Nausea/vomitting during period

[dumbledory]

Hi all.

Hoping someone else has been in a similar situation.

DD10 started her periods last month. First month was a full seven days, surprisingly heavy. Other than complaining about nausea, she dealt with it so well.

She's now four days into her second period and again really quite heavy. Only this morning she woke up crying that she felt sick, only to then violently vomit. Cue a few hours cuddled up with her heat pad and crying because of the cramps (I offered her painkillers, but she was worried she wouldn't keep them down) and I'm a little concerned now...she's not wanting to eat, because she's feeling so unwell with it - very much not like her.

I was a few years older when I started, but don't remember them being painful/heavy to start off with and certainly don't recall being sick with them...although I did go onto develop severe endometriosis, for which I've had several operations for and now take desogetrel to stop my cycle completely.

I guess what I'm asking is, is this common for someone just starting their periods? And is it too soon to approach the GP with this? Have a feeling they would want us to wait a few more months to see if it settles. Just hate to see DD unwell with it. Any hints/tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Hi dumedory my dd had this, although her periods started when she was a little older at around 12.

It was not every month but extremely upsetting for her when she has it. Every third period or so.

I was told, by pharmacist, to give iburofen as it helps with bleeding

We spoke with gp who offered tranexamic acid or pill

We went for the former although dd has never taken this and has 'managed' it herself

It has settled over time but it has been miserable for her on occasions 🙁

I'm 29 and still get this sometimes.For this month I started vomiting and had nausea four days before my period even started.

My mother would always recommend ginger tea.

I was the same - and it is such a pity when this happens with the first period as it sets up an expectation for the future. Poor lass - and so young.

I agree that painkillers immediately her period starts is probably the best route as it is likely that the nausea stems partly from the pain. Hot water bottles are good too.

I started at 8 and was very much like this. It did settle down a bit when I was about 16/17 and I only get it occasionally now (mid 30s). I was prescribed something (Mefenamic Acid?) which helped with pain but did cause tummy issues so I ditched it for over the counter codeine/ibuprofen.

It's horrible though, and I did have to miss school occasionally. Hope she's ok OP!

Definitely take some pain relief at first sign of discomfort as previous poster has said otherwise may be too late

Dd used to take tablets too late and would be sick so we had to wait before she could take more.

Definitely settled as period became more regular

I had awful pain from period 1. Nausea, vomiting, passing out, heavy bleeding, I’ve lost count of the times I was sent home from school. It was bloody awful.

I was advised by my GP at 14 to go onto the Pill, unfortunately I had a Puritanical mother who equated birth control with sex only, so I was prescribed Ponstan Forte (I don’t know if you can get it anymore, it just made my muscles relax to mush & had terrible kidney colic, whilst doing nothing for the pain!). I was made to feel dirty, it was a secret & something you just had to endure as I was a ‘woman now’.

Thank heavens for the 90s & the invention of ibuprofen.

Give her lots of hugs and love, make sure she’s involved in choosing what sanitary protection she wants (I was only bought those awful huge pads with loops that attached to a belt, every teenager’s dream, I even got a job at 14 to buy my own pads with wings and tampons!).

Boost her confidence, make sure you validate how she’s feeling and have ibuprofen syrup & hot water bottles (and the odd chocolate) on hand to help her. I’m sure you will!

And if she continues to have painful periods when she’s a teenager, get advice from your GP & work together for the best solution for her (I’ve fostered teen girls as well as had my own, let her know you’re a team in this, it’s nothing shameful, there’ll be spills & stains & hey, that’s OK). One of my girls has a lot of relief on a contraceptive, my daughter found the mini pill/implant best at relieving her symptoms.

I found getting my girls a calendar for tracking their periods useful as it helped them find any patterns in cycles, heavy & pain days, and they’ve said it helped them feel more in control too.

It sucks, so here’s a big fat hug from a stranger.

I did, but not at that age. I used to vomit for 12 hours straight on the first day about every third period and was admitted via A&E twice for anti-emetics, fluids and investigations.

Things that helped me were taking Feroglobin liquid from the week before my period, magnesium supplements, a heated vibrating massage cushion on my belly, Epsom salt baths and sucking peppermints, lemon or ginger sweets.

Keep up the regular pain relief and just let her sip water or dilute juice with sugar in so she doesn't dehydrate. Cooled peppermint tea with sugar in it is also good. Like others have said seek GP advice if it carries on, poor love.