle) wasn't as strong to produce cramps like you have now. Now that it has plenty of protein to build up your muscles, it can contract more strongly...just like eating plenty of protein helps weight lifters lift weights better.

 

I started getting terrible cramps in the last year when I came off birth control; if I work out at all or do anything vaguely strenuous during my cramp days I will throw up whatever I've eaten. The thing that's helped me the most is a Ziivaa belt. Basically, it puts your hips into traction of sorts to let your muscles and tendons go back to where they belong, as opposed to where your uterus pulls them. It's amazing, and was totally worth paying twice what I paid for it.

[MrsStick]

Just wanted to add - my cramps have gotten less severe now that I'm taking an iron/vitamin C supplement. I'm not sure if it's related or not, but I haven't thrown up due to cramps since I started...and I haven't even really HAD cramps. That's the only thing that's really changed since the last time I had cramps (almost 3 months ago), so I'm not sure what else it could be!