Dd14 is having "girl" issues?

[Katherine A.]

My daughter is 14, she's had her period for about 2 years, it lasts usually 10-15 days and it is heavy, She get's unbearable pains to point she's in tears. Right now she's laying in bed crying her eyes out, she has been for the whole day on and off. I've been giving her midol teen and reguluar midol. And she has a heating pad on her stomach and an ice pack on her forehead (she has a fever)

 

This has happened since she first started, and we've gone to the doctor and all the say is it will get better soon but the said before after 2 years it should be better. Tomorrow morning i will be calling to make a doctor appointment though.

 

Anything i can do to help her until then? :(

[dangermom]

Oh, the poor thing. :( I don't know any fixes, but :grouphug:

[Farrar]

As completely unintuitive as it is, exercise often helped me at that age.

 

Also, midol always made things worse for me. It used to make me throw up.

[newday]

I am so sorry for her. How awful!

I hope the doc is able to help regulate things...

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

10-15 days?? That seems a bit long to me. I may be way off base here (and to be honest I hope I am) but have you looked at the symptoms of Endometriosis? I had a friend with that and it just sounds a bit similar.

 

 

ETA: I don't know your thoughts on this- I don't even know how I would react if somebody suggested this for my dd to be honest :001_huh: I might freak out a bit, but I thought I would throw it out there- I heard that birth control pills help with super hard periods. (no experience with this at all) I don't know if its just because it regulates them or if its the hormones in the pills

Edited June 27, 2011 by wy_kid_wrangler04

[Pink Fairy]

We do 600mg of ibuprofin. Tylenol doesn't even touch the pain. So weird that this is common among teenage girls, but I remember being the same way when I started my cycle. I think I was 18 or 19 before it wasn't so miserable. The other thing that helped me is Naprosin (sp?). But since ibuprofin does the job we haven't gone that route for dd.

[wapiti]

:iagree: I had horrendous cramps in those days. I was 22 before I discovered the wonder of ibuprofen. Big fat dose - 600 mg sounds about right.

[smilesonly]

:grouphug:

 

Check out http://www.pelvicpain.com

 

Her "symptoms" do not sound normal at all.

 

Pm me if you want more info...

[Rosie_0801]

A chiropractor would probably help. But pills are certainly cheaper.

 

Rosie

[smilesonly]

My daughter is 14, she's had her period for about 2 years, it lasts usually 10-15 days and it is heavy, She get's unbearable pains to point she's in tears. Right now she's laying in bed crying her eyes out, she has been for the whole day on and off. I've been giving her midol teen and reguluar midol. And she has a heating pad on her stomach and an ice pack on her forehead (she has a fever)

 

This has happened since she first started, and we've gone to the doctor and all the say is it will get better soon but the said before after 2 years it should be better. Tomorrow morning i will be calling to make a doctor appointment though.

 

Anything i can do to help her until then? :(

 

The above bold is mine-this combo of longevity with heaviness with severe pain with a fever are all screaming symptoms that something is not right-not at all.

 

If this were my dd, I would have labs run that test all of her hormones-starting with her Thyroid-then Estrogens, Testosterone, Progesterone. Also have her tested for low Iron and low Bs.

 

Then check to see if there is a specialist you can see and/or a good Naturopath.

 

:grouphug:

[Katherine A.]

ETA: I don't know your thoughts on this- I don't even know how I would react if somebody suggested this for my dd to be honest :001_huh: I might freak out a bit, but I thought I would throw it out there- I heard that birth control pills help with super hard periods. (no experience with this at all) I don't know if its just because it regulates them or if its the hormones in the pills

 

I looked at both of the links she has some of the symptoms and im praying its not either of them :(

 

When i was a teenager i was the same exact way except mine were not 10-15 days only about 7, when i was 18 i went on birth control pills (wasnt allowed to before that) and it helped tremendously! I'm not sure though, if the doctor reccomends it, i probably will allow her too, i hate to see her in so much pain.

 

I've given her ibuprofin before, it make her feel like she's going to throw up :001_huh: Not sure why..

 

I feel horrible for not doing something sooner, the doctor said it would go away and it was normal :(

[dangermom]

Ibuprofen is hard on the stomach. It makes me feel sick too. Try taking it with food and milk.

