Monday, April 10, 2017

Monthly Frenemy


I need to explore herbal remedies for hormonal and menstrual issues because at this point my monthly frenemy is adversely affecting my quality of life. I spend roughly 7-10 days per month cursing my reproductive organs. If I’m not spotting for days on end before and after my period, I’m dealing with a gushing, heavy flow that takes me 10 minutes to clean up every time I use the loo. And, as if that weren’t bad enough, I am so bitchy moody and irritable with painful breasts, bloating and cramps both back and front, that I’m no fun to be around. The coup de grĂ¢ce has been the utter lack of energy I have when my period first begins. I am utterly exhausted to the point that I feel ill from being so groggy and have to fight not to fall asleep at my desk at work, regardless of how much I sleep. It’s like when that time of the month rolls around, suddenly my uterus fills with kryptonite, zapping away my super-powers, leaving me a weak and feeble mortal. I simply cannot go on this way. Losing some weight might help, so I’m working on that, but spending roughly 60-80 days a year utterly miserable is no longer ok with me. When I sought help from my medical professional last fall I was given the option of birth control pills or an IUD – so a contraceptive or a contraceptive inserted into my body. No thanks, I’ll pass. I asked about herbal remedies and was told there isn’t anything that helps with miserable periods. Dr. Google begs to differ and while I wouldn’t go just on those recommendations, I feel it is an option I would like to explore. I’m just not sure where to go for sound recommendations from a professional. So, I’m contemplating becoming my own herbalist professional. Did you know there are a plethora of herbal certifications available via online courses?

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5 comments:

  1. Definitely don't give up. My naturopath saved me from my own body! I take a handful of supplements for a couple of different things, and the difference they make is amazing.

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  2. Oh, no. I'm so sorry. It's terrible when your body treats you that way. I went a rather radical way and had an endomyometrial resection (different from ablation which has less success long term) -- basically my lining and the top layer of uterine muscle was removed. I have no more periods, because I have no more lining. Which is fun to explain to medical people unaware of such procedures. I bled for 5 months straight and really didn't feel the need to keep a functional uterus around, and nothing medication wise was working (and I have had bad luck with herbal remedies). I was also given the option of an IUD, but no thank you (although it seems weird I'd rather have something removed than something put in). I hope you find relief. I hope you find a good herbalist, but if that route does not work, this procedure did wonders for me. Best of luck to you!

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  3. I'm so sorry you're going through that. Though the total number of days is gulp-worthy when you think about it like that. 7 days... feh. 70 days... that's a different story.

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  4. I'm completely useless when it comes to herbal remedies, but yikes. That sounds awful! Do you see a naturopath? That could be a good route for some resources.

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  5. That sounds awful! Hope you find something that works for you

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