Teenage daughter bleeding x 8 weeks!

[yummumto3girls]

Hi, can anyone give me some perspective on this please. My DD 17yrs has had a period now that has lasted for 10 weeks, 6 of those I have been trying to get a GP to do something. It is dark brown/black blood and is not old blood as it’s not stopping. DD is anaemia and this isn’t helping, she has exam mocks coming up and is tired and worried sick. I have called the GP twice for her, and they have spoken with her, but GP just wouldn’t do anything. Eventually referred her for a scan - in 4 weeks time! AIBU to think these symptoms a really worrying, and this has taken too long to diagnose! Should we just wait for the scan or shall I call the GP again, don’t want to be OTT but DD is miserable!

Have you got a walk in women's clinic near you? Get her seen by someone instead of you GP if you feel they're not taking it seriously enough.

I am not sure if we have!? I will Google!! First GP turned out to be a trainee, took 40 minutes to tell her she needed bloods!

You’re not being unreasonable at all but there’s probably nothing the doctor can do until she has a scan and 4 weeks isn’t too bad considering current NHS waiting times. Can you afford a private scan?

Personally I would visit the GUM clinic. It's quicker and more thorough than trailing through a GP, it's their area. Also have you done a pregnancy test just to rule it out?

She is not sexually active, we have discussed this, no women’s clinic locally. All she can think of (and me to be honest but not told her) is cervical cancer - worried sick!

This sounds worrying. Go to an urgent care centre. They might be able to do a scan there and then.

I'm surprised by the 4 week wait, I had something similar after my second child and I had a scan within 10 days.

That’s what I thought MrsJane, they clearly don’t think it is urgent! No other options but A&E which clearly is not appropriate! Shall I ring GP again or wait it out?

Have you tried ringing 111?

I had this at 15 (5week bleeds then) and am having it again now at 33.
I know it might not help loads as she obviously does still need to be seen and helped but please don’t worry about it being something serious like cancer.

It is probably a hormonal imbalance (I’ve been investigated for PCOS twice over the years and still can’t get a diagnosis!).

If you simply need it to stop then tranexamic acid might solve it. Failing that she could be prescribed progesterone (but she will have a bleed again when she stops taking it). Or she could just go on the pill as that will regulate her hormones for a while till it is better timing to investigate.

I got put on the pill for it at 16 and am waiting for another referral at the moment so I really do understand that it is exceptionally stressful in every way x

I had very long bleeds in my early 20s which was part of PCOS- in the end it went v heavy and I took tranexamic (?) acid to stop the bleeding and then eventually went on the pill. Hopefully it's just hormonal- but I think she should be checked more thoroughly. It seems like women have to put up with a lot of fobbing off with menstrual problems.

My DM has a condition called adenomyosis which causes very heavy often extended periods, amongst other period issues, and as a teen she had periods lasting several weeks. It may not be that but I knows it’s not a very well known condition so thought might be worth mentioning.

Definitely go to a second GP opinion. I hope your DD gets this sorted soon.

Thanks for your support, hopefully it is hormonal. She has previously not wanted to go on the pill for fear of weight gain but I think she’d consider anything now! As her mum I just don’t want any delays to affect her future fertility but appreciate it could be a whole range of things. Looks like we just have to wait and keep taking the iron tablets!

If she wants to try the pill I was on Loestrin 20 for years which is pretty low hormone, completely stopped my periods and no weight gain or really side affects at all. I know it’s prescribed a lot less than others though for some reason