Debilitating period pains and missing school

[Twistie]

How is this still not being taken seriously? When will girls and women with menstrual symptoms that cause them to be unable to function normally for school and work etc be listened to and offered effective, appropriate treatments? (Yes I know some have more serious conditions that aren’t easily treated). It’s a disgrace that we are still not being taken seriously.

Back in the mid/late 80’s I was constantly off school with severe period symptoms and my DM did nothing, and the school never mentioned my constant absences (one year, aged about 15, I had 32 days off school). I remember the horrific pain in my abdomen, back, hips, shooting pains done my legs, vomiting and bad headaches, fainting, extreme tiredness, etc. I took myself to the GP aged 15 (DM wasn’t interested) and all he said was “well, yes, I’d hate to be a woman too.” He then stood up, went to the door and gestured for me to leave.

https://news.sky.com/story/debilitating-period-pains-causing-one-in-three-girls-to-miss-school-13113404

I’m not surprised. Females have a long way to go before their health will be taken seriously.

It’s appalling that in this advanced medical age we still can’t get effective pain relief for such a normal part of life. Even at my age I still struggle to keep pain under control even through there is nothing ‘wrong’ as such.

I once knew someone who had her first period pains in her early 30s and she was absolutely shocked at how bad it felt; I thought she was incredibly lucky as I used to wish for a hysterectomy when I was in my teens because I was either off my face with pain, or off my face having taken a cocktail of OTC painkillers.

The GP put DD on the pill to alleviate the horrific pains she went through every month.