Menstrual like cramps while running

Have more sex before running. Not right before, do it about 48 hours before and not too vigorously. Achieve deep pulsing 0rgasm and your internals will be much more relaxed when you run.

I had this EXACT pain and ended up having uterine fibroids. My OB explained it as my uterus basically cramping to try to expel them, but couldn't because they were attached to the uterine wall. This was discovered because I could not get pregnant. She said the fibroids create a hostile environment and nothing can implant. I had a d&c to remove them and was pregnant right after. good luck! i hope this helps.

Nope, never had them.

LV wrote:

We ended up having to go the IVF with ICSI route, and I gave birth January 2018. On my ultrasounds the Dr saw several endometriomas that he believed were causing the infertility and running pain. They went away during pregnancy. I've yet to have my first postpartum period (breastfeeding), but the cramps haven't returned while running yet.

Congratulations on becoming a mom!

I’d suffered from the same pain for about 20 years. For the first 15, several OBYN’s never had an answer. Birth control didn’t help. I finally got lucky at 29 with a dr who went with exploratory surgery instead of ultrasounds and found what he’d suspected - advanced endometriosis. I never managed to get pregnant (we did IVF, too). Had 2 more surgeries and finally a TLH in my late 30’s. By then the endometriosis had spread to other areas and in the last few months I was in pain about 50% of the time. I’ve been cramp-free since then, though there’s nerve damage and random residual pain.

For those of you who are told the pain is normal, “part of being a woman,” etc., keep getting second opinions. Endometriosis is actually quite common and yet notoriously under-diagnosed.

One thing that had helped me offset the mid-run pain attacks was diet: as few preservatives as possible, lots of healthy fats and vitamin D, and probiotics. Endometriosis involves chronic inflammation so a healthy digestive system is a must.

Did you ever get surgery for your endo? I have exactly the same approach to running. If I try and start fast I will end up in crippling pain. Do you also get bad period pain?

Here is my piece of advice from personal experience: https: //medicalhealthcareinfo.com/cramps-after-period-causes-treatment/

Rojo had this same issue many times when he was an active runner, hopefully he chimes in here.

I'm a fairly new runner and I have been getting these pains recently. It's always around ovulation and it comes on about 1-2 miles into a run and makes me feel nauseous. It usually goes away after about 5 minutes and I can carry on running. It doesn't seem to be related to what I eat or drink and it's definitely not about needing to go to the toilet. I've recently had an ultrasound for an unrelated matter and there was nothing abnormal on it.

I've always been active having been a swimmer when I was a child and then regular cycling for over 20 years and never experienced this until I started running, however, towards the end of last year I got it on the bike. It was similar in that it came on not long after setting off and went away after about 5 minutes rest. I can't be far away from menopause, so I suppose it could be a change in hormone levels. I might give the mini pill a try and see if that helps.

Susie1013 wrote:

I'm a fairly new runner and I have been getting these pains recently. It's always around ovulation and it comes on about 1-2 miles into a run and makes me feel nauseous. It usually goes away after about 5 minutes and I can carry on running.

This is exactly what i experienced when i was starting to go through menopause.

I have the exact same thing. I need to sit for about 5 minutes of agony, then it subsides and if I run again after it subsides, it typically doesn't return. I think it is relayed to prostaglandins. Really sore. Not food related. Am going to try cutting dairy, increasing omega 3 and magnesium oil. Hopefully it helps!

I'm a few years behind on these comments. Anyone found a solution to help?

Glad to see this thread is still going. I’m in my late 30’s and have been experiencing the same cramps for almost two years now. I’m prone to painful menstrual cramps and recently underwent laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis. Per the doctor, my endo wasn’t too severe, but it was there. She made no promises the surgery would resolve my running cramps. A few weeks after surgery once I felt up for it I went for my first run. Couldn’t wait. Until the cramps hit around the point they usually do. Sooooo disappointing.

There was a similar thread on another board and someone else reported they had laparoscopic surgery for endo but it didn’t resolve the running cramps for them either.

Based on what i read from others on the other message board, sounded like the only options were birth control or having a child. But I’m all ears if someone was really able to resolve the problem through some other magic bullet (not holding my breath).

It’s somewhat comforting to know that I’m not alone with this problem. With the pandemic situation, I’m not able to do several of the other things I enjoy so I’d love to build up my running mileage cramp-free. I’m almost afraid to run now unless it’s right after my period.

I’ll add that in the summer time I run on the beach and I don’t experience the cramps. I suspect the impact has a lot to do with the cramps. Hard uphill hikes and cycling don’t aggravate the cramps. Just running and hiking downhill at a fast pace.

I’m so glad this thread is still going too...I’ve done a lot of amateur research and these comments are the best thing I’ve found so far. Sorry for the long post but I feel sharing it all as everyone else has done will hopefully help someone else.

