Aa
Menstrual woes for teenage daughter
My daughter is 17 and been menstruating regularly since the age of 13. Normal for her was 28 to 32 days. It seemed to change when she got her menningitis vaccine. She had a really tough time with back pain and leg & neck pain for over a week. That was 1 1/2 years ago and her periods started spacing out from 28 days to 35 days and now she has not had one since July. Its been 72 days since she's had a period. As a parent I did ask if she has had intercourse which she has denied stating she would tell me if she did adding she hasn't even kissed a boy yet. So as a worried parent I'm writing to find out what tests should I be asking for when we see the Doctor today. She is a bit overweight and is active in sports. If someone could help me I would greatly appreciate it. Trying to take a proactive position in my childrens health.
please reply as soon as possible!!!
Hi there I am 17 and my menstural cycle is very inconsistent. For around a year my period only came once every 2-3months for only like 2-3 days. I have my period now, and have had it dor about 2 weeks but is extremly slow, and the blood is glugy. Do you think there is a problem here?
Hi, I am also a teenger and I have almost the same symptoms as your daughter. I was wondering if you'd advise me on how to tell my mother about my problem. I've been having heavy bleeding for a few days with large clots and I don't know what to do.
My mother is very strict, very stern and very judgemental. And I'm also kinda shy on going up to her and telling her about this. And I feel kinda weird about some weird person poking around my area.
Any advise? Please reply asap
My mother is very strict, very stern and very judgemental. And I'm also kinda shy on going up to her and telling her about this. And I feel kinda weird about some weird person poking around my area.
Any advise? Please reply asap
Thank You for the advise. My daughter started her period one hour before her appt with the gynecologist. We went anyway. Her recomendations were birth control pills or progestrerone therapy. We kind of discussed this would be a possibility before we went to the doctor, and in agreement with one another felt we did not want to introduce her body to "false hormones". Basically the doctor felt it was due to her being overweight. I also explained to the doctor that she has been continually gaining weight even though she has been very active. Walking to and from school during summer and playing tennis 2hrs every day exept on weekends. She did order blood work to rule out PCOS, but I know she didn't order a CBC or is there another test that would indicate if she had an Iron defeciency? We are still weighing the pros and cons of the pills and the Progestrone therapy while we wait for the results of the blood work.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi! I always admire my patients who are able to be "on their daughter's team". Listening to one's daughter in a non-judgemental way is one of the nicest things a mother can do in my opinion.
I have many many teenage patients with similar menstrual problems, and they are usually hormone-related. As you did, I always rule out pregnancy first. I don't know your daughter's BMI (body mass index--calculated based on weight and height) but in many cases there is a relationship between weight and irregular menstrual periods. Often losing a few pounds is all that's needed to regulate the cycle.
There is a syndrome known as PCOS polycystic ovary syndrome, that you are likely familiar with. This is sort of a catch-all term for hormone imbalances that cause menstrual irregularities. PCOS is very common and often hereditary.
The hormone tests I almost always check are prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone, and pregnancy hormone. Then depending upon the patient's wishes, I can check some more expensive tests like LH,FSH, testosterone levels, DHEAS, 17-hydroxyprogesterone acetate, insulin levels, and blood sugar.
The next part of the discussion usually involves what to do about the periods, and I usually offer three options:
Watch and see while trying to drop a few pounds as long as the periods are at least every 3 months and no further apart than that.
Progesterone therapy to jump start a period--can be done monthly or quarterly
Oral contraceptive pills
Of course there is a fourth category of women who want pregnancy--but I'm assuming that's not your daughter.
Hope this information is helpful to you and your daughter--keep listening to her!
Dr B
I have many many teenage patients with similar menstrual problems, and they are usually hormone-related. As you did, I always rule out pregnancy first. I don't know your daughter's BMI (body mass index--calculated based on weight and height) but in many cases there is a relationship between weight and irregular menstrual periods. Often losing a few pounds is all that's needed to regulate the cycle.
There is a syndrome known as PCOS polycystic ovary syndrome, that you are likely familiar with. This is sort of a catch-all term for hormone imbalances that cause menstrual irregularities. PCOS is very common and often hereditary.
The hormone tests I almost always check are prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone, and pregnancy hormone. Then depending upon the patient's wishes, I can check some more expensive tests like LH,FSH, testosterone levels, DHEAS, 17-hydroxyprogesterone acetate, insulin levels, and blood sugar.
The next part of the discussion usually involves what to do about the periods, and I usually offer three options:
Watch and see while trying to drop a few pounds as long as the periods are at least every 3 months and no further apart than that.
Progesterone therapy to jump start a period--can be done monthly or quarterly
Oral contraceptive pills
Of course there is a fourth category of women who want pregnancy--but I'm assuming that's not your daughter.
Hope this information is helpful to you and your daughter--keep listening to her!
Dr B
You are reading content posted in the Gynecology / Women's Health Forum
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
Normal vaginal discharge varies in color, smell, texture and amount.
Bumps in the genital area might be STDs, but are usually not serious.
Chlamydia, an STI, often has no symptoms, but must be treated.
From skin changes to weight loss to unusual bleeding, here are 15 cancer warning signs that women tend to ignore.
