Female cramps

I'm directing this to the women in the forum. It's not that I think men don't give valid answers, but that a woman is more likely to know what I'm talking about and not just assume it's a side stitch or normal muscular cramp.

I do vigorous cardio on a regular basis (about 45 minutes, 5 days a week), and find that it seems to bring on what feels like menstrual cramps even when I'm not on my cycle. After my workouts (and sometimes during), I get really painful cramping. It's internal, as if I'm having bad PMS, and it's to the point where I have to take a pain killer or I can't tolerate it. It happens about half the time, maybe more.

Does anyone else have an issue like this? If so, have you found any solutions to preventing it without popping a painkiller? I'd say it's a vitamin deficiency, except that I take a multi-vitamin, in addition to my regular diet, and it doesn't seem to help. I'd also like to add that I don't get cramps anywhere else, such as in my feet or legs, and I'd think I would be getting them if I weren't getting enough of a certain thing. Any ideas are much appreciated.

Do you warm up and stretch? I'd start with a 5-10 minute fast pace walk followed by a 5-10 minute stretching period before actually starting your cardio. I used to get cramps in my obliques when I ran until someone made the suggestion that stretching does not count as a warm up.

Uhm... You did understand what I was saying when I said it was *not* regular cramps, right? Yes, I stretch. Yes, I warm up. I don't get so-called "regular" cramps. They feel exactly like menstrual cramps. I know the difference between a stitch and a menstrual cramp.

Make sure you are very well hydrated.  Often times dehydration can manifest as cramps that sometimes feel like menstrual cramps.  Hydrate regularly every day before, during and after your workout, not just drinking a large amount before.  Try that and see if it helps.

YES! I do *waves hand in the air*. And I am JUST as puzzled as you. Sometimes, I'm not even "working out" and I get them, totally not that TOM either.

TMI ALERT: I wonder if this could be due to the whole, "Retroverted" or "Tipped Uterus" I was told I have by the last lady that gave me an ultrasound (due to kidney stones). But who knows, I also get ovarian cysts that are suppressed with birth control.

Here's something else I found: http://www.endometriosis.org/faq.html.

If anyone else is pretty sure they know what (the OP describes) is, I would LOVE to know.

Thank Moses! Not to be grateful for your pain ('cause it hurts like the damn dickens), but certainly glad to know I'm not the only one that gets this. People who don't know act like it's just a stitch or something, but I've had stitches before and I know that they don't usually pop up on my crotch, lol!

I've never had my gyno tell me I had anything but healthy annuals/paps, but I've never been given an ultrasound. Then again I've been going to military doctors and every problem I've ever told them about was either "normal" or "probably just nerve damage," and I was told it would go away eventually. Military doctors: Can't stand them, can't beat them to death with a shovel :/

How did you know that you had ovarian cysts? Was it diagnosed during a regular exam, or were there symptoms that your doctor thought were suspicious? I've had the pain for a while, and my doctor told me (big surprise) that it was normal and to come back if it "gets worse." Bastard.

 

I have this problem too! In fact, I just had an ultrasound today to see if something more serious is wrong. But apparently I also have a tipped uterus, so maybe we females with this alternate positioning have a problem with it that other people don't. The cramping feels like gas and menstruation all at once, and it's horrible! If I hear anything more about it I'll be sure to pass the information on.

I've noticed that happens to me during my cross country races or on really intense distance workouts... I've always assumed it was just some kind of reaction to hitting a sort of mid-workout roadblock! I guess I assume when I workout my hardest, it puts a strain on my body that manifests itself in different ways... If anyone finds out a real reason for this (more reliable than my sketchy logic! :-D) I'd love to find out!

Original Post by wetmosaic:

Thank Moses! Not to be grateful for your pain ('cause it hurts like the damn dickens), but certainly glad to know I'm not the only one that gets this. People who don't know act like it's just a stitch or something, but I've had stitches before and I know that they don't usually pop up on my crotch, lol!

I've never had my gyno tell me I had anything but healthy annuals/paps, but I've never been given an ultrasound. Then again I've been going to military doctors and every problem I've ever told them about was either "normal" or "probably just nerve damage," and I was told it would go away eventually. Military doctors: Can't stand them, can't beat them to death with a shovel :/

How did you know that you had ovarian cysts? Was it diagnosed during a regular exam, or were there symptoms that your doctor thought were suspicious? I've had the pain for a while, and my doctor told me (big surprise) that it was normal and to come back if it "gets worse." Bastard.

 

LOL - You are too funny! Yeah, the way I found out about the cysts is when I was around 15 or 16 (looong time ago), I couldn't even walk, I had this dull pain that just got worse every time I moved (not like cramps) and a lot of times, the pain would come to it's "peak" so to speak and then ebb away (I assume they would burst for the most part" sometimes though, the pain would get pretty bad. Other times, I could SWEAR I felt the cyst "burst" (ewwww).

I find it interesting that someone else here with a tipped uterus has the same cramp symptoms (wonder if there's a link). I didn't know I had a tipped uterus (neither did my gyno), until about a year ago.

o my gosh i am so glad i found this! i have this problem too terrible cramps especially in my lower back and then i start to faint-- its really horrible-- and i have a tipped uterus as well... 

i don't know how to fix it especially because I don't get it everytime i train and sometimes its worse than other times..

i always make sure that i am hydrated as well ..

Me too!  Tilt, pain, no answers.  The pain would bring me to my knees - literally, when I ran.  the doc told me "then don't run".  It still comes and goes but not nearly as bad as when I was in my early 20s.  Maybe it was a cyst exploding like xochitl92113.  

I am going to a new doc tomorrow and will bring this up.  Something has to give!

I have this also and the tilt as well.  When I first started working out I would get it, it hurt pretty bad but not intolerable.  I haven't had it in a while now, so for me at least it seems that getting my body used to working out made it go away.