<p>My teen (16) has terrible cramps the first day. I have been giving her tylenol and motrin together but I am wondering if any of the OTC things like Midol actually work, or if there is something a doctor could prescribe. Any advice?</p>
<p>If they are really bad then talk to the doc. If all else fails she can prescribe birth control pills which should really help. (I know :eek:) My daughter eventually went on birth control because her first day was so bad that she would be throwing up. I think she found midol helped some but not enough.</p>
<p>I think a trip to the doc is in order. If not to your OB/GYN, then perhaps a female pediatrician. But 16 isn’t too young for a GYN visit.</p>
<p>I would first check with her doctor. </p>
<p>There are various forms of midol containing different pain relievers. As an adult, my gyne has told me I can take up to 800 mg (4 tablets) of ibuprofen at a time. Usually 2 tablets works for me. My youngest uses ibuprofen as well. Exercise helps for some. I take the ibuprofen and try to relax for 30 min to an hour until it kicks in. I feel for your D. I would get sick at school and throw up, and my mother, who never had problems with her period, would tell me it was all in my head.</p>
<p>In my experience–the combination of motrin, heating pad, and daily exercise may help.</p>
<p>My D has terrible cramps and has learned to start the ibuprofen the day before her period and take it regularly for the first couple of days…apparently the ibuprofen helps lower the prostaglandins which cause the cramps. It does seem to work for her.</p>
<p>Pamprin works GREAT for me, I think it’s just acetaminophen and a small amount of caffiene so tylenol would probably be fine. I’ve also had good luck with midol. Can’t hurt to try them. I would also recommend a heating pad or a hot bath–I am stealing the family’s heating pad when I leave for college, I can’t live without it. I’d also recommend a trip to the doctor if this becomes a regular occurrence. There’s just no reason to live with that, they can take care of it for her. </p>
<p>My cousin has always had bad cramps even after going on the pill and she is presently being tested for endometriosis, among other things, so when terrible cramps become a regular thing it’s not always the best idea to assume it’s “just cramps.” While it most likely is, if it gets really bad and nothing seems to help it’s definitely worth a trip to the doctor to see what can be done. They can most likely fix it for her, and if not they can figure out what exactly the problem is.</p>
<p>Naproxin (aleve) works better than motrin, IMO. It’s what my ob/gyn prescribed for me back before it was OTC.</p>
<p>The over-the-counter disposable heat pads help. I don’t know what they are called – in the section with feminine products. They are sticky on one side, you put the sticky side on panties and the warm side on the ab. They don’t take the place of Advil but you can leave the house and still have heat for several hours and the heat is comforting and helpful.</p>
<p>And I should add – no one can tell you are wearing it as it’s very thin and you can move about freely.</p>
<p>Pamprin works very well for me. Also, if possible, I lay on my side in a sort of fetal position while I’m waiting for the meds to kick in. It works well for me. :)</p>
<p>Exercise and yoga always helps me, but my cramps are on the mild side.</p>
<p>Talk about timing! I was just reading the August issue of Good Housekeeping; there’s a little blurb about taking ginger for cramps. In an Iranian study of 150 women, the ginger eased cramps as well as 2 painkillers, versions of Motrin & Ponstel (?). The women took the ginger capsules (250 mg) 4x/day. It says the capsules are sold in natural foods stores.</p>
<p>NB – no personal experience with this. Back in the day I went through all the OTC stuff and moved on to a prescription painkiller(codeine) and then birth control pills. This was back in the day when the pill had much stronger dosages of hormones, and I ended up taking myself off it as I was getting leg aches, etc. My eventual “cure” was having kids – not that I’m suggesting this for OP’s D!</p>
<p>timing is everything - a day before her period starts is important. Once the cramps start, it’s hard to knock them out. Prevention is the cure- motrin is good.</p>
<p>ibuprofen used to work for me-- id take 2 pills every 4 hours or so, starting as soon as I got my period. I then went on BC and have only had cramps that needed a painkiller maybe twice in the last three years. It definitely made a huge difference</p>
<p>Back when ibuprofen was first introduced, I was taking codeine and aspirin for cramps with no success. My doctor gave me a prescription for 800 mg tablets and told me to take two at the first sign of cramps. That worked, more or less.</p>
<p>It turned out that I had severe endometriosis (diagnosed with a laparascopy) which I cured by having my kids back-to-back (14 months apart) and nursing both. I have not had cramps since. </p>
<p>If your daughter has not had a thorough check with a gynecologist, that should be the first step.</p>
<p>CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR. She or he will probably explain that evidence based studies show two 275 naproxen sodium (OTC Aleve) taken AS SOON AS cramps begin tends to work the best and the longest, nudging out 2-3 200 mg ibuprofen (Motrin OTC). They both come way ahead of 2 325 mg acetaminophen (Tylenol). Aspirin is generally avoided as it is a blood thinner and more blood loss is not a good idea.</p>
<p>Naproxen and ibuprofen are prostaglantin inhibitors. They don’t just mask the pain of cramps, they help to reduce the release of prostaglandins. The sooner you start the less overall medicine you are likely to need. At the first sign of cramps or at the first sign of flow, START. While in some cases of pain it may be better to wait until you really need a pill; in the case of cramps, the sooner you begin the faster the meds can begin to reduce the production and release of prostaglandins. </p>
<p>For teens with really bad cramps, we physicians often suggest 2 naproxen sodium at bedtime starting 2-3 days before the anticipated onset of a period, then 2 more AS SOON AS the flow starts. This can signifcantly reduce the prostaglandin cascade, which can first cause cramps, and sometime then lead to nausea and vomiting, leg cramps, back pain, etc. This plan works only for teens/women who are fairly regular.</p>
<p>There are prescription alternatives when OTC meds are not enough, as well as other approaches. When one does not ovulate, the production of prostaglandins is much lower. So OCP’s, depo-provera, and other hormonal contraceptives are often used when cramps are very problematic.</p>
<p>Most cramps fall into the category of primary dysmenorrhea–cramps for no other reason than just cramps. Secondary dysmenorrhea are cramps due to an underlying problem, such as endometriosis, cysts. Primary dysmenorrhea begins with the onset of periods, or begins once cycles are ovulatory–and 99% of cramps in teens are in this category. They are not indicative of an underlying problem. Many times they improve with age, and after childbirth. Secondary dysmenorrhea are cramps that usually are not present as a teen, slowly start to develop in ones 20’s or even 30’s. It is common for a women to say “I never used to have cramps.” This is more of a concern and requires more of an investigation. </p>
<p>Check with her pediatrician. You can also consult with your GYN. (I am a GYN.) The initial recomendations for cramps do not always require a visit. But cramps that do not respond to NSAIDS (naproxin, ibuprofen) should prompt an appointment.</p>
<p>Sunnyflorida, what a helpful explanation!</p>
<p>Back in the day, I used to find a stiff drink really helped, but I don’t recommend that to a high schooler! One of the wonderful unexpected benefits of having kids was that I never had cramps again after the first one.</p>
<p>mathmom, when I saw the thread title, I was going to post my response: “Vodka!” then I read the post. LOL</p>