Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Teenagers

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

Original poster

Should we delay period or risk it??

117 replies

Dancerr · 10/08/2023 12:42

Typical. First hol abroad, we even arranged it so she wouldn't have her period and this month it's abit late. We fly on Sun, if it comes today then the worse will be over, she said only day 1 and 2 are heavy and more manageable afterwards. We are only going for 4 days, 5 nights so wouldn't want it to arrive on the 1st day of holiday. I've ordered some period swimwear which is due to arrive today and I have bought some tampons to try but she's never used them before. The other option would be to try some medication to try and delay it.....but have read it can really mess with things afterwards, until now her periods have been pretty good, no pain, not particularly heavy. Thoughts please?

OP posts:
rumnraisinrocks · 10/08/2023 13:08

I took some period delaying tablets in May as they can be heavy and I didn't want to be on for my holiday.

It wasn't noristhisterone as I can't take it but another beginning with P.

Fine while taking it and period after wss fine too, actually have seemed a bit lighter since but I don't know if that's coincidence

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/08/2023 13:09

Lots of teens aren't comfortable trying tampons - that's fine! My own dd is sad today that she can't swim in the sea with everyone (live at the coast so she can swim most days!) due to her period. She knows tampons are an option but doesn't want to use them so she is missing swimming instead. If we only had swimming as an option on holiday then I'd work around her period dates if possible so she could fully enjoy her holiday.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/08/2023 13:10

rumnraisinrocks · 10/08/2023 13:08

I took some period delaying tablets in May as they can be heavy and I didn't want to be on for my holiday.

It wasn't noristhisterone as I can't take it but another beginning with P.

Fine while taking it and period after wss fine too, actually have seemed a bit lighter since but I don't know if that's coincidence

Provera?

I've used them, they worked fine. Took 2 months for period to come back though which was a worry but it's back and fine now.

Original poster
Dancerr · 10/08/2023 13:10

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/08/2023 13:09

Lots of teens aren't comfortable trying tampons - that's fine! My own dd is sad today that she can't swim in the sea with everyone (live at the coast so she can swim most days!) due to her period. She knows tampons are an option but doesn't want to use them so she is missing swimming instead. If we only had swimming as an option on holiday then I'd work around her period dates if possible so she could fully enjoy her holiday.

Thanks. We are in the minority it seems. Most people can't sympathise at all with it. Thinking back to when I was a young teen I would have felt exactly the same.

OP posts:
FionnulaTheCooler · 10/08/2023 13:17

I think you have to be 16 to get the period delaying medication on the NHS? I get where you're coming from, my DD started a few months ago and they're really heavy, to the point she floods the first couple of nights and it ends up on her bedsheets even with overnight pads/period pants. We are due to go abroad in October and I was thinking about getting some tranexamic acid as a one off if she's due when we're there, just to try and cut down the heaviness of it.

Original poster
Dancerr · 10/08/2023 13:20

FionnulaTheCooler · 10/08/2023 13:17

I think you have to be 16 to get the period delaying medication on the NHS? I get where you're coming from, my DD started a few months ago and they're really heavy, to the point she floods the first couple of nights and it ends up on her bedsheets even with overnight pads/period pants. We are due to go abroad in October and I was thinking about getting some tranexamic acid as a one off if she's due when we're there, just to try and cut down the heaviness of it.

Think you could be right. GP has said we need to go through pharmacy and the 2 pharmacies have said they can't do it as she's too young.

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 10/08/2023 13:23

She needs to learn to manage it when it fines at inconvenient times. It's not the big deal you are making it out to be.

Original poster
Dancerr · 10/08/2023 13:27

Toddlerteaplease · 10/08/2023 13:23

She needs to learn to manage it when it fines at inconvenient times. It's not the big deal you are making it out to be.

Very helpful thanks 😊

OP posts:
SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 10/08/2023 13:28

Get her to start taking Ibruprofen regularly now, it will lessen the flow.

Quoria · 10/08/2023 13:31

I don't think it's that people don't remember being a teenager OP or can't sympathise, it's just people deal with things like this in different ways. I think it's lovely your daughter is confiding in you but it's not what was the norm for me growing up, so I agree with other pps it just doesn't need to be any sort of deal. I'm always surprised by my colleagues who seem to know the ins and outs of their daughters' cycles and discuss it openly. Periods take up very little of my head space. We used to go away for 3 weeks, I had two sisters and my periods were massively irregular until I went on the pill - not a chance a holiday would have been planned round that! It genuinely wasn't a problem. I hope you all have a lovely holiday.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/08/2023 13:33

Toddlerteaplease · 10/08/2023 13:23

She needs to learn to manage it when it fines at inconvenient times. It's not the big deal you are making it out to be.

If tampons aren't an option, how would you suggest she manages it?

WantingToEducate · 10/08/2023 13:33

Russooooo · 10/08/2023 12:45

It’s a period, not a drama.

Support her in managing it (period pants, tampons, shorts if she’s more comfortable) but don’t give her the impression that it’s some sort of problem. It’s not. She’ll go on many more holidays on her period and can’t grow up thinking that she has to plan her life around her cycle.

