DD (15) woke me up, screaming in pain, probably period

[AskBasil]

She has Tranexamic Acid tablets for periods and has just taken one, so I'm hoping that will sort her out.

But is such agonising pain (she had difficulty breathing and had to use an inhaler) a symptom of anything else? Is this just terrible period pain? She doesn't think it's appendicitis because it feels just like a wildly exaggerated period cramp.

I had appendicitis as a teen and it was like awful period pain. When I pressed my abdomen the pain decreased and when I let go it went through the roof. I hope your daughter is ok.

How is she now?

She's OK now. Still in a bit of pain, but she is on her period so I'd expect that.

I might get her to go to the doctor tomorrow to see what he thinks about it and whether there is a test for endometriosis/ cyst

That must be so hard for her to cope with every month. She's still young.
I think it would be worth asking the doctor for the tests mentioned, especially in light of her pain this morning.

I agree with pps, going on the pill will regulate/lighten her periods and help with her pain so it's worth giving that some thought. It's possible to run 3 monthly packs of the combined pill together with no side effects. This would mean avoiding a period altogether until taking a break so just having 4 periods per year.

Your gp or nurse at your practice can advise. With GCSEs next year for your dd it would be great for her to be able to manage her periods in this way.

Good luck with the appointment.

I would ask for a referral to a gynaecologist if things were getting that bad.

AskBasil

Endometriosis is usually diagnosed through a keyhole surgery op called a laparoscopy. Blood tests and ultrasound scans do not usually detect endo if it is there because these deposits are so very small.

I would also suggest your DD keeps a daily pain and symptom diary if she does not already as this will also give them clues.

If the GP is unhelpful then you may want to seek out further help within the practice. However I would request for her to be referred to a gynaecologist. Not all GPs and practice nurses are by any means up to speed when it comes to endometriosis (and it is both very common and much underdiagnosed). I suffered similarly as a teen and it took me years to find out why my periods were so painful. Endometriosis was the cause.

You both may find this website useful as well:-

www.endometriosis-uk.org/

I put up with excruciating periods (passing out from pain, vomiting, extreme PMS etc) from 16 to 26 until finally I saw a sympathetic gynae who immediately told me I didn't have to go through this regularly. I have key hole surgery to 'clear out' the endometriosis (repeated every 5 years until I became pregnant) and got the mirena coil. I know the mirena doesn't work for everyone but it literally transformed my life.

So I second going to a gynae instead of GP's

She needs mefanemic acid for the pain. The other one is to reduce bleeding and promote clotting.

I had this once. Just once. When I was 16.

I was vomiting with the pain, screaming for an ambulance. My mum, a nurse, soothed me, pain killers and after an hour it passed. But twenty years later I still remember the pain. Period pain. Never experienced anything like it before or since.

Oh yes I had the mefanemic acid for mine

Thanks for the further info, I'll get her to keep a pain diary in case it needs to be pursued with gynaecologist.

I was diagnosed with endometriosis by going to a&e with suspected appendicitis. I went into surgery and everything - but during the surgery they found it wasn't my appendix but endometriosis.

The GP might try and say your daughter has to have all the symptoms of endo to be referred but this isn't true as it affects everyone differently. Don't leave the appointment with anything less than a gyne referral and probably a separate appointment for an ultrasound scan too (to check for cysts).