Dryden
Brown Ltd
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TRAVEL HEALTH
WOMEN'S HEALTH
Period
Problems
Painful periods can ruin even the best planned holiday or
business trip.
Painful periods can start soon after puberty. They may disappear
after childbirth or develop after years of normal periods.
Sufferers get cramp-like pains in the lower abdomen at the
start of a period. Sometimes they also feel faint or ill.
Symptoms most often pass after two or three days and rarely
are they a sign of a more serious illness.
Periods are caused by either a narrow entrance to womb (cervix)
or a slight hormone imbalance that causes a chemical (prostaglandin),
to build up in the womb's (uterus) wall. This leads to spasm
or contraction of the uterus.
Occasionally period pains in later life can be due to an
infection of the lining of the womb or Fallopian tubes.
Even more rarely, period pains can be due to an over growth
of the cells lining the womb spreading up the tubes and
into the pelvis. This is called endometriosis.
Prevention
of period problems
Take plenty of exercise.
Eat a diet high in iron, calcium and the B vitamins.
Treatment of period problems
Rest and relax. Place a hot water bottle on lower abdomen.
Alternating hot or cold packs may help. Try hot for two
to three minutes, cold for 30 seconds, alternate them
three or four times. Camomile tea and a little root ginger
can relieve the symptoms. Alternatively take either 3
x 300mg soluble Aspirin or 400mg Ibuprofen four times
a day ideally beginning five days before the start and
continuing during the course of the period.
Contact a doctor
If it is not your usual time for a period.
If your period is heavy and smelly.
If your period is late and cramps are severe and painful.
Contact a doctor immediately
If pain is so severe it hurts to move.
If a period is late, the pain is severe and bleeding is
unusually bright red.
BLEEDING BETWEEN PERIODS
Many women bleed between periods. It can be like a normal
period or simple spotting. It does not necessarily mean
that there is anything wrong.
It is common
If in the first three months of a new pill.
If an IUCD (coil) is present.
Use sanitary pads or tampons as normal.
Contact a doctor
If bleeding is heavy (having to change super pad or tampon
hourly for more than 24 hours).
If more than 10 days in length. n If bleeding occurs after
sex.
If you are over 35 years old.
Contact a doctor immediately
If you also have unusual crampy pains, or a fever.
Stopping periods during your holiday
Using any drug to stop your periods is not recommended.
No preparation or drug, though safe and used very commonly
world-wide is 'licensed' for stopping periods. If you
wish to use them for your convenience it is therefore
at your own risk.
IF YOU WISH TO avoid periods during your travels it is
best achieved by continuing your oral contraceptive pill
all through your visit.
Simply run two packets of pills together without a break.
If you are receiving Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
simply run two packets together, discarding the second
pill that you take during the last two weeks of a packet.
If using patches do not take the pill until you return.
Do not run more than three packets of oral contraceptive
pill or 'HRT' together without a break.
If you are not on the 'Pill' or HRT you should consult
a doctor at least six weeks before you travel overseas.
This may allow you to start on a hormonal medication
to prevent your periods.
We would recommend starting the 'Pill'. There are other
hormones which can be used but they contain high dose
Progesterone which can cause acne, headaches and are usually
used for the treatment of very heavy periods. Their use,
though safe, has not been fully evaluated for this purpose.
To order
your copy of a What should I do? booklet
use one of the following methods:
On-line
Shop
Phone: +44 (0) 23 8022
9041
Fax: +44 (0) 23
8022 7274
 
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