I’m almost 35 and I’ve been experiencing the same thing for about six years now. I’ve been running pretty frequently for about 12 years. There was a time I could run 6 miles without stopping and now I struggle to get to 1 mile. It has nothing to do with eating beforehand (I’ve tried everything - eating a large meal before, eating something small, and eating nothing), nor drinking beforehand (I’ve tried drinking Gatorade to water to nothing), nor going to the bathroom beforehand or stretching beforehand (I’ve tried it all). It never fails, right around 1-1.5 miles, I experience a sharp pain that I’ve designated “ovary pain.” It’s usually always on my left side but over the past 6 months or so, it’s been on both (still more sharp on the left). It used to be that I’d stop, keel over in agony for 5 mins, and then, just as quick as the pain came on, it would leave and I could run for miles and miles. It’s now graduated to 10 mins, sometimes 15, and it’s more than just a sharp pain in waves - I feel nauseous and almost like I could pass out. I always get extreme sweats and feel like I could defecate my pants. Walking it out doesn’t help...I can no longer stand when it comes on. The two best ways I’ve been able to describe it to people is that it feels like a knife has been shoved in my ovary and someone’s twisting the knife....or, I’ve never had kids, but I also think it feels like contractions. I’ve found the only time I can run comfortably and get past that 1.5 mark with no pain is when I’m on my period. Which unfortunately, the first 24 hours I have bad cramps (and bad back pain leading up to) and just have to sit with a heating pad while popping Motrin every four hours. My cycle is about four or five days so that only leaves me three or four good days to run out of a month. Any time other than that, before my period, after my period, I experience the pain. About every other month, I do experience just typical ovary discomfort for one day during ovulation - when I walk, it’s not painful but more annoying and uncomfortable. And it’s always on the left.

I saw a physician about a year ago and was telling her how I had to go to the hospital once bc of my period (I got really light headed, shaky, and started seeing stars) and then I told her about my running pains and she said I should get checked for fibroids...that she had similar pains and ignored it and then one day, “all hell broke loose” and she found out she had fibroids. That scared me enough to make an appointment with the gyno, and I had an ultrasound done (the second one), which resulted in nothing (first one resulted in nothing too). They did say my left ovary is “way out in left field”, which seems to be common as the tech said she’s seen it before, always on the left, and hers is too. (I did see a post from Cacamer09 saying they had uterine fibroids and had a D&C to remove them so I’m wondering if they come and go and at the time of my ultrasound, they were gone?)

I’ve thought about a laproscopy but I’m afraid to go through that for nothing and leave with no answers (so I’m glad someone finally posted about having that done and the result...thank you KE_875!). I’ve often wondered if I have an ovarian cyst? Also, in case someone’s wondering, I was on birth control for awhile but have been off it about eight years. My husband and I tried having kids about three years ago but weren’t successful...granted, I wasn’t going to the extreme by tracking my temp and other things. I don’t think I have endo as my periods weren’t very painful as a teen (I was on BC though) and only recently (past four years maybe) have the menstrual cramps been bad the first day.

Like everyone else, I’m glad to see I’m not alone and others have no answer either. I’d love to have some sort of resolution to this, besides BC or getting pregnant.

This must have been bartholomew_maxwell’s first post

Can't believe this thread started over 10 years ago and it's still going!

I'm relieved to see so many others having the same issue but it amazes me how there isn't really a definite answer as to why. I've been having this issue for years. 10-15 minutes into a run, the period cramps start - without the period, and I feel like I need to find a restroom fast to release my bowels (but can't because there's no bathroom nearby). I stop running for 5 minutes and the cramps go away and I can continue running for many more miles without needing to stop. It's so strange, you'd think the cramps would come back again once we start running but they don't. And no matter what I do before a run, whether that be eating or no eating, using the bathroom, hydrating, etc. it still happens. I've noticed the cramps are worse 5 days before my period actually starts.

Anyone else have super painful periods (especially on the first day)? When I start mine the pain is so bad that I sometimes pass out, I throw up and I have to sit on the toilet praying if I release my bowels it reduces some pressure inside. Unfortunately sex is also painful for me. I've gone to a gyno multiple times, I've been put on several types of birth control pills but none of them have helped - some even made the cramps and bleeding worse. An ultrasound revealed a small cyst on one of my ovaries but the doc described this as a normal cyst related to my period.... They also mentioned my uterus is flipped but this shouldn't cause any problems. I personally suspect I may have endometriosis however I don't want to go through an exploratory surgery just to be told that I don't have it and be back at square one. When I bring all of this up to my gyno she says all of these symptoms (the running cramps, extremely painful periods, painful sex), is all normal and to be expected in someone my age (I'm 22), and that we as woman should know how to deal with it. As I'm writing this I'm realizing I should probably find a new gyno LOL but I was wondering if anyone else experiences these symptoms on top of the running cramps?

