I’m amazed to blog this, but after a year of struggling with horrific cramping, today is day two of my period and I’m not in agony! Four ibuprofen every 3-4 hours has kept me comfortable, as in PAIN-FREE. Oh, my god. I’m so, so grateful. I can hardly believe it.
I’d like to thank my chiropractor/acupuncturist Dr. Ashley Frer, my specialist in hormonal imbalances Dr. Emily Lindner, my EFT tapping circle, my hypnotherapist and EFT practitioner Lili Betancourt, and Dr. Joe Dispenza, my meditation guru (although he’ll never know it). They were ALL absolutely necessary in getting me through this past year of clean eating, breaking my sugar addiction and suffering the horrible pain of menstruation every month as it gradually (so goddamn gradually) got better each time. They helped me stick to dealing with the pain primarily with diet, and helped me stay away from surgery, opioids, going back on The Pill or using other hormonal drugs. And now I’m actually GOOD.
I’m finally able to stay ahead of the pain with ibuprofen! And if I forget and let a little too much time go by, I’m able to get the pain back down with ibuprofen plus heating pad. I can live with this. Getting my period is no longer the monster in the closet. I no longer have to hope fervently that menopause comes soon. I can go ahead and plan regular activities for the weeks when I expect to get my period. No more clearing my calendar in anticipation of days spent in bed with a heating pad, swallowing pills and crying (joyous and slightly hysterical laughter)!
It’s possible that what made the final difference was cutting out wheat (100% no cheating) which is apparently the most inflammatory thing I can eat. Goddamn wheat, man. It’s my new nemesis, worse for me than dairy, worse for me than other grains, even worse than sugar. No, I don’t have celiac’s disease or an allergy to wheat. Wheat just makes me hurt.