“Normal” to conventional doctors means absence of disease. So no, having bad periods that requires monthly medication is NOT normal. It’s typically a sign of estrogen dominance, which usually happens as a result of 1 or all 3 of these scenarios:
1.  Exposure to xenoestrogens – outside sources of estrogen from environmental chemicals like phthalates, glyphosate, triclosan, parabens, etc which have estrogenic effect in the body. You may have seen this post of mine on social media. You can also find more info in this handout on toxin avoidance in the Resources. 
2. Lower progesterone to estrogen ratio. Are you peri-menopausal? Is there a PCOS dynamic that can lead to anovulation and therefore no progesterone production? Possible insulin resistance?
3. Lack of hormone clearance. Once we make and use hormones, we need to clear them from the body. Being on birth control depletes B vitamins which are needed for phase 1 detox. Are you constipated and not flushing toxins and spent hormones in stool? Is there gut microbial overgrowths perhaps causing a re-circulation of spent hormones? Is there liver-biliary tract congestion?

Do any of these resonate with you? You’ll also want to focus on the gut healing section in the Gut Health Masterclass because of your regular consumption of pain killers.

As rapid relief while trying to address your potential root cause(s), it’s been shown that high dose GLA (~1000mg per day in split dose with food) in the luteal phase of their cycle, helps counter the prostaglandins that cause the painful cramps. 1-2 Tbsp crushed flax seeds daily, and raspberry leaf tea can also help.

Some women also find that Vitex (chaste tree berry) helps. 1,000mg 1 or 2x per day in the 2nd half of the menstrual cycle (luteal phase) has shown to boost progesterone naturally by enhancing ovulation.

Hope this helps give you some direction with your practitioner.

Yes, it’s amazing how many women report improvements with seed cycling.  here is the post Claire is referring to: https://www.instagram.com/p/CL4QrYyJnjv/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link