Edited June 27, 2011 by dangermom

[Chelli]

I had cramps so bad in high school that I would do just like your daughter, lay in bed in severe pain and eventually throw up. Now that I've had children I know that my cramps were bad enough that they were past the point of beginning labor pains! My periods didn't last as long as hers, but the only thing that helped me was to get on birth control pills. I started taking them when I was sixteen because I was missing so much school (about the first 2-3 days of school every month because of my period). It was an instant fix! I am no longer on BC pills, but I will still get horrendous periods like this about 3-4 times a year, but not every month like I did in high school.

 

Also, like a pp mentioned Midol made me feel even worse and ibuprofin didn't touch it. BC pills were my fix...I wouldn't hesitate to put my dd on them even if she was just 16 because I remember how awful that pain/sickness was! :grouphug:

[smilesonly]

I looked at both of the links she has some of the symptoms and im praying its not either of them :(

 

When i was a teenager i was the same exact way except mine were not 10-15 days only about 7, when i was 18 i went on birth control pills (wasnt allowed to before that) and it helped tremendously! I'm not sure though, if the doctor reccomends it, i probably will allow her too, i hate to see her in so much pain.

 

I've given her ibuprofin before, it make her feel like she's going to throw up :001_huh: Not sure why..

 

I feel horrible for not doing something sooner, the doctor said it would go away and it was normal :(

 

Most drs are incredibly clueless about symptoms and treatment of Endo, so don't beat yourself up. I would read Dr. Cook's site, as it is the most informative out there.

 

If she is getting sick from the Ibuprofen, it could have already spread to her bowels. Not good at all.:grouphug:

 

Please don't act too quick-but I would start doing lots of research. Too many drs will say teens and young women "have no choice but to have a hysterectomy." Sad, but true. Run, run, run if you ever hear that.:grouphug:

[Katherine A.]

Most drs are incredibly clueless about symptoms and treatment of Endo, so don't beat yourself up. I would read Dr. Cook's site, as it is the most informative out there.

 

If she is getting sick from the Ibuprofen, it could have already spread to her bowels. Not good at all.:grouphug:

 

Please don't act too quick-but I would start doing lots of research. Too many drs will say teens and young women "have no choice but to have a hysterectomy." Sad, but true. Run, run, run if you ever hear that.:grouphug:

 

Going to PM you with some questions, also doing a google search. :(

[Jilly]

I also had terrible periods like that when I was younger. I would always miss school at least once a month, and I would be in bed crying for hours. The only thing that helped me was Pamprin, but I had to take it before the pain became too severe, otherwise it wouldn't work.

[Jeanne in MN]

I can't for the life of me remember what it was, but I had a prescription in high school for menstrual cramps that were wonderful. So there must be things out there to help.

[AndyJoy]

I missed a day of school almost every month when I was a teen due to horrible periods that lasted 8-10 days. At 14 I passed out due to cramping pain. My parents even took me to the ER twice suspecting appendicitis.

 

What helped me most was sleeping 1/2 the day in a fetal position w/a heating pad, taking ibuprofen, and drinking lots of water.

 

By the time I was 18 or 19, my bad periods were about every third month. Even then, I threw up and blacked out twice while in college (one time in a really inopportune place).

 

I had no idea at the time that there were medicinal solutions for this. My parents never offered bc pills for various reasons. When I started bc pills at 21 things were SO much better. I'm not familiar with today's options, but I would urge you to find something!

 

On the bright side, my labor pains were nothing compared to some of my periods because I apparently developed a high tolerance for pain.:001_smile: I seriously don't think I needed the epidural because by the time they got it done, my pain was doable, the baby was in position, and I felt the urge to push! We just had to wait on the doctor. I think I mostly just took them up on it when it was offered because I thought the pain HAD to get worse than that, and I was worried about passing out. Everything progressed so quickly at the point that I think I totally could have made it through the pain.

Edited June 27, 2011 by AndyJoy

[angel marie]

I can't for the life of me remember what it was, but I had a prescription in high school for menstrual cramps that were wonderful. So there must be things out there to help.

 

was it anaprox? anaprox "saved me" in high school with horrible cramps.

[Corraleno]

was it anaprox? anaprox "saved me" in high school with horrible cramps.

:iagree:

Anaprox (naproxen sodium) changed my life. Now it's sold over the counter as Aleve, but I'm not sure what dose is equivalent to the Rx strength. The key is to start taking it a couple of days before the period starts:

 

For optimal control of menstrual cramps, a woman should start taking a NSAID before her pain becomes difficult to control. This might mean starting medication 1 to 2 days before her period is due to begin and continuing taking medication 1 to 2 days into her period. The best results are obtained by taking one of the NSAIDs on a schedule rather than on an as needed basis. Therefore, ibuprofen should be taken every 4-6 hours, ketoprofen every 4-8 hours, and naproxen every 8-12 hours for the first few days of the menstrual flow.

http://www.medicinenet.com/menstrual_cramps_and_pms_medication_guide/article.htm

 

Also, you can use Tylenol and Aleve or Motrin (but not both Aleve and Motrin), because Tylenol works in a totally different way from the other NSAIDs. Sometimes the combination works better than either alone, plus you can alternate the doses, so the first drug dose isn't wearing off before you take the next one.