I’m 40 and I still plan my holidays around my periods…

neilyoungismyhero · 10/08/2023 13:35

They didn't plan the holiday around the period...they had a choice of 2 different times one would be period week and one wouldn't- her daughter chose the week she wasn't on for ease and less faffing about..no drama from the OP. Some posters on MN could pick a fight in an empty room. They'll be advising counselling re. Period stress next.

Itsnotrightbutitsok · 10/08/2023 13:38

If she started today and you’re not flying until Sunday then you should be fine with just period swimwear.

Obviously it depends how heavy she is but hopefully it’ll have stopped or be very light by Monday.

I definitely wouldn’t take the medication as she’s already started it and it may mess it up even more.

I’m not sure why posters are so surprised that this is a concern.
How do people go swimming if they don’t wear tampons?

I’m planning to book a holiday next year and I’m going to try my best to do it when my DD isn’t on her period so she doesn’t have to worry about getting in the pool. She wouldn’t wear a tampon.

There is period proof swimwear now but these are very new and I don’t know what people did back in the day.

I know some people who go swimming anyway when they’re on their period as apparently the water acts as like a plug but I know my DD would hate this.

Swimbius · 10/08/2023 13:39

I’m 40 and I still plan my holidays around my periods…

Me too. If I think I need to delay a period I try to do it a month in advance though.

DanceMumTaxi · 10/08/2023 13:39

I totally get this, it’s horrible having your period on holiday. This year I changed my pill cycle to avoid having my period. When I was young I used to sometimes take the period delay medication due to dance, but it didn’t always work unless I took it enough in advance.

Swimbius · 10/08/2023 13:40

I've tried period swim wear in the bath as I was sceptical about it. Turns out I was right to be sceptical!

RunningFromInsanity · 10/08/2023 13:41

I get awful period pain, bloating, low mood, spots etc so I have regularly used noristhisterone to delay periods, from about the age of 14 to now (30s).
Slightly heavier period when I do some on, but otherwise they continue like clockwork as usual.

Original poster
Dancerr · 10/08/2023 13:42

Itsnotrightbutitsok · 10/08/2023 13:38

If she started today and you’re not flying until Sunday then you should be fine with just period swimwear.

Obviously it depends how heavy she is but hopefully it’ll have stopped or be very light by Monday.

I definitely wouldn’t take the medication as she’s already started it and it may mess it up even more.

I’m not sure why posters are so surprised that this is a concern.
How do people go swimming if they don’t wear tampons?

I’m planning to book a holiday next year and I’m going to try my best to do it when my DD isn’t on her period so she doesn’t have to worry about getting in the pool. She wouldn’t wear a tampon.

There is period proof swimwear now but these are very new and I don’t know what people did back in the day.

I know some people who go swimming anyway when they’re on their period as apparently the water acts as like a plug but I know my DD would hate this.

Sorry I was putting in terms of 'if she started today' she hasn't yet....yes it would be fine if she did today or even tomorrow I guess.

OP posts:
Itsnotrightbutitsok · 10/08/2023 13:48

Dancerr · 10/08/2023 13:42

Sorry I was putting in terms of 'if she started today' she hasn't yet....yes it would be fine if she did today or even tomorrow I guess.

Show quote history

Oh sorry I thought you meant she’s started it already, that’s a pain as she may not start until the actual holiday.

I would probably get her to try tampons for the next couple of days.

Just practise putting them in and walking around for 20 mins and then taking them out.

I think tampons are the most reliable thing when going swimming and they’re something she can use just for the times when she wants to swim and then use pads the rest of the time.

Original poster
Dancerr · 10/08/2023 13:50

Itsnotrightbutitsok · 10/08/2023 13:48

Oh sorry I thought you meant she’s started it already, that’s a pain as she may not start until the actual holiday.

I would probably get her to try tampons for the next couple of days.

Just practise putting them in and walking around for 20 mins and then taking them out.

I think tampons are the most reliable thing when going swimming and they’re something she can use just for the times when she wants to swim and then use pads the rest of the time.

Show quote history

Thanks. I've bought her a selection and said to try now for a couple days. She hasn't yet but hoping she will.

OP posts:
massistar · 10/08/2023 13:55

Ah what a nuisance OP. It's not nice having your period on holiday, never mind when you're a young teen! We had this last year with my DD and she got on really well with the period bikini. It was really pretty and something she'd have worn anyway.

If I remember correctly you have to take the medication a few weeks before you're due anyway but I could be wrong.

Qilin · 10/08/2023 13:55

Toddlerteaplease · 10/08/2023 13:23

She needs to learn to manage it when it fines at inconvenient times. It's not the big deal you are making it out to be.

And one of the ways women can manage their period at inconvenient times is medication. It's a perfectly valid option and has happened for years.

I started taking the pill at 15y due to period pain and remember running boxes together to avoid a period for holidays/key dates. Most of my friends did similar. 🤷‍♀️

Whilst periods are natural, they can be managed in a range of ways. Medication is just one of the options available.

massistar · 10/08/2023 13:57

I'm wrong. It's only 3-4 days. I've used it before and didn't have any bother with it.

Qilin · 10/08/2023 13:58

I would probably get her to try tampons for the next couple of days.

She may find this uncomfortable whilst not having a period though, so it's wide to go with caution. Otherwise she may be put off further.