abdominal cramps and vomiting during mensuration

Dear Sumi, let me clarify the question before answering.

1. Your question tells me you're 18 years of age.
2. That you have crampy abdominal pains and vomiting (presumably only during periods) for the last six years.
3. That after meeting your doctor you get the impression that it’s eating of fried food which is causing these cramps and pains. What you haven’t clarified is whether the doctor or you blamed fried foods generally or during the time of the periods.
4. The most obvious query is what to do to read yourself of the pain.
5. You want to know if menstruation for four days normal. You also asked what diet would suit you.

The short answer

Period pain is very common and on most occasions “normal”. The better word of it is “physiological” which happens because of normal body behavior and is not due to any illness. You can take pain killers and spasmo-lytics medicines during these four days and that could help a lot. Menstruation for four days is absolutely normal. Actually that is what most women expect it to be. I will go ahead and say even if it is less i.e. two day or three day it would still be normal to you if that is how it has always been.

Fried foodstuff can’t be the cause of any cyclical pain. However I will agree with anybody who says you should have less of that. A healthy diet will include more boiled and roasted type preparations with less oil and only basic spices. It should also include raw (but well washed ) preparations such as sprouted beans and fresh salads etc. but you need the services of a dietician to see how that can all fit in with your won eating habits.

The long answer

The most important question is why do you have pain during your periods and why do we still call it normal or physiological?

Basically periods are expected to be painful, after a few years of their onset. This is because at the onset of your periods (say at 10 years or 12 years), they would be irregular and painless. They may happen once in two-three months and perhaps even heavy. But a few years from onset they start becoming regular once every 28 days (plus/minus 5 to 7 days) and bleed for two to six days with an average of four. That’s the good part. The bad part is that they start becoming painful especially first day or two. The pain is 'crampy' in nature and this produces the feeling of sickness (nausea). The fact that the period pain doesn’t start right from the first menstrual cycle, makes it feel abnormal. What has happened after the first two to three years of menarche (onset of menses) is that the menstrual cycles are now becoming ovulatory. The first two to three years the system has just started warming up. The predominant hormone is estrogen that came from the fat under your skin as well as the ovarian follicles. However dominant follicles didn’t happen and ovulation happened only sometimes. This meant cycles would be irregular and painless. But once ovulation starts happening progesterone gets added in the second half of the cycle. This changes the texture and quality of the uterine lining (endometrium) and as a result of that and prostaglandin chemicals that gets secreted, the resultant periods are painful.

The excessive response to this physiological pain is because of our ignorance about what’s happening. Add to that the myth and the social taboo and it worries as much as it hurts. Now that you know that all is well, it should in many ways reduce your anxiety and thus your pain. Continue your normal activities, sports including swimming (if you do that), running and anything else. It allows your mind to focus on more interesting things. It then distracts you from the pain.

Eating fried food, pizzas with cheese and the general rich diet that Indians are now enjoying much more, has made our country a little (!) over weight. Being overweight can bring on early menarche as has been noticed in all western countries in last 70 years. The best food should be without added fat or salt or too much spices. Boiled food is great and dry heat more than fry heat is the key. Good and regular exercises will help you a lot.

Medication

Using painkillers like Ponstan (mefenemic acid) if you are not asthmatic or do not have hyper acidity will cure most of your pain. Tablets like buscopan are antispasmodics and they help too. But you must consult with your GP or gynecologists before starting any medications.The most important thing will be to believe that all is well you are not sick and continue with your day to day life putting your periods at the back of your mind.