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Teenagers

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

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Original poster

Advice on period pain relief as 15yo thinks going on the pill is the answer

38 replies

Flossiefoo · 26/08/2019 23:55

DD has just asked if she can go on the pill as she gets one really bad day of pains a month. Some months are worse than others.
She currently takes Feminax and other over the counter pain relief meds but sometimes they don't help much. She can get an upset tummy too and sometines has been sick. She's had an ultrasound on her ovaries and all OK.

I am worried about jumping into this before we have investigated fully other options as I worry about the long term effect of going on the pill at such a young age and also the side affects.
DD says she's done some research and has spoken to older cousin as I think she went on the pill at a young age but is now 26.

My concern is she wants to go on the pill for other reasons. She has a bf but they do not see each other out of school as he lives a distance away but he is 16. I don't know whether it's a 'I am grown up' type of decision but they do not have the opportunity to be intimate.

I would really like to look at other pain relief options so any suggestions or advice welcome.

OP posts:

SunInTheSkyYouKnowHowIFeel · 27/08/2019 00:00

Seems like she has 2 good reasons to go on the pill then?
Why not suggest she go and speak to her GP and ask for information about what would be best for her, then she can have a frank conversation about her reasons and also about any side effects.

TheCatsACunt · 27/08/2019 00:01

Pain issue aside, surely if she has a boyfriend and you think she may be sexually active or about to become sexually active, her being on the pill is a good thing?

pamperramper · 27/08/2019 00:04

Bunnyfuller · 27/08/2019 00:07

What’s the issue if it helps her?

You are being ripped off buying feminine, it’s just branded generic painkillers.

My 14 yr old has the implanon rod. I could totally empathise when she was floored with awful periods. I had the same for years combination of a dodgy thyroid and undiagnosed endometriosis). Poor girl, help her out!

Singleandproud · 27/08/2019 00:07

Don’t discount going on the pill, I didn’t go on it until I was 19 it was pre internet and whilst I knew of the pill to stop pregnancy I didn’t know of its other uses and it transformed my life. My periods made me sick, have a really upset stomach and cramps so bad I couldn’t stand up straight (sometimes just for the one day but it was awful and I missed a lot of college). I was exhausted because they caused anaemia and got terrible migraines that would see me bed ridden for a couple of days A month. Going on the pill stopped all of that, and I no longer missed college / school. It was only becoming pregnant and having DD that got rid of all of those side effects, whilst painkillers eased some of the problems it was only preventing ovulation which eased the worse of them.

turnaroundbrighteyes · 27/08/2019 00:09

I was that 15 year old, seriously bad period pain on days one and two, (much, much) later diagnosed as endometriosis. Went on the pill at 17, soooooo wish I'd done it sooner. Didn't stop the pain, but made it manageable.

If the feminax doesn't control it tell her to try hyocyine hydro bromide (muscle relaxant found in kwells) , panadol ultra and ibrufofen. Same ingredints as old FEMINAX, but beefed up!

causticthings · 27/08/2019 00:09

I think that your daughter taking the Pill as contraceptive and pain relief is a level-headed idea.

I started taking the Pill at a young age for horrendous period pains which weren't helped by analgesic medications / hot water bottles etc.

Also, potentially your daughter is having upset stomachs due to taking different types of strong pain relief as this can cause common gastrointestinal issues (i.e. stomach ulcers; vomiting; acid build-up).

I'd have a conversation with her about it and it's a positive step that she has had these discussions with you in a sensible manner.

I hope this helps

ElspethFlashman · 27/08/2019 00:12

I went on the pill at 17 for horrendous periods. My mum accompanied me. The GP said to me "you should have come to me earlier"

I didn't have sex until ages and ages later so it certainly didn't give me a green light.

I went off it in my 30s and found other options. I decided I had been on it too long. But it was the best thing I could have done as it gave me peace and ease for years and years. How silly of me to have waited till 17. I thought the GP would judge me!

wigglybluelines · 27/08/2019 00:15

I went on the pill at 15 on my GP's advice and with my mum's permission as I had horrendous period pains. I can remember pacing with the pain, until I fell asleep from exhaustion on the stairs. Over the counter meds didn't touch the pain.

It absolutely worked, I've never had them that bad since. I only took it for about 2 months.

I also intended to take it as a contraceptive (unknown to my mum) - I was in a committed relationship - but I wasn't organised enough to take it everyday so stuck to condoms (also unknown to my mum).

Surely the pill is better than pregnancy?

Mamaty · 27/08/2019 00:17

Hot water bottle

Cohle · 27/08/2019 00:20

I agree. If you're worried about her having sex then going on the pill is a good idea, not a bad one.

There are other things they can prescribe, like mefenamic acid, but the pill was fantastic for me at her age.

I think it's great that she's talking to you about this and I'd want to keep that door open by supporting her in this.

BillywigSting · 27/08/2019 00:24

I was put on the pill at 13 by my gp because of my period pain and it was absolutely life changing. I went from having days of intense pain, nausea, vomiting, dihorrea, fainting and exhaustion and anemia (and missing loads of school because I couldn't even stand up never mind sit in a classroom and concentrate)

Going on the pill meant I was just uncomfortable instead of crying with pain after taking plenty of strong painkillers and so could go to school

Yabvvvvvvvbbu to not consider it.

