This sounds like a post my hippie cousin could write. She's anti-OTC meds and all about the herbal remedies. Her kid got a job at 15 or 16 and started buying her own Tylenol and Midol, much to my cousin's dismay. She would flush them each time she found her "stash".

When my uncle had bypass surgery, she spent 20 minutes arguing with the surgeon during the post-op on why instead of opioids he should be on turmeric, valerian root, and something that started with a b, plus lots of jasmine and peppermint essential oils. They all manage pain just as well, according to her.

I had multiple child births in medicated and as a teen I had cramps that would rival that pain. On the floor, unable to think straight, trying not to vomit. Just because your cramps aren’t painful doesn’t mean hers aren’t. Give her some Advil. It sounds like she may have endometriosis.

I thought this was a thread about opioids.

My pediatrician did give me Tylenol with codeine for cramps when I was 12, so it's not out of the realm of the possible that her friends have something prescription.

HOWEVER, 600-800mg of Advil is a freakin' miracle drug. If you are concerned about dosages, talk to the doctor, but get her some help.

I do not suggest the Tylenol as a first choice because it doesn't work on the mechanism causing the cramps; ibuprofen does.

I'm not sure about Aleve (naproxen), though it's another NSAID and may work much like Advil.

When I was a tween/teen my mother used to make fun of me for having cramps (she never had them), saying things like "Cramps weren't invented until Midol came out!"

Just another reason we were never close.

I’m sorry but I call troll.

You refuse to give your daughter Tylenol for menstrual cramps?

Wow.

Back pain, not cramps! And YES, get the girl some Advil.

Also to the gynecologist. I always had back pain, and didnt even figure it out until a few years later when a friend on my sports team said, "Your back always hurts right before you get your period!" I was clueless! Anyway, turns out my uterus is tilted (a common thing), which can cause the back pain. Gyn can do an exam, talk with DD, and make some suggestions. There is a birth cotroll, SSeasoniqe, which is 12 weeks, so you get your period 4Xs a year instead of 12. I couldn't live without it. The 4Xs a year I do get my period, I LIVE on Advil, actually taking 4 every 5-6 hours.

And, had back labor for 1 of my 3 labors. Talk about excruciating, I thought I was going to die! 2nd was regular labor, and I didnt believe it was real (so mild I thought it must have been Braxton Hicks) and we barely made it to the hospital. For #3, regular labor again

Take an Aleve! One small pill lasts 12 hours.

I had cramps so badly as a teen it would make me throw up. Please let her take some ibuprofen.

This has to be a troll.

OP, you haven’t answered if you already give her Tylenol or Motrin, and if your concern is about opioids, so I imagine you are a troll.

If you’re against OTC pain relievers then that’s nuts. She’ll eventually get them from her friends or buy them herself. I get very painful cramps and definitely need Advil around my cycle for relief. If you refuse to properly address your DD’s pain, it doesn’t surprise me that she didn’t feel well enough to go to school. You’re sadistic!

This has got to be a joke. Who thinks like OP?

Menstruation is an inflammatory process. Anti-inflammatory medication would help her.

The pain killers that people refer to as concerning are opiods. Those are not things you can legally buy.

What she wants is Advil/Motrin. That is not addictive. As long as she is not allergic or does not have kidney damage, she can take 2 Advil every 4-6 hours.

The school drug culture you are referring to is ibuprofen based medicine.

If her pain is as bad as my period pain sometimes is, she wasn’t using it as an “excuse to cut school”, she legitimately was in too much pain to concentrate on what was going on/learn much & sit in a classroom all day without suffering quite a bit.

Have some freaking compassion.

Talk with her pediatrician or take her to your gynecologist. I doubt she’s faking. I didn’t have bad cramps until later in life and sometimes it felt as severe as labor pains did. The doctor will be able to educate you about what is going on with your dd’s body and let you know what safe treatment plans are available. Most people start with Motrin, but sometimes birth control is needed to get things under control. I had to go to my doctor at the onset of my severe cramps and get toradol injections for pain relief for several months until we got things under control.

I can’t imagine dealing with severe cramps and having my mom accuse me of faking it and refusing to give me medication to help me. Please get her some help. Motrin won’t hurt her and it could make a huge impact.