Thread: Severe bloating during my period - so miserable!

Hi all,

Ugh I need to vent. I usually get bloated during my period but this time around it's horrific!!!! I started 3 days ago now and I feel like a pregnant bursting balloon ready to explode at any moment. My clothes don't even fit. I even considered calling in to work today, not because of cramps but because I didn't want to feel miserable all stuffed and crammed into my clothes and having to waddle around and think about how huge I am!! I keep telling myself I'm just bloated and it'll be over in a few days, but I hate being this huge!

The past two days I've been so bloated that it's actually painful - my stomach is stretched beyond its capacity and it's making my back hurt really badly and it's sooooo uncomfortable!!! I couldn't even sleep last night because my stomach was stretched to oblivion and I felt so miserable. I think I slept about 3 hours (another reason why I was tempted to call in, except I was awake when my alarm went off so I just sucked it up - literally).

I've been popping midol complete religiously since the day before I started but it's not having any effect. I even ran 4 miles yesterday (don't usually exercise on the weekends in order to give my body a break) to try to sweat it off, but all to no avail. Afterward I felt less crazed but my stomach was still quite large. I drank a bunch of water last night (as I usually do) but that made my stomach expand even more to the point of being painful (and continued on the entire night so I couldn't sleep). I think my body just absorbed it right up because I don't recall having to go to the bathroom immediately after like I usually do! I also took some fiber pills in hopes that it would help, but then I just started feeling gassy and still hugely bloated. No relief there whatsoever.

My bf was looking at bikinis online yesterday (since he apparently wants to buy me a skimpy one for our upcoming vacation) but I just felt too miserable to look at the ones he picked - I felt like there was no way in h* I would ever fit in one of these AND look good. It was hard to be objective and remind myself that this will GO AWAY because I'm a fat huge blimp right now and everything is so uncomfortable!

ANYWAY - anyone else here with ridiculous bloating? Please commiserate and help me feel better that I'm not alone in my overwhelming misery! If anyone has tips on how to at least reduce the bloating to a more manageable level so I can fit into my clothes and not feel like a mental case I would greatly appreciate it!!

KMS, Have you tried applying a heating pad or one of those bean bags you heat up in the microwave - that usually helps me. Also, stay away from gassy foods because it will just make it worse! good Luck!