Dealing with pesky period pain

This post is brought to you by Nurofen and my pesky period pain!

You may have noticed that I was both cranky and maudlin last week. I’ve commented on it here before and those I see often (in the real world) know to be prepared for my monthly hormonal mood swings.

It’s gotten worse of late, as has my period. Yes boys you may want to avert your eyes or block your ears now! Or – of course – those with women in their lives can read and nod knowingly.

Like gazillions of others around the world I suffer from period pain.  I’ve previously had endometriosis and suspect it’s returned in the 6-7 years since I was treated, but now that I’m in my – ahem – mid 40s my doctor tells me I’m premenopausal. Or something.

It means my period is now often fairly heavy and I am quite exhausted for a few days each month. The fact that I fall in an emotional heap for several days prior to my period is also problematic for those around me (or those reading my blog posts!).

I’ve tried all sorts of remedies but basically found there’s nothing I can do to prevent the inevitable. In my case it starts with cramping pain and diarrhoea and goes downhill from there. But I do have a secret weapon, which staves off the pain and allows me to function fairly normally over those few days each month.

Nurofen.

Yes, I’m sure you’ve seen my ‘Thank god for Nurofen” tweets and Facebook updates.

I was a user of Nurofen (with its active ingredient ibuprofen) before the advent of its many specialised offerings. Nurofen Plus (available only at pharmacies) with codeine is perfect for evenings when I need to sleep (and not operate heavy machinery), but it’s Nurofen Zavance – available from supermarkets and pharmacies alike – which is my GO-TO drug of choice.

It’s absorbed into the bloodstream faster so it acts quickly. I try to take Nurofen before my period even starts – as soon as there’s a glimmer of internal movement (oh yes, I know I have a way with words). But I’m not always successful, as my period (like the birds) likes to appear at dawn. But I know that unlike other medications, I can take a couple of Nurofen Zavance and the pain will be gone. Quickly.

For those interested in the detail, Nurofen provides pain relief by blocking the production of a pain-causing enzyme.

While its medications for children have been available in Australia for years, Nurofen is now producing a range of products offering targeted relief for migraines, tension headaches, back pain AND period pain;  in addition to topical treatments (heat patches and gel) and cold and flu and sinus medications.

I’m happy to stick to Nurofen Zavance (and Nurofen Plus) which does the trick when it comes to my pesky period pain or the occasional headache, but Nurofen’s website offers a plethora of information.

As well as FAQs there’s a treatment advisor and heaps of detail about the product range and some useful information about the differences between ibuprofen, paracetamol and aspirin.

Fortunately for me Nurofen’s products are gluten-free but for anyone coveting my methods of pain relief take a look at the website and check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Are you also a lover of Nurofen?
Do you (or someone you know – for the boys out there) suffer from period pain?

Disclaimer:
 This is a paid post, however all opinions expressed in this space are mine, written with the objective of giving readers my personal opinion of the products discussed.