Dr wants 15yo dd to consider going on contraceptive pill

[Flamingoose]

I'm uncomfortable about how normal it is for women to start taking a daily hormone adjustment in early teens and to continue with that for the rest of our fertile lives. Is it really a good idea?

Dd has horrendous menstrual cramps. It's only one day a month that is unbearable, but on that day she is barely able to get out of bed. She has missed a day of school every month for about 6 months, and on and off before that. She cries in pain. It's awful. She is not generally one to make a fuss, and she hates missing school.
She has been prescribed very strong painkillers (which have risks of their own, but at least it is only one or two days a month).
The doctor is keen for us to consider dd going on the pill. Dd wants a solution to the pain, but she's not keen to go on the pill.
I have absolutely no moral or silly objection to her going on the pill, but I hesitate to start messing around with her hormones already.
Any thoughts?

Thank you Vegan!!

Your Gp lied. Go back and insist that your Dd goes on the mini pill to help calm her period cramps.

Yes, I'm on the mini pill and it definitely changes my hormones, that's how it works! Is it possible for you to see a different gp, you might get some better advice.

I've been on a combined pill that made me very moody and tearful and one that was great, and a mini pill that made me moody and tearful and gain a lot of weight and I'm on a mini pill now that is completly fine, with the added bonus of it helping my migraines.

I'm sure your dd really appreciates how you are trying to improve this for her.

Mini pill is progesterone only. No oestrogen. But progesterone is a hormone and afaik it helps with heavy periods

I suffer from endometriosis and won't use hormonal methods to control it, but this is due to nasty side effects from several previous attempts with the pill.

In your DDs case I'd certainly try the pill, she can always stop or switch pills or try a different hormonal symptom control.

I tried the Pill as a teen for similar reasons. It made me gain weight and have suicidal thoughts (although I only made the link with the Pill when I stopped it and the weight fell off and I felt happy for the first time in ages). As others have said it only masks the problem. This might be useful to get through the exam period but I get really frustrated the way women are fobbed off rather than properly investigated for gynae issues.

My GP mother used to give me gin back in the 70s. Alcohol is a muscle relaxant and it used to work.

I have had similar problems re periods and from onset at 14. I dearly wish I had gone in the pill then because it would have saved me an awful lot of pain. You should be aware that the pill does leave the system quickly after the last tablet.

I would seek a diagnosis for your daughter, something is causing this and
I would also think that endometriosis is the root cause of her pain now. Painful periods are not normal. She needs a gynaecologist referral, she is not too young to not develop endometriosis. Her hormones are likely already out of sync, her estrogen and progesterone to name but two.

Lied is a strong word, this could be a miscommunication. The term 'mini pill' is usually used to describe the old style progesterone only contraceptive pills such as micronor. We rarely use them now for contraception as they don't inhibit ovulation and have a higher failure rate. They are not suitable for the treatment of period pain or endometriosis.

The new style progesterone only pills (e.g. cerazette) do inhibit ovulation and can be used for dysmenorrhoea/endometriosis, but have a high rate of irregular bleeding so would usually be second line, only used first line for those who can't take the combined pill for a medical/family history reason.

Thank you for that clarification Passport.