Teenager - no periods

[Uni24Woes]

DD started her periods at around 13. They were normal for a year or so, and then for the last couple of years have pretty much disappeared. She went to the GP last year who brushed her off saying it was due to GCSE and exercise, but I am not sure and would really like her to go back - she is 17 now and I don't think it's right.

She's a healthy weight, does a reasonable but not excessive amount of exercise and has a good diet and plenty of sleep.

I wondered about PCOS, but don't think there are any other symptoms which fit - although she does have very oily skin and tends to be quite sallow.

Am I right in thinking that by 17, it's sensible to try to establish why periods are absent or (as DD thinks) is it just one of those things and I am making a fuss?

Thanks

I think I'd want her to get her hormone levels checked out in those circumstances. There's probably nothing wrong, but it seems unusual that she had periods for a year or two and then not.

Can you encourage her to go back to the GP (preferably a different one) and ask for blood tests?

Is she definitely a healthy weight? My dds periods stopped when her weight dipped under a certain weight (about 8 and a half stone.)

She's not pregnant?

I'd want some bloods checked if there's no obvious cause, it's not normal for periods to stop for months.

Thanks both

Definitely not pregnant (I should have said that in OP, sorry).

I don't know her weight but she's not skinny - slim, but I'd be really surprised if she was underweight.

I'd like her to go back to GP and ask for blood tests, or at least a bit more of a discussion about what might be going on, but she just wants to leave it

Get her prolactin levels checked (blood test). I developed a prolactionoma around that age (not as scary as it sounds, have a google- the pituitary foundation website has good information). It’s been managed with medication my whole life, I’m now 43. The medication brought back my periods and I was able to have 2 children. If her prolactin level is high she will need a referral to an endocrinologist.

I could have written this about my 15yr old daughter. She started her periods at around 12/13yrs old, they were then monthly for a few months, then nothing for two years! I took her to the GP, and she had a blood test, which indicted she likely has PCOS (just like I do). I was always told it can’t be confirmed without a scan.

She has no other symptoms really (she suffers with a few spots, but this is typical for her age). My DD has chosen to not go on any medication.

Thank you @Pigeonqueen - I'd never heard of that, but glad that medication means it's managed for you and you've been able to have children.

Thanks also @HeartandSeoul for sharing your daughter's experience, interesting that there weren't any other symptoms (my sister and SIL both have PCOS) it wouldn't be that.

I'll try and encourage her again to go back to the doctors and ask for tests.

A doctor had to release periods from back ‘tar’ started periods at age 10 but a one of their GP at around 11 of age turned a long cotton wall bud in the vagina and it turned out the scan in obstetrics in a hospital later that day as not needed.