Unusually Painful Periods. Should I Be Concerned?

[gummibears]

Generally, my periods are kind to me. I might have mild cramping first day if that and nothing more. Since TTC - the last two months have been filled with painful periods. Every day pain, not unbearable, not severe at all, but causing quite a bit of discomfort and not normal for me. The Period 3 months ago was a week late and lighter than normal. The one after that I was weak, dizzy, feverish and cramping pretty bad (probably like most people cramp, but still not normal at all for me) this month it's been crampy almost every day. I've been taking EPO and it seems to help a bit, but still I wonder why the sudden cramps and if it means anything at all along our TTC journey. The flow seems about same as normal give or take.

I read stress can cause this, and I wrote off the last 2 months due to stress. This month I've been very relaxed things are finally working themselves out and we are getting back to a sense of normalacy. Despite that, I'm still cramping. It's not horribly painful, but it does give me a headache and make me worried something is going on in a negative way.

Does this have any relation to my ovulation day being later in each cycle? Day 9, 10 then around day 11. Are my periods just regulating after stress? Can stress cause vaginal cramps? I'm not stressed this month, but I do think it probably takes a month or more to regulate, and I'm within that period. (I've been stress free just 4-5 weeks now after 2 months extreme stress and the months leading up to those two months were filled with varied amounts of stress - but under the level of extreme.)

I had a pelvic exam and tests (basic pap and STD tests) done 3 months ago. All tests came back normal and I was told I had a healthy looking cervix and all systems were go.

Should I be worried over these cramps? Is it something dietary? All I can think that is different this time around is I'm taking EPO before O and during AF (which seems to help with the cramps) and I've been eating Boca burgers daily for lunch which is something new within the last 4-5 weeks or so. Any help is appreciated.

TTC stats: I'm 32, Hubby is 33. I have one 8 year old son and we've been TTC since April.

[Sweet.Bee]

From the time I was 17, I had a painful period about every 6 months to 1 year (except when on bc pills). By painful I mean 1/2 day of cramps so strong that I would vomit a few times that day. It was not fun.

However, I don't think it really affected my ability to conceive. I had one of these painful periods ~2 months before I conceived my son.

I was told giving birth could make them go away, and it did for me (no cramps whatsoever this period even) so far. But you said you have a child, so I don't know?

In any case, here are some for you, as I know painful periods just stink.

[MaerynPearl]

according to my doctor the majority of pain associated with period is from clots... one way you can avoid having such large clots is to stay well hydrated.

I also found, wearing tampons increases my pain but wearing a diva cup makes it almost disappear!

[gummibears]

Sweet Bee, I find it suspicious at best that the painful/odd periods have been since TTC only and for 2 out of the 3 months TTC we were under a great deal of stress. When I say that I mean near mental breakdown almost-having-to-go-get-medicated-to-deal-with-it kinda stress. So, this isn't your average off day sort. I was told stress can't cause painful periods, but I'm not sure that person was completely right. Stress alters our hormones to alter periods, why wouldn't it also cause vaginal or uterine contractions, too? Stress causes tense bellies and such. I don't know.

I'm just scared something happened in those months like I developed fibroids or Endo. While it's unlikely they'd pop up when TTC and all was well before that (with the milder stress periods were normal things were not like this at all), but that's me. Worry that something has popped up after wanting to have a baby for the last 5 years hubby says okay at the time my body starts something to make it hard or impossible.

Hubby called his aunt and is waiting to hear back from her. She's a nurse maybe she can help. The only problem is she's very busy with 4 kids of her own, and it could take days to hear back. That's days to worry. I'm trying to tell myself it's unlikely anything major is going on, but still I fear. I've wanted another baby so long... and I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't have it.

Painful periods do stink. I could handle it, though if I knew it was nothing to be concerned with.

[gummibears]

MaerynPearl, that could be. I have noticed with each of these periods clots. Not a lot only like one per month, but they seemed to be bigger than the usual small pieces. They were like I don't know maybe an inch long when pulled apart and it was just tissue. Still, I've been more noticing things like that than in the past that could be totally normal for all I know. TTC makes us much more aware what's going on. Things we usually just take for granted, doesn't it?

The hydration thing does make me wonder. Since it's now hotter out (and it was spring with we started ttc) that could be part of it. I've been trying to get in 8-10 glasses of water, but most days I get maybe 2, and all I drink is water, so that's possibly it. I've been trying to up water intake before ovulation and during af to increase cm production, then the rest of the month I slack off. Maybe that's it. I need to keep up the 8-10 glasses of water thing month round. I'll try that, thank you. Here's hoping it works.

What's a diva cup? I had been alternating when I can to pads just because it did occur to me that the tampons were aggravating the cramping, but I didn't stay with the pads for the whole cycle. Even yesterday when it was light flow I was cramping. Very unusual. And it seems this cycle has been a bit longer than the rest. I O'ed later and af has been here an extra 2 days of spotting than normal.

Edited to add: This link does seem to jive with what you say. Also, I can honestly say I have MANY of the things listed there including the horrid heat intolerance and being excessivly cold in winter. I've had that for years, and I just started drinking water a year ago (Before that I'd only drink sodas, juice, koolaid etc my whole life) Will try to watch intake and see if it helps. Maybe that's also why all the headaches and allergy symptoms worsening. It's making sense now... wow...

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by gummibears

What's a diva cup?

Diva Cup is the ONLY reason I am not fearing getting my first PP AF after little Miss Mae makes her appearance... it makes it so much more manageable. I dont have to buy tampons (you only need one cup! and if you boil it at the end of your period and keep it in your purse or other such thing you always have with you, you wont be surprised without it!) so it saves me a ton of money every single month (I had heavy periods that only lasted 3 days but I would go through half a box in those three days!)

http://www.divacup.com/

There are other menstrual cups too, but that just happens to be the brand I bought and I love it!

Drinking more should help a lot... if you have a problem drinking water because it has no flavor, put some lemon juice in it. But dont add sugar. You add sugar and its not water anymore, its lemonade!

[gummibears]

Oh I like the sounds of the diva cups. I'm going to put them on my list to try. Thank you.

My water is plain (bottled, though) so no worries on the sugar or anything. I've been really thirsty today drank 4 glasses pf water and barely peed... I think that's a tell tale sign that I must be dehydrated as it's all staying inside. My husband's aunt agrees that it may be dehydration and said not to worry yet. She's a nurse, so I'm trusting her on this one. :P