To feel dismissed by this Dr. DD PMS

[GoonDDyougotthis]

DD15.5 has been experiencing lots of ups and downs since last year: low moods, anxiety, insecurity, sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, irritability. She sees a Therapist.

I have been tracking her for the last few months and I realised they are linked to her period, and I am convinced she is suffering from PMS. Her period started at 12 but it took about 2 years to become more regular,

I took her to the Dr last week and all she said is to keep track of it; and analyse /think why she is having those feelings/feeling this way, reasons why she is feeling low, anxious and discuss with therapist. 😒 Maybe sleep better and eat better before her period. Coming from a female Dr, think her response is ridiculous. I asked her if she could take evening primrose or calcium and she said there is no evidence that It can help.

I shall see another dr.

Any advice from PMS sufferers out there. Any apps she can use to track period; Anything she can do/take to improve. We started well teen her and omega in the meantime and I am keeping an eye, also I lavender oil in her pulse to help with sleep.

Go to a bloody alternative practitioner and leave the medics be

PMS is PMS.

You learn to cope with it. She needs to do the same, I’m afraid. Unless you want to put her onto birth control to stop her periods. But no doctor will recommend that!

Yes, I think it could be as it impacts more than normal

More information

I can’t see that the GP did much wrong here. Except maybe straight out ask what you wanted from the appointment. I’ve found a lot of GPs will now just ask this.

The pill made my mood way worse so it may not be a magic bullet, as well as coming with its own risks. Every type of hormonal contraceptive I tried (combined pill, progesterone only) turned me into an absolute witch. I actually preferred the PMS, at least that only lasted a couple of days.

On what?

Thank you. We may try this first. I have been reading about it; it helps some people but other have adverse reactions; we won’t know until she tries it

That’s not really what British GPs are for. Vitamins are more a dietitian’s remit as GPs don’t spend much, if any, time learning about most of them bar the main deficiencies. They are not medications they are simply concentrations of molecules found in what we eat. The info is easily available online as to whether they are safe you don’t need a GP appt to try and discuss that.

Yes calcium is safe for teenage girls - it’s in yoghurt and milk and cheese! In fact all teen girls should take it as they’re building their peak bone mass.

Evening primrose oil is not proven to work. Like the GP says. If you want to try it anyway feel free - it’s mostly just a combination of fatty acids much like fish oil.

You can find the max dose on the bottles. Don’t exceed it.

Is it ok to take calcium? Which one/quantity. I read about hardening arteries

Is it ok to take evening primrose oil? Which one/quantity? Same dr recommended this for me in the past. Some people have opposite effects . I experienced terrible symptoms with Ashwanda.

Could contraceptive pill help? Which one? How does it work? Her periods only started becoming more regular lately. Any side effects? Future problems on doing this specially when so young? I never used them, certain contraceptives like injections gave me terrible side effects like vomiting so I want to be cautious and maybe try other things first

According to the internet there is low quality evidence that contraception works for PMS/PMDD. The only one with any evidence that it work (still only moderate evidence) is EE + drospirenone 24/4 this is known as Eloine in the UK. It is NOT the mini pill (which means progesterone only) it is a combined pill. Mini pills have very low evidence.

However as every human body and hormonal system is different they may also make her worse. All contraceptives have potential side effects. All have risks as well as benefits.

Here’s the guide to calcium needs by age by the BDA: https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/calcium.html

She stopped diary as it gave her breakouts. She started drinking kefir; but doesn’t eat much cheese so I wanted to know if we could supplement with calcium

Kefir IS dairy.

Cheese isn’t a great calcium source anyway - milk, yoghurt are better or fish with bones. Girls need calcium to make their bones strong. Once you hit 30 that’s it your bones stop building mass and teen girls often don’t get enough calcium to strengthen bones.

Has she had her iron, b12, vitamin d etc checked.
Magnesium supplement can also help.
There are no large scale studies into effective non pill/other contraceptive solutions to PMS. The pill etc ‘works’ because it stops ovulation and there for stops the hormonal changes that are normal for women in the course of their monthly cycle.
I followed a programme a long time ago by Dr Maryon Steward. The book is no more PMS. It requires adjustments to what you eat, relaxation and some exercise and supplements. It worked for me. My PMS went and never came back. There will be other similar things out there.
Supplements that can also help are Agnus castes, evening primrose oil and others - a quick google. They need to be take at the recommended dose for a least 3 months to start to see a change.
The reasoning behind the regime I followed was that if the female body is low in certain nutrients this disrupts the hormone levels and then leads to PMS. I’m now in perimenopause but never had my symptoms return in the same way since following Maryons program. It changed my life for the better. I was also (at her recommendation) gluten free - it’s not forever. Sometimes some people are sensitive to gluten and it prevents the body from taking all the goodness from the foods they eat.
I can only say my experience. My NHS doctor suggested anti depressants but I knew I wasn’t depressed because half of the month I felt like me and the other half I didn’t.

The only medical thing that would help would be the pill, as it balances out your hormones by giving you artificial ones. I went on the pill at 15 for acne. It really does help with hormonal issues tbh, so I’m surprised the doctor didn’t at least mention it.

If you want to try essential oils or vitamins then go for it, but they aren’t going to be as effective.

Also Calcium must be taken with food or vitamin d to help absorption. And magnesium to aid absorption of the vit D.
It would probably have to be private but a good naturopath doctor could be helpful

Cheese is also dairy

Exactly. I wsnted it to mention, give DD more advice. They don’t always listen to their parents

Also the pill won’t treat her symptoms- it will just hide them.
Has she been investigated for PCOS ? There is a genetic link

Also Evening Primrose Oil is mostly Omega 6. I’d suggest Omega 369 would be better for overall health improvement.

That is why I wanted to try other things first. She is taking well teen her which is helping with energy levels, omega 3 also seem to be helping with moods/focus. Lavender on pulse to help relaxation and sleep.

Will keep assessing and introduce EPO and increase calcium intake.

Will buy the book no more PMO

This is helpful l and probably the case for DD. Half of the month she is ok.

It's quite possible that doesn't matter though. I never had regular periods, including when I came off the pill to conceive. I conceived both times incredibly quickly. I've led my adult life completely free of period drama (mood swings, pain, dealing with heavy flow). I'll keep taking the pill as long as they keep prescribing it for me.

But these are exactly the sorts of questions as GP could have answered. You are not tasked with choosing a pill - the GP will recommend the best one for your daughter's age, weight etc. If it doesn't suit after a few weeks, you try a different one. Hormonal contraception seems to be somewhat out of fashion now but the GP will have the prescription guidance which will come from clinical trials - I don't believe there is any scientific evidence for problems starting the pill in your teens for example (which is biologically child-bearing age), but that's exactly what a GP would discuss with you.

Thank you. This dr used to be good but I felt like she is tired and ready to retire/couldnt be bothered.

I am going to ask for an appointment with a male dr who has given me better advice in the past, a bit more knowledge of vitamins, alternatives, etc.

I don’t want to automedícate her without enough information