Naproxen works wonders, if you are into taking pain meds. Make sure to take with food, and only every 12 hours.

Also taking a day earlier, will help.

It depends. Sometimes I just take OTC painkiller and it's okay, other times it makes me ill, and sometimes it starts bothering my thighs and it's hard to walk.

I can be completely incapacitated the first day and a half.

Sometimes (especially if I'm overtired) I get some lower back pain. Pain relievers and/or a nap usually fix it.

I don't get actual cramps as much as I do back pains. The back pains leave me crippled and sometimes I'll get really lucky and get my horrific back pains WITH bad cramps. -.- I usually don't like taking pills, but if it's so bad that I'm crying (has happened more than once) I'll take one of my boyfriend's muscle relaxers that he got when he had shoulder surgery and just go to sleep.