I'm still on hormonal contraception now at 28. I was off it for a while after having dc but the pain was worse than labour and I was back on it again before he was 2 years old so I could function normally. I was missing weeks a year of my life curled up in a ball trying not to leak any bodily fluids everywhere and trying rather unsuccessfully to not think of the blinding pain.

Now I just pop a couple of paracetamol and ibuprofen and crack on.

The having a boyfriend thing is a bit of a non issue. The pill is brilliant for stopping crippling periods. The fact that she would have some protection against pregnancy if she does have sex is surely only a plus side?

If she wants to have sex with her boyfriend she will do it either on the pill or off it.

I know which I would prefer if she were my daughter.

BillywigSting · 27/08/2019 00:29

Also to address the issue of side effects.

I tried four different types of pill before I found one that suited me.

None of the side effects were anything like as awful as the periods I was trying to get a handle on. Not the mood swings or the spots. Even the headaches didn't hurt as much as the period pain.

Arewedone · 27/08/2019 15:23

My Dd went on the pill at 151/2 because she was in a relationship and it benefited her heavy periods and pain. I found I had to check daily she had taken it as she became lax, missing one day here and there which became a worry! That was the only downside we experienced!

Chelsea567 · 27/08/2019 16:11

My DD went on pill at 15 for period pain with the added benefit of extra contraception . I thought it was a great idea. Put my mind at rest when she spent time with her boyfriend because tbh if we think 15 year olds aren't getting up to anything then we're being naive

FreckledLeopard · 27/08/2019 16:15

DD has been on the pill since she was 16 (and then the injection) and it massively helped her period pain (and the injection meant she had no periods at all which was a bonus).

Cegbee · 27/08/2019 16:17

I went on the pill when I was 15 and it was the best thing I did for my heavy and painful periods. Was also great to be able to not have periods by taking packets back to back for 3-6 months! Your daughter sounds very mature and responsible for finding out about it. Even though I took myself to the family planning clinic and did it on my own, when my Dad found out he told me he was proud of me for being responsible. I still remember how grateful I felt at his reaction. I was sexually active at 15 too and have managed to avoid pregnancy until now (I'm 35!).

WhatHaveIFound · 27/08/2019 16:19

My 17 year old DD has been on the pill for about 6 months and it's been absolutely wonderful. No more crippling period pains, her acne has cleared up and it has massively improved her mood swings.

Even if your DD has ulterior motives, isn't it a good thing that she wants to avoid an unwanted pregnancy? I would also suggest that if she's going to be sexually active she should protect herself against STDs too.

Aragog · 27/08/2019 16:20

DD is a little older but has recently started taking the pill as a way to control her periods better - in terms of pain and frequency. We talked abut it and she had spoken to friends. Almost all of her friends do the same; DD is one of the last of her closest friends to do so infant. It hasn't made any of them suddenly decide to go out and sleep with boyfriends.

I did similar at age 15y too so it isn't a new idea either. Again for me, at the time, it had nothing to do with sex.

AuditAngel · 27/08/2019 16:25

I was prescribed a medication called Ponstan 250 which helped for a few years, when that stopped working (aged about 17 ) I went on the pill , which worked fantastically.

ahughes20 · 27/08/2019 16:29

I had to sneak off to the sexual health clinic after school for years to get the pill as my DM refused to let me go on it for period pains and contraception.

I would allow her to make her own decisions about her health at her age, and be openly grateful that she is even discussing this with you.

Weathergirl1 · 27/08/2019 16:32

I was prescribed mefenamic acid (ponstan) as a teen which worked, apart from irregular periods meant I never knew when to take it prophylactically. At 19 after being sent home from my summer job because the period pain made me vomit in the staff room at lunchtime, I was prescribed the pill so that at least I'd know when to take the mefenamic acid! In hindsight, I'd prefer not to have been taking the pill (and I didn't need it as contraception at that point anyway). You can get small tens machines for period pain - I've only actually used one once but it seemed to help me - so that might also be something to look into. Also, having been using cycle tracking for over 3 years, I think that would have worked for me too back then as I'd have known when to expect my period to show up so I could take the mefenamic acid at the right time.

OrangeCakecrisp · 27/08/2019 16:34

My concern is she wants to go on the pill for other reasons.

Not much you can do about that - if it’s the case at least she’s being responsible. I think you would be not so responsible then if you didn’t let her.
I personally found going on the pill made a huge difference to period pain. It also reduces heaviness or you can take mycrogynon back to back now if you want and have no periods at all - so it’s less or no sanitary products, which saves me a tonne of money. And it’s very reliable contraception when taken properly. It’s a fantastic invention.

WankmasterBastardDeLaShithead · 27/08/2019 16:52

Mamaty "hot water bottle"

Ahahahaha!!! Bless you. By the sounds of it the OP's Dd's pain is way beyond the remit of a hot water bottle. Or indeed a brisk walk or a nice warm bath.

OP if my DD has period pains like mine (crippling) I would absolutely be happy for her to go on the pill. It was a life changer for me at 18 (I went on it for both control), and I wish someone had taken me seriously sooner.

LeekMunchingSheepShagger · 27/08/2019 16:57

I would be actively encouraging a 15 year old with a boyfriend to go on the pill!!

I went on it at 14 due to horrendous periods. I'm almost 40 now and it hasn't caused any issues.

Be thankful that your dd is discussing it with you...you obviously have a good relationship.

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