Don't get me started, N-M! I may have time tomorrow.
Suffice it to say right now that I am 66 years old (67 next month) and still suffer from the things.
After collapsing regularly at school and being sent home for 2 days in bed with hotties on my tummy. My mum was finally alerted by a friend of hers that I was in dire straits so she eventually took me to the docs. He put me on the pill, I was 14 and knew nothing of such things. The relief!! My periods completely wrecked my life for a week each month.
The contraceptive pill in those days was pretty strong, but I've survived. I remained on various forms of it until I was 50 then went on to HRT for 3 years until there was the silly scare. Came off it, perforce, and hit a brick wall hormone-wise. I was in bed for days at a time alternately shivering and sweating, washing bedding every day. This has continued ever since and it has finally calmed down a bit (after nearly 17 years!) but I still pale and shiver and then blush red and sweat.....I am fed-up of 'investigations' in case I have 'nasties'. It's hormones, OK and I hate them, they have ruined my life at times (marriage breakup is certainly mainly to do with them).
It is completely under-explored, under-appreciated and under-funded. We are expected to playa full part in life, but like a favourite carrying 4 or 5 stones weighting. :(