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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

DD- Very heavy periods. Help!

36 replies

busymum17 · 27/12/2015 02:48

DD (17) has extremely heavy periods. They are so heavy that during the night she has to wear incontinence nappies - all pads she has tried leak through the night, even the biggest/thickest ones available. It has become an issue for her because it often stops her from doing things - she feels she can't go out much while she's on her period and it is difficult for her to manage at school.
We have seen doctors who believe that birth control methods of managing her period are not ideal because of the hormones etc which would be added to her body and so won't prescribe anything.
Does anyone have any experience of this problem/ideas of how to manage it?
Thanks

OP posts:
GrinAndTonic · 27/12/2015 03:17

They won't prescribe the pill? What a load of crap. What if she wanted it for contraception. Would they say no then?
I went on the pill at age 13 due to heavy periods and associated problems and never had an issue with 'hormones'. Made my life 1000% better as it reduced the heaviness and symptoms.
I would get her a new GP first. I would also get her to document her entire menstrual history. When she started periods, how regular, symptoms, heaviness etc. Makes it easier for further investigations. She may need to have ultrasounds etc to check for endometriosis, PCOS or fibroids.

pinktips · 27/12/2015 04:11

The arguement of positive/negative effects of the hormones is too much of a wait and see how you feel thing, not something that any doctor can use as a guaranteed prognosis. GP sounds a but shitty. Ask to be referred to a Gynae Dr. Easiest thing. Sounds like your GP is not tooled up with enough knowledge.

Baconyum · 27/12/2015 05:02

Ffs! Go to a much better gp and get referred to gynae.

I posted on a couple of threads a few months ago about the fact that gynae and in particular menstrual issues are largely ignored by usually male gp's.

I have endo and have lost 3 babies as a result. I also have several friends who've had similar experiences.

Even aside from the fact possible future issues for her fertility are being ignored and untreated she's at serious risk for bad anaemia.

Please make sure she's not fobbed off.

Nothighgaphere · 27/12/2015 06:33

My friend had horrendously heavy periods like this all through her teenage years. She had to miss days off school each month. She went on the pill for contraceptive reasons at 17 and her periods became light and pain free. We were both so angry that nobody had suggested this to her. She went on to be diagnosed with endometriosis.

Hormones can affect people negatively, but that's for you and your daughter to watch and monitor. It may be necessary to change brand.

PenguinPoser · 27/12/2015 06:39

See a different GP. If that's the reason for not prescribing anything it sounds totally ridiculous. Your poor DD. There are also non hormonal things available from GP such as tranexamic acid which might be worth a try.

bittapitta · 27/12/2015 06:44

Mefanamic acid (painkiller on prescription) improved my teenage heavy painful periods. But at her age she really should be prescribed the pill! That's what helped me most. Get her to register elsewhere or visit a sexual health clinic even for advice/prescription.

bittapitta · 27/12/2015 06:45

Incidentally a friend of mine was prescribed the pill by her GP for heavy painful periods when she was age 14, no ill effect

Ilikesweetpeas · 27/12/2015 07:19

Oh, your poor DD. I had tranexemic acid prescribed when I was about 14 for this reason, then went on the pill because of my periods at 16. It really helped so much and I had no side effects. As others have said please take her to a different GP. I hope she gets some relief from this soon

readyforno2 · 27/12/2015 07:28

I was the same as Grin, on the pill at 13 because of crazy heavy, painful periods. It made a huge difference. I would ask to see a different gp if I were you

Grace1467 · 27/12/2015 09:20

I was on the pill at 13 for horrific periods , DD 14 is on it already for same thing. Your GP is crap .

intothebreach · 27/12/2015 09:54

Yes, please see a different gp. I have very heavy periods (I'm 43 with two children) and there are a couple of days each month when I don't leave the house, so I know how depressing and isolating and inconvenient it can be.

Tranexamic acid is an option, although it didn't do much for me. I understand your current gp's reluctance to start messing with hormones, as I was on 7 different pills in my teens and early twenties and did have some side effects (spots, weight gain and terrible pms) - but of course pills have got much more advanced since my youth.

Your dd should really be referred to a specialist, to rule out any medical problem which might be causing her to bleed so heavily.

