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Teenagers

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

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Original poster

Tik tok video convinced 18 yr old DD to come off the pill

37 replies

eveningqueen456 · 23/05/2024 19:37

My DD is almost 18 and through her teenage years she suffered from the most horrendous periods and last year she went on the pill (microgynon). She often spent 2 days in bed every month and was doubled up in agony. She found tampons uncomfortable so wore period pants but because the periods were so heavy a pair would only last an hour and a sanitary towel only 30 mins. She missed alot of school because of it. She has now been on the pill for a year and her quality of life is so much better she rarely gets a period and if she does it is light and quick and painless. But since being on the pill she has started suffering from headaches and a few days ago she watched a tik tok video saying the pill is dangerous so she has now stopped taking it. She doesn't need it for contraception as she is not sexually active but she has stopped taking it.

Her body her choice - but we are going on a big holiday in the summer and if she comes on whilst we are there and she is off the pill its going to be very difficult to judge when she might come on - it could ruin her holiday as she suffers so much.

She will not listen to me - only tik tok. I have asked her to book an appointment at the GP to discuss but she is refusing. I just worry that she is basing her evidence on a bloody tik tik video by a 16 yr old.

We have paid ££££££ for this holiday and I would be gutted for her if her period ruins it for her.

I know she is old enough to decide and if we weren't going on holiday I wouldn't be so bothered about her stopping.

She says all her friends have now stopped taking the pill because they don't want to drop dead of a blood clot!!!!

If she has to spend 4 days of the holiday in pain and changing pants or pads every few hours I suppose it is her choice but it seems such a shame.

Life was so much easier when they were little and you made the decisions for them.!!

OP posts:

Aug12 · 23/05/2024 19:52

You are correct, it is her body and therefore her choice. She is 18 and legally an adult, so unless she asks you for your opinion, keep it to yourself.

Headaches can be a warning sign when on the pill so she is right to stop taking them until she has her blood pressure etc all checked anyway but if she doesn’t want to do that then that’s her choice.

Soubriquet · 23/05/2024 19:55

I suppose if she’s the one who misses out, it would be a natural consequence. Saying that TikTok is not a good source of information though I know you know that already

Cas112 · 23/05/2024 19:56

She needs to talk to the doctors about the headache the pill is causing her

gamerchick · 23/05/2024 19:59

You need to let her learn for herself. I'd hazard a guess, one period in and she'll start taking it again.

Justbrowsing2024 · 23/05/2024 20:01

I had to stop the pill after headaches, I eventually started getting blindness in one or both eyes for short periods of time. Risk of TIA is high. May be worth trying the mini pill as an alternative, she may tolerate that more easily

Hiddenvoice · 23/05/2024 20:03

I would recommend her talking to the gp about headaches as it might not be the best pill for her.

I wouldn’t go back on the pill again, yes it helped stabilise my painful and heavy periods but it caused me anxiety, made me gain a lot of weight and just made me feel worse about myself. When I came off of it , my (new) gp said she wouldn’t suggest to go on microgynon for painful periods.

It is her body and her choice, if she has a period during the holiday then it’s her that misses out.

Prawncow · 23/05/2024 20:10

I would be concerned about the headaches.

WetBandits · 23/05/2024 20:15

I issue contraception for a living, if one of my patients had started experiencing headaches since starting the combined pill, I would commend them for taking the initiative to stop it immediately until they could come in for review, especially if they were not sexually active.

It’s a bit odd that you’re more worried about the holiday than her health? In any case, I’d suggest she goes back to whoever issued the pill for a review and to discuss options.

Prawncow · 23/05/2024 20:16

If she can track when she’s had the headaches in relation to the pill it might be useful. If they’re happening during the 7 days of no pill (or the 7 inactive pills) they could be due to the drop in estrogen levels.

Starlight7080 · 23/05/2024 20:18

I would be more concerned about the headaches. The pill can cause a lot of problems. Especially with longterm use.
She does need to see a gp and find an alternative that she is happy with

Prawncow · 23/05/2024 20:18

I’d imagine that the OP is very concerned because she saw her daughter in agony and bleeding through pads in 30 minutes every month and fears that this will return.

loropianalover · 23/05/2024 20:21

She needs to see the GP, not to go back on the pill but to discuss the side effects and her period in general. It’s not normal OP and she needs help.

FWIW I would never go back on the pill after being on it from age 14 - 22.

BabyRace · 23/05/2024 20:22

The pill has not fixed the issues with her periods and is a common fob off for young women. She needs deeper exploration for why she is in such pain and bleeding so heavily.

