miserable with period pain

Hi all, I hope you can help

Before I had DD, I suffered with really severe period pain, and heavy
periods, and tbh, one of the reasons I got pg when I did was that I
couldn't face another month of the pain. Fortunately, I fell very quickly.

DD is now 5 and a half weeks, and I am now exclusively breastfeeding
(yay, I got rid of the last bottle!), but since last night I have had
worsening period pain and (sorry to be gross) blood stained mucous,
which I am guessing means my period is coming as that's what I normally
get. I didn't think I'd get periods though while I was breastfeeding?

Anyway my question is what can I take for the pain while breastfeeding?
I used to take Mefenamic Acid for the pain, and Tranexamic Acid to help
reduce the bleeding, but the internet says I'm not to take them while
breastfeeding. I've taken paracetamol and ibuprofen, but they're not
touching the pain... I'm dreading going through all this again. I;ve
just made a heated up a wheat bag to help with the pain, but already the
pain has spread to my back and legs, and I'm feeling pretty miserable.

Anyone have a magic cure? I don't fancy getting pg again just yet, or
spending the rest of my life being pg

Thanks

Lucy x

Hi all, I hope you can help

Before I had DD, I suffered with really severe period pain, and heavy
periods, and tbh, one of the reasons I got pg when I did was that I
couldn't face another month of the pain. Fortunately, I fell very quickly.

DD is now 5 and a half weeks, and I am now exclusively breastfeeding (yay,
I got rid of the last bottle!), but since last night I have had worsening
period pain and (sorry to be gross) blood stained mucous, which I am
guessing means my period is coming as that's what I normally get. I didn't
think I'd get periods though while I was breastfeeding?

Anyway my question is what can I take for the pain while breastfeeding? I
used to take Mefenamic Acid for the pain, and Tranexamic Acid to help
reduce the bleeding, but the internet says I'm not to take them while
breastfeeding. I've taken paracetamol and ibuprofen, but they're not
touching the pain... I'm dreading going through all this again. I;ve just
made a heated up a wheat bag to help with the pain, but already the pain
has spread to my back and legs, and I'm feeling pretty miserable.

Anyone have a magic cure? I don't fancy getting pg again just yet, or
spending the rest of my life being pg

Hi Lucy, I would actually be doubtful that this was a period and potentially
could be lochia returning (when did you last have any?), I'd consider
getting checked out, the blood stained mucous is also more characteristic of
lochia and a sudden return of lochia could indicate a problem.

I can't off hand think of anything else for the pain just right now, a
doctor might give you codeine I guess, but with such a new baby I'd avoid
that because it's very constipating and your bowels are unlikley to be
totally back to normal.

Longer term, consider a progesterone only method of birth control, periods
are often absent and if present are much lighter.

((hugs)), I haven't had a normal period for almost 4 years now and I don't
miss them at all!

Anne

Anne Rogers wrote:

Hi Lucy, I would actually be doubtful that this was a period and potentially
could be lochia returning (when did you last have any?), I'd consider
getting checked out, the blood stained mucous is also more characteristic of
lochia and a sudden return of lochia could indicate a problem.

I can't off hand think of anything else for the pain just right now, a
doctor might give you codeine I guess, but with such a new baby I'd avoid
that because it's very constipating and your bowels are unlikley to be
totally back to normal.

Longer term, consider a progesterone only method of birth control, periods
are often absent and if present are much lighter.

((hugs)), I haven't had a normal period for almost 4 years now and I don't
miss them at all!

Anne


Hi Anne

TBH I hadn't considered lochia as I've not had any since Jess was about
2 weeks old... It does seem characteristic of my periods though as I'm
getting sickness with it too The doc won't give me the Pill etc tho
as ot makes mr really poorly, which rules out the injection etc. I have
some low dose codeine but I'm trying to avoid it as I don't want to pass
it on to Jessica, but I may take some in the next dose to give me a
boost. Labour was a walk in the park in comparison - at lesat Jessica
had the good manners to come out in a couple of hours!

