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I have periods that are generally pretty bad. I’ve always had bad cramping and headaches with my period. However in the last year or so my breasts started to get swollen and extremely tender about 5 days before my period and this lasts about 3 days after I start my period. Lately my breasts get so swollen that they are actually an entire size larger doing this time and I had to buy bras that were a larger size to wear during those days. Also, the only way I can sleep is to sleep on my stomach, but during this time it is extremely painful to lie on my stomach and I end up not sleeping well and waking up with a stiff neck from lying on my back. I’ve tried different sleeping positions, but I cannot sleep on my side because of a shoulder injury. Anyways, there’s only so much that I can take, and I need to do something about it. I talked to my regular doctor about this and she told me this was because I was ingesting too much caffeine. I told her that I hardly had any caffeine in my diet (I don’t drink coffee or tea, and only occasionally drank soda with caffeine or ate things like chocolate). She told me to completely cut caffeine from my diet, so that is what I have done since mid december. Now I am on my third period since stopping my caffeine intake and nothing has changed.
I have been thinking about going on birth control and wondering if it might help with this issue. I also have really bad cramping and headaches and I think birth control may be able to help with that. However, I’m a college student living at home and my parents are very opposed to birth control in general. I brought the topic up to my mom to see if she would support me in getting the pill to help with my menstrual problems, but she basically told me to stay away from the caffeine, take ibuprofen and deal with it. I’m at a point where I’m not sleeping at night, and when I’m awake I’m dealing with bad cramping and a headache for 6-8 days out of every month, and I’m miserable.
Posts: 1 | From: St. Louis | Registered: Feb 2009
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It should help if you go on birth control. It has DEFFINITALLY helped me. I was at the point tat having my period hurt SO much i couldn't walk now i'm on birth control i feel hardly anything! So yeah, it should help you. I think you should ask your Docter about it and ask them if they think it would help. Really it all comes down to YOU at the end of the day. No one can tell you what you want to do with your body so i'd think about it but yes i think it would help you with your problems.
Posts: 107 | Registered: Aug 2008
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I'd have another chat with your mom about how you're feeling very unwell, and you want to see another doctor about it because cutting out caffeine hasn't helped (though I had never heard that it would... for me, it actually helps with cramps...). Mention that this is really affecting your life, and that you need to make some changes to stay healthy.
Too, you don't need your parents to know *why* you've gone to a doctor. It sounds like you're likely a legal adult--you can just go, say you needed to talk to a doctor about your cramps again, get some birth control pills, and have it be none of their business. They might know, because of an insurance bill, that you went to the doctor, but they don't really have to know more.
One more thing--the bad cramping could be signs of something else going on that really should get checked out by a doctor. Birth control pills can treat the symptoms of some problems without getting to why they're appearing. So, my advice is go to a gyn, not a general doc who might not be inclined to investigate your problem further.
Posts: 2262 | From: in transition | Registered: Apr 2008
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Can I ask what kind of headaches you have? I ask that because if they are migraines, then you actually may need to stay AWAY from combination hormonal methods with estrogens, like the pill.
I want to also add that hormonal methods do help some women with menstrual issues, but not others: it really depends on WHY you are having those issues, so it's something you'll want to talk about in depth with an OB/GYN.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63291 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
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Well birth control pills protect you from getting acne, bad cramps, heavy periods, and of course pregnancy. So i think they would help with the problems you have.
-------------------- ignorance is one of the most dangerous things in our society. Posts: 17 | From: texas | Registered: Feb 2009
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Just a note, the beneficial side effects some peopel may get from hormonal brith control, such as help with acne, cramps, heavy periods, etc, aren't the same for all people. Thats why it's important to have that chat with a doctor or gyn, to cover the specific issues each individual has, and then prescribe accordingly.
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