WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for September, 2002: Re: Painful Menstration after quitting the pill.

Re: Painful Menstration after quitting the pill.

From: William McIntosh, MD (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 24 Sep 2002 13:16:48 -0500 (CDT)

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Reply: anonymous@obgyn.net: "Re: Painful Menstration after quitting the pill."

At Tue, 24 Sep 2002, Diane wrote: >
>I am 24 years old and have been taking oral contraceptions (Lo Ovral/28)
>for 7 years. I quit taking the pill 3 months ago and have noticed that
>since my last cycle while on the pill, EVERY cycle has brought on very
>SEVERE cramping.
>
>The sensation is similar to the feeling of a Pap Smear, but with pain
>intensified 1,000+ times. I have always had cramping, but it was more
>like hot, deep muscle spasms that I could feel in my legs also.
>
>Now the cramps are so bad that I cannot use tampons *OUCH*, the pain
>just doubles me over and I cannot move quickly or sit for long periods
>of time as the pain stuns me and I lose my breath.
>
>I can directly associate this pain with the abscence of the pill.
>
>My question is are the cramps I describe, what all women experience and
>I have just been masking the pain by taking the pill for so long, or
>could there be another possible problem? Please help if you can.

It would seem that you have significantly more severe dysmenorrhea than average, and that it has been successfully managed by your previous use of oral contraceptives. Some women have no pain, others have a bit, and some have a huge amount, and you would appear to be in this later category. It is typically an intrinsic characteristic of a given woman, and is sometimes alleviated for the long run by a first pregnancy. It may be that you have some underlying condition that the OCP was blocking, such as endometriosis, that is now allowed to more fully express itself.

-- William D. McIntosh, MD, FACOG

This is for educational purposes only, and is not a substitute for consultation and examination by a licensed medical professional.

Next message: William McIntosh, MD: "Re: Unterine fibroids"
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In reply to: Diane: "Painful Menstration after quitting the pill."
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