I'll see what happens today and call the doc if it gets any worse. I'll
live, but it's miserable

Ta for the hugs

Lucy

Motrin (ibuprofen) would likely help.
--
Sue (mom to three girls)

"lucy-lu" wrote in message
...
Hi all, I hope you can help

Before I had DD, I suffered with really severe period pain, and heavy
periods, and tbh, one of the reasons I got pg when I did was that I
couldn't face another month of the pain. Fortunately, I fell very quickly.

DD is now 5 and a half weeks, and I am now exclusively breastfeeding
(yay, I got rid of the last bottle!), but since last night I have had
worsening period pain and (sorry to be gross) blood stained mucous,
which I am guessing means my period is coming as that's what I normally
get. I didn't think I'd get periods though while I was breastfeeding?

Anyway my question is what can I take for the pain while breastfeeding?
I used to take Mefenamic Acid for the pain, and Tranexamic Acid to help
reduce the bleeding, but the internet says I'm not to take them while
breastfeeding. I've taken paracetamol and ibuprofen, but they're not
touching the pain... I'm dreading going through all this again. I;ve
just made a heated up a wheat bag to help with the pain, but already the
pain has spread to my back and legs, and I'm feeling pretty miserable.

Anyone have a magic cure? I don't fancy getting pg again just yet, or
spending the rest of my life being pg

Thanks

Lucy x

TBH I hadn't considered lochia as I've not had any since Jess was about
2 weeks old... It does seem characteristic of my periods though as I'm

I've had some sort of major hormonal bleeding at about 6 weeks pp with
each birth. This was not related to ovulation and I did not begin
having regular periods after that. You would have a much higher chance
of having ovulated and having a real period, since you had such large
gaps between nursings and were supplementing. (Great job making the
switch to exclusive breastfeeding.)

If you want to try to extend the length of your lactation amenorrhea,
"Breastfeeding and Natural Child Spacing" by Sheila Kippley lists 7
standards for ecological breastfeeding:

1. Do exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life; don't
use other liquids and solids.
2. Pacify your baby at your breasts.
3. Don't use bottles and pacifiers.
4. Sleep with your baby for night feedings.
5. Sleep with your baby for a daily-nap feeding.
6. Nurse frequently day and night and avoid schedules.
7. Avoid any practice that restricts nursing of separates you from your
baby.

I don't have time to find it, but I think that the book says that some
women ovulate if their babies ever go more than 4 hours in the daytime
or 6 hours in the nighttime without nursing.

The book also has advise for after 6 months. I've been able to go for
more than a year without periods with this style of nursing. Since I
hate having periods and other unpleasant symptoms I get with ovulating,
this is great.

--Betsy

TBH I hadn't considered lochia as I've not had any since Jess was about
2 weeks old... It does seem characteristic of my periods though as I'm
getting sickness with it too The doc won't give me the Pill etc tho as
ot makes mr really poorly, which rules out the injection etc. I have some
low dose codeine but I'm trying to avoid it as I don't want to pass it on
to Jessica, but I may take some in the next dose to give me a boost.
Labour was a walk in the park in comparison - at lesat Jessica had the
good manners to come out in a couple of hours!

hmm, responding badly to the pill is not a contraindication for progesterone
only methods, have you tried the mini pill (progesterone only) rather than
normal pill, which is combined, I can't touch the combined pill, but got on
fine with the mini pill, even then the doses when given other ways are much
lower, I wouldn't suggest the injection because you can't take it out, but
you could try an implant, or my own personal preference, Mirena, a hormonal
IUD, because it's right there in the uterus the dose of progesterone it
releases is miniscule, I haven't yet had a period with it, baby is 14
months, still breast fed, but onle 1-3 times a day.

Anne

"lucy-lu" wrote in message
...
TBH I hadn't considered lochia as I've not had any since Jess was about 2
weeks old...

*blinkety*

Wasn't me your Honor, I swear.

