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AIBU?

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Original poster

To not know how old I was when I got my first period?

189 replies

Talismania · 13/05/2015 23:39

I have a new GP and I was asked this at my first appointment. I remember what house I lived in at the time so could say it was sometime between the ages of 10 and 15, but beyond that I have no idea. GP was surprised. Is this something most women remember?

OP posts:
Szeli · 14/05/2015 06:13

I don't know, I thought 14 but thinking about it now that was my mum, not me. I know I was at secondary school, but my mum checked me to ensure it was that and not some other problem (my first was very odd) and I'm sure I wouldn't have let her look past 12 Hmm who knows eh? odd question!

tobysmum77 · 14/05/2015 06:13

I can remember that, it's when they ask the date of my last one I'm Confused

Mrsstarlord · 14/05/2015 06:17

Not a clue!

Nolim · 14/05/2015 06:19

Yes i remember. What difference doest it make to the gp unless it is very unuseal (and 10-15 sounds pretty standard )?

Mousefinkle · 14/05/2015 07:54

I definitely don't remember the exact date or details of it. I know I was 12 but only because I'd been waiting for my period to turn up for about two years at this point and was almost bloody desperate for it to happen Grin. My friends all discussed theirs and I was worried something was wrong with me, plus my mum was only 8 when she started hers so she expected I would be early too.

It didn't happen in some dramatic way as I had expected (pissing all over the bed sheets or it running down my legs in school), just wiped and there was something there so told my mum and that was that.

brittabot · 14/05/2015 07:55

I do remember - summer holiday before I started secondary school - but think it's because I had been on a trampoline that day so I was concerned I had done some damage!

JemimaPuddlePop · 14/05/2015 08:00

I can remember being very happy and proudly telling my group of friends. I think I was 13 or 14...but no, can't remember exactly. My mum probably would, it's the sort of thing she would.

youmakemydreams · 14/05/2015 08:09

I was 12 and it was the very start of the summer holidays before secondary school and I was going off that day to stay with my brother for a few days. My mum was very annoying asking me all day if I was ok. Then this year I did exactly the same to sd when she started.

Pengweng · 14/05/2015 08:12

Summer before i started high school so i was 11 years 11 months. URGHHH!
I've never had my GP or the nurse ask me though. Not sure why they need to know tbh.

fiveacres · 14/05/2015 08:13

I remember, it was just before I turned 12. My birthday is at the end of November and it was definitely n the second half term of my first year at secondary school so that would be 1993.

gamerwidow · 14/05/2015 08:16

No idea when I started mine probably 14/15 based on house I was in. Gp had never expressed surprise at me not knowing. They only ask the question to find out if it unusually early or late which I guess by being outliers you'd remember more.

TiltedPenguin · 14/05/2015 08:19

13th birthday. What a present!

I just googled risks of early menarche and there were several studies mentioning a possible early menarche and breast cancer link, so maybe it's that? No medical knowledge myself, so haven't read the studies - just the first thing to pop up.

ilovemargaretatwood8931 · 14/05/2015 08:19

I remember my first started on Christmas day, so that was memorable, but now cannot remember if I was 12 or 13.

lottiegarbanzo · 14/05/2015 08:25

I remember the date and do find the idea of not knowing your age quite strange, personally.

Why don't you ask your GP why they want to know? A load of people with no medical knowledge saying 'I don't know why they'd want to know that' tells you only and exactly that, they don't know.

muminhants · 14/05/2015 08:27

I know that I was 13 but not exactly when.

PlumpingThePartTimeMother · 14/05/2015 08:27

The onset of periods is called menarche and early/late onset can be associated with an increased risk of things like breast cancer - so it is relevant in some cases. Could havejust been a general question from the GP though.

Mine started aged 10.5, so quite early. I remember all the gory details - my mother, on the othet hand, didn't know when she went through menopause as we lived in a hot country and she was often too warm Hmm

Eltonjohnsflorist · 14/05/2015 08:28

I was 15- so late!

swimmerforlife · 14/05/2015 08:28

I was 13 (January 1996) , I remember as I was away on summer holiday, when we arrived at out destination I went to the airport toilet and realised I was on my period. But I have a feeling I had some light periods / spotting before that though.

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 14/05/2015 08:37

I have always thought I was 11, but working it out based on the fact that I was in secondary school and it was about March, I must have been 12. My twin sister didn't get hers for another 6 months and then hers arrived when we were at the cinema watching Independence Day for our 13th birthday party.

TheMoa · 14/05/2015 08:40

I have no idea. I think I was at secondary school, but no idea what age I was.

If there's anything vaugely relevant in your (or your children's) medical history, it isn't a weird question.

YouMakeMyHeartSmile · 14/05/2015 08:41

I was 14 and remember because I was the last of my friends to start.

Balaboosta · 14/05/2015 08:42

7 December 1983. Do I win?

Hobby2014 · 14/05/2015 08:44

I have no idea when mine started.
But I was asked when I had to get a breast lump checked at the hospital. They wanted to know when my last period was (fine, get why they need to know that and I could roughly work it out) then wanted to know what year mine started! I had no clue.

Hobby2014 · 14/05/2015 08:47

Ah have just read some more of this thread and see that early/late can link with breast cancer so that makes sense to me now!

PlumpingThePartTimeMother · 14/05/2015 08:50

Jyst been googling and early menarcheis also associated with increased incidence of heart disease in older women. Oh, goody.

According to wiki it can also begin earlier if you live in a high-conflict household (tick), were obese as a child (tick), had low levels of childhood exercise (tick), were exposed to smoking (tick) and weren't breastfed (tick). It's like they filmed us!!