Tophelleborine · 23/05/2024 20:22

I took microgynon for a few years as a teen and had brutal migraines that really affected me badly, it took a while for anyone to make the connection (through my A-levels I was taking the pill and steroids for the headaches, which is insane). She's absolutely doing to right thing and needs to explore other options. I don't know if the mini pill would help with her periods?

loropianalover · 23/05/2024 20:24

Would it be an option to get a Provera script to take on hols to keep the period at bay? I‘ve used it a few times over the years with no issues, but her GP obviously needs to sign off on it.

Travelban · 23/05/2024 20:52

I definitely commend your daughter for taking control of her health and she should be encouraged for that. There are other ways to ensure periods are not so heavy and lile others- said to get to the bottom of why they are so heavy.

For context, my daughter is a migraine sufferer and had been given the pill by her gp for her acne. Luckily she didn't want to take it because her consultant subsequently told her that the pill is really dangerous for migraine sufferers and comes with a risk of stroke for them. He was absolutely appalled she was offered it.

Original poster

eveningqueen456 · 23/05/2024 20:58

Lots of good advice and suggestions. thank you.

She suffers from anxiety so she will not go the doctors alone so I have offered to go with her but she will have to phone up and book appointment as they will not speak to me. I knew nothing about the headaches until she told me after watching the tik tok video - she said she takes ibuprofen when she gets them - could be nothing to do with the pill as I have never heard her complain about them before. I have just watched the video and it talks about the said girls cousin dropping dead in Primark due to a blood clot and the girl that unfortunately passed away had a headache that morning - so I think DD;s anxiety is in overdrive.

Since going on the pill she is a different person - she can wear what she wants as no worry that she is going to leak or come on unexpectedly, she can study and work without being doubled over in pain or bedridden for 2 days every month. She is far more confident in everything she does.

I am totally on her side and I know it needs investigating but I wish she would at least read or listen to NHS/NICE advice and info but she will not look into anything - it is all about this TIk tok video.

OP posts:

Original poster

eveningqueen456 · 23/05/2024 21:04

Apart from the pill though - is there any medication that makes periods lighter and pain free.? Before going on the pill she used to take naproxen as ibuprofen or paracetamol didn't touch it and this did help with the pain a bit but it didn't stop the heaviness and she almost got sacked from her first job because she needed to leave the shop floor every half hour to change pants or pad.

OP posts:

Justbrowsing2024 · 23/05/2024 21:12

Mefenamic acid, tanexamic acid, paracetamol is the combo I have to take. The mini pill made me bleed and I was miserable so I can't take that either.
I have multiple fibroids though which cause the pain and heavy bleeding. Has you daughter had a scan?
I have had issues since I was about 15

MiddleagedBeachbum · 23/05/2024 21:14

Acupuncture - been life changing for me with periods!

WayOutOfLine · 23/05/2024 21:25

I think she should talk with the doctor about something to lighten the period if on holiday. I also wanted to say I have noticed much more resistance in the younger generation for just using the Pill automatically without much thought, they seem more aware of the side effects and downsides than we were, and so although it might just seem like a TikTok video to you, it's probably part of this wider awareness in her generation. Just to put some context on it.

Pigeonqueen · 23/05/2024 21:41

There are two types of pill - the combined pill that contains oestrogen and progesterone and the mini pill which only contains progesterone. I think the one your dd is on is a combined pill. The headache risk specifically relates to the increased risk of stroke / blood clots associated with the combined pill - headaches can be a warning sign. She could switch to the mini pill instead which doesn’t have the same risks. But - if she does she is likely to suffer some breakthrough bleeding for a few months until it settles (and then she shouldn’t have any bleeding at all).

justforfunfunfun · 23/05/2024 21:43

Sorry, but I agree the pill is not good for you, so many side effects

Kinshipug · 23/05/2024 22:03

She's an adult. Tik Tok may not be a reliable source of information, but she can do what she likes for any reason she likes. There are dangers to the pill, it's a good thing that she is aware of what she is putting in her body. The periods may have stopped, but I hardly think headaches are much better,- trading one problem for another. She needs proper investigations, which is probably not possible on the pill.

MigGirl · 23/05/2024 22:07

The combined pill is only an increased risk if you suffer from migraine with aura symptoms ie, visual disturbance, pins and needless. If you suffer headache or classic migraine which is headache with, light sensitivity with, nausea/vomiting there is no known risk of taking the pill and having a DVT. I've even cone across some neurologist willing to prescribe it to migraine suffers with aura (although no one who has been willing to prescribe it to me).

Yes any change in symptoms should always be reported to your GP, but it never a good idea to just stop taking medication if your taking it for a reason. She needs to stop taking medical advice from ticktock and go speak to her GP.
DD also suffers from debilitating painful periods the pill has been the only thing that has helped. If she doesn't want to take the combined pill then she could try other forms of contraception or ask for further investigation to see if there is an underlying issue.

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