DD 16 no period yet

[Candleabra]

Dd still hadn’t started her periods. She’s just 16. No health issues and all the other ‘signs’ are there. And have been for years really.
Ive tried to get her a GP appointment for the past year and I can’t even get past the receptionist. It’s not urgent enough. (Don’t even start me off on the appalling non existent service I get at the GP now).

I know she needs to see a GP, I know she needs blood tests but is there a non catastrophic reason she hasn’t started yet? I’ve gone from being vaguely concerned a couple of years ago to pretty worried now.

Thanks everyone, I will try again today to get an appointment.
I know it sounds like an excuse (about the receptionist triage) but you cannot get past it. They don’t let you say it’s confidential. I know it’s not right, but if they don’t/can’t give you an appointment they say to go to a&e. As soon as you say it’s not urgent or an emergency they say to phone back tomorrow. And so it continues. They won’t do advance appointments other than GP follow ups.

One of my DD’s didn’t start hers until she was 17.

Those saying it's too early to worry, as well as the NICE guidelines quoted above, NHS guidance is to see your GP if you haven't started your periods by 16.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/starting-periods/#:~:text=Possible%20reasons%20for%20delayed%20periods,any%20other%20signs%20of%20puberty).

OP is absolutely right to pursue this and the receptionist (and/or practice) is wrong. It's probably nothing to worry about but it's right to get it checked out just in case.

I would be complaining about the receptionist tbh, why is she policing appts? I've never discussed my need for an appt with one!

My best friend at school didn't start until she was 16.5, she was very slim and a competitive swimmer.

Oh bless her. It would be bad enough if it was just you worrying about it, but it’s doubly frustrating if it’s both of you! Do you have a sexual health clinic near you? The one fairly local to us (also NHS) also provides services for women’s health, and I’ve found them to be so much more helpful that my GP surgery. I recommend them to everyone!

If she could get an appointment with them she might be able to at least speak to a nurse and if necessary they might be able to do something?

I didn't start until I was 19. In hindsight maybe if I'd known then what I know now (about some starting at 10/11) then I might have been worried, but things just happened later for me. Also v early to stop periods (sort of early 40's) but never any effects from menopause etc....they just stopped. But I was a poisonous teen (isn't that normal?). My poor Mum.

I went to see my GP when I was 16 of my own accord as although I had spots & body hair, I hadn't developed breasts nor had any form of discharge. I looked much younger than my peers.
I am 5ft & back then was below 7.5 st & wasn't sporty at all.
A quick ultrasound later & I was diagnosed with PCOS.
I went on Dianette, the spots cleared, the body hair lessened and I developed a bust - in proportion to my body - and I was having a monthly withdrawal bleed.
My Mum started her period at 13 & had no problems conceiving me either.
I believe I got a speedy ultrasound & diagnosis as the GP was a long-standing family friend...

My whippet thin friend started at 16. As did my v thin grandmother apparently. I think weight plays a big part. DS and I are both short and stocky/curvy and started at 8 and 10

I was 17 and a half when mine started, went to GP as everything else had developed normally. The GP felt my stomach etc and weight, height, said if they hadn't started within 6 months to go back. Luckily it was just several weeks later that they started. (Just to add every woman in my family started at 13/14years of age)

My mum's friend's daughter was 20 when hers started, it's not as rare as you think.

As for the receptionist, ring, ask for appointment for your daughter. Say it's urgent and confidential. İf she demands to know or advises you to go to gp, then demand to speak to practice manager to out in a complaint. She legally cannot give medical advice, ask what the appointment is for nor point you elsewhere. Bloody jobsworth.

There's a quote about doctors receptionists.....
'it takes several years to qualify as a doctor, but only several seconds for a GP receptionist to think they are one....'

Advises you to go to a&e* that was meant to say. Bloody phone

My mother and sister didn't start periods until they were 16. All healthy and went on to have children. My friend was 17 when she got her period . After years she was diagnosed with pcos and endometriosis. She has been unable to have children.

I was nearly 16.
Have always been chubby so it wasn't a BMI issue.

My granny later told me she'd been 16 so it must be genetic. No gyno or fertility problems in adulthood.

Could you ask to speak to a nurse? They might be able to assess whether your dd needs a gp appointment or whether its a matter of 'let's wait and see for a bit longer'. Also, if the nurse thinks that she needs to be seen by a doctor, she will probably be able to make the appointment internally without you needing to book via the receptionist.

If you can't get past the receptionist then you need to put a complaint in and demand to speak with the individual in charge

If you are your daughter are worried you can make it clear its effecting both your mental health

Being over 7.5 stone is a myth. I didn't hit 7 stone until I hit my 20s but had periods in my teens

Sports can effect periods

My niece had no sign of puberty at 15 so my SIL took her to the dr (we live in Australia so no issue getting a GP appointment). The advice was if no period by 16 then go back to GP for blood tests. She has now started puberty at 15 & 9 mths so I think they will check in with the GP at 16 but there will be less concern than when she was very short with absolutely no development whatsoever.

My daughter was similar. She has just been diagnosed coeliac which can result in delayed periods. Does she have any digestive issues?

Check out The Tanner scale. Its used by medics in relation to puberty stages
Might be helpful to know what level she is at .

Definitely just lie to the receptionist. And then explain to the Dr that's what you were forced to do.

An update. Managed to get a doctors appointment and DD has been referred for blood tests and an ultrasound. The doctor seemed concerned and took everything seriously.
See what the results come back with. I have to admit I’m quite worried now.

I am glad to hear that she has been finally been referred. I am truly very shocked that you are so incredibly passive that you would have let this go on for so long. You have done her a disservice, by allowing this to go untreated for so long. a simple email to the Practice Manager would have resolved this year ago. Plus she does actually sound underweight. You must know this. Which could be a large part of the problem. You sound in denial. Why don't you book her in for a GP appointment where she can have her height, weigh, blood pressure etc done.

She had a full height, weight check today. She’s fine in that respect. Re: no periods, I was told to wait until she was 16. I can’t tell you how bad the service at my GP has been for the last couple of years. I had hoped it would resolve itself (the periods), but it hasn’t. I’m glad I posted on here initially as that gave me a wider perspective to push for the appointment. It’s easy to say I should have done more. But I can’t turn the clock back now. She has the tests booked so we’ll find out what’s going on.

That is interesting re all girls school, as I was at one.

I hope all is ok OP. It is good that she is getting checked now, just in case there is an issue, but hopefully like me and my friend and other pps, she is just an outlier.

None of DD[s friends have had a period since vax#3. (14) live in Spain.

NHS advice is "See a GP if your periods have not started by age 16 (or 14 if you do not have any other signs of puberty)" and the OP's daughter has recently turned 16 so if she'd gone a year ago she would have been told to wait until now anyway.