why do aspie girls have such horrible pain during periods?

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Do we? I don't

Short of a medical condition such as endometriosis there's no need for most women to suffer cramps, certainly it's not an autism trait - even if we were more sensitive to pain it would not increase pain by much and there's nothing to say we should be more susceptible to cramps to have to suffer menstrual cramps to begin with. If anything the opposite should be true as in theory we should be less susceptible to menstrual taboos and body-issues that can effect how we feel during menstruation which in turn can increase cramps (seriously) and prevent body-literacy that would allow us to learn more about our bodies in order to prevent menstrual cramps.

Ladies, if you're menstrual cramps are this bad then it's NOT NORMAL!!

There's no need to suffer your periods and cramps shouldn't be considered normal or left untreated - cramps are very common but not a normal part of healthy menstruation.

Get checked out by your doctor to find possible underlying causes - best avoid hormonal birth control, at least at first until you rule out serious problems and try less extreme options, as it stops menstruation [bleeding on the pill = withdrawal bleeding, physiologically different to menstruation] so it only covers-up the problem rather than treating it (FYI the pill doesn't cause weight-gain - http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2011/08/baby_fat.html).

Look into methods to prevent cramps such as dietary changes, stop using tampons, change attitudes towards menstruation, regulate hormones, etc. - there are literally thousands of methods to help ease or completely prevent menstrual cramps. Taking painkillers may ease pain (particularly non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen or mefenamic acid) but won't solve the uderlying problem, if you do need to take painkillers try 'natural' painkillers such as clary sage oil, vitex, raspberry leaf cell salts that may help prevent cramps too.

Why I agree That Periods Suck
Stamp Out Cramps (Without The Pill)

Mine used to be a lot worse than they are now.
I agree that the cramps can feel a bit like constipation.
Now that I'm menstruating again after a long long period without them (I gained some weight) they aren't too bad.

Everything hurt,legs,boobs,belly,private parts,bad diarrhea,depression,craving chocolate and carbs.It's better since I went back on Lexapro.Oh, I forgot the lovely five pounds of water weight.I'm really looking forward to menopause.

I know plenty of NTs who get agonizing cramps during their periods. My mum knew a woman who used to get them so bad that she ended up crawling on the floor around her house. I know some women who don't seem to get them at all, and other women get them severely. I was one to get them severely, but they were never heavy though. They weren't really light, but they weren't as heavy as other women I have known. Now I'm on the pill, I don't have pains any more, which is brilliant. I can go out anywhere when I'm on my period and not have to bring tablets along with me. I still get cramps that can be annoying, but they usually come on the first and second day (mostly the first) and they're still bearable so it doesn't matter too much. Also the pill doesn't make me gain weight. I've been on it for about 4 years now and I have been the same weight since.

Another thing I just thought of: back when my periods were heavy and painful, I found that if I ate anything spicy or acidic, like chili, pizza, or barbecue, my period pain was much much worse. If I ate something more bland: a turkey sandwich, chicken soup, etc, the pain was much more bearable. I hope this helps.

My period pains got worse if I hadn't eaten anything, which is why they were more painful in the morning. If I did get them later in the day, they were still bad but weren't as bad, and I didn't get all that nausea either, like I did in the mornings with pains.

It was weird, because the pains were actually worse when the period was actually finishing, like 6 to 9 days after the day it started. I will never know why. The pill has sorted all that out.

My periods used to be so bad I was bedridden for the first two days. Forget crawling on the floor; collapsing in agony on the bed is more like it. Also, ovulation was so agonisingly painful that I could not walk very far at all without being overcome with nausea and agonising pain.

It took me years and years to realise that it was ovulation that was causing the pain, though. Whenever I ovulated, it was like I was dying from appendicitis or somehting, so I began to think I must have a grumbling appendix, because the pain kept coming back every now and then (every month - duh! I should have known!) The weird thing was, my "appendix" mysteriously shifted itself from one side to the other every month because, of course, your ovaries are on two different sides. You ovulate from a different one each time.

I didn't know until a few years ago that the pain was ovulation because I had always thought that ovulation was supposed to be painless and happen without me even knowing. Well, in my case, it didn't.

Whichever side I was ovulating from would be so horrifically painful that taking a step forwards with the leg on that side would be like tearing my insides apart. This would mean I could only try and walk round incredibly slowly, by advancing with steps forwards on the other leg, and dragging the leg on the ovulating side behind me.

