Pain Pills/Anti Inflammatory For Celiacs?

[mysecretcurse]

So I noticed for awhile now that every time I got my period I got gluten like symptoms... I began to connect it to taking Motrin, because the same things happened other times I took Motrin (I don't often, but the occasional headache, etc). So then I looked and found out Motrin (which I'd long ago put on the "safe" list, before I knew I had other sensitivities aside from gluten) contains CORN STARCH. *sigh* does it ever end? No wonder I've been feeling ill and having breakouts whenever I took this stuff.

My problem is now I'm in terrible pain! I started my period today and have the most horrible cramps. Usually it takes 4+ Motrin to even dull the pain. Heating pad and lots of water is helping a little but it's still really bad. Is there anything natural I can do for this? It seems like every major brand of painkiller has something Im sensitive to in it! I'm free of gluten, corn, soy, dairy, and chickpeas. Also any forms of corn like corn starch, dextrose, maltodextrin, etc. Give me just as bad a reaction as gluten..

[DownWithGluten]

So I noticed for awhile now that every time I got my period I got gluten like symptoms... I began to connect it to taking Motrin, because the same things happened other times I took Motrin (I don't often, but the occasional headache, etc). So then I looked and found out Motrin (which I'd long ago put on the "safe" list, before I knew I had other sensitivities aside from gluten) contains CORN STARCH. *sigh* does it ever end? No wonder I've been feeling ill and having breakouts whenever I took this stuff.

My problem is now I'm in terrible pain! I started my period today and have the most horrible cramps. Usually it takes 4+ Motrin to even dull the pain. Heating pad and lots of water is helping a little but it's still really bad. Is there anything natural I can do for this? It seems like every major brand of painkiller has something Im sensitive to in it! I'm free of gluten, corn, soy, dairy, and chickpeas. Also any forms of corn like corn starch, dextrose, maltodextrin, etc. Give me just as bad a reaction as gluten..

Ahhhh yes. The dilemma of period cramps. I have a similar problem in that I'm in a quandry. I have a post a few pages back asking about Pamprin. The site says they do not have gluten in them, but I just wanted confirmation from either people on this site or from them and haven't gotten either yet. I might just jump in and try it next month. But I'm not sure if that would help you with corn starch and all that.

But anyway my problem with Motrin was the incredible heartburn it gave me. Doctors prescribed Vioxx for me years ago, and it worked great, but now it's off the market. So they told me to take 3 motrin instead of two. And, yeah..like you, it would take usually 3-4 to get it to help. It was not good. After about 5 years of this, I would get heinous and intense heartburn that intensified into what I believe was a near ulcer, which they gave me Nexium for blah blah. But I won't touch Ibuprofen with a 10 foot pole now.

So then they suggested Celebrex, but that's also a NSAID like ibuprofen and I didn't feel comfortable with that either. My friend got an ulcer from Celebrex. It just seemed counter intuitive. I got some but...I had some side effects that gave me concern after taking it for a bit (some light blood in the toilet...maybe it wasn't the Celebrex but I just didn't want to risk). So...they suggested birth control which they tried to give me when I was 13. I gave in and now am taking that...but there are still cramps around that time (different though...feels more like pulled muscles now versus the burning searing pain of before) WHICH is why I was hoping Pamprin might be okay, to work with that. midol makes me jittery and weird. The hot pads never worked well for me, and that doesn't help when you're at work and stuff anyway :/

So long story short...I feel your pain (literally). We go through all these gyrations trying to find something that's okay and we still suffer. So if anyone has suggestions, I'd like to hear them! And if anyone has successfully taken pamprin, let me know

I was on the verge of asking my doctor for Tylenol with codeine for cramps. I had leftover codeine from before for something else, and it actually dulled the pain. Also a sedative. But I was afraid to just go in and ask for that, might think I'm drug peddling or pulling a Michael Jackson or something. But...maybe you could get that if you explain your dilemma? I tried a gynecologist, general practioner and even a GI person (after explaining the heartburn/gastritis response). They all said Celebrex (which has GI side effects) or birth control. So I guess that's what we're left with. ...eh.

[mysecretcurse]

Thanks for the reply! I've basically been riding it out... it's okay on a day off like I was lucky enough to start on today, but I am concerned about when I get my period and have to work... I can't work in that sort of pain. One good thing though, it seems when I'm not glutened/corned/soyed (lol) or whatever during the month, my period that month is much less cramping. I think the severe periods come from the autoimmune system doing something to the hormone balance... so I'm interested to see if I stay off all the allergens and the pain pills, if maybe it will sorta put the cycle into reverse to where I wont have to take pain pills at all! Will report back how my next period goes.

I do agree that Nsaids are horrible, especially for people with leaky gut issues since they basically destroy the gut. So corn or no corn, I need to get off them either way. I guess it's a blessing in disguise.

Just a general FYI for anyone interested, Tylenol unfortunately also contains corn starch.

[OptimisticMom42]

What about liquids? Maybe a liquid med made for kids? Or are they all corn syrup?

[mysecretcurse]

Tylenol Liquid:

Active Ingredient (in each 15 ml = 1 Tablespoon): Acetaminophen (500 mg). Inactive Ingredients: Citric Acid, Corn Syrup, D&C Red 33, FD&C Red 40, Flavor, Polyethylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Purified Water, Saccharin Sodium, Sodium Benzoate, Sorbitol.

Ug.

Well I've survived the worst day of my period without any pain pills. Hopefully it's all up from here..

[tarnalberry]

You may want to talk to your doc about getting a prescription for the pain reliever of your choice (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, naproxyn sodium, etc.) for a compounding pharmacy that can make it out of ingredients that you can tolerate. May be more expensive, but may also be the only way to avoid something as ubiquitous as corn.

(Also, consider taking additional calcium/magnesium to help with the cramping. It has to be taken all month long, not just as a pain reliever, but can help for many people.)

[DownWithGluten]

I might have to try that about calcium/magnesium thing.

And yes, asking the doctor for painkiller might help as person above me suggested, but again I went to three different kinds of doctors and they all said "birth control or Celebrex." I made a slight noise after a second appointment about tylenol codeine and the doc mentioned how that was a narcotic and wouldn't be suitable for working days anyway and that was the end of that. And ibuprofen = bad after a while. So UGH.

Mysecretcurse, I remember when I used to have gluten attacks more frequently, before I knew what I had, sometimes having my period would stir those gluteny-pain feelings. Maybe it is all connected. And I didn't know that about tylenol and corn starch. You're not missing much as far as headache or general pain relief, I don't think...Tylenol doesn't do much of anything for me. But if it was spiked with codeine, it might. oh well.

[Jana315]

I've been on the generic version of Voltaren for several months now for back pain without adverse gastro side-effects. It may be worth looking into though it is still an NSAID. Short of that, try looking into herbal supplements that may help ease your menstrual pain - there's a lot out there though I don't know the specifics of them I was using them for fertility several years ago.