13 year old dd with very heavy periods

[RedPandaWanda]

13 year old dd started her periods a year ago.
They started off heavy which I expected but they haven’t settled and have become progressively heavier.
She started back at school yesterday but has had to have today off as she keeps flooding.
I spoke to the GP a couple of months ago but they weren’t overly helpful saying it would all settle down however I don’t think they will. Unfortunately, myself, my sister and dm all have had awful gynae issues. My dsis has endometriosis. I have had very heavy periods for years and am now extremely anaemic. I do not want dd to go through this.
Bless her, she is so upset as she had a planned weekend of fun but has had to cancel.
Does anyone have any suggestions how I can help her ease the heaviness of her periods?

She could try the contraceptive pill
Think some anti-inflammatories can help too

1. Check she isn’t anemic
2. Press for a referral to an endo specialist
3. There are medications you can take to reduce blood flow - has the GP not suggested these? I also take ginger extract - 1 per day when I have my period. It really seems to help reduce the blood loss. Mine is 500mg ginger root extract. Recommended by my gynecologist (I’m not in the Uk)

Speak to another GP. My DD very similar and similar history with me and DSis. DD now on progesterone only pill and oeriods almost min existent within 3 months.

*non-existent

Suggest spatone if she has low iron levels (I'd probably take it anyway tbh). It's just iron rich water, more gentle on the tummy than iron pills and seems to sort any anaemia I've had. Low iron can make periods heavier.

Ask the GP for tranexamic acid tablets. If they aren't comfortable prescribing it, push for referral. Also, there was a thread a few months ago by someone whose DD had a similar issue, where a lot of us went through many options that could be tried - you could have a poke around and see if you can find that as it's a good read for many suggestions. Really is worth trying out tranexamic acid as a starting point if possible, though.

God love her. Our Dr told my DD "you know periods aren't compulsory". There are hormones that can stop a period so you can go on holiday or whatever, and longer term ones that make them go away altogether, as TweenWrangler says.
I don't call it birth control pills because that put me off age 13 and would put DD off now.

Tranexamic acid is available over the counter, I think, although you might need to say it's for you.

My DD was like this, she started her periods at 10 and by 11 was exhausted by them. I took her to our GP who was brilliant and did all the necessary bloods which came back as anaemic which was expected. They treated that first, by which point she was 12 and they suggested the pill to take back to back for 6 months, then take it the normal way for 6 months. That totally resolved things, periods are now much lighter and regular (she sometimes had two per month). Now off the pill and managing much better.

I suffered badly from this (vomiting, my dad using a bit of local anaesthetic before an event, bleeding through my skirt while getting a promotion...etc etc). Finally got on the pill at 35 and it's been a godsend.

Thanks everyone. Dd has a gp appointment next week so hopefully we’ll get it sorted for her.

My DD was put on the pill when she just turned 15, she might even have been still 14. She hadn't even had her period a full year. I think she was on Day 16 of continuous bleeding when we went to see the GP. She'd get a break of a week or so then the bleeding would start again. The poor child was in the loo continuously at school changing pads and was in fear of a teacher refusing her permission to go out during class if she had to. It took over her life.
My DD now runs 3 packs together so only has a period every three months. Very little pain now.