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Teenagers

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

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Original poster

DD struggles with periods

76 replies

RosiePosie15 · 30/07/2020 15:52

Hi, I’m new here so I hope this is in the right place. DD16 has been struggling with her periods for over two years now, regularly throwing up and missing school plus fainting once or twice. I’ve usually made her go in to school for yr11 but now she doesn’t have to, she just lays in bed most of the day when on. We’ve gone to the doctors several times over the last year and are now on a third treatment. The thing is I think she’s after some sort of miracle cure. I keep telling her that’s she’s just going to have to tough it out but she always gets super defensive. She takes a lot of painkillers too because she says the pain is unbearable. She’s also developed toasted skin syndrome from hot water bottle usage but she refuses to give it up. When I was 19/20 my periods were bad so I took the pill and have stuck with it since (with some obvious breaks to have kids). Is there anything I can do?

OP posts:

ElsieBeard · 30/07/2020 15:57

There us a book called the period repair manual by lara briden....you may find it useful

Hippofrog · 30/07/2020 15:58

The Pill helped me hugely when I was a teenager

toomuchlikemyusername · 30/07/2020 15:59

Has the pill been considered for her? I'm another teenager who it helped massively and it looks like my own DD is heading that way too.

toomuchlikemyusername · 30/07/2020 16:01

My post should have said it helped me as a teenager. I'm not one now (nor have been for a long time!)

newtb · 30/07/2020 16:01

Physio can help too.

Mischance · 30/07/2020 16:05

God - what a * design fault this is! Poor lass.

I was the same - terrible pain (I've since had 3 children and it was as bad) and very long and very heavy from day one. It is just the luck fo the draw. I have 3 DDs who never had such problems; so bad luck to your lass.

She should go on the pill - have you talked with GP about this? Anyone who has not suffered to this extreme extent has absolutely no concept of what it is like. It will totally blight her youth and, if it were anything else, then treatment would be instituted pdq. Why should periods be any different when it comes to proper treatment?

Please please do not tell her to just tough it out! It sounds as though you had problems too, so you know what it can be like - please do not say this to her; it is wholly inappropriate.

Dancingdeer77 · 30/07/2020 16:05

Have they investigated PCOS or Endometriosis? You may need to make a bit more of a fuss with GP and insist on a gynaecologist/endocrinologist referral. The pill may help but depending on the problem the exact pill matters! Often less knowledgable GPs prescribe the cheapest pill with high progesterone to estrogen ration which can make it worse not better.

Isthisfinallyit · 30/07/2020 16:08

I was like that. The pill helped. Is she willing to try it?

ElsieBeard · 30/07/2020 16:10

I would urge you to read the book I mentioned earlier, before considering the pill. its approach is holistic rather than a suppressant approach which is what the pill would be.

JamesArthursEyelashes · 30/07/2020 16:11

Poor girl. Had the doctor referred her to a gynaecologist or for a scan? He’d pains sound quite extreme.
I have awful periods, very painful which some times results in me fainting or being sick with the pain. They’ve only been like that since my 30s, I can’t imagine having to cope with that at your daughters age. GPs are usually terrible at helping with this stuff so you really need to tell them that you’re not willing to see her have live like this.

KitchenConfidential · 30/07/2020 16:14

Has she been to the GP?

JamesArthursEyelashes · 30/07/2020 16:14

*Her pains

KitchenConfidential · 30/07/2020 16:15

Sorry. I’m a twat for skim reading the OP.
What sort of treatments have they actually given her?
I am another one who would be pushing for her to try the pill...

Rollergirl11 · 30/07/2020 16:48

I suffered dreadfully on the first day of my period when I was a teen. I was prone to passing out and would then get extreme waves of pain that felt like what I imagined contractions were like (since having children I can confirm they were exactly like contractions!). Eventually I’d fall asleep and when I woke up my period would be manageable from then on. But I had this the first day of my period every month without fail. I suffered countless humiliations at school because of it, passing out in class and at an athletics tournament where I had to lie in the back of the school minibus. I eventually went on the pill and it instantly sorted me out! I really would speak to your GP about it, the poor girl is suffering unnecessarily.