I do not know why it was getting so bad but I was beginning to think I must have endometriosis. Rather than getting better with age, all of this was getting worse. However, I fixed all that by taking a supplement called Diatomaceous Earth.

I am sorry to sound like an advertisment but I take a few spoonfuls every day, and no more ovulation pain, hardly any cramps at all. My period pains were reduced by about 80 or 90% and my IBS was cured as well. It really is that good. I hardly ever have to take painkillers now. Before, I would be guzzling them down two at once!

In summary: if you've got this awful pain, try googling "Diatomaceous Earth menstrual cramps" to find out more about how it can help the awful pain go away without having to take nasty artificial hormones.

I am always telling everyone about it now, and urging them to try it out, because I know how miserable the pain was for me, and don't want anyone to be going through that needlessly when they could just be taking some DE and making themselves better.

Okay---here goes:
Aspie females have more of a challenge in life---more stress, if you will, just navigating thrugh an NT world. And Aspie brains are different, in a good way, that NT brains. Different chemistry, different physiology.
for this reason, I think we need more stress nutrients than NT's! One of the major stress nutrients is magnesium---and it has been suggested by nutritional researchers that most people in western nations have a magnesium deficiency!! ! Also, I think Aspie body chemistry is more sensitive to junk food and bad fats (trans fats, lard, etc)---and good fats like omega 3 (from salmon or fatty fish or from fish oil supplements) and primrose oil and extra virgin olive oil help reduce cramps issues by reducing inflammation. The idea is that one would have to cut out the bad fats and replace them with good fats. The science is: bad fats cause over production of prostaglandins which cause inflammation and cramps. Magnesium helps the muscles (i.e. abdominal) calm down/relax instead of cramping.

Bottom line is this: chelated magnesium supplements and primrose oil; and fish like salmon, herring, sardines (or fish oil supplements) should help reduce the severity of cramps----possibly even eliminate them. I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice---I'm just giving food for thought.

Why do people make the generalization all aspie girls get horrible cramps? I get cramps sometimes but they're nothing I can't handle. Some Tylonel and a hot bath are usually all I need the couple of days. If you are having violent, debilitating cramps you should go see a doctor. Don't be embarrassed or ashamed about it.

I agree if you've got bad cramps you should see a doctor. If you feel uncomfortable going to your normal doctor. Perhaps you can make an appointment to see a female doctor. Or get someone to go with you if you've got someone you feel comfortable with. If your doctor is aware of your Aspergers or Autism you can write down the problems you're having and get the addressed that way. It is important that you get the problem dealt with though. It could be something serious.

I get cramps, but nothing too serious. I use a heat pad or some period pain tablets.

This is not an Aspie thing. My good NT friend gets much worse cramps than me.

Mine have been terriible since age 12. I've learned to control them though. It's called 5 Motrin at once! I'm sure my liver is shot considering I drink a lot and also take allergy meds.

All the women in my family have terrible period pain.

I agree. Period cramps are not limited to aspie women, it's probably genetic to a certain extent. My periods are like my moms, who's NT. Nobody in my family get cramps.

I heard cramps get easier with age and childbearing, so there's hope.

*My doctor told me Motrin/Advil can also reduce blood loss during period. So it's all good.

I think that the problem isn't that period pains are necessary worse for aspie women, it's that many aspies (like me) have a low tolerance to pain. I literally can't function when I'm in pain. And then there's the mood swings attached to PMS. I really don't understand how the people close to me can put up with me when I'm having PMS/periods

I am highly sensitive to pain, but, curiously, my periods have never been as painful as what some women must endure. I can feel my eggs going through the fallopian tube, but it's not make-me-faint kind of pain.

I have a hormone deficiency disorder called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (POS), which delayed the onset of my period and messed up the timing of it. I also didn't ovulate until 11 years after I first started having periods, which was the only time I had really bad pain. I feel really fortunate that i don't experience that kind of severity every period.

I guess I'm here to suggest that high pain isn't an AS issue, though we area sensitive lot and my mood definitely gets affected.

I have it. It's terrible. In fact I've been going through it lately. I get both overly emotional and intense physical pain. The pill hasn't alleviated any of it. In fact is has made my periods erratic and initially I was crying for the first few weeks that I started (again this past year). I have to lay in bed, barely move, use a heating pad and eventually get a painkiller off of someone or drink myself to sleep to kill the pain. I literally feel like my insides are being ripped out.

I didn't think it was an aspie thing though.