DD and periods

[tiddlysquat]

13 year old DD frequently has to miss a day of school a month for her period. Not every month but more often than not.

She gets bad pain but we're just about on top of that with alternate dosing ibuprofen and paracetamol, although at home she also uses a heat pad to make it bearable so often struggles at school.

The other issue is that she just feels'ill' and out of it.

I've had BC so I don't want her on the pill.

I've tried other medications myself over the years and the only thing that helped at all was transexamic acid , which she is too young for .

I'm going to start giving her spatone and more vits.

Anyone got any recommendations for what else would help , as she gets older she can't keep missing school? I'm not really interested in making her power on through as I have suffered for 40 years and don't think it's particularly on that women have to just cope with it and carry on.

Don’t let her miss out on education due to heavy periods. She needs to see a GP. Not sure why you’re so against the pill, it really helps some girls and women control heavy periods. She may have another gyne issue like endo. Try to encourage the stick on heat pads, she can tuck it under her skirt so nobody would know at school.

@Generallystruggling

Don’t let her miss out on education due to heavy periods. She needs to see a GP. Not sure why you’re so against the pill, it really helps some girls and women control heavy periods. She may have another gyne issue like endo. Try to encourage the stick on heat pads, she can tuck it under her skirt so nobody would know at school.

There's a couple of issues with the pill in this case.

1. it doesn't actually fix the problem, it just masks the symptoms.

2. the pill can cause other issues such as low mood and depression. I think the OP had also mentioned a family history of cancer. For some women with certain types of cancer in their family, the pill isn't suitable

3. at this age her hormones are still trying to sort themselves out a bit, suppressing that can cause other issues further down the line.

Try Feminax Ultra, they have Naproxen in them. I know how your dd feels, I suffered from painful periods from being young, I was diagnosed with endometriosis age 45 .

Don’t let her miss out on education due to heavy periods.

They’re not just heavy, they are crippling painful. And one day a month is not going to ruin her education.

Thanks everyone, we're starting with mefenamic acid and see how that goes . The book recommended by @Twizbe up thread has arrived and is excellent, thank you . I've only skimmed but already am going to up dd's iron and see if I can persuade her to take magnesium. I did discuss the pill with GP but she felt it wasn't suitable for her at her age and especially with my medical history - and dd doesn't want it anyway. If she does in the future she can discuss with the GP- who was very helpful , we're now under her care so if the first option doesn't work we will try dd with something else

Really appreciate all the ideas on here, lots to try and think about , thank you . Agree that endometriosis should be kept in mind as we go on.

I'm not that worried about her missing a day of school, I'm worried about the impact on her life - as it won't always fall on a day when she can sit at home with a heat pad on - especially as she gets older . But there's been a ton of good advice on here so lots to explore

Following with interest - my dd14 has started getting period pains.

I had them from a few cycles after my period started until I had my first baby, so many years.

It wasn't just the pain it was as others describe dizziness, nausea to the point of vomiting and passing out.

I'll have another chat with dd around taking vitamins and iron. She has them but doesn't like taking them for some not-quite-clear reason, but if she knows that it may be a game changer in terms of period pain that might help persuade her.

I wouldn't worry about the day off school a month. I would be more worried about her suffering. What a terrible business it is for so many women - and children indeed. Reading the list of treatments here that women have to take just to get through the day while menstruating makes me so cross. There is truly no way that the options for relief would be so crude and ineffective if t were men having periods - I know it is a cliche but it is true.

I went through hell with my periods - and as I got older it got worse and worse. I bless the day I had my uterus removed.

DD is 12 and has the same problems te intense period pain and very heavy flow.
I have taken her to the GP more than once but they're loath to do much because of her age.

Saw this article today about a dad starting a petition to get period pain recognised as a legitimate reason to take time off school.

chng.it/CL7DTRYnhf

I don't think as women we should accept painful and awful periods. There are a huge number of people (mainly women) doing a lot of research in this area. Sadly not most local GPs.

I know it means more work for you to do the research but I think the answer is out there. I wish could think of some off the top of my head but I have seen a ton, even on TikTok, of people giving advice on what to do and where to go to help women to have 'normal' periods.

Good luck to your daughter and you, it is not nice and she has a long time of this.

When I was 15 then a friend of mines had really bad pains when she got her periods and one day she fainted and an ambulance was called, and when she was there they gave her the pill to sort her period pain out and it worked. This was in 1997 though so I don’t know if they would give the pill out for this to a 13 year old now, but just thought I’d mention it.

@tiddlysquat I have suffered my whole life due to periods. I have PMDD... sometimes aware of it and sometimes not. It has interrupted everything. It's only now I'm pregnant again (3rd child) that I'm having some relief.

I've heard aspirin is a cure for a lot things, I'm on it during pregnancy and had no idea how much it can treat. It may even just make her feel better, taking it every single day.

I suffered through awful cramps as a teenager and young woman. As painful as labour contractions, but each lasting up to 20 minutes without a break to catch my breath. For me, once the pain started there was no drug I ever found that could touch it. GP was completely disinterested.

My magic cure was ibuprofen taken at maximum dose 3 days BEFORE the period starts. Apparently some women produce too many prostaglandins or are too sensitive to prostaglandins which causes the monster cramps. It’s the same hormone they give to induce labour. Ibuprofen taken in this way actually blocks the production of prostaglandins and stops the problem before it starts. But you need to take them before the period starts. Even 1 day before will help. Once the cramps start it’s too late.

Mayo clinic suggests regular doses of ibuprofen for 3 days before period starts.

My DD has gone from vomiting misery for two days to absolutely fine by eating a better diet (no refined sugar, lower white carbs, plenty of fruit and veg and good protein).

13 year olds shouldn't generally take aspirin (risk of Reye's syndrome) so please don't give her that.