This may seem like a dumb question. But yet, my Dr. tells me I should be concerned/talk to him if it keeps up. But, why in the world would one cramp when they have a "fake" period on the pill? I've been on the pill 7 years, I hardly think I've ovulated in awhile!
I also have endo-it was removed in surgery a year ago. Yet, I still cramp. Which makes no sense to me. Just wondering if anyone had an idea....
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In a town of chimpanzees I was a Monkey....
~Beck
When you're not on the pill, you know, your body knows when it's time to have a period, and your hormones start fluctuating, and that's what sets off the period to start. It's an all natural process, and the cramps occur when the uterus contracts in order to expel the shedded uterine lining.
Ok but when you're on the pill, that process is entirely artificial. The chemicals in the pill supress your natural menstrual cycle and ovulation, so none of it happens due to natural reasons. It tricks your body into thinking it's perpetually pregnant. However, your hormones fluctuate as a result of being on the placebo week. And the reason why it takes a couple of days after being on placebos to get your fake period is because the level of hormones have to drop enough to trigger the uterus to shed its lining.
And since cramps are a direct result of shedding the uterine lining, then you obviously still get cramps, even if it's a fake period. The fact that you're having a period at all, regardless of whether it's a fake period or a real period, you're going to have cramps. It's the uterus contracting to expel the blood. That's just how your body works.
If that's the case (not saying I don't believe you), then why would the Dr keep telling me I shouldn't hurt? It doesn't make much sense to me. This may seem graphic, but what exactly is my uterus expelling if it isn't uterine lining?
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In a town of chimpanzees I was a Monkey....
~Beck
Despite that some people call it a 'fake' period, it is still a period and your body still goes through all the same functions as if you were having a 'natural' period. Your body is still shedding (or attempting to shed) your uterine lining. Just because a chemical is telling your body when to do it, does not make it any less real.
I see it like, just because you have a bowel movement because you took a laxative, it's still a bowel movement. It's not a 'fake' bowel movement, lol.
I don't know why your doctor would tell you it shouldn't hurt. Many women experience less cramping because the amount of lining is reduced but being on the pill is no guarantee you will be pain free... weird.
Right, being on the pill isn't going to make the cramps entirely go away. It never did for me! Some women are lucky and their cramps are very reduced when on the pill. But others, like me, have no effect on the painfulness of cramps.
You must have a doctor who doesn't know the pill very much. It's not a gynecologist is it? Scary that a doctor wouldn't know this information, it's pretty much common sense?! I would highly suggest you find a doctor who actually, you know, knows something about practicing medicine?!?!
Maybe I should clarify- thought I added this in my frist post, but I have endo and he (Dr who is a gyno and specializes in fertility too) removed the endo-he then said the pain should be dramatically reduced and since I'm not 'really' ovulating, I should not be in this much pain-but that I'd still hurt somewhat.
For me, its almost as if every other month is terrible pain, the other times its managable pain....
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In a town of chimpanzees I was a Monkey....
~Beck
I think you're confusing ovulation pain with period pain. They happen at two different times in your cycle. If you weren't on the pill then it's possible to have a slight pain during ovulation as well as during menstruation. It happens to a lot of women.
Anyway, it appears as though you're asking about ovulation cramps rather than menstrual cramps because you specifically mention ovulation. Are you at all referring to menstrual cramps during the period? Because, again, that happens at two different times during the cycle, so I'm thinking perhaps I misunderstood what you were asking about?
Yes, I guess I interpreted what my Dr said when he mentioned "since you aren't ovulating, you shouldn't cramp" to mean that I should have no cramps-since I am not ovulating. However, you are right, if I am having a period regardless of "fake" or not, I'd still hurt from the motions, if you will, of passing whatever you end up passing when you are on the pill and it isn't *really* uterine lining. But you still pass stuff, so therefore, I am sure that's got to be why I still hurt.
AND he told me that my uterus (this was the follow up to my Laproscopy last year) that my uterus (I am 27 , never had kids or even been pregnant so no miscarriages either) is that of a woman who has had 4 kids because of the scaring/stretching (I think the term he used was "striated"). So....keeping that in mind, no wonder I still hurt, but its frustrating...why go through a Laproscopy which took about a WEEk for me to recover properly, when I'm still going to cramp??
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In a town of chimpanzees I was a Monkey....
~Beck
Keeping in mind also, if you had a lap done for endo, the fact that you had endo at all would possibly result in still having cramps, because he may not have gotten rid of all the scarring. It has been known to happen. And the stuff you pass during your period is still your uterine lining, even if you're on the pill. Just wanted to clarify.
