13 year old girl - normal period or should be concerned

[Trepidfox]

Hi everyone just looking for some insight. My daughter started her period in June last year, some bleeding each month and slight cramping but manageable. She started bleeding yesterday morn and she has experienced intense cramping (asked for paracetamol every 4 hours) but the major difference is she has been bleeding pretty heavily for the last 24 hours. Filling max sized pads being changed every 2-3 hours. She actually bled so much last night it was through the pad, her underwear, pj's and on the bed. This could be down to the fact she was wearing a 'normal' flow pad and the positioning but it was a lot. Went out and got some more robust pads and I would say she had filled 5 maxi flow pads today, feels OK if a bit dizzy/weak. Cramping has eased of a bit and lots of resting and fluids. Does this sound normal? I'm trying to remember back as mine is on the way out 😂 it just seems like an awful amount but not sure if I'm being a bit over the top worrying about it? TIA

I think the advice for adults is if filling a pad every hour to seek help, so due to her age and this being irregular I’d speak to a doctor for advice, it can’t hurt. Periods as a teenager can just be really rubbish though, flat coke use to help me! Not sure why but it deff did 😅

I think what we used to accept as 'normal' , we now know we're entitled to investigation and treatment for. Mine were like this and nothing was sorted until I was in my 30s. I felt like it was something I had to put up with. Whilst it might not be something to worry about, she shouldn't have to deal with it. X

She could try taking ibuprofen as indicated on the box as that's supposed to help with period flow.

Thanks everyone, looking at NHS website it basically said something along the lines that 'normal' is between 3-6 pads per day for the first 1-3 days and then it should taper off. I'd say we'll defo be on pad 6 before bed this evening. It just seems like so much and a bit of a shock tbh

I think it's fine to book a GP appointment.

@ToKittyornottoKitty I went out this morn and purchased a selection of larger style pads, made bone broth, cooked roast lamb and bought a teen iron supplement. It honestly scared me how much there was! Flat coke for the win 😂

OP DD started her period about a year and a half ago. It has settled down now thank goodness (fingers crossed) but it was horrific at stages during the first I'd say eight months. Very heavy and long. I remember mine being similar at the start and I never had issues afterwards so I'm hoping DD is the same.

My dd likes the nighttime pads even for daytime and likes wings too. Could she wear period pants with a pad as backup?

@dementedpixie she's currently wearing wuku bikini period pants with the pad on as a back up. I bought what I thought were the highest flow ones but tbh the still look pretty thin just much longer

I was searching for the massive simplicity ones they used to have when I was a teen 😂 To me there was something so comforting about the thickness (obv not when you actually needed to be out in the world walking around!)

Mine were like this at the start. My mother wasn't the kind of person you could talk to, so I just managed in secret really. After a year or so it settled down. My dd's has been totally different. But had it been like mine, I wouldn't have let her go through what I went through.

Mine use to be like this when I was a teenage and it was awful. I ended up not being to move and bleeding super heavy with the total being 7-9 days. If my daughter experiences the same I will taking her to the GP, it was horrible! I would maybe explain that’s it’s a bit heavier than standard and you would like to take her to the GP to sense check the bleeding level?

OP you are bringing back memories of maternity pads talking about the super thick long ones! Actually they could work for your DD and they are cost effective.

This was "normal" for me when I started my periods (and for the next 10 years until I went on the pill) but I really wish I'd fought harder with the doctors to get it investigated because I don’t think it's normal, really.

Remember she will have depleted iron, folate and other B vit's - make sure she tops up with supplements or she could get tired and develop anemia if periods are very heavy. Hope she feels better.

I understand that the technical reason for it is that our bodies haven't yet started ovulating regularly. So in a normal cycle, on Day 1, your body has estrogen building up the womb lining. This carries on until Day 14 approximately when you ovulate (release an egg). At that point, the womb lining stops building and progesterone is washing around the body. After another 14 days or so (so on approximately Day 28), if the egg has not been fertilised and implanted in the womb lining, the womb lining sheds - a normal period. And the cycle starts again.

However, if you don't ovulate on Day 14, the womb lining keeps building until it literally can't anymore because it gets too thick, and then you get your heavy period.

Same thing happens to some women in peri-menopause.

Dd used to like the big fat Kotex pads you could buy in home bargains/savers. Must have felt like wearing a duvet in your pants 😆

My dds periods were like this to start with, some months hardly anything and other months very heavy.

They did settle down after a while.

@Hazel665 I kind of had the same thing with my mum, we have a great relationship and we did have 'the talk' but the actual ins and out of it were never really discussed. We've talked about it now and she said she feels very guilty that she kind of left me off to work it out for myself. She never had help either, she had 5 sisters and they all thought they were dying when their periods came 😢I knew that I never wanted that for my daughter.

@Moonshower is it weird that I loved the maternity ones? 😂

@Hazel665 I have been praying that she wouldn't have any issues and was so happy when it seemed to arrive sort of monthly without much ceremony. I have PCOS but a light version so my skin was pretty bad, excess hair but weight was pretty stable and my periods were like clockwork

GP

They Can prescribe for heavy and painful
Period and rule out other things

Mefenamic Acid for painful and tranxamic acid for heavy it think. They are conditions int heir own right s not necessarily a symptom of something else

Also hormonal contraceptives

There's something comforting about a maxi pad and the security!

My daughter is 16 and has the same issue . We went to the GP this week who was brilliant . Prescribed Mfenamic acid for the pain and put on the pill . A pill where she has a break every 3 months .

GP was very understanding so I would recommend a visit .