 

Jackie

[Carpe]

Some women have allergic reactions to feminine hygiene products. If I use disposables (pads or tampons) I have the exact symptoms you're describing for your daughter. I tried cloth pads and my period was 5 days long and barely hurt at all. Eventually I switched to a menstrual cup and it's even better.

Just another angle to consider.

Hope she feels better soon :grouphug:

[WishboneDawn]

I feel horrible for not doing something sooner, the doctor said it would go away and it was normal :(

 

???

 

I suffered through intense pain during my periods when I was a teenager. Yes, it DID go away, after 5 or 6 years. Maybe there's nothing that can be done to cure the root cause but goodness, your doctor should be intent on exploring methods of controlling the pain.

[WishboneDawn]

:iagree:

Anaprox (naproxen sodium) changed my life. Now it's sold over the counter as Aleve, but I'm not sure what dose is equivalent to the Rx strength. The key is to start taking it a couple of days before the period starts:

 

 

http://www.medicinenet.com/menstrual_cramps_and_pms_medication_guide/article.htm

 

Also, you can use Tylenol and Aleve or Motrin (but not both Aleve and Motrin), because Tylenol works in a totally different way from the other NSAIDs. Sometimes the combination works better than either alone, plus you can alternate the doses, so the first drug dose isn't wearing off before you take the next one.

 

Jackie

 

I naproxen sodium for migraines. It's a wonderful drug. :001_smile:Might be worth a shot.

[Annie G]

Lodine is a prescription NSAID and it's fabulous for menstrual cramps. While relieving the pain isn't solving the problem, at least it would provide some comfort to your daughter.

[Jeanne in MN]

was it anaprox? anaprox "saved me" in high school with horrible cramps.

 

That could be it; it sounds familiar.

[Dobela]

I had endo and PCOS. Miserable, painful, awful days on end. One pain killer that helped was to take larger doses of calcium all the time - as in 1500mg and higher on a daily basis. It has way fewer side effects than large doses of ibuprofin (although I took very large doses of that as well). Avoiding caffiene helped, as did exercise. I would take time to be in a pool or hot tub and just move and walk whenever I could while having my cycle. The warm water was relaxing which meant the rest of my body wasn't tightening up in response to the pain. Even long soaks in the house tub made me feel a bit better.:grouphug:

[LizzyBee]

My 17 yo also has awful periods, including missing school on the 1st or 2nd day. Her dr suggested starting motrin a day or two before she starts if her periods are regular enough to predict. They're not regular, but I told her to start taking motrin at the first sign of a cramp even if she hasn't started her period yet. She takes 800-1000 mg at a time.

 

FWIW, she had an ovarian cyst that ruptured last week, and it's possible she's had them before. That could have been contributing to her periods. I agree with the pps who suggested looking into endo, too.

[chicagoshannon]

I had horrible periods also. I would throw up every month. By the time I was in college it was better but that was after 5 or 6 years of horrible pain. It should last 10-14 days though. :(

 

I agree with the others the key is to start the pain meds before the pain starts. That's not easy to do when you're not regular though.

[Night Elf]

When i was a teenager i was the same exact way except mine were not 10-15 days only about 7, when i was 18 i went on birth control pills (wasnt allowed to before that) and it helped tremendously! I'm not sure though, if the doctor reccomends it, i probably will allow her too, i hate to see her in so much pain.

