Quick period question...?!

Quick period question...?

well...i'm 14 years old and i'm due to start my periods next week (friday i think) however I keep getting bad cramps as if i was on and i keep getting headaches. I've taken paracetamol and i keep going to the toilet (just in case). is there any explanation for these cramps? and i forgot to mention my mood swings are all over the place. i was angry at one of my best friends 4 no apparent reason and she just laughed and said it was my hormones. lol! also is there any medicine i can taken to avoid them? (apart from paracetamol)

P.S I've recently just starting using tampons and this couldn't be a result of that could it? it's most definatley not but i'm just making sure.

3 weeks ago
i really don't want to sound stupid here but what does PMS stand for?

3 weeks ago
thank you 2 everyone that has responded so far! the medicines that you are saying can they be bought over the counter or are they prescibed by the doctor?

PMS - Pre-menstrual syndrome. (or periods - men - scared)
It's a catch all phrase for everything a woman's body goes through every 28 days. It's different for different girls but cramps, where the uterus (womb) is contracting, sometimes lower back pain too. Headache is common too. Loads of women have a low mood or quick temper. Tampons don't cause cramps but make sure you change them at least 4 hourly and use towels instead at night. If you're in the UK then there is a medication which can be bought over the counter, called FEMINAX, it can help with the cramp and headaches. Can I suggest that instead of keeping going to the toilet "just in case" - if you're worried about suddenly starting to bleed and being embarrassed by that - when you know that you are about due, use a towel - not a tampon - and if your period starts suddenly, you're protected anyway.