I m 18 too, and I ve had horrible cramps for 7 years of menstruation. Motrin doesn t do anything, I don t know why you bother, midol is almost decent, but if you have really bad cramps it s not good enough. The only thing I ve found to work, which sucks in the summer cuz it s hella hot anyways, is a heating pad. I don t take medicine unless I m practically dying, but for years I was on birth control simply to control my cramping. Ask your doctor about it, if you are interested, it does help. Besides that, You can lay on a heating pad, it s the only all natural way I know of, besides those remedies that taste nasty and are hella expensive. Also they say potassium helps, but I eat bananas almost every morning, never done anything for my cramping. lol