Why am I feeling nauseous on my period?

Everyone’s got their most frustrating period symptom. Spotty skin. Sore boobs. Bloating. Ughh.

Feeling nauseous during your period is a symptom that although is quite common, doesn’t get the same airtime. So if you’ve ever felt randomly seasick or like you’ve just done loop-de-loops on a rollercoaster, know that it’s nothing to be too concerned about. 

What makes me feel nauseous on my period?

Your body goes through a lot of changes during each stage of your menstrual cycle. So while your hormones are rising and falling and your body’s trying to keep up, period symptoms, like nausea, occur. More specifically, the hormone prostaglandin, which stimulates ovulation and regulates your cycle, can cause nausea when released. Since prostaglandin rises during the luteal phase, you may feel more nauseous just before your period starts.

Common causes of period nausea are also:

• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): Majority of menstruating people experience PMS, a variety of symptoms that occur one or two weeks before your period starts. Here we group allll those symptoms we know and love, like mood swings, fatigue, and you guessed it, nausea.
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): Think of PMDD as a more severe version of PMS. Symptoms can include depression, anxiety, and even gastrointestinal symptoms, which can explain heavy feelings of nausea before your period.
• Dysmenorrhea: this is the fancy medical term for period pain. Where primary dysmenorrhea is mostly caused by prostaglandins, secondary dysmenorrhea is caused by other health conditions, like endometriosis. 
• Endometriosis: Around 14% of menstruating Australians experience ‘endo’ at some point in their lives, a condition whereby cells similar to the lining of your uterus, grow in other parts of your body. Endo can accentuate period symptoms, like nausea.

How can I manage feeling nauseous on my period?

Luckily, there are many ways to manage nausea during your period. For more severe cases that interfere with your daily life, you can consult with a healthcare professional about prostaglandin inhibitors, a drug to help relieve nausea from dysmenorrhea. There are also anti-nausea medications that may help, however, always follow the advice of a healthcare professional.

Home remedies can also assist - like a trusty shot of ginger or a nice hot tea. Another good tip is to limit fried, greasy, or sugary foods and to stay hydrated. 

What are the signs something’s not right?

If your feelings of nausea during your period are severe and often lead to vomiting, you should consider checking in with a healthcare professional. As with any period symptom, if it is impacting your life in any way, the best way forward is to consult a healthcare professional, who can pinpoint potential causes, suggest medications and give you medical advice.

Nausea is no fun, so we think it’s pretty awesome you get through it like it’s nothin’! All in all, just remember that you don’t just have to wait for it to pass. Know there is always help to seek.

Love, Libra x
 
Anything else? Essity Australasia makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional, medical or other health professional advice.