Captain's Log, Stardate 12.16.2009
TMI Alert:
I know that exercise is supposed to make period cramps lessen, but it has never done that for me. Not if I exercise the weeks before my period, not if I exercise during my period. And actually, if I exercise during or close to my period, I’ll start cramping and it’ll just be really painful and unpleasant.
The other day I was running and had to cut the run short because my cramps were just bad. I normally don’t panic, but my friend has endometriosis, and for a moment I wondered if I had that since the cramps were getting to me. So I IM’d her:
Me: For people with endometriosis, if you exercise, does that make your cramps worse?
Her: No, it makes it better.
Me: Then I guess I don’t have endometriosis.
Her: You'd know beyond a shadow of a doubt because the pain is so intense. Like labor.
Labor? As in, have children labor? As in, little Camys NOT running around my house?
Me: Um...that description doesn’t help me any.

I know that exercise is supposed to make period cramps lessen, but it has never done that for me. Not if I exercise the weeks before my period, not if I exercise during my period. And actually, if I exercise during or close to my period, I’ll start cramping and it’ll just be really painful and unpleasant.
The other day I was running and had to cut the run short because my cramps were just bad. I normally don’t panic, but my friend has endometriosis, and for a moment I wondered if I had that since the cramps were getting to me. So I IM’d her:
Me: For people with endometriosis, if you exercise, does that make your cramps worse?
Her: No, it makes it better.
Me: Then I guess I don’t have endometriosis.
Her: You'd know beyond a shadow of a doubt because the pain is so intense. Like labor.
Labor? As in, have children labor? As in, little Camys NOT running around my house?
Me: Um...that description doesn’t help me any.
Comments
My cramps were so bad before I had kids I'd literally down almost an entire bottle of pain meds during it. After having four kids they went away, until 3 years ago. They came back stronger than ever. Part of my problem was ovarian cysts, they can make them bad. The other problem, not enough progesterone in my body. Once we fixed that, the cramps aren't as bad, only the first day and that's it.
I'd check with your doc and see what's up.
The only way to know for sure is possibly through ultrasounds (since they've improved so much) or laparoscopic.
Sorry for the rambling, a good OB/GYN should be able to help you know what's going on.
Blessings,
Holly
Camy - my friend swears by Pamprin when she's all crampy. I'm an Aleve girl -- it's basically the same as Midol and costs less. Exercise never helps me either...
My doctor says it doesn't seem like I have endometriosis, in her opinion, so that's a good thing.
Camy