ahimsa
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I used to have very bad pain from endometriosis. It eventually escalated to pain throughout the whole month, not just during my period. So my pain was maybe level 5-6 during the non-period days and then at 9-10 (or screaming) on the days of my period.
What finally stopped the pain for me was surgery by an endometriosis specialist. My surgery was not a hysterectomy but just excision (cutting, not lasering or burning) of the abnormal endometrial tissue (in other words, the tissue not inside the uterus).
That surgery was in 2000. I've been mostly free of menstrual pain (ibuprofen now and then) since the surgery.
But in the meantime, @Gingergrrl , I can share a couple of things that helped me with pain before my surgery.
I should note that my suggestions are based on the assumption that the pain is from endometriosis. But if your pain is from something else then these ideas are unlikely to work. Also, these were ideas that worked (temporarily -- eventually nothing helped much). I'm not listing all the many ideas, such as herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, that did not work for me. But other folks may have had better luck with them.
You've already mentioned painkillers but I don't know which ones you're on or how well they are working. If the pain is from endometriosis then prostaglandins are one of the sources of pain. NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) seem to work best against this type of pain. In addition to over the counter (OTC) NSAID drugs like ibuprofen (which I took at double the normal OTC dosage, approved by my doctor) I also took a stronger, prescription NSAID called ketorolac (brand name Toradol). Here's a list of various NSAIDs -- http://www.rxlist.com/nsaids_nonsteroidal_antiinflammatory_drugs-page3/drugs-condition.htm -- just in case it helps.
One side benefit from these kind of drugs, at least for some folks, is that it may help with low blood pressure or dropping blood pressure (NMH/POTS). Apparently NSAIDs limit the vasodilating effects of circulating prostaglandins.
And someone else already mentioned birth control pills. I know now (hindsight) that coming off birth control pills (I had a tubal ligation so no more need for pills) was one factor that contributed to my increase in pain.
Okay, on to non-drug options.
* Evening Primrose Oil (EPO, Efamol brand)
There's a long list of possible essential fatty acids (borage oil, fish oil, etc.) that might help. Evening primrose oil is what worked for me. Actually, I still take it in the hopes that it helps reduce inflammation. I don't really see a huge difference in any other symptoms but back when I was having the endometriosis pain I think it made my pain less. And I kept taking it in the hopes that post surgery I would not have more endometrial implants (I'm omitting a long story on theories behind what causes endometriosis).
* Diet changes, especially removing dairy foods (milk, cheese, ice cream)
I was very resistant to this idea at first. I could not believe it would make any difference. But it seems that there are certain foods, and dairy is one of them, which increase arachidonic acids, which then contribute to the prostaglandins, and these increase inflammation and pain. I don't claim to understand the whole chain of events but here are some links:
http://www.endo-resolved.com/prostaglandins.html
http://www.endo-resolved.com/prostaglandins_endometriosis.html
http://www.endo-resolved.com/diet.html
There are other places to read about prostaglandins this is just the first/easiest one that I found.
That website above has a very long list of diet suggestions (and I just noticed that they are selling a book, which I did not buy). I did NOT follow all the listed recommendations, and I was already a vegetarian, so one of the biggest changes for me was removing dairy. And it did help a lot. For someone else another food might be a bigger trigger for their pain.
When I cut out dairy there was no immediate affect (e.g., no more or less pain that very day). But when my period came the pain was less. And when I forgot, and ate more dairy that month (e.g., had visitors and bought ice cream), then when my period cam the pain was worse.
I hope you find some more pain relief!
Sending HUGS
What finally stopped the pain for me was surgery by an endometriosis specialist. My surgery was not a hysterectomy but just excision (cutting, not lasering or burning) of the abnormal endometrial tissue (in other words, the tissue not inside the uterus).
That surgery was in 2000. I've been mostly free of menstrual pain (ibuprofen now and then) since the surgery.
But in the meantime, @Gingergrrl , I can share a couple of things that helped me with pain before my surgery.
I should note that my suggestions are based on the assumption that the pain is from endometriosis. But if your pain is from something else then these ideas are unlikely to work. Also, these were ideas that worked (temporarily -- eventually nothing helped much). I'm not listing all the many ideas, such as herbs, homeopathy, acupuncture, that did not work for me. But other folks may have had better luck with them.
You've already mentioned painkillers but I don't know which ones you're on or how well they are working. If the pain is from endometriosis then prostaglandins are one of the sources of pain. NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) seem to work best against this type of pain. In addition to over the counter (OTC) NSAID drugs like ibuprofen (which I took at double the normal OTC dosage, approved by my doctor) I also took a stronger, prescription NSAID called ketorolac (brand name Toradol). Here's a list of various NSAIDs -- http://www.rxlist.com/nsaids_nonsteroidal_antiinflammatory_drugs-page3/drugs-condition.htm -- just in case it helps.
One side benefit from these kind of drugs, at least for some folks, is that it may help with low blood pressure or dropping blood pressure (NMH/POTS). Apparently NSAIDs limit the vasodilating effects of circulating prostaglandins.
And someone else already mentioned birth control pills. I know now (hindsight) that coming off birth control pills (I had a tubal ligation so no more need for pills) was one factor that contributed to my increase in pain.
Okay, on to non-drug options.
* Evening Primrose Oil (EPO, Efamol brand)
There's a long list of possible essential fatty acids (borage oil, fish oil, etc.) that might help. Evening primrose oil is what worked for me. Actually, I still take it in the hopes that it helps reduce inflammation. I don't really see a huge difference in any other symptoms but back when I was having the endometriosis pain I think it made my pain less. And I kept taking it in the hopes that post surgery I would not have more endometrial implants (I'm omitting a long story on theories behind what causes endometriosis).
* Diet changes, especially removing dairy foods (milk, cheese, ice cream)
I was very resistant to this idea at first. I could not believe it would make any difference. But it seems that there are certain foods, and dairy is one of them, which increase arachidonic acids, which then contribute to the prostaglandins, and these increase inflammation and pain. I don't claim to understand the whole chain of events but here are some links:
http://www.endo-resolved.com/prostaglandins.html
http://www.endo-resolved.com/prostaglandins_endometriosis.html
http://www.endo-resolved.com/diet.html
There are other places to read about prostaglandins this is just the first/easiest one that I found.
That website above has a very long list of diet suggestions (and I just noticed that they are selling a book, which I did not buy). I did NOT follow all the listed recommendations, and I was already a vegetarian, so one of the biggest changes for me was removing dairy. And it did help a lot. For someone else another food might be a bigger trigger for their pain.
When I cut out dairy there was no immediate affect (e.g., no more or less pain that very day). But when my period came the pain was less. And when I forgot, and ate more dairy that month (e.g., had visitors and bought ice cream), then when my period cam the pain was worse.
I hope you find some more pain relief!
Sending HUGS