 

I was afraid to mention this because some people are vehemently against the idea, but birth control pills helped my dd. She didn't have the lengthy periods your dd has but her pain was severe. I didn't like to see her doubled up and throwing up from the pain. She checked out okay but went on the pill at age 15. They improved tremendously. She has light cramps occasionally but they are handled by ibuprofen. Oh, she didn't tell her dad and stepmom because she knew what their reaction would be. They were never sympathetic to her pain and called her a drama queen when she lived with them. They never took her to a doctor because pain during periods is normal and she needed to learn to suck it up. :001_huh:

[Tutor]

I had the same issues at that age. The pain was to the point that I would pass out. Made for some great stories, but NOT a laughing matter at the time. I'm allergic to ibuprofen, so I couldn't take that. Naproxen (Alleve) in a huge dose plus a heating pad helped a bit. The only real relief I ever got was from bc pills. I would still pass-out occasionally, but at least it wasn't monthly any more. I was able to go off the bc pills when I was 22. After I gave birth to my oldest, the severely painful cramps went away completely. Now that I've hit peri-menopause, it's a whole new ball game. :tongue_smilie:

[angel marie]

you are absolutely right about the naprosyn (aka aleve, anaprox) and ibuprofen--not to give at same time. they are both metabolized by the kidney and that's too much at one time for the little guys. tylenol is metabolized by the liver. anaprox ds is 550mg of naprosyn or so i remember.:)

[LizzyBee]

I was afraid to mention this because some people are vehemently against the idea, but birth control pills helped my dd. She didn't have the lengthy periods your dd has but her pain was severe. I didn't like to see her doubled up and throwing up from the pain. She checked out okay but went on the pill at age 15. They improved tremendously. She has light cramps occasionally but they are handled by ibuprofen. Oh, she didn't tell her dad and stepmom because she knew what their reaction would be. They were never sympathetic to her pain and called her a drama queen when she lived with them. They never took her to a doctor because pain during periods is normal and she needed to learn to suck it up. :001_huh:

 

I'm not the original poster, but I've talked to my dd about bcp for cramps. I am hesitant to start her on them at such a young age because of the potential side effects. I did talk to her dr a few days ago and we're going to try some other things before bcp.

[AnitaMcC]

My daughter is 14, she's had her period for about 2 years, it lasts usually 10-15 days and it is heavy, She get's unbearable pains to point she's in tears. Right now she's laying in bed crying her eyes out, she has been for the whole day on and off. I've been giving her midol teen and reguluar midol. And she has a heating pad on her stomach and an ice pack on her forehead (she has a fever)

 

This has happened since she first started, and we've gone to the doctor and all the say is it will get better soon but the said before after 2 years it should be better. Tomorrow morning i will be calling to make a doctor appointment though.

 

Anything i can do to help her until then? :(

 

If it was my girl (and I have been there) I would have her see a GYN who is experienced in treating young girls and ask about putting Dd on the pill.

 

My niece had these issues. She started her periods age 11. By 14 she was miserable and Tylenol 3 did nothing for her. She was in such horrid pain, had fevers, throwing up, and heavy and irregular periods. She was put on the pill and that made a huge difference.

 

My Dd is 16 and she may be going on the pill. Recently she had a ovarian cyst rupture. It was the first time but if it happens again then doctors say she may need to go on the pill.

 

IMO, girls shouldn't have to suffer so much just because she got horrid luck of the draw of being a girl. It is not neccessary for girls/women to put up with such misery!!!

[calandalsmom]

B6 is also a good idea, as well as the other suggestions of meds and calcium.

[mhg]

Likely echo hear...but without reading previous posts:

 

She's having anovulatory cycles.

What's happening is her ovarian-hypothalmic-pituitary axis (communication) is still underdeveloped and she's having typical symptoms of anovulatory cycles.

 

I'm going to assume that she doesn't have regular cycles occuring 28-ish days apart and that you don't mean that she bleeds for 10-14 days out of a 28 day cycle (aka 50% of the year). If this is the case, I don't see how she doesn't have severe anemia.

 

So....I'm assuming that's NOT the case and that her cycles are irregular and don't come (bleed) every month.

 

I'd do the following:

1. See gyn doctor

2. consider OCPs for a year (give that axis time to mature)

3. rule out other endocrine issues (PCOS, etc.)

4. For meds....give her TWO 220 mg Naproxen (Aleve) tablets every 8 hours (can't have more than 550 mg. every 12 hours) beginning a day before you anticipate a period. (if you can't anticipate, just do this round the clock for the first few days of the bleed and TRY to lessen to 220 mg every 12 hours after those initial (most heavy bleed days).

5. heating pad is great

6. avoid exercise on these days as it'll speed blood flow and make the uterine lining slough faster (more prostaglandins make for more pain).

 

 

Good luck!

[rhrice3]

This does not sound right - 10-15 days for 2 years! I am so sorry for her. I hate to say it, also, but this sounds like symptoms for endometriosis. If a ob/gyn can not help her, you might want to consult an endocrinologist.

