Q&A: My cramps are so bad that I'm pretty much bedridden, even when I take Pamprin. Is this normal?

Yes, it is possible to have cramps that are strong and painful enough to keep you in bed all day. For most women, cramps are just a mild annoyance. Though for some women, cramps can be intense enough to keep them from participating in their regular activities. Unfortunately, it sounds as though you are dealing with pretty severe cramps. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen usually treat this kind of pain effectively, so if they're not working for you, it would be a good idea to speak to your healthcare provider. He or she will be able to determine if there are any other conditions that are contributing to your cramps, and help you find the treatment and relief that you need.

All day in bed? That is no way to live girl! If your cramps are that bad I want you to call your healthcare professional, mom, aunt, trusted adult and let them help you. You do not have to live this way. Cramps are not something you have to suffer through each month and miss out on life.

Sounds normal to me, especially because I’m also someone who gets cramps so bad that I can’t get out of bed. Some girls and women experience worse cramps than others – I have a couple of girlfriends who barely get cramps and I have a couple of girlfriends who get them so bad that they have to take a sick day from work. I have a routine when I start feeling a cramp creep up: before it gets real severe, I take ibuprofen, pour hot water into a water bottle, get back into bed, and hold the bottle of hot water against my stomach. Try the water bottle trick. It doesn’t sound like much (it’s just holding a bottle of hot water against where it hurts), but there’s something about it that really does the trick. The heat from the bottle is really soothing and will help with the pain until the ibuprofen kicks in. Hopefully your situation will mirror mine and the cramps will get better as you get older. If not, you’ll definitely find a routine like mine that’ll help you get through them.

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