I thought the attitude to painful, heavy periods might have changed over the last 30 years or so....

[SoupDragon]

Turns out I was wrong as my daughter was told they were to be expected and would get better when she had her first child! She's not yet 17.

AIBU to think this is shit?

Shit indeed. She is a child in serious pain - if it was caused by anything else, she would get sympathy and proper treatment.

I have such sympathy with her - my first period was very painful and heavy, and so it went on till I had a hysterectomy aged 40. It was a total blight on my life.

Can you see a different GP?

Mine were horribly painful and heavy too and I swore I wouldn't let her suffer! I mean, they did cease being painful when I had my first child but that was at 30! It's a bit of a drastic "cure".

I can only laugh hollowly at "see another GP" as they've made it virtually impossible. It's all phone consultations these days. She will try but she'd been so "brave" phoning up in the first place she needs to summon up the energy to do it again.

God your poor girl…
I was actually in the opposite boat. Mine were always short and light when I was younger and got much worse after I had my dd. They got even worse again when I turned 40 and I regularly destroy myself now. Can’t take any form of birth control as they don’t agree with me and also why should that be a solution?
I take an anti inflammatory now when they are really bad. It reduces the blood flow a fair bit. Just 1 is enough for 5/6 hours relief.

And if she decides not to have a child or waits 15 years?

Well, quite. It was a ridiculous comment.

Obviously she won't be waiting til then!

YANBU. What a shit situation, still, in 2023!

On a practical note, tranexnamic acid (sp?) Helps, plus of course various contraceptive pills. Which can be taken back to back to avoid periods, no matter what the GP says.

What anti inflammatory do you take? Mine are much heavier since dc. Sympathies with your dd, it's rubbish and massively impacts on going out of the house for me one week out of four.

Only if you can get them prescribed! That's what I expected her to be offered TBH.

I've had some success with ibuprofen - I found they helped slow down the bleeding to a more bearable level. I still get 2 heavy days a month (but at lease they don't hurt any more!)

But do persevere if you can @SoupDragon . My mum was told same and I am no spring chicken! But she didn't advocate for me, just left me to it.

She (we!) will persevere.

I’m in Ireland. I take nurofen plus. Not sure if it’s available in the uk.

Even worse trying to get a diagnosis of endometriosis , it's a joke to be honest. Your daughter will be better if she goes on the pill but obviously not everyone wants that. Also it's likely to just mask the problem, likely to be endo. In the end with my stifle I just took the pill and came off it when inwas older and they had calmed down a little with age hope she's ok op