In the short term, how would she feel about using a mooncup? It might feel a bit weird at her age, but a mooncup plus thick pad does enough buy me enough time to get to the shops and back sometimes.

Bless her, I hope this improves soon.

PoppySeedRoll · 27/12/2015 19:52

Also consider giving her iron tablets, the lower your iron the more you bleed. It's horrible bleeding so heavily.

Whatdoidohelp · 27/12/2015 20:58

Has she been referred to a Gynae? Most GPs have very limited knowledge on this so push for a referral. I agree with the iron as well. If she is bleeding that heavily she is likely suffering from anaemia.

Chocolate123 · 27/12/2015 21:01

I was like your daughter as a teen. It was horrible. Was out in pill at 16 and it changed my life. Bring her to a different doctor.

kilmuir · 27/12/2015 21:05

my DD had this, going on the pill helped no end

littlenicky61 · 27/12/2015 21:12

Taking 200mg of Ibuprofen every 4-6 hours is really effective and can reduce the flow by 25-30%. I find it works for me when Im having a major heavy one. Also maybe get her checked for iron deficiency as this can make them really heavy.
Has she tried diary doll pants ? If not maybe google them and have a look as they are meant to be great at preventing leaks .

Snazarooney · 27/12/2015 21:14

Tell her to keep going back until they do something! I had this and ended up with endometriosis dx eventually.

Vedamakesthebesttoast · 27/12/2015 21:16

Don't be fobbed off, I was the same as this as a teen. Constantly had anemia, and was just told it was normal by my gp. 15 years later as a result of fertile investigations I've been diagnosed with stage 4 Endo and untold damage done to my insides. If I'd been diagnosed earlier in life it would have saved a lot of unnecessary pain and illness.
Don't want to scare monger by at least get it ruled out. Ask for a gynae referral

Original poster
busymum17 · 27/12/2015 23:59

I think part of the reason doctor won't give her the pill is that she doesn't get any pain/cramps or anything (only very rarely - maybe once or twice a year).
This makes it less likely that she has endo as apparently about 75% of people who have it have very bad pain.
So it's not the pain that hinders her - just the extreme amount of blood.
Fortunately she doesn't have an iron deficiency and she has a blood test regularly because she is vegetarian as well.

OP posts:
sashh · 28/12/2015 08:10

Another vote for the pill here, or depo.

Archer26 · 28/12/2015 08:25

Consider the depo. I was on the pull from 15 because of heavy periods but if I was late taking one or forgot, aside from the contraceptive side, it inform brought on my period quite quickly and I would then have bleeding on and off for weeks until my cycle settled again.

Depo changed my life. I never have to worry about when I'm due or breakthrough bleeding or remembering to take my pill in the flipping 2 hour window I had before I'd started bleeding. I didn't research about it I.e the weight gain issues and possibility that being on it too long can mean it takes a while to conceive in the future and decided to go ahead.

I was on it for 4 years, actually lost worthy whilst on it (consciously-had a wedding) and 3 months after coming off it fell pregnant so it caused no issues for me.

Go and see your GP again and ask for it. Is there a woman GP? Cliche I know but they genuinely are more sympathetic to these kind of problems.

Archer26 · 28/12/2015 08:26

Sorry typos! Trying to type on phone while wrestling 8 month DS.

Pill not pull
I did research it, not didn't!

Archer26 · 28/12/2015 08:27

And weight, not worthy Hmm

I'll get my coat......

Vedamakesthebesttoast · 28/12/2015 09:12

That's not true about pain and Endo, this is typical about why Gps are crap when it comes to Endo. The average time for diagnosis of endometriosis is seven and a half years precisely because it is so poorly understood wishing the medical profession.
The pills I'll only treat the symptom, please push for a gynae referral. She shouldn't have to deal with this and it is not normal.

QOD · 28/12/2015 09:43

Are you in the UK?
I ask as I have a large group of friends in the USA and they and their Dr's are mostly (not all) loath to prescribe the pill, temptation to promiscuity and all that.
this is more the bible.belt ones rather than the New York, New Jersey and more Central states.
we all met when our kids were babies so they're similar ages.
My gp was horrified when dd and I went (she was 16 and 8 months) for a chat about temporarily going on the pill for a month or so as she had a long trip - horrified we hadn't been before as dd was flooding and having 7 day periods.

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