Ever had that feeling as if you were about to die during that glorious time of the month? Ok who am I kidding right? Worst time for some of you enduring a pain that feels like total DEATH!!!
How can you cope??
Menstrual cramps– When I tell you I do not miss my teenage years for this very reason please believe me!
But I had to learn the hard way how to manage the pain. As many of us I was that hard-headed girl who never listened and just had to discover womanhood for my self. I went through years of crawling on the floor, curling up in the fetal position, crying my eyes out and screaming I want my mommy!! So I was an average girl I started my menstrual cycle at 12. In elementary school they gave us “the talk” about what to expect and using pads, tampons, etc yet the didn’t prepare us for the PAIN!!! Why did no one tell us this was a part of growing up? Who do I blame for this madness? Where is that evil Eve who caused this pain on me???
So years later I found out this is a form of contractions of the uterus.. WAIT A MINUTE?? Yes this is a part of life in order to have little bundles of joy!! Ok but I’m still experiencing pain so what do I do about this foolishness (because to me that’s exactly what it is).
Well girls fret no more!!! I have a few tips that my mom shared with me. Granted there are some other gems that may be out there, but here’s what worked for me.
1. Drink warm liquids- my mom, “Rose”, is the ultimate preacher of this. Whether you make some tea, hot chocolate, or coffee the biggest takeaway she gave me was to put something warm on my stomach as a soothing aid.
2. Take medicine as soon as the pain starts. If you have learned that you have extremely painful cramps, take the medicine ASAP. The earlier the better. Tylenol, Aleve, ibuprofen or the likes are all beneficial to aiding the soothing of pain.
3. Heating pads/ warm compress. Whomever was the woman (because these were made with us in mind) that thought of these things, THANK YOU!!! Laying on something warm was awesome to help relieve the pain of my cramps.
4. Avoid caffeine or dairy products. First 1-2 days of my period were the worst. Yet every time I was going to start my cycle, I would crave sodas or ice cream. And then the PAIN would come. I’m not going to say I know the doctor’s knowledge behind such theory, but if you have cravings for such items try to eliminate them to see if you still are in as much pain.
5. Wear socks. Some of you may be looking at the screen as if I’m crazy, but it’s true. My mother fussed at me a million times because I never wore socks around the house or during the colder months and “let that cold get up in my body” as she would say. Whether scientifically proven or not-this actually helped me.
6. If all else fails, BIRTH CONTROL is your friend. Low and behold glory came when I turned 18-19. I had begun my annual visits and finally complained about my menstrual cramps and the doctor prescribed BC for me… Best day ever!!! Hopefully your parents (especially dads with no clue about this subject) won’t freak out because you request this. Because this is a part of life and you still want to function and enjoy it, with or without “Auntie Red” as we used to call her.
And I’ve been mostly cured ever since. Some days I reinforce #6 with something from #1-5 and I am going through life smiling..
Hope this helps any of you young ladies on you quest of being pain-free!!
-MRG
Mahogany Rose Girl 