Hi my names kira. When my whole trial with ibs started my periods became heavier and i started having horrible cramping and back pain(never had cramping w/period b4 ibs). Well over the summer i took i-b profen and use a heating pad to help with the pain and it would help the cramping for maybe a hour then it would be full force again. Well after my no luck with i-b profen i just decided to try to manage- which meant laying in bed, not moving, with a heating pad all day until i went to bed, but i cant do that anymore im starting school and its going to be hard enough dealing with ibs+school, but now im gonna have to also deal with ibs+school+menstural pains and everything that comes with it. Im desperate! I want to take menstural medicine for those days that are unbearable, but i dont know what to try that wont upset my stomach or my ibs-d and spastic colon. I have heard of most of the menstural meds, but dont know which ones help that dont effect the ibs??
*Any females out there that have to deal with the same thing??? If so do you have any advice???
1,000's of thanks to whoever helps- KIRA

I have always used tylenol because Im allergic to aspirin. Never had a problem with tylenol with ibs. But if ibuprofen doesnt work for ya then you can try stronger aspirin medication like aleve (any anaproxins) or you can try using birth control pills, that seems to help many with painful periods. Would be good for you try calcium supplements as that helps both ibs and menstrual pain.

I think you need to take a Calcium/ Magnesium supplement 3 times daily. It will help the cramping/ spasms in your colon and female organs.

After three years and many doctor visits, I was finally told that the extreme pain I was in the few days before my period, and then the unbearable pain the day my period began was "probably related to IBS" (which I didn't know I had) and the level of progesterone at start of menses. My doc gave me birthcontrol pills that will stop my periods for 90 days, so I will only have to deal with the pain four times a year - even that is depressing, but it's better than once a month. A few things I've learned while trying to help myself through the monthly ordeal was to stay away from caffeine, and use an icepack on the site of the pain. Drink plenty of water, and keep moving. Laying still makes it worse, though that's all you want to do, also, don't forget to breath! When we are in pain we tend to breathe shallow breaths. Make sure to suck in a few lungfulls of air throughout the day. good luck. I'll let you know how the pills work for me. I'll also try the fiber that Harry suggested.

Well, I used to get such horrible cramps all I could do was be in fetal position--on the toilet--(around the time of my period). I wonder if all that was IBS related...I am on the birth control pill now, but will probably get off of it b/c I think I am getting headaches from it. It has helped somewhat w/ the cramping though..still though, about every other month, if I don't get the bad constipation from just PMS-ing it's diarea for the duration of my period...before I start my period, I'm constipated and then once I do start, it's bad cramping w/ D. Not fun! I've been on caltrate for awhile and I hope I see an improvement next month since this month was bad!

I dont know if I have IBS but it never fails when I get my period that I get horrible cramps, plus I get constipated which gives me sharp pains on top of the cramps, its horrible. I am going to the gyno this Thursday I want to find out if he thinks I have endo. I have been going to my regular doctor for the pain and he has been no help and he told me there was no possible way I could have endo but I have had a lot of people tell me in my posts that it sounds like I have endo. I am also going to see a gastroenterologist but I cant get in there until Sept. 21. I take calcium-magn. supplements and they help a lot when its not my period time or right after my period but during my period and right after it nothing helps the constipation. I dont know how to help your pain because I take 800mg Ibprofin and it doesnt help and neither does vicadin so I just quit taking anything, because if its not going to help Im not going to keep putting bad things into my body. I just want you to know that your not alone and whatever I find out on Thursday I will let you know.

P.S. Today I was looking stuff up again to see if I could find anything close to my symptoms and I found something that I have all the symptoms of its called intestinal endometriosis. Heres some info:(you really should look it up and see if you can relate to anything else that it says, I dont want to post the website because I dont think we are supposed too, but good luck)

Diagnosing intestinal Endometriosis is relatively easy. A woman with intestinal Endometriosis will tell me that she has significant GI symptoms that vary with her menstrual cycle. The symptoms may be present only at the time of the menstrual period or they may be present all month long and worsen at the time of the period. The most common symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea (but vomiting is rare), diarrhea, increased gas, significant bloating, crampy abdominal pain, painful bowel movements, and sharp stabbing rectal pain. Many women also complain of constipation that seems to vary with the menstrual cycle. Unexplained iron-deficiency anemia may also be a clue to the presence of intestinal Endometriosis. Menstrually associated rectal bleeding is diagnostic of intestinal Endometriosis.