10 yr old with period problems

[Mrsfluff]

Hi, first ever post!

My DD was 10 in July and started her periods in September - they are regular, heavy and very painful. She is coping very well tbh, and doesn't seem to phased by it all. Last month I had to fetch her home from school as she was complaining of feeling faint/dizzy and very cold. I took her to see a Dr, who felt it was caused by her recovering from a previous virus and having her period at the same time.

This month we had to come home from having lunch as all of a sudden she'd come over faint and was white as a sheet, she stayed home from school on Weds as she felt like it as soon as she woke and didn't manage to complete a day Thurs or Fri for same reason. She saw a different Dr on Tues and she prescribed meds to make her periods less heavy, but obviously no improvement so far!

Has anyone else experienced similar symptoms please? I feel so awful when she's rolling around in agony, which the paracetamol she was also prescribed hardly touch :( Also concerned about missing so much school, as she doesn't want any attention drawn to the situation.

Sorry for the ramble!

[Mrsfluff]

Thanks Pixie :) Yes, Tranexamic acid is what she's on. I will try alternating the paracetamol and Ibruprofen - only trouble is she can't yet seem to swallow tabs, until recently she still had Calpol :(

I will definitely keep going back to the Dr. Luckily the last one was a lady Dr and seemed to take it all quite seriously. I have wondered about anaemia as her body is taking quite a battering!

Good advice re the friends bit; I know she doesn't want to tell them, but we'll have to come up with something. I will discuss it with her.

Thanks again.

[pantaloons]

not a period thing, but my Mum used to crush hard tablets like paras are ibuprofen between two teaspoons for us when we were younger. Might help a bit, especially if you put a bit of jam with it. Not that I was spoilt or anything!

Hope she gets it sorted out soon, I'm 29 and find heavy periods hard to deal with, can't imagine it so young.

[pantaloons]

sorry "and Ibuprofen" not are, really should read through properly!

[Panzee]

When I was in the early years of my periods (not as young as your daughter) I always felt I was missing iron. Some vitamins may help if that's the case.

[LadyOfTheFlowers]

Mine have been terribly heavy from the start and the Doc put me on the pill when I was 14 to sort them out.
Was like they almost disappeared and I was then like all my friends again with 'normal' periods.

I remember when they first started when I was 12, in the middle of the night, blood everywhere, running down my legs, I jumped out of bed and screamed to my Mum - I thought I was dying! I had never seen so much blood.

No advice really, as others have said, keep going to the Doc - heavy periods are quite terrible when you are so young, she is doing so well not making a fuss.
Don't know what I am trying to say really except I really feel for her as I was quite young, though not as young as her and she is only 10 - it's as if she is being forced to grow up. :(

Tis not fair - what us women have to go through!

[Mrsfluff]

Thanks for all replies and ideas :) I'm incredibly proud of her and also terribly sad that she's going through so much at such a young age. As a family we all started young and were all the pill quite young as well, as nothing else ever really helped.

I think we'll have a few Dr's appts ahead of us, but I shall keep on till we get some sort of resolution. It's not easy as my DD is mortified at the thought of discussing things with the Dr -she sits and sucks her thumb while I do all the talking lol!

[hellymelly]

A friend of mine had terrible periods like this and often missed school,so hats off to your Dd for dealing with it so well.Hope that something will help.

[AllSheepareWhite]

The symptoms you describe do sound a lot like anaemia. I would try Feroglobin liquid to boost her iron levels, I used to get really bad menstrual symptoms (even been hospitalised). Now I take 3 teaspoon full every day of my period and the pains/tiredness/dizziness etc... are for the most part gone. Second what Pixie said about Calprofen/Calpol (give my 12 year old niece this when she is on her period and staying with us and it does the job) sugar levels too, eating little and often seems to help me. Hot water bottle , a duvet, chocolate and a good film to take her mind off it also recommended.

[Vigilanteawarenessraiser]

Hi,

I'm afraid it does need to be taken seriously, because symptoms like this, especially at this age, can indicate endometriosis. If her periods are that painful, to be honest, I would be asking for a referral now rather than later, to a gynaecologist who specialises in endometriosis.

It is a huge problem, unfortunately, that teenage and pre-teenage girls who show all the signs don't get taken seriously, because too many doctors still believe the old myth that 'women under the age of [insert random number] are too young to get endometriosis'. Early diagnosis, if she were to turn out to have it, would be a huge advantage, and might save a lot of trouble later.

If she doesn't have it, of course, getting it properly investigated would set your mind at rest.
Have a look here for information.

[AllSheepareWhite]

Also forgot to add that Magnesium supplements also help with the cramping as they act as a muscle relaxant. This article is pretty helpful and has lots of tips for diet/supplements that may help etc....