h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

OK, I know I'm not getting any younger, and as we get older we can expect various bodily bits to go all to hell. But this is ridiculous.

I've been having absolutely unbearable menstrual issues lately. I'm not entirely sure that it's coincided with stopping using the Orth-Evra patch. I'd been on The Pill since 1988 (when I was 16) and switched to the patches in 2004, because another medication I was on at that time affected the way other oral meds were absorbed.

Anyhoo... most of you already know I have had problems related to significant weight gain caused by thyroid tumors I had treated in 2001. I was treated with radioactive iodine and as a side effect, in less than four months I nearly doubled my weight, from 96 lbs to 178 lbs. I've since lost quite a bit of that, but seem to have hit a plateau. My GP and I are understandably unhappy about this, especially given the prevalence of diabetes and hypertension on both sides of my family, so we've been working together to try to get me back to where I should be. This past February, he suggested stopping hormone birth control and using an IUD instead, with the idea that the elevated hormone levels might be causing my body to hold onto extra weight.

Well, now I've been going beyond typical PMS and have moved on to absolutely ripping migraines, fairly high fevers, horrible cramps, and other annoyances. So bad they make me nauseous and dizzy. Light, noise, and heat all make it that much worse. The usual or doesn't help like it used to. Hot baths help, but it's difficult to take those at work. I never used to have PMS at all, and had periods so regular I got them at the same *time of day*, not just the same day, every month. But after all these years who knows if it was me who was all regular-like, or if it was the pills/patches keeping me that way?

I'm not into acupuncture, homeopathy, or all that woo woo stuff, but I do prefer herbal over-the-counter type stuff that hasn't been tested on animals. Evening primrose oil doesn't help. I won't use St John's Wort (on my GP's advice). So, do any of you have suggestions? My next scheduled GP visit is in February. I can go sooner if I have to, but I'm wondering how common this is- now that I'm approaching 40 and my system's set to make some changes, this might be "normal".

I'm very sorry you're not feeling well, but I feel like you've just told me there's no

What do you mean isn't helping?! I've always believed it does EVERYTHING...

Sorry, can't help you there, never having suffered from any of the things you describe.

I have heard, though, that makes a migraine worse or triggers it in the first place.

I don't know what an IUD is - something we call 'Spirale' maybe?

I'm not one to suffer any side effects usually, but I never tried that because I was convinced it would result in bad cramps and all the negative stuff listed - just because I didn't like the idea in the first place. May be silly, but it kept me from having something inserted into me.

The warning wasn't enough of a warning. Use the in future!

Oh, and, erm, there there it'll be ok?

Oh dear. You appear to have scared the male.


It could very well be something hormonal - I'm having this problem every three weeks now, more or less, and then it hangs around for ten days Though fortunately, I don't get the migraines!

Many ancient cultures and tribal societies just had a special place set aside where women could go during "that time of the month", where they didn't have to work, and presumably, their family was safe from them snapping at them We should reintroduce that. A bathhouse for preference, with plenty of .

Poor Psycorp. I hope his vision will fully recover.

Bel, an IUD is an inserted thing, yes. They apparently have something that's in between, a rubber ring that's inserted but still releases a low dose of hormones.

Fortunately, Mala, mine doesn't hang around for ten days. While I was using the pill and the patch, it lasted a single day. Now it lasts two or three. It could be worse. But the migraines are really making it difficult, because I don't have the special moon cottage to go to so I do find myself being irritable with people at work. Yesterday afternoon I felt so sick I thought I was going to throw up on the train. I had to get off once, just to get some cool, fresh air.

K made me onion rings, herbal tea, and got me some , bless him, and I went to bed really early.

Oh, Ismarah- the helped a little (and I was blessing our Sho all the more for sending me some extra specially fab stuff) but not as much as it used to.

I've heard that , , and can all cause migraines. Oddly enough, when I have one, all of the above usually help, in moderation. The only food item I've found to aggravate them is MSG, and I avoid that like the plague these days.

I'm having similar problems - which I'm now tending to think are age related - but you're a good bit younger than me so it's probably not that.

B'El - yes, IUD = spirale. I noticed when I had one my periods were back to worse than when I was on the pill (which is why I went on it in the first place)

PC - the only thing that helps me is sport (for the pain) more sport for the anger and a hottie on my stomach.
(herbal)-

I've been for a walk/jog on my lunch hour and that seems to have helped a bit- especially with the annoyance part. Maybe I'll go over to the Y and do some laps in the pool tonight or tomorrow morning.

A hottie on my stomach sounds great. But K has plans tonight, and apparently so do Johnny Depp and David Tennant.