Hi,

This is crazy! I think I counted something like 23 other runners that posted with very weirdly similar stories. I love all the insight everyone has shared. Again, so encouraging that I'm not alone! I'm 20 and started experiencing the exact same symptoms that everyone has been posting; it happens no matter the point in my cycle, there is never a down time when I don't experience it. It started about 3 years ago, when I started running DI NJCAA XC. Gyno said it was endometriosis, and put me on the pill and it was like nothing happened, it solved the problem. I don't like being on the pill, because it's foreign to the body. I rupture my Achilles August of 2019 still stayed on the pill for about 4 months and went off of it hoping that when I rehabbed back it would miraculously disapate. But no, it's still there. The weird thing is that I don't believe it is tied to exercise intensity, because I also won the Irish Dancing World Championships in a team event and the dancing doesn't invoke an episode, how I ruptured my tendon, dancing. when I get on the erg and bike as well with high HR and lactate accumulation the pain doesn't hit. I also have IBS, hypersomnia, hashimotos, and my right pupil gets smaller when I'm stressed out. Essentially I have a lot of autoimmune stuff going on, and not sure if that would contribute to these episodes. Might be oversharing, but hey, you need all the pieces, right? Studying kinesiology in college right now, wanting to go into physiotherapy and sports medicine research, and women athlete's health I am very passionate for, so hopefully I can research on this topic and hopefully we won't run into more dead ends. Best of luck to everyone. Don't loss hope! It's just another hurdle we'll have to jump over while doing the thing we love. Don't be hard on yourself that you have to stop, it's a real thing, extremely painful. I would recommend stopping right when you feel it, because the longer you wait the more intense and longer you'll be on that side walk.

Thanks!

Hi all,

I have, or had, the same problem. Thought I was crazy, no one could tell me what it was and nothing helped! Mine started about 10 years ago and got progressively worse to the point where I would get it every single time I would run, or do any very intense workout with my HR high. When it initially started it was only sometimes, but like I said, got worse over the years. This pain ALWAYS started within my first mile, always. I could feel it coming and if I stopped right away and walked it off the pain would be less and go away quicker than if I tried to run through it. Once the pain came, it would double me over. I would get shakey, nauseous, radiating pain to my thighs, sometimes felt like my bladder and lower abdomen were being ripped opened. I thought it was GI stuff, tried diet modification and nothing helped (and I’m a big water drinker so hydration not a concern). Fast forward to a couple years ago, I got pregnant and noticed this pain stopped while I ran, or at least was significantly better. Unfortunately I had a miscarriage and after that I started to get bad cramps with my menstrual cycle (never had them before) and realized this running pain and these cramps were the same type of pain! I didn’t know bc I never had cramps before. Recently I have been seeing a reproductive specialist and mentioned all of this to him, he didn’t had any magical answers but said it did sound like endometriosis, but I would have to have surgery to be sure, which I was not ready to do. I had no obvious signs of it on any other test or exam. However, while going through this reproductive process, he recently found a small uterine polyp (never seen before) on an US which ultimately had to be removed a few months ago for fertility concerns (pathology was endometrial polyp). I didn’t realize until a few weeks ago, when the gyms shut down and I started running again, that this pain is GONE! I don’t know how this little polyp could have been causing progressive pain for 10 years without anyone every knowing it was there (was it there the whole time, probably not), but I haven’t had a wink of that pain since I started running post polypectomy. I’m nervous to get to excited because I am scared it will come back. But for now, I am enjoying all my mileage while I can. I hope this information can help at least one of you. My story is completely incidental, I was not expecting this when I had surgery at all. Every person is different, but maybe pursuing that surgery or digging into your OBGYN to do more thorough testing may get you some answers. X

I'm a 19 year old runner with a very similar problem!! Every month about a week or sometimes a few days before the start of my period I start to get these intense cramping like pains which feel exactly like period cramps but more painful!! They come on progressively after about 2.5k and get worse to the point where I have to stop. I've tried running through them but they just increase in intensity. I can walk them off in about 5/10 mins and the pain completely goes. Bizarre because even though I do get bad period cramps at rest from time to time this only ever occurs once I'm on my period and when I run whilst on my period I never seem to have this pain! It's really frustrating and I've had to drop out of races before. No one seems to understand and just thinks it's normal period pain but it feels so much worse. I was once even told by a race Marshall that he had heard girls could run through them which made me quite upset! I have no idea what could be causing it only that it does seem to be related to the level of exertion. If I run at a really slow pace or even hill work I don't seem to have this problem and I have only ever had it running and no other sport.

I have tried taking IBS medication before my runs and ibuprofen/paracetamol if I'm running at certain times of the month but none of these are able to stop the pain from coming on. My cycles are very unpredictable and I've been having this problem for about 2 years now. It's just so frustrating that I can't properly predict when it's going to happen when I set out and it often means me dropping out of training sessions/races half way through which is never something I would normally do. At least it's a relief to know that there are other people out there experiencing a similar problem- if anyone has anything which has worked from them if would be great to know.

I was wondering if you ever found out what this was. I’m 15 and I have the same thing. It has been gong on for 6 months. I went on birth control for a couple months and it didn’t help. It is not related to periods and is getting worse. I have gotten multiple CTs and mris and all they can find if that I am constipated and have mild intestinal inflammation. The pain has become constant a lot of the tome so anything would help.