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

[eveningqueen456]

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.!!

Microgynon messed up my hormones for decades and caused multiple allergies. The doctor who prescribed it denied that my symptoms were anything to do with the pill so I stayed on it for 9 months— that was 9 months that ruined my health for 30 years. I am now fully recovered by the way through my own hard work on my health. But your daughter is right to be cautious about the pill.

There are other solutions for heavy periods— I had exactly the same problem and it turned out to be endometriosis and fibroids. Your daughter could look into getting those issues treated.

I recommend the book The Bitter Pill by Dr Ellen Grant. An eye opener! It discusses the symptoms I got from the pill which my then doctor denied were anything to do with the pill.

Exactly

Tranexamic acid reduces heavy bleeding from periods.

Dd has always refused to take the pill after a brief attempt where she said she felt sick. She has horrendous periods, tranexaminc acid never helped. But anyway if she’s worried about clots she might not want to take that either.

dd actually got clots while not on any medication and no risk factors so now isn’t allowed anything and is on blood thinners for life which makes the period situation worse. She’s currently been bleeding for 35 days straight.

She just seems so much happier and mentally well since not suffering from heavy periods and debilitating cramps, all since going on the pill. I know she has to make her own decisions and I know I am a fully grown adult and going to the doctor to discuss health issues doesn't worry me but it is a big thing for her to do. If she comes on her period on holiday she will just have to deal with it and at 18 is old enough to stay in the hotel room on her own if she is suffering. She will just have to stock up on sanitary protection before we go - as she says there are toilets abroad! Her overall health is obviously far more important than the holiday but the pill has made her so much more confident and less anxious until this last week. But I do respect her decision and I am going to let her take the lead.

I came here to say exactly this.

I was fobbed off with similar symptoms when younger - I'm now mid 30s, can't get pregnant, have been haunted by debilitating period pain for years, and only after working out for myself that I tick all the boxes for endometriosis I am STILL battling for a diagnosis/treatment.

I wish I'd pushed for help sooner.

She did the right thing in stopping the pill IMO, and if I were you I'd be less worried about symptom management on holiday (obv pack some strong painkillers!) and more worried about getting a diagnosis before long term treatment for her, asap.

Microgynon in particular is one of the oldest combined pills and headaches are common with it. If you manage to get her to drs there are plenty others to try.

I came off microgynon as a teen for the same reason, tried 2 or 3 others all with some side effect but settled on Yasmin and have been on it over 20 years (with a couple of breaks to have DDs) with no issues.

It still doesn't help get to the bottom of what's causing her issues, but that doesn't seem to be a priority for most GPs

So many of our youngsters are being brain washed by SM.
No one seems to function without a screen sad really what the world has come to.

Combined pill triggered migraines in me as I had family history of it and gp never asked about that but prescribed one that can trigger it (I was young and didn't know to mention it). I've been off them for years and still get migraines with blindness on one eye at least once a month.
A friend og mine had a blood clot in her brain at 25 due to her pills. Had had headaches for a while before that but was told it wasn't the pills repeatedly.
Contraception is great but not perfect and not a one size fits all. Headaches are not to be ignored and perhaps they should be looking for a cause for the debilitating periods instead of masking the symptoms with pills anyway.
I hope she finds answers and methods that work for her.

If you mention headaches with microgynon the gps will highly likely take you off it, especially if headache with aura.

I would be considering whether she has endometriosis. I too was put on the pill for painful heavy periods as a teen. It turns out it was endometriosis and all the pill does is mask symptoms whilst the disease progresses.

It would bother me more that she was so easily led and bows under peer pressure more than coming off the pill.