School (time off from) with heavy periods (menstruation)

loopylulu_3

I was actually 26 when my heavy periods started but they became so heavy i couldn't go to work. Every time i moved my legs i could feel what i have learnt is called flooding and was going through a thick nighttime ST in under an hour. I wasn't taking the pill at the time so my doctor put me on that but it didn't stop. In the end she put me on norethisterone and it is the best little pill ever. She has been happy to let me keep taking it and i've now not a period for almost 4 years.

This might not be an option with girls so young but the doctor might be able to give it to her so she could go on a school trip or at least have some relief until the end of the school year.

I don't have kids but completely feel for your daughter and what she must be going through. Normal periods can be scary enough.

I think you do need to work with the school as i'm sure they will be just as concerned about your daughter education as you are.

Renya

I'm sorry to hear how things are going OP, I can really sympathise with her.

When I first started I was 13 and it was at school and at first the pain was unbearable, for the first few years I would be violently ill and feel very faint. My mum allowed me to take time off school but after a while they started to notice and started sending letters so I went back to school, but the pain was so bad I fainted in one of my lessons, thankfully after a while the pain began to subside and now I can easily manage it by taking some paracetamol.

I take it she's just started? Hopefully as she gets older it'll get better.

Ian5

Thanks to everyone above, although most of what you are saying we are either already doing or worrying about there is some great useful stuff. One common thread is PCOS or cysts and we paid privately to see a gynaecologist, she is going into hospital for a day during the Easter holidays so that he can "have a look around" daughter will be asleep for embarrassment reasons. If suitable he may insert a coil at that time (coil name begins with M), this has a 5-year supply of hormones and is better than the pill because it is fit and forget. Incidentally the Gynaecologist said that his wife is on her second M???? coil and has not had a period for 10 years, so if you're looking for contraception this sounds like a really good option.

Getting back to my daughter, school have been very helpful, and have put everything in place as we asked except for work home - as it encourages her to be off school - yea right! But my daughter still finds it difficult to cope, getting better of course as she learns (off school for 3 days last time) but because our GP says that she "does not have a medical problem", school are marking her down as "unauthorised absence" and we now have a fine from the EWO.

We have taken a complaint out with the GP practice, and have talked to a solicitor.

Mojisola

The coil will be the Mirena IUS - https://www.womens-health.co.uk/mirena.asp

It's awful that you're having to go to these lengths because of the failure of the GP to recognise the extent of the problem and the failure of the school to provide adequately for your daughter's needs.

babyshoes

That's awful! I struggled a lot at school, but luckily it was an all girls school and we had a sympathetic matron with a good supply of pads and painkillers. I still have fairly heavy, painful periods and miss a few days of work each year because of the pains I get.

Being on the pill helps me a lot, as does using a Mooncup, mainly because it holds so much more than a 'super' tampon (about half the amount that is lost during a 'normal' period). Even on a heavy day, I can usually go the whole working day without needing to empty it until I get home, but it does fill up sometimes. If she did need to empty it at school, using the disabled loo with a sink in the cubicle would be easiest so she could rinse it in private.

If she is used to using non-applicator tampons, then the mooncup (or other menstrual cup) will be fairly easy to adjust to. It does take a few months to get used putting it in the right place so that it doesn't leak, so best to learn during the last few days of the period when things are a bit lighter, and use a ST as backup.

I was anxious about it at first, and had loads of 'what if' questions, but now think that it has really changed my life for the better - I wish I had discovered it in my teens! I don't want to go on and on about it here, but if you have any questions at all please feel free to send me a PM and I will answer them as best I can!