It does seem characteristic of my periods though as I'm getting sickness
with it too The doc won't give me the Pill etc tho as ot makes mr
really poorly, which rules out the injection etc.

Depo is progesterone only.

Jess

Hi all

Thanks for the replies and tips... quick update.

Depressingly, the doc has confirmed that my period has returned after
only 6 weeks :/ However, she said that I can take my mefenamic acid,
which has helped with the pain... Oddly, I don't know if it's relevent,
but since starting fenugreek to increase supply (thanks for that tip
guys!), the symptoms have reduced. It could just be that the period
isn't as bad now I've had DD, but it happened at the same time

While I think of it, I've not used bottles since i last posted, and now
have more milk than the baby knows what to do with! I'm enjoying
breastfeeding a lot more now, and although I am unable to co-sleep
safely as I have narcolepsy, I dozed off with her for a little while
this morning, and we both loved waking up together - her little smile
was gorgeous when she realised where she was! The night time feeds are
nicer now that I can lay her on the bed with me, rather than staggering
though to the kitchen whilst half asleep to make formula! She's also a
lot more contented on just breastmilk.

Thanks for all the support guys, I'm so glad we've stuck at it, I didn't
think it possible, but I think the bond between us is even stronger.

Lucy

lucy-lu wrote:
Hi all

Thanks for the replies and tips... quick update.

Depressingly, the doc has confirmed that my period has returned after
only 6 weeks :/ However, she said that I can take my mefenamic acid,
which has helped with the pain... Oddly, I don't know if it's relevent,
but since starting fenugreek to increase supply (thanks for that tip
guys!), the symptoms have reduced. It could just be that the period
isn't as bad now I've had DD, but it happened at the same time

While I think of it, I've not used bottles since i last posted, and now
have more milk than the baby knows what to do with! I'm enjoying
breastfeeding a lot more now, and although I am unable to co-sleep
safely as I have narcolepsy, I dozed off with her for a little while
this morning, and we both loved waking up together - her little smile
was gorgeous when she realised where she was! The night time feeds are
nicer now that I can lay her on the bed with me, rather than staggering
though to the kitchen whilst half asleep to make formula! She's also a
lot more contented on just breastmilk.

Thanks for all the support guys, I'm so glad we've stuck at it, I didn't
think it possible, but I think the bond between us is even stronger.

Lucy

i just checked dr hales' website (the expert of breastfeeding &
medications) & about mefenamic acid it says:

"Mefenamic acid (Ponstel) is an old NSAID that is seldom used anymore
(which is the reason I didn't add it to my book) due to its numerous
side effects. In one study of 10 women, the mean concentration of
mefenamic acid in plasma and milk was 0.94 and 0.17 mg/L respectively.
In some of the moms, the milk concentration was as high as 1.99
mg/Liter. While the AAP suggests it is compatible with breastfeeding,
these levels, and the toxicity of this compound make me a little
uncomfortable. However, it has been used for some years for dysmenorrhea
and in some cases may be justified. I seriously doubt that a few days of
Ponstel will bother an infant.
I'd suggest the mom use ibuprofen or Celebrex at suitable doses.
Tom Hale, Ph.D."

http://66.230.33.248/discus/messages...tml?1154873079

perhaps someone else here has more information?


--
elizabeth (in australia)
mum to DS1 "cheese" (almost 4 yrs) & DS2 "chalk" (10 mths)


"Dog for sale: eats anything and is fond of children" - Classified Ad

"If you're ever in doubt, throw a pepper in the air. If it fails to come
down, you have gone mad, so don't trust in anything." - Gregory Maguire,
"Mirror Mirror"

"arachne" wrote and I snipped:
i just checked dr hales' website (the expert of breastfeeding &
medications)

Elizabeth (or anyone?), can you check Hales for naproxen? I don't have
access to Medications and Mother's Milk, but Lucy might be interested in
this med as an alternative. I've found it much more effective than
ibuprofen for menstrual cramps.

Thanks,
-Patty, mom of 1+2