Muscle spasms in lower back before my periods

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I am 42 , I exercise regularly and eat healthy and look after myself. I have always had painful periods but they are getting worse. I'm normally regular give or take a fee days . my symptoms building up to my period are very routine, swollen stomach and breasts, headache, constipation mostly sometimes diarrhoea, hunger , no appetite, very emotional, teary and extremely harsh on my wonderful partner (who is so supportive) my mood hits rock bottom and I also find it hard to speak to get words out without getting tongue tied , I get nightmares, restlessness and back pain . My back pain has become become unbearable over time. About 5 days before I'm due on I feel my back weaken , for the last 5 months I've also started to get muscle spasms a couple of days before. I will bend over to pick up something or turn and my back just goes sometime I fall to my knees others I have to freeze for a few minutes and then after I can be left with being just about able to walk or even not able to even turn. Each month I have to call the doctor to get diazepam, codeine anything that will help me out of pain and to be able to walk freely again. On my last period which was one if the most severe I've experienced the Doctor has now given my Mefenamic acid which I don't know much about. I really don't want to have to take such heavy medication as this every month. I was on a pill but it wasn't much different and my stomach used to swell so much that people would often mistake me for being pregnant. I have had these symptoms although not so severe for 14 years , in that time I've been back and forward to GP's and in the last 4 years I've complained more and more about symptoms progressing and getting worse. I've not once had anyone that has understood how I feel or tell me anything that has made me feel that what I experienced is absolutely normal or taken me seriously. I know it's not a average experience each month as I work in a mainly female environment and none of them seem to go through what I do. each month the pelvic cramps I get are not just in abdomen they travel down to my knees I can bearly stand sometimes. I have even be taken to hospital on one occasion and was told it was just acute period pain. I am not someone that complains of pain I have a very high threshold for pain and I'm not someone that panics over things . I do extreme sports I am a strong mindfully but with this I feel totally alone and lost at what to do . I go to the doctors I try to bare it and soldier on I look after my body but I also know my body and I know this isn't right ! Can anyone understand me on this or have you experienced any of what I have tried my best to explain. Any advice would be great right now . Thank you .

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2 Replies

  • Edited

    As I am getting older my periods are much more painful too. My breasts before my period also get extremely swollen and painful I easily go up a bra size. I get bad PMT and horrible headaches and dizziness just before I am due. I think as you get older and your hormones change, this can make your symptoms worse. B vitamins help and vitamin d. As for painkillers I would say naproxen works better than mefenamic acid, but both upset my stomach a lot. Take Nexium an hour before raking your anti inflammatory because you can really upset your stomach otherwise. I got gastritis from naproxen with no ppi! I also would recommend kefir yoghurt drink before and during your period, if you get IBS symptoms like bloating and constipation. It really helps your gut bacteria.

    • Posted

      I agree ,it definitely seems to get worse as your older. I've had naproxen to but again its something I try to avoid as it has a lot of issues when taking it. kefir is really good and so is kombucha and Kimchi. I really do my best with my diet and exercise so that's what concerns me with the muscle spasms I have before every period. It is hard to describe but I feel that area become almost delicate and I know to be careful as its the slightest movement that will cause it to spasms and then my whole back ceases up for a few days. if this happened at any other time I would look into treatment more for my back (which I have done a lot ) but I can almost pin point these episodes along with my cycle and that's why I believe that it could be down to something else , possibly endometriosis?

      I have mentioned this recently to my GP who reply was yes its possible and that having a baby could help ! I'm 42 I've got to grown up kids that's the last thing I want.

      I sympathise with you for the pain and swelling as I definitely ho up a bra size and have to hold mine when going upstairs as it hurts, although the full shape is quite nice to have as I'm not blessed naturally it doesn't last long and are left feeling very deflated in more ways than one! ha . Thank you for responding nice to hear from someone else's experience.

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