Horrific periods- urgent solution for exam season

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DD is doing her A levels and has one day a month when she feels ridiculously unwell with faintness, nausea and pain. She was going to try the period delay tablets but is worried about side effects.

Is there anything else she could try? Looks like she might have two exams on her worst day…

Can she go on the Pill? Why should she have to suffer so much every month? If she goes on the pill, it could do away with all these symptoms.

My DD has tried many different pills. Her periods are bloody horrific. The pill is not the cure for all sadly

She did try that but gained weight which is also why she doesn’t want to try the pill delay tablets…

Document with GP and letter to examination officer

Has she tried Transexamic acid?

@Dominuse we will have to do that if she has a bad day. I will contact the GP tomorrow in case there’s anything that they can offer. People just think ‘period pains’ sound like a lane excuse but she gets so ill

Lame

@Gizlotsmum no, what’s that?

Why doesn’t she do the pill for one month, just to get through the exams ? She can’t put much weight on in one month

@KangarooKenny that does sound logical but it has to be her choice- and she’s decided that the hormone levels could take a while to return to normal.

What a shame that she is loathe to take medication that will most likely really help her because it might make her put on weight.
@TodaysFishIsTroutALaCreme I know some people need something different, but there is overwhelming evidence that the Pill is very helpful for those with bad periods.

I would also suggest tranexamic acid. You take it during your period and it really reduces the bleeding. I took it as an interim measure for severe bleeding and it was very helpful. Speak to your GP.

Tranexamic acid
www.nhs.uk/medicines/tranexamic-acid/

Its generally used for heavy periods - I had it myself for a few months. It wont help with the other symptoms she has. She needs to see a female GP who will understand her needs.

I take the pill cerazette and don’t get a period or all the hormone mood swings etc. as soon as I come off it period comes back so might be something to discuss with go for short term

She needs to take the medication that will make her feel better. Would she have a tooth pulled with no meds?seems daft.

Does she have endometriosis? Sounds like the symptoms I suffered. Surgery changed my life. Not helpful in the short term, but if she does have endo it's worth getting sorted asap

Definitely tranexamic acid - it's a game changer.

Also, if her periods are regular, get her to start on the ibuprofen 48 hours before she's due on to help with her flow.

Suggest a prescription for Noristherone to delay

Or, as others have suggested
Tranexamic acid
Mefanamic acid

My daughter had Yasmin for two years and then following gynae investigations to check for endometriosis, had a Mirena coil inserted in Y13 which has resolved everything for now.

@woahwoahwoahsadly there is a possibility of that as she has had an ultrasound for abdominal pain and one or two other signs…

@coffeecupsandfairylights i didn’t know that would help. I’m not sure that feeling ill is totally linked to heaviness of flow. Would the tranex acid still help?

My daughter takes it with buscopan, has transformed her experience completely she was regularly off school with pain and feeling I’ll, now has none of that

try acupuncture

Tranexamic helps to clot, so reduces heavy flow. Mefanamic really helped me with the pain - I used to vomit with pain. You have to take both in advance of your period starting iirc so you need to be aware of your cycle.

It's definitely helped me! I'm really lucky that my periods are very regular, so I start with the ibuprofen 48 hours before I'm due, and start the traxenamic acid as soon as my period starts.

My flow is still heavy but I don't feel anywhere near as unwell with my periods now, and I manage to still carry on with my job (which is quite physical) without issue, which was never possible before!

My DD had horrendous period pains and before going doing a more medical route (she didn't really want to) we tried a female multi vitamin with B vitamins. I didn't hold out much hope but significant improvement. She stopped taking them for a couple of months and pains came back as before.

Worth a try along with whatever more medical approach you opt for?

I found naproxen, prescribed by GP and paracetamol worked for me.

Longer term, does she have much dairy? I found that after cutting out cows milk, my periods were much less painful. I’m vegan now but it was cutting out cows milk that made the biggest difference. I rarely need to take painkillers now.

I hope she finds something to help, period pain can be completely debilitating. I used to have so much pain and be sick every month and typically it would fall on important days.