Seriously, though... I'll try that. I have one of those gel-filled superhero masks that you can heat or freeze, but I keep forgetting about it. Maybe I'll slap that on when I get home, too.

Thanks for all the s and sympathy. Because you all know *that* makes a huge difference.

I've made a note, however, that at least someone else has experienced worse symptoms while using an IUD than while on the pill.

My mother went through menopause in her 40s, so I might be closer to it than I should be?

I have a very helpful rye pillow that can be heated in the microwave. It doesn't go all cold and icky, so I take it to bed with me most nights.

Very easy to make, too.

Oh that sounds lovely. I'll have to see if I can make (or locate) one.

You just need a strip of fabric and some thread (both 100% cotton, not synthetic, or they'll melt in the microwave!) and about a pound or so of wheat or rye or even cherry pips. It works best if you make a long-ish pillow that you can drape across yourself (or around sore shoulders!) and make a few partitions so the grain doesn't slide around so much.

Don't use corn!

I made a smaller one for the lumps on my neck when they were bothering me. Didn't have any wheat, so I used lentils. They work fine, but always make me crave lentil soup! The grain just smells much nicer.

Oh, and my sister made mine when she was about 12, so it's not very difficult.

Just weighed mine, it's closer to four pounds But the weight is nice.

Micorwave for five minutes, and it stays hot for 45 minutes and pleasantly warm for hours longer.

I had one of those Rye pillows - a very long, fat sausage of one - when I had the gruesomes. They were great while I was pregnant for sleeping around, and then for support for breastfeeding, and later for the babies to lie on then crawl over

but it was too big to heat up.

Arriving a bit late in the conversation......I really feel for you PC. I've not been through the serious stuff that you are obviously going through, but I did change a few years ago from the pill onto the injection due to problems that I was having. I can't bear the thought of an IUD (that right?) so I opted for the depo provera injection, which I get once every 3 months. (By the way, I'm 35 so you and I are in the same age range.) For me it is fabulous.

If you need to stay away from the hormones then I can only agree with the other girls where the hottie or the rye pillow. I have a rye pillow which I also put in the microwave. I find the heat doesn't last as long as it does in a hottie, but one thing you can do with the pillow is put a few drops of lavender oil (or any other yummy smell) on it once it is heated which helps with the relaxing.

Awww, I really feel for you honey and I wish I could wave a wand for you to make you feel better.

psychocandy,

I can only offer and a huge and sympathy. I had all of that for around seven days a month, from the age of eleven till the change at about 52. Got no help or advice from - I was just told it would get better when I was married and had children - I was fourteen at the time!

Needless to say it didn't get better, it got worse. The pill helped a little, but then I was sterilised because my blood pressure was high, and the pain came back though not quite as bad. The migraines I had till I was about 48. They came several times a month. i lost so much time from school and work, I wonder now how I put up with it.

One thing which appeared to confirm that it was hormonal - during three pregnancies I had no migraines, wasn't tired and I blossomed. Not enough to keep repeating the remedy though

You should keep going back to the GP till they find something that will help. If I had known what I know now, I would never have put up with it for all those years.

Take care,

Websailor

I had considered the Depo-Provera but my GP was leery of it because a number of his patients claimed it made them feel moody or even depressed and he didn't want to put me on anything that might make me feel bad. Did you experience that at all?

I'm definitely looking into making a rye pillow! Thanks for the hints, Mala. And I'll make sure not to use corn.

My GP is a good guy and I'm sure if I tell him what's going on he will work with me.

>during three pregnancies I had no migraines, wasn't tired and I blossomed. Not enough to keep repeating the remedy though

I'm going to rule that out as a potential remedy for me, as well.

I'd asked about having my tubes tied last time I was at my GP's office, and he mentioned the insertable ring. I'm going to ask about it again the next time I'm there. I only have to endure two more of these till then.

Websailor I am so sorry you had to go through the awfulness for 41 years! Thanks for stopping by with the comforting words.

Hi PC,have a ,that sometimes helps.I went through the menopause from being 37ish,and went through everything you describe.....so i really sympathise.My daughters ,the eldest just forty) are appearing to follow in my footsteps,so maybe a hormone level blood test might help.
I really hope things are better soon.

I can't speak from personal experience but basil and basil oil are said to help relieve migraines and menstrual pains (and basil is good for the digestion.) Not sure how much aromatherapy works but it might be worth a try. Hope you find a solution whatever it is.

Sorry PC

We supply all the contraceptive choices leaflets at work including IUD, IUS and so on. I'll have a dig through them on Monday to see what they (and the clinics we supply to) suggest.