Original poster

RosiePosie15 · 30/07/2020 17:18

She was on tranexamic acid for three months but it didn’t do anything for her and she hated having to take so many tablets. I must admit I was against her going on the pill at first because she was 14 but she was keen on it and I remembered how it helped me so the nurse practitioner put her on the pill. She was on it for nine months but again little change except she stopped throwing up. Since lockdown she’s had two telephone calls with a nurse and in the last one was able to convince them to swap her to another brand, which we’re now waiting to see if it works. Maybe I’ve been a little harsh on her. I just don’t want her to fall behind in school because she’s bright and worked hard to get to where she is- I don’t want that to all disappear because of this. We’ve only seen nurses/nurse practitioners- should I push to see a doctor or specialist? PCO’s and endometriosis hasn’t come up in any discussions and neither has any tests or referrals.

OP posts:

Original poster

RosiePosie15 · 30/07/2020 17:35

I’ll also have a look for that book some of you recommended

OP posts:

Dancingdeer77 · 30/07/2020 17:37

I’m really surprised that they haven’t investigated PCOS or endometriosis. If it’s impacting her daily life (which it clearly is!) then having a chat with a nurse really isn’t sufficient. She needs investigations. I’m quite passionate about this as it took me 10years to be diagnosed. Your poor DD sounds like she’s suffering horribly. I’m sure if it was for any other reason she was so unwell you’d have had her to see a consultant months ago.

JamesArthursEyelashes · 30/07/2020 17:38

I think you should definitely get her to see a GP and get a referral. There’s no way she should have to cope with this level of pain. Don’t be fobbed off, as well as it being really important that she gets checked for anything like endometriosis, this will also be an important lesson for her about not standing for crap treatment as a woman and being told it’s ‘normal’ and to ‘just get on with it’.

Good luck, I hope she’s feeling better soon.

Dancingdeer77 · 30/07/2020 17:39

Sorry. Didn’t mean that it’s your fault. More that for another problem she would have been referred by the surgery.

ElsieBeard · 30/07/2020 17:45

@Dancingdeer77

Sadly that doesn't surprise me. As far as my experience tells me the medical profession seem to think the pill is a one stop shop for anything period related, either take that or just put up with it. its not acceptable

KitchenConfidential · 30/07/2020 17:58

I agree with the others. If this is truly impacting her this badly (and I don’t doubt it is) then yes, push for a GP and a full discussion. This should not be ruining her life like this.

Rollergirl11 · 30/07/2020 18:00

You may have to try a few different brands before you find the right one for your DD. I was given Microgynon as it’s meant to be god for heavy and painful periods. I would definitely speak to your GP about this rather than the nurse.

doodleygirl · 30/07/2020 18:06

It makes me so angry that woman’s health issues are dismissed by so many health practitioners.

OP you need to do lots of research yourself and push for referral to gynae. There is lots of information out there if you look. Good luck.

JamesArthursEyelashes · 30/07/2020 18:08

As far as my experience tells me the medical profession seem to think the pill is a one stop shop for anything period related, either take that or just put up with it.

Yes, the pill or the coil seem to be seen as the answer to everything. You have to really stand your ground and demand a referral and they make you feel like you’re making a fuss about nothing. It’s definitely something GPs need to improve on.

Original poster

RosiePosie15 · 30/07/2020 18:36

Our doctor’s surgery won’t currently see DD and will only phone her, but that’s after a run-around to get an appointment. The nurse often tells her that it’s ‘normal‘ and that ‘she’ll grow out of it’ in what I think is an attempt to reassure her, but I’m starting to think she’s wrong since DD is so fed up and constantly dreads her next period- she even plans everything around them, like she won’t meet up with her friends on the first couple of days. That surely can’t be normal? It was like that when I was younger but I was one of the lucky ones who actually benefitted from the pill. I just hope this new pill she’s on will help. She’s next due an appointment late in September (hopefully they’ll actually see her) so do I wait until then and give this new pill a chance? I think that if it doesn’t I’ll ask for her to see a specialist or to at least get a second opinion (she’s being seeing the same person this entire time).

OP posts:

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