CBD Oil Is The Only Thing That Legit Helps My Horrible Period Cramps

    All praise the CBD gods.

    Rebecca Norris
    by Rebecca Norris

    Freelance Writer

    *Note: Consult with your doctor before beginning any new regimen.

    Hey, hi, hello. I'm Becca and I know a thing or two about cramps. You too? Yeah, I know I'm not alone in the monthly body-crippling moments of womanhood, and that's precisely why I decided it was time to do a little investigative journalism in the form of untraditional period pain solutions.

    Rebecca Norris

    Notice the major mood in this pic? Yeah, well 13 years of bleeding monthly will do that. Don't get me wrong, I pretty much praise the period gods every time I get it because 1) it means I'm healthy for what myself and my doctor consider healthy, and 2) it means I'm not pregnant, something I'm not currently planning for in my life. Nevertheless, as someone who has had anemia on and off since the onset of her period, and who first got put on birth control to reduce bleeding and the subsequent cramps, there's no denying that if there were a way to nix periods without affecting all other assets of my health and hormones, I'd be about it.

    A quick note before I dive in: This is my experience with my period and symptoms and treatments, but this in no way is every person's experience. I hope you can enjoy and maybe learn something new, but remember to consult your personal doctor before starting a new regimen.

    Throughout high school, I got by with a doctor's note to excuse my cramp-related absences. College was different. With a nasty iron deficiency and just about zero regard for sleeping through alarms on day one or two of my period, it was a nightmare. For the past 13 years of life, I've tried just about everything for cramps — from extra strength OTC remedies to the warm comfort of a heating pad — but it was clear that my period called for more.

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    Recently I was at VSPOT MediSpa in NYC — a women's health medispa that focuses on science, sex and strength — when, lo and behold, CBD suppositories for period cramps caught my attention. Needless to say, I went home with a big pack in anticipation of my next period.

    Rebecca Norris

    Short for Cannabidiol, CBD is one of the over 400 compounds found in good 'ol marijuana. It's made to interact with the network of neurons in our bodies called the endocannabinoid system. When it interacts with the receptors in this system, a whole slew of responses can happen — making it ideal in alternative medicine and therapy.

    While CBD can be used topically and orally for everything from regulating mood to stimulating appetite and reducing varying types of pain, my adventures with CBD were going to be internalized to target the body-crippling period cramps that so often associates the first day of my period.

    You can get the Organic CBD V-Suppositories Menstrual Cramps Relief from V-Spot for $32.50.

    And, if you're unsure what a suppository it is — let me be clear: By internalized, I mean it was going to be put all up in me before my tampon.

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    Such a pretty thought, right?

    Here's how it went down: At the first sign of my period, with subtle cramps and that weird starting tint (don't even pretend like you don't know) I took a proactive stance, popped the suppositories in the freezer and waited a few minutes.

    Rebecca Norris

    You have to put them in the freezer because they're made of oil and need the low temps to set into the proper form. Once the suppositories hardened, I opened one and got in formation. This was the tricky part because 1) as soon as the suppository touched my finger, it began to melt, and 2) my period had already begun. But there we were, so I just went with it.

    At first, I didn't feel anything and I began to wonder the validity of all the claims I had read.

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    But then it hit. All of a sudden my cramps disappeared and my uterus felt like full on dreamland.

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    Fast forward 15 minutes and that dreamy feeling spread to my entire body, pulling me into a low dose Xanax-like state.

    At this point I did more research and found that CBD isn't only amazing for period cramps, but for people with anxiety, too. Like me!

    Sunday Scaries / Via instagram.com

    And about 40 million other Americans. Yup, you're not alone.

    I ended up falling asleep in that calm, euphoric state, but as soon as I woke up, I knew I had more research to do on the amazing way my body and mind felt.

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    I spent my entire train ride to work looking up all the best CBD products available.

    I had such a positive experience and felt super relaxed, so I researched and found a CBD product called Sunday Scaries, CBD gummies specifically for anxiety. At which point I immediately got a bottle and waited for it to arrive in the mail.

    Sunday Scaries / Via instagram.com

    You can get a bottle of Sunday Scaries from their website for $39.

    When I received my bottle of gummies a few days later, I popped a red one — because, obviously — and waited to see if it was as euphoric as the suppository.

    Sunday Scaries / Via instagram.com

    Sure enough, it calmed my mind and slowed my body, proving that it really can be a natural alternative to so many of the chemical anxiety medications on the market. It's worth saying, however, if cramps are your main agenda with no attention towards anxiety, suppositories are the way to go. For me, they created a much more centralized (read: internalized) response to my cramps, whereas Sunday Scaries were more ideal for levels of mental stress.

    Bottom Line: CBD? Yes, please.

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    For me, it was a huge help! Talk to your doctor to see if CBD oil may help you, too.