Good luck and prayers for her,

ReneeR

[Guest Jessygirl]

I had very similar symptoms growing up and the only relief I got was from BC pills. When I stopped taking them and was trying conceive and couldn't, I found out that I had endometriosis. I had been to many, many doctors about the severe pain that I had and was always ignored. Interestingly, I had all female drs, it was my first male dr that took my problems seriously. I had to have surgery and some drug treatment, but I am now thrilled to be due with our 3rd child this October.

 

My advice would be to skip the ob/gyn and go right to a reproductive endocrinologist.

 

Good luck.

[Qcaller]

I suffered with painful, heavy periods (huge clots) for a long time, too. I used to tell DH it was like a violent murder scene every time I went to the bathroom.

 

I started taking a daily aspirin in my mid-30s due to major heart disease in all branches of my family combined with PCOS, which significantly raised my personal risk for heart disease. A glorious side-effect has been much lighter and shorter periods with much less pain.

 

Of course, aspirin can be a problem for children because of Reye's Syndrome; however, if the use is monitored it might be OK.

 

Just another option to discuss with your daughter's doctor.

 

Pam

[NicAnn]

I would very strongly recommend Mayan Abdominal Massage. Regardless what the cause of her problems are, this can really help.

 

Good luck!!

[TeacherZee]

Okay I hate to hear about other people in pain, but this thread is actually making me feel better. I suffered from period pain and heavy periods as a teenager, with fever and throwing up. Very few people believed they were connected. And here are a tonne of other people with those symptoms. :grouphug:

 

And I'm another one who says BCP. I went from pain from my toes to my armpits to mild cramping that I don't even have to take something for a year later. Such a difference.

[LizzyBee]

If it was my girl (and I have been there) I would have her see a GYN who is experienced in treating young girls and ask about putting Dd on the pill.

 

My niece had these issues. She started her periods age 11. By 14 she was miserable and Tylenol 3 did nothing for her. She was in such horrid pain, had fevers, throwing up, and heavy and irregular periods. She was put on the pill and that made a huge difference.

 

My Dd is 16 and she may be going on the pill. Recently she had a ovarian cyst rupture. It was the first time but if it happens again then doctors say she may need to go on the pill.

 

IMO, girls shouldn't have to suffer so much just because she got horrid luck of the draw of being a girl. It is not neccessary for girls/women to put up with such misery!!!

 

My dd had an ovarian cyst that ruptured last week. Do you know why a teen would be put on bcp for cyst? How does bcp help? I briefly discussed bcp with her doc for menstrual pain, but it was never mentioned for cysts. Thanks!

[jenangelcat]

Most drs are incredibly clueless about symptoms and treatment of Endo, so don't beat yourself up. I would read Dr. Cook's site, as it is the most informative out there.

 

If she is getting sick from the Ibuprofen, it could have already spread to her bowels. Not good at all.:grouphug:

 

Please don't act too quick-but I would start doing lots of research. Too many drs will say teens and young women "have no choice but to have a hysterectomy." Sad, but true. Run, run, run if you ever hear that.:grouphug:

 

 

I was diagnosed with endo when I was thirteen. That was after pestering my doctor for a year about my 2 month long periods and insanely heavy flow (several adult diapers couldn't keep up). He kept telling me it wasn't endo even though it runs in my family. I finally got fed up and fired him. Went to a gyno, insisted on treatment and diagnosis. I got both. I was on the pill for 12 years before starting a family and I haven't been back on it since. My periods are now pretty normal.

 

When I was reading about endo back then, I read that it takes on average 7 years to get a diagnosis because it took that long for a woman to work up the nerve to ask her doctor about it. The first doctor generally wouldn't or didn't know how to diagnosis it so it took several more years to get around to a doctor who could.

[TracieT]

I wouldn't give her Aspirin if she's bleeding for 15 days. It thins your blood!

 

Anyway, like others have said, it does sound like endometriosis.

 

I would find a dr. who will listen. "Common" and "normal" aren't the same thing. Just because a lot of people suffer from something doesn't mean it's healthy!

 

I went to dr.'s for years who kept telling me to just take Advil for my pain. I finally found a dr. who did an ultrasound and found out I have uterine fibroids.

Find out WHY, not just how to treat the symptoms. WHY!

[AnitaMcC]

My dd had an ovarian cyst that ruptured last week. Do you know why a teen would be put on bcp for cyst? How does bcp help? I briefly discussed bcp with her doc for menstrual pain, but it was never mentioned for cysts. Thanks!

 

 

From my understanding (and I could be mistaken) it stops the ovulation cycle. No ovulation = no ovarian cyst = no rupture.