14 yr old DD going on school trip to Italy - her period is due!

[SugarSkyHigh]

Is there anything that can be done to supress her period for the duration of her residential one-week trip to Italy? I know you can go on the pill for this but i fear we have left it too late - the trip starts immediately after half term. Does anyone have any advice please? TIA

[Imnotaslimjim]

There is a tablet she can take, called norethisterone. It delays the period for as long as she takes it. Get her to the GP asap though, as you need to start it 4 days before its due to be effective

[Bearcat]

Does she really need medicating unless she has really heavy and very painful periods?
I never remember my periods before children giving me any problems that a tampax used over several hours wouldn't sort out

[Himalaya]

Why does she need to surpress her period? Is she worried or you? Surely a quarter of the girls will be on, coming on or coming off their periods during a one week trip. I'm not sure I'd want to start new medication on a trip.

[SugarSkyHigh]

no they are heavy, Bearcat ... as mine were before children. Oddly now mine are much less problematic!

will get her to GP ASAP - thanks SlimJim - I take it the tablet you refer to is not a contraceptive pill, (I thought contraceptive pill was the only option and was not too keen on going down that route)!

[SugarSkyHigh]

Himalaya - she is the one who is worried, and let's be honest, wouldnt anyone rather not be having their period during a much looked forward to week long trip abroad? When sharing a dorm and bathrtoom with 4 other girls?

[smudgethepuppydog]

She can take norethisterone but it needs to be started a week to 10 days before her period is due so it might be too late.

[smudgethepuppydog]

Norethisterone is progestogen but it is not the contraceptive pill.

[QOD]

My DD is 12 with the boy of a 14 yr old (but young for her age!) - we are off on hols Tuesday, she has very very heavy flooding type periods every 4 to 6 weeks.
She started on the tablets on Tuesday of this week as she was 5 weeks since last one.
The positive effect is amazing! Her moods are so much better, she is happy and says she feels nice.
Our Gp was very keen on her going on the mini pill - she is a young female Gp and says no one should suffer at any age. The jury is still out on that, if she were one of those desperate to get older type of girls I would say no f'ing way to the pill - but she is naive and anti boys. But it's still the pill... I am more than happy for her to delay a period (a beach holiday would be misery as she isn't emotionally ready for tampons) but the pill? hmmmmmm

So yes, don't delay! We have 3 packs so if she doesn't use them all (she won't) we'll have enough for another trip.

My sister went nuts at me last year when I said we were considering it (poor DD started early) for last years hols - as it happens, it wasn't an issue - she felt it was wrong blah blah. But hey ho

ps the Gp said to take it from 3 days before due or start immeadiately as infact she was a week late!

[QOD]

BOY!!! lmao - mistype - BODY not boy (freudian slip!!)

[SugarSkyHigh]

QOD - I wonder if our GP will suggest the mini pill. My DD has huge mood swings! I'm going to make an appointment as soon as I can. I know what you mean about not being emotionally ready for tampons - my Dd at 14 yrs still finds the idea quite traumatising.

[Milliways]

My DD took norethisterone for her Dofe Gold trip (wild camping!).As she was 16 the GP made very sure she was aware it was NOT a contraceptive,which DD thought was hugely funny as she said "he obviously hasn't seen the size of our tents, & how glam we all look" .She had to take 3 tablets a day - so GP said pill would be easier but she had left it too late.

It worked & she was fine.

[alice15]

My DD16 took norethisterone for a recent trip to France - it worked well and she was fine too - she did say, however, that the withdrawal bleed she got when the tablets stopped (about 48 hours after she took the last one) was more painful than usual. I was very reluctant for her to take it, but she was desperate not to have a period during her exchange stay, and with hindsight I needn't have worried - it was the right choice for her.

[Wormshuffler]

My DD recently started her periods aged 11, and to be honest I am a wee bit shocked that so many of you see taking a pill to put off the period as a viable option! They are going to have these things for the next 40 years!!, surely it is better to learn to cope with them without filling their bodies with chemicals whenever the mood takes them? First it's a holiday.......then a night out, then what? ........because it's a saturday??

[QOD]

Yeah wormshuffler - gushing a flood of blood everytime you move and sitting sweating in 102f heat with clothes on and a pad is far better than taking a few tablets for a week.
Naturally she'll take them every Thursday too so she can go out..............

[Deaddei]

Dd 14 has just been prescribed the pill for painful heavy periods....combined with OCD it is a nightmare.
worm shuffler..I assume your dd does not suffer in the same way- many girls don't, but dd's quality of life was crap. Periods every 2 weeks, lasting up to 10 days, and flooding.
I was on the pill for 28 years on and off and am now on HRT .

[KurriKurri]

When I took norethisterone it made me feel very sick - I only mention as it might be something to bear in mind as your D is going on holiday. She may be fine, but it is a possible side effect.

[Wormshuffler]

Teenagers in hot countries have periods too shockingly enough and cope!
I just don't think it is healthy to bugger about with menstuation so early on, there cycles won't even have got started properly.

[QOD]

OMG!! really???!!!! I had no idea