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a girl's first period


Wed, February 17, 2010 5:58 PM

hi

my daughter will be 12 soon and i am so worried she is going to have a terrible time after she gets her period.  she is having all sorts of strange aches and pains this past week and i have a suspicion that it might be coming.  i have endometriosis so my periods were absolute *** until i had a baby at age 30.  i honestly don't know how i functioned until my first surgery at age 20!   the worst part of it is that she won't be able to take any ibuprofen..how the heck are we going to treat her cramps?  how do the rest of you deal with this?

 

FPO flowerpower
Joined Jan 24, 2010

Thu, February 18, 2010 6:59 PM

 Reply posted for FlowerPower.

First I'd wait until you know from what her pain is coming. There may be pain with menstrual cramps, pain from endometriosis, pain from the IBD, IBS or something else. It's not written in stone that because you had endometriosis that your daughter will have it. It is also not written in stone she'll have more then average "cramps" prior to her periods. Third I'd leave it to her doctors to see what she should take for pain.


The one thing I would advise you is not to put your fears onto her. You may be fearful for her but it will just frighten her to think she'll be like you in that way, or "trapped" not being able to take anti inflammatories, or "doomed" in some other way. She needs to feel safe and supported not scared any more than she may feel now.

Please try not to jump to conclusions about the cause of her pain or become obsessed with the treatment. You can be upbeat, optimistic and let the doctors work out the medical details. My mother had severe endometriosis, large fibroids with bleeding bordering on hemorrhaging. and had a few surgeries and finally a hysterectomy. My sister never had cramps, mine were in line with a "typical" cycle, neither of us had fibroids, abnormal bleeding, endometriosis or any other problem of that nature. Obviously, your problems really affected you greatly. She'll have enough to deal with try and back off and remember you are different people. 

FPO titan1
Joined Sep 1, 2008

Thu, February 18, 2010 11:07 AM

 Reply posted for FlowerPower.

what are the symptoms and signs of endometriosis?

FPO durango18
Joined Sep 24, 2008

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