Important question for other female DUers.

[Rainbowreflect]

I have PMS, bad cramps and a big box of chocolate.
What should I do?

[populistmom]

1. Drink lots of water, take ibuprofin, and rest with a heat pad

Dump out the chocolate (gasp!) and when you feel a little better, go for a walk.

I'm too much a goody-goody. (I know and it drives people nuts.) :P

[YellowRubberDuckie]

15. Screw Ibuprofin. Naproxen Sodium (Aleve) is the way to go...

You take one, they're gone. Eat a little chocolate, don't get crazy or anything. Then lay down in bed and take a nap. Then when you get up, drink lots of water, and treat yourself to lunch. Always makes me feel better.
Duckie

[Rainbowreflect]

46. Someone at work suggested Naproxen Sodium.

So at lunch I went and got some.
They just kicked in. I don't think I should take them at work.
The cramps are gone, but so is my mind. I keep staring at the same piece of paper or computer screen without knowing what I'm doing.

[FloridaPat]

2. Take some pain killers, get the fire place going, have some

tea or wine, and dive into the chocolates as you sit warmly in front of the fireplace.

[Lostmessage]

3. You need something salty to go with the chocolates

Just don't bitch anyone out it may come back to haunt you.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

42. Chocolate-covered pretzels: the perfect PMS food.

;-)

[Lostmessage]

44. Chocolate covered potato chips

They will do the trick.

[SOteric]

4. Get some exercise,

spend time in a hot tub full of soothing bubbles, take some Ibuprophen if you need it and avoid contact with anyone you're hoping will respect you 3 days from now.

Put the chocolates in the freezer. That's just a pity-spiral waiting to happen.

[RebelOne]

5. Drink something alcoholic. That's a sure-fire cure for pain.

At least it works for me.

[demnan]

6. I'm surprised no one mentioned calcium

The real cause of cramps is your blood system being leeched of calcium. Calcium suppliment pills don't work fast enough. I prefer a plain yoghurt like Stonebrook or some buttermilk, something with live enzymes to help you process the calcium. Warm milk will do in a pinch.

If you must have chocolate have some of that cocoa with a double shot of warm low fat milk.

From now on take a daily calcium supplement, it doesn't have to be fancy or expensive just taken daily, preferably with orange juice (fortified with calcium) or milk.

On edit: Start cutting some salt from your diet also.

[Rainbowreflect]

8. I drink OJ with calcium everyday.

I also take a calcium supplement. I don't get bad cramps every month, just when I'm under a lot of stress.

[demnan]

11. In that case

try some chamomille tea before bed tonight. A glass of wine is alright too, of course but the chamomille is supposed to be good for cramps. (Actually the Chinese would prescribe Jasmine Tea and I've taken that too when having cramps). Sleepytime tea from Celestral Seasons is a good choice for an herbal chamomille. It has some mint in it to pep up the blandness of the chamomille.

[Esurientes]

10. Wish I'd known that 10 yrs ago...

I will pass the advice along to my daughter, however:D

[Mistress Quickly]

7. Fire

one up, take some ibuprofen, relax by the fire, eat the chocolates, and take a nap. Later take a bath.

The heat wrap thingies work well also, especially in bed away from fireplace.

[grannylib]

17. I second that advice, with the change from Ibuprofen to Pamprin/Midol, it

really targets cramps and lower back pain more effectively in my experience
A small nip of Bailey's with that chocolate can't hurt either

[DBoon]

9. My wife actually recommends

red wine for situations like this. Seriously, acts like a mild muscle relaxant and generally improves the mood in small doses.

[liberalnurse]

12. I hear that B-6 is quite effective

for relieving menstrual bloating and PMS mood irritation...it's a natural diuretic. Fluid retention occurs throughout the body, including the brain; fluid surrounding the brain, cerebral edema, causes irritability, the "bitchy" symptoms. The B-6 will cause a mild diuresis and relieve ones symptoms. Reduce sodium beverages and high sodium foods is encouraged.

Motrin is the greatest for GYN cramps as it is an anti-inflammatory, but it must be taken around the clock. A heating pad is nice too.

[LynneSin]

13. Vioxx and a hot bath

works for me everytime. That or snapping viciously at at least 1 male person who looks funny at me.

BTW, my cat sleeping on my pelvic area makes a nice heating pad

:shrug:

[southerngirlwriter]

14. Find a man and snarl at him

always works for me. :-)

[radwriter0555]

19. LOL I used to warn my male co-workers.. they DEFINITELY appreciated

it.... and totally understood.

[dmr]

16. Take the ibuprofen with a cup of hot chocolate and go relax in the tub

Light some good smelling candles.

That sounds good to me, and I'm beyond the PMS days.

[radwriter0555]

18. Have a martini as well....

and 800 mgs of ibuprofin.

You'll be ROCKING.

Even better if you have vicodin!

[Fleshdancer]

20. I prefer to play the sympathy card

My husband will massage my lower back if I complain enough. Does anyone else get major lower back pain during PMS? For me, it feels worse than the actual cramping.

[Liberal Christian]

36. I have lower back pain all the time

So I can never really tell if it's cramp-related or not.

I'm in favor of Ibuprofen (800 mg) for bad cramps. It has saved me on many occasions.

[davsand]

21. Rip the heads off Barbie Dolls...

Then start sending Emails to anyone and everyone who has pissed you off in the last year...DO NOT proof them first! Oh--wait--that is what I do--and it doesn't seem to help much beyond keeping me from killing my husband...:)

Well, all in all, I'd suggest the wine option along with the fire and a warm blanket or cat in your lap. Maybe read a really good book to escape reality.

