I have a long history with periods... It got worser and worser and about 8 years ago I went to my doctor and asked her what to do. She advised me to have a Mirena IUD, a very small IUD that was best tolerated by women. 'Most' women don't feel a thing when it is placed, I had a fainting fit, doctor brought me home, I stayed at the couch for a few days, not with just stomach pains but with real contraction woes, I had very heavy stomach pains for one year and after that year I said: Take it out please!! A few years I used nothing and I had very painful periods with fainting fits and woes (I had a child so I can compare...), even my ovulation was very painfull. Then I went to my (new) doctor and said: I don't leave the office until you give me a letter for the hospital to take 'all' out Well, she said, I want to try just one thing; the contraceptive injection; Depo Provera. The best invention since the washing machine!! I just had one or two small periods and now I am I think 3 years free of all pain, suffering and all kind of stuff. I never want something else and I hope it will always stay like this!