How I Found Relief After Years of Excruciating Period Pain and PMS

My periods were so debilitating sometimes that all I could do was sit down wherever I was (yes, that includes the middle of the sidewalk or a peak hour train) and let the cramps pass. 

These aren’t normal cramps, these are the kind that stop you in your tracks, where you feel like your body is betraying you. 

Or, during college I had to sit an exam with cramps that were so bad that I threw up twice during the exam. They made me keep going. 

The next day I decided not to go to work because of said pain, my manager scoffed at me and told me to toughen up and that missing work because of period pain is ridiculous. 

I felt extremely embarrassed as they said it in front of the whole team. 

I knew to keep my mouth shut.

It wasn’t just the physical pain though; it was the emotional burden of constantly worrying about when it would strike next. 

I felt like I was always bracing for impact, never truly able to relax or trust my body. I especially felt betrayed by my body during my pre-period PMS.

I felt so overwhelmed that I felt a complete loss of control. I was always hungry for a fight. 

There were even times that I threatened to leave my partner (thank you for being patient with me, Jack 💙). 

My mood swings were getting out of control. 

And I can’t forget the pre-period brain fog, exhaustion and tenderness. 

Mundane activities like choosing an outfit to see friends for dinner could send me spiraling into a confusing breakdown. 

For so many women, the struggle with irregular periods, missed cycles, and painful periods feels endless. 

It can sometimes feel like your body has a mind of its own. 

For years, I thought this was just my life. 

That I had to either wait for the next painful cycle or rely on birth control to force my body into something that looked like a “normal” cycle.

I get it—at first, it feels like a relief. Finally, a regular cycle, something predictable. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t fixing the real problem. 

The pill wasn’t making my body healthy again—it was just covering up the symptoms. 

And when I stopped taking it, everything went back to the chaos I’d known before.

But here’s what I want you to know: it doesn’t have to be this way. 

There is hope, and you can take control of your health. 

It wasn’t until I decided to dig deeper that things started to change for me. 

I learned that irregular periods aren’t just a surface issue—they’re connected to deeper things like insulin resistance, stress, thyroid imbalances, and inflammation. 

When I began to address those root causes, everything shifted.

This wasn’t just another quick fix—it was a real solution that helped my body heal from the inside out. 

I can’t even begin to explain the relief it brought. 

Finally, I was able to tackle the heavy flow, the irregular periods, the painful cramps that had controlled my life for so long. 

And it didn’t stop there—it also helped with the mood swings, hormone imbalances, skin breakouts, and all the other frustrating symptoms that arrive when you get your period. 

My body finally felt like it was coming back into balance.

My periods became something I no longer feared.

The pain was manageable, the flow normal, and the emotional weight that had hung over me for so long began to lift. 

And the best part? 

It wasn’t just my periods that got better. 

My mood improved, my energy levels soared, and I started feeling like myself again.

I no longer felt like my body (and everyone around me, for that matter!) was the enemy—I felt in sync with it.

You don’t have to live in fear of your next period. 

You don’t have to keep relying on temporary solutions that only cover up the problem. 

Your body can heal. 

It takes time, it takes patience, but it’s possible.

You have the power to make real, lasting changes that will transform your life. 

It’s not an easy road, but it’s a journey worth taking, and I promise you, when you start seeing those changes—even the small ones—you’ll feel a sense of hope and strength you never thought possible.

I’m here to tell you that you can get there, just like I did. 

You don’t have to keel over in pain on the sidewalk, in your exam or at your desk! 

Keep going, keep believing, and know that your body is capable of so much more than you think. Healing is possible, and it’s within your reach.