(no subject)

[austin_tycho]

My first two calls were people that think we're not doing enough to protect their kids. One guy wanted me to guarantee that if he didn't take kid with bruises back to abusive wife as per their custody agreement that the police wouldn't arrest him. I told him he had to take it up with the police, and he hung up without making a report, so we can't even start an investigation now. Another lady has had someone make a report on her, and wanted the details. I couldn't give them to her, and she got pissed. *sigh*

I'm looking forward to Burning Flipside. I heard on the weather channel that there's a 'cold' front that may move through Texas at the end of the month- huzzah! So mote it be. I just hope if I'm scheduled to have debilitating menstrual ick this month that I have it over with and out of the way by then. Any of you herb wifes (or hubs) have any ideas how I can do this?

Comments

[scorpionis.livejournal.com]

I've been using kavakava and valerian regularly now for a couple of cycles, and my cramps are not as bad as they were. The kavakava I take every day, and the valerian I only take in the latter half of my cycle. Valerian's one of those two weeks on, two weeks off herbs. I've never had any luck with wild yam or vitex (I think that's what it's called), two components of most of the OTC herbal preps for women: they seemed to make my hormonal imbalances worse. Since you're already having a problem with very painful periods, I'd suggest sticking with herbal preps that are NOT geared towards women & their cycles because they almost always have something in them that will jack with your hormones, and that's never good. Unfortunately, that's what would be necessary if you wanted to make sure your cycle was over and done with by a certain earlier time. You might make it more painful. The kavakava and valerian help with general PMS symptoms (crankiness & insomnia to be specific) as well as cramping in my experience.

You might also try Evening Primrose Oil (I just happen to have a giant bottle of it here if you want it: I don't need it anymore): it's very good for painful swellings that are hormonally related. I think it's specifically recommended for painfully fibrocystic breasts, but I also noticed that my cramps diminished while I was on EPO. After about a year, my tender breasts were essentially 'cured' and I no longer needed the EPO: in fact, it made it worse once I no longer needed it. Also, avoid salt/sodium during your cycle: it increases swelling and hence pain.

If you take the kava, I recommend HEB's standardized extract. It's kind of expensive, about $11 for 30 gelcaps, but it's high quality: I take one in the morning and two at night. The valerian you can find at Whole Foods or maybe at HEB if you're close to one of the ones that's gotten all hip recently. NOW brand is good, 500mg caps of valerian root: 3 of those at night with the kava will conk me right out within an hour or so, but I weigh around 200 lbs, so you might need less (or more).

Oops, maybe more info than you wanted! Hope some of it's helpful. Have fun at BFS!

[mielikki.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I will definitely look into these. My last 2 cycles have been really bad, not with bleeding but the cramps- oy. That's bad enough, but I just plain don't wanna be bleeding at this campout, dang it. I know the ancient Wiccans in the Stone Age (*snork*) dealt with this and it's all natural and stuff, but you know, bleh!

I may try the kava-valerian course. Ob-gyn prescribed stuff like Darvocet, but I'd really rather go herbal. I will just have to get past how valerian smells (I took it before for depression-related insomnia, it really worked!) but hey, the cats will love me. :)