Laura

[Fleshdancer]

22. ooooh, I like it.

But really, is there every a BAD time to rip heads off of Barbie Dolls? Serves them right for being so ridiculous.

[bloom]

45. RFLMAO

(All this talk about chocolate is making me hungry!)

[soleft]

23. How can I say this without turning this into a sex thread?

The best way I've found to relieve cramps is to have an orgasm.

[Rainbowreflect]

24. That's great if your not at work.

I have lost more jobs that way. :evilgrin:

[soleft]

28. Alledgedly this is supposed to help with labor pains too

but I can't fathom that.

[populistmom]

30. Not really

Believe it or I not, I tried this in early labor last time. It was supposed to speed things along because you get a rush of the hormone oxytocin when you orgasm which helps your uterus contract. It didn't work for me, but I have slow, daunting labors with big headed children who don't want to come out the regular way.

[soleft]

33. My son's head was huge

The labor was 24 hours but the delivery was half hour cause he just kind of popped out.

[populistmom]

34. My last birth

It took 3 days to get from 1 to 7cm (about 5 hours total sleep). Labored totally at home, lots of movement, etc. Then, I spent 12 hours in transition (back labor, multiple peaking contractions every 90 seconds to 2 mins) unmedicated. (I even got a damn chiropractic adjustment in transition and still he was stuck.) Finally a couple hours after I did finally get the meds (still just 7.5cm), I had the inevitable 4th c-section.

No flying out here. Try a damned nightmare from Hell.

[soleft]

38. OMG! 12 hours transition

Your kids better treat you like a queen!

[fortyfeetunder]

58. Thanks for the confirmation

I tried that technique too, I didn't dilate or anything. So that explains the excruciating time I had birthing my one and only big headed baby. Looking back, wish I had a C-section, instead I got a third degree tear, almost from stem to stern....

[Scout]

57. same here!

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

25. I'd stay away from the chocolate

and stick with protein..the bloating from sugar and carbs makes things worse for me.

[sbj405]

26. Those heating patches work pretty well

and our discrete if you're at work. Hope you feel better soon.

[Rainbowreflect]

27. Thanks, I am feeling better.

Laughter is the best medicine and DUer can usually give me a laugh.

[stanwyck]

49. Second on the heating patches. Try one.

they're great. Next best thing to a sun-warmed cat on your belly.

[Rainbowreflect]

50. I've been wearing one all day.

They are great, a little portable heating pad. Ain't technology great?

[Lindacooks]

29. Eat a bit of the chocolate.

Ibuprofen, for sure. A warm bath almost always helps. Chocolate, in moderation, can be good for you!

http://busycooks.about.com/library/archive/blchocolate.htm

[Skittles]

31. KICK SOME MAN'S ASS

doesn't really matter who

[prolesunited]

35. LOL!

:loveya:

[Iris]

32. Eat the chocolate

I've found I can eat as much as I want at that point in my cycle and not gain weight!

[redqueen]

37. Hide the chocolate - or give it away

(I'd have to give it away... I can't resist it)

Take a walk, and do some meditation or yoga.

I know it's the exact opposite of what you want to do, but I promise you'll feel better. :)

[devilgrrl]

39. Smoke some really good weed!!!

Kills cramps dead!

[redqueen]

40. I heard a rumor

that the Queen of England (Victoria I think) used to do that for relief from cramps.

I guess it might be true after all.

[Cheswick2.0]

41. Eat the chocolate!

But eat only a little bit. Drink tons of water and take a few alleve. Hot water bottles really do work and so does massage.

[mcar]

43. Ibuprofen, heating pad, a nap

and a cup of hot tea with whiskey (goes great with the chocolate). After the nap, take a nice long walk. Exercise has always helped me.

And remember, you're not alone and it's not all in your head!

[scarlet_owl]

47. Calcium works for me, believe it or not.

My stepmother told me about this. I have always had horrendous cramps and I found that if I take a calcium supplement regularly, the cramps aren't so bad. Naproxen sodium (Alieve) helps keep the flow from being really heavy. Oh, and eat that chocolate.

[Rainbowreflect]

48. I just tried Naproxen sodium for the first time.

The cramps are gone, but I am wasted. I'm having trouble typing.
I wish I'd known about this stuff a long time ago.

[redqueen]

51. LOL isn't that OTC?

hehehe... glad you're feeling better! :)

[Rainbowreflect]

52. Yes it is OTC, in other words a cheap high.

Better living through chemistry.

[redqueen]

53. Wooohooo!

Did you know that's a Queens of the Stone Age song?

DU has been a great source of inspiration for my mental jukebox today. :D

I must come to the lounge more often!

[Melsky]

56. Funny you should mention them

I've been listening to them all day.

For cramps, I like hot showers or baths, getting in bed with my cats and reading.

I'll have to try those Aleive pills next time.

Though right now my period is 6 days late. I'm definitely not pregnant, but I'm so stressed and anxious I think I might have skipped it.

[geniph]

54. I swear by hot baths and hot tubs

Preferably with large glasses of wine, scented candles, and soft music. And throw everyone else out of the house - that alone will make you feel better! ;-)

[KayLaw]

55. Four Advil

That's prescription strength Ibuprofen. I always found that that and a Bloody Mary just about did it.