Cynthia said:
Today I had to sit down for about an hour and a half because I had such bad cramps and I was sweating through my clothes and felt like I was basically having hot flashes (I'm only 23). Are there any supplements I can take to prevent this from happening again? I haven't had this much pain since high school. Sorry if this is too much info. Thanks for your time.
Hail Satan
The hot flashes relate to a yin deficiency of the body. In women, periods result in a loss of kidney yin in the body, which can then result in additional uncomfortable symptoms.
This article goes into decent depth about the problem and what you can do right now to alleviate it.
I would suggest following up with a TCM doctor, and they can prescribe you certain herbal formulas, based on your symptoms and your body's constitution.
As HPS Shannon was getting into, xenoestrogens and other hormone-modifiers like birth control can also damage fertility, both in men and women. Switching out your household products and foods for more natural/organic sources combats this to a large degree, as well as filtered water. This represents a more long-term solution.