How I Shifted Away From OTC Drugs To Managing My Periods More Naturally

 

A period without the need for heavy medication?

That used to be unthinkable to me.

For about 17 years, I relied heavily on OTC medications to help me manage my period pain, and even with medicine, there were many times where the pain was so intense for the first couple of days, I couldn’t physically function.

I usually described the pain as a deep aching all the way to my bones, especially in my legs, hips, and back.

I also daily depended on a heating pad, ice cream, and coffee. The trifecta of comfort as I call it!

About a year before I got married, I started learning more about natural period products and how to manage your periods naturally.

I was skeptical about the idea of being able to have less pain with my period, especially without the use of medicine, and actually being able to function throughout each day of my period, not just the last couple days when I started feeling normal again.

As I read and researched, I decided to make the change to natural period products, as well as make some changes in my monthly routine to see if I really could experience less painful periods.

While these changes might not work for everyone, they were an important part of helping me reduce my dependence on OTC medicine, and eventually transition to not needing them much at all.

The most important thing I learned throughout this process was to give my body time to heal and adjust.

After all, I’d been treating my period the SAME way for nearly two decades, and I had to recognize that change wasn’t going to happen overnight.

Four Changes That Helped Me Manage My Period:

I’ve never really been a pad girl. My period has always been SUPER heavy the first couple days, so the idea of going through a pad within 5-10 minutes (which is also about how long it took to fill a tampon) grossed me out. I was also very active in sports, so there was no way for me to manage an entire practice or game with a pad on.

Tampons were my only answer.

Initially I wasn’t aware of the dangers of TSS, but as I learned more, I carried around more tampons to make sure I had enough to regularly change throughout each day.

Although I’ve since learned that tampons aren’t the cause of TSS, they have been known to contribute to it. [1]

And, as with just about any product, not all tampons are made the same way with the same ingredients.

So I started questioning why I was using a potentially toxic product inside my body month after month. And, when my body started rejecting tampons for some unknown reason (forcing me into the pad life), I was even more determined that I needed to make a change.

Now that I know more, I always check for products that are chlorine free, chemical free, fragrance free and made with cotton.

There are also many beauty products & feminine hygiene products that contain EDC’s (endocrine disrupting chemicals), which can wreak havoc on our bodies and consequently, our periods. [2]

Along with changing my period products, I also began checking all of the beauty products I use to make sure they were also free from hormone disruptors, which I learned may also contribute to intense, heavy cramping.

While I’m not an essential oil junky, I was desperate to see if I could make a change for the betterment of my body and my health.

Having been accustomed to taking OTC drugs for so long, I didn’t realize how detrimental they could be to my digestive system and other internal organs [3], until I landed in the ER for ulcers caused by taking IBUprofen without food.

This isn’t to say that OTC meds are bad altogether. But the amount and frequency at which I was taking them is what caused the problem.

For the record, my cramps were so bad that I took 5 Ibuprofen at least twice a day (sometimes 3 times) for the first day of my period, and gradually weaned down as the days of my period progressed.

I know. It’s as bad as it sounds. And I probably should have talked with a doctor about the extent of the pain, but I didn’t want to be prescribed pills or shots.

This is exactly why I wanted to make the change.

When I bought an EO roller specifically designed for cramps, I decided that I would use it for a minimum of 3 – 6 months before making any decisions on whether or not it worked. I was well aware of the possibility of a placebo effect happening, and didn’t want to get my hopes up.

Along with using this roller, I also decided to take one less pill each time I felt like I needed medication. So instead of starting with 5, I started with 4, and paid attention to my pain levels, trying to discern when I needed medicine and when I could work through the discomfort without it.

It was a very conscious decision to not immediately turn to medication each time I felt the cramps returning. I had to deliberately choose to use the roller again instead, and opt for some mint green tea (another natural remedy I found) to see if I could manage a little longer without medicine.

Gradually, two different changes began occurring.

The first was that I began to feel like I could go longer periods of time without needing medicine.

The second was that if I felt like I couldn’t wait, I was able to take fewer pills and let them work over time.

While I was honestly skeptical about the essential oils working, month after month I felt like I could keep reducing the amount of medicine I took.

After six months, I was convinced that this was a remedy I could stick with.

As I said earlier, I really had to pay attention to how my body was feeling.

This was definitely a shift in my thinking, because I was so used to immediately medicating the pain.

Instead of automatically turning to pills to take away my cramps, I shifted my focus to analyze how bad I really felt, checked the last time I had used the roller (and taken medication), and decided whether or not I just needed to rest and use a heating pad.

I also made sure to eat something nutritious before I took medication, rather than downing chocolate (or any surgery food) and coffee.

As the months progressed I continued to decrease the amount of medicine I took, and was surprised that I was handling it so well.

I still experienced pain and discomfort, but at this point I was able to start with only three pills on the first day, eventually weaning that down to two, which was a miracle for me!

When I got to the point of feeling like I only needed to initially take 2 pills on the first day, I decided to try to skip them altogether. That didn’t always work, but feeling like I could try to make it gave me a newfound freedom.

And knowing that I could realistically only take 2 pills and be fine the rest of the day was incredible!

The pain and discomfort of my period was now manageable instead of derailing my entire day.

It’s no secret that sugar is a topic of controversy and is often looked down on for many reasons.

I would say that I’m normally a healthy eater, and don’t pay too much attention to things like portion sizes because I stop eating when I’m full.

But on my period, I want all the coffee, all the chocolate, and all the ice cream. All the time!

It truly is the one time where I don’t care what I’m eating, I just want to feel better, and these foods give me comfort.

Unfortunately, they don’t help with the pain. Studies have shown that sugary foods and drinks can add to your pain levels [4], so even though they provide a sense of “comfort”, they’re not beneficial in the long run.

Changing what food I gravitated towards on my period took way more discipline than expected.

As with all changes, moderation was the key. So instead of cutting out all chocolate, I had a couple pieces with my mint green tea, and stopped there rather than eating a whole chocolate bar.

I also made whole meals rather than relying on snacks throughout the day.

I learned that listening to my body, choosing healthier foods & drinks, and decreasing the amount of OTC medication I took made a huge impact overall on my health in general, as well as my period.

My hip & back cramps aren’t nearly as bad, and I tend to turn to using a heating pad & essential oils first when I feel more than uncomfortable, before turning to medicine.

For someone who couldn’t dream of functioning without medication on her period, being able to live well with some mild discomfort feels like a miracle.

It definitely was not an overnight change, but committing to the process helped me see results and reduce my dependence on OTC drugs.

I’m grateful to be where I am without a crazy dependence on medicine to help with monthly pain, and hoping that my journey will encourage some of you to start the process of reducing your need for OTC drugs every time your period hits.

Sources:

• Vostrel, PhD, Sharra. “Toxic shock syndrome, tampons and laboratory standard–setting.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5436965/, 23 May. 2017. Web. 18 Aug. 2020.
• 
  Nicole, Wendee. “A Question for Women’s Health: Chemicals in Feminine Hygiene Products and Personal Lubricants.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3948026/, 1 Mar. 2014. Web. 18 Aug. 2020.
• 
  Bushra, Rabia Aslam, Nousheen. “An Overview of Clinical Pharmacology of Ibuprofen.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3191627/, July 2015. Web. 19 Aug. 2020.
• 
  Najafi, Nastaran et.al. “Major dietary patterns in relation to menstrual pain: a nested case control study.”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5963185/, 21 May 2018. Web. 20 Aug. 2020.