Period help for 14 YO girl?

[woollyideas]

My DD has been having periods for just over a year. Every month she gets blinding headaches and absolutely horrible mood swings. TBH she is rude enough most of the time but when she has her period she gets very aggressive and even punched me last TOTM.

Practically every month she wakes up tearful on first day of her period and begs me to let her stay off school. I have let her sometimes, but I don't feel good about it. I sympathise, but on the other hand I don't want her to completely wallow IYSWIM as she's going to be living with periods for the next few decades!

Yesterday she went to the GP (for something else) and I asked the doc if she could recommend anything that would help her cope with periods/moods swings/headaches, etc. The doc wasn't very helpful - suggested paracetemol for the headache and kind of shrugged off the mood swings.

Does anyone else's DD suffer like this? Have you tried any remedies? Any point in trying something like evening primose?

The bad mother in me wants to snap 'pull yourself together and take an aspirin' , especially when her tears are accompanied by such high levels of rudeness/aggression towards me, but on the other hand I feel for her as she's clearly struggling to cope and want to help her.

I think your GP has fobbed you off. DD has similar problems and was prescribed stronger (or more targetted?) painkillers. He also said she could be prescribed the pill if there was no improvement.

Can you see a different GP at your practice?

Moodiness can be made worse by low blood sugar. Try and get her to have a small snack when she's feeling irritable.

I'd try her on B vitamins and evening primrose. That could well help with her mood, if not with the pain.

Starflower oil saved me- it has a higher concentration of whatever is in evening primrose.

is her diet bad?
just blinding headaches can be realted to too much tea/coffee and people who eat lotsa crap have awful mood swings on a period theres is a noticeable difference.

Definately try the Gp again (or a different one if you get a choice at your surgery).. my DD also started with horrible periods - cramps headaches etc (I get menstual Migrane though so was kind of aware!)... she was perscribed Mefenamic acid - what a difference.

I'd also check diet and exersice - DD finds that the yoga on the WiiFit is very good at helping too !

Dear woollyideas, i think the advice given above so far has been good (although not too sure about giving Mefenamic acid to a 14 year old!).
i really feel you need to go back to your GP and insist on a referral to your local hospital to see a Gynaecologist.... they are far more specialised.
it must be so upsetting for both you.
i remember it being a very confusing time!
Good luck!

Thanks everyone. Lots of food for thought there!

My daughter suffered quite badly from bad periods. Headaches, her thighs ache so much she cries on a morning when she wakes and she gets bad cramps and back ache. She sounds a lot like your DD with regards to usual teen grumpiness and the TOTM mood swings (without the punching but she does slam her door an awful lot more at full moon).

She takes a prescribed mefenamic acid on a night so she gets a decent nights sleep and takes ibuprofen though the day.

In addition we mark her due date on the calendar (although we it's always on a full moon!) and up her iron intake a week before. Luckily she loves her greens so it's not a problem. But the doctor did recommend starflower oil too.