DD almost 18 and no periods?

[JufusMum]

DD is almost 18, slim, athletic. Tiny boobs just appearing but no sign of periods. We had hormone tests two years ago and all appeared fine.
She’s going to university in September and I’m worried when it starts I won’t be there to help/hand hold.
Any advice gratefully received thank you x

She needs to go back to GP for hormone tests again.

Is she very, very slim? It might be that she doesn't have enough body fat to trigger menstrual hormones.

To be honest, I think another chat with her GP would be sensible. I don't think any of us can really give better advice than that, because we aren't her GP (and even those people on here who are GP's don't know all of her medical history).
Most GP's seem to still be doing phone appointments, and referrals can take time so best to get the ball rolling now.

Back to the GP I’d say OP.

I’m no medic (hence disclaimer above) but would want advice on whether her body fat isn’t high enough for menstruation, or that there’s some physiological reason it’s not happening.

I got my period at 16. I hated it so much I starved it away (there were also other reasons for my issues). It only came back at 19, and was still only a semi annual event for years after that. Don't worry too much though. I grew out of it all , and managed a surprise third baby at 40. The only problem is that I was rubbish at realising it was starting and was never prepared. I have never worn white shorts again.

I would find that very worrying. Please go back to the GP.

Unfortunately I’ve spoken the her about going back to the GP and she’s not having it. I think she believes it will never happen. She’s not anxious about it she just thinks she’s never going to get it.

She needs to be referred to an endocrinologist

Go see a Gynacologist they're specialists :-)

Go back to the GP, 18 is on the upper limit not to have started periods and quite unusual.
You say she is slim and athletic, how slim, how athletic? Being a low weight will stop periods. Everyone has a different " setting" and if your weight drops below what your body wants periods will stop or fail to start . It will differ from person to person. She needs to go back to GP. DD periods stopped when her bmi was 18. She needs to maintain a bmi of 19 to have periods. She was anorexic and her periods stopping was the first sign but at the point they stopped she didnt look underweight just very slim but still looked healthy.

Ps not saying for one minute your dd is anorexic but just saying weight plays a big role in periods so her weight maybe too low for periods or it could be hormonal/ something else. But I would do my best to convince her to go to GP

Following this as my dd is similar 17 next month
She is well developed normal weight on waiting list for a year for gynaecologists
She has signs like discharge but no blood

Dd didn't start until 17.

She had a scan to check all ok with ovaries. All fine and ahe started a week later!

Gosh, very late. Check for PCOS as my friend never had a period and it was that.

I think weight has to go quite low to interrupt periods though? DD1 (14) is about 1st-2nd centile for BMI, I think (she has SN) and she has started her periods.

Having said that, periods start around 1-2 years after breast development, so if she's only just developing breasts she may be just following a late curve.

She’s slim but I wouldn’t say underweight. She’s a size 6-8. She trains 10 hours a week (dance) and does gym/boxing. She’s physically very strong and eats like a beast, but maybe the fat content isn’t there. I had periods at 15 but her aunt on DH side was 19. Wondering if there is a link there to late development? She wears a 32 A bra at the moment.
We don’t have scales so I cannot weigh her.

I would be wanting an ultrasound to check that everything is there as it should be. They could also check for PCOS..
My DD only had 2 periods and was diagnosed with PCOS. They put her on the pill but it messed with her MH so she decided to come off it and just not have periods. Her choice.

Nhs website states the following as a reason for late periods-
‘doing a lot of exercise – this can affect girls who do lots of athletics, gymnastics or dance‘

I'd probably be a little worried about her response thinking she's just not going to get it. At 18, does she understand the consequences if that were true? And it would mean something medically isn't right that she needs to know about and understand.

Could she have got her period bug never told you and now be too embarrassed? Perhaps thinking she'll tell you when she's off at uni that it just happened. Appreciate this would be hard to hide at home.

I would deff be getting a referral - something doesn't feel right here either way.

I can completely understand how, at 17/8, the idea of never having periods could be quite liberating, esp if she's into dance etc.

It does sound likely that her build, genetics and athletic lifestyle are behind this and she'll be an 'outlier' on the starting periods curve, but I would still encourage her to see the GP again.

It could be an underlying health problem that causing this eg PCOS, or it could lead to an increased risk of other health problems eg osteoporosis.

Stealthmama
There’s no way she’s started and not told me. If she had I would have seen her using SP and she only has one pack in her cupboard. She hasn’t left the house since lockdown so I’d definitely know.

I'm assuming she is very underweight. This is really bad. Please ask for a call with the GP ASAP. How you can think this is ok is totally beyond me.

I was a distance runner and did not start until 16.5 y/o. I am also very petite naturally.
I did go to the OB/Gyn and she was a little concerned about my bones, because low body fat = low estrogen = brittle bones.
She put me on the pill.

I think 16 is the point at which GPS start to get involved....

Super-low dose. No issues with it.

She's 18, she could be running contraceptive pills back to back, on the depo provera shot, or have an implant or mirena and be unwilling to discuss it with her mother.