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[Briony]

Had a really interesting conversation with a colleague today. I am 43 and she is 24.

At 19, she suddenly started feeling dizzy and 'odd'. She then began getting tingling extremities. She woke one day to find she could not feel the top of one leg.  She was taken to hospital and, after a series of tests and examinations, was seen by a gynaecologist. He founds signs of VA (she had actually started to tear). He did daily blood tests and they eventually diagnosed a severe hormone imbalance, now treated by the pill. She's fine within herself, apart from often getting periods that last half the month.

I couldn't help contrasting that with the experience of so many people on here whose doctors refuse to consider anyone in their 40s as having  potential hormonal issues - let alone anyone in  their 20s.

Isn't it frustrating that it really does seem to depend so much on which doctor you happen to see. Think of all the money the NHS could save by their doctors being better educated about these issues.   

 - But hey, I guess it's only hormones and it's only women .... 

[Dancinggirl]

Interesting story and I do agree about GPs being better trained about these things.  We hear some horror stories about what women are told by their GPs - there are some real savings to be gained with appropriate treatment.
DG x

[Chi chi]

I wonder if my girls have hormone problems? My youngest is 15 started her periods at 11 around the time of starting secondary school. A year on she had changed from a bubbly outgoing confident girl to a anxious paranoid shadow of herself  this has continued to get worse while her periods have become very heavy and prolonged sometimes lasting 3 weeks at a time  she has been in hospital due to low mood and taking too many paracetamols  Could be all the stress from peer pressure etc or is it her hormones??
My eldest daughter (now 21) also has heavy erratic periods and also suffers from low moods sometimes.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Hi Briony

My cousin had finished her menopause by the time she was 28! It came as a huge shock to her and she was incredibly grateful that she had already completed her family. My other cousin had finished her menopause by the time she was 43. Her Mum (my Auntie) had finished her menopause by the time she was 38! I don't know what age my Mum was because she had a surgical menopause at 42.

Yet the first 2 doctors I saw refused to consider I might be even peri menopausal 'because I was 10 years too young for any of that'. I was 42 for Heaven's sake.

[GypsyRoseLee]

Estelle, I would say it was hormones. My cousin (the one who had finished her menopause by 28) suffered terribly with extreme PMS and agonisingly heavy periods all through her teens and early twenties. She was often incredibly moody to the point of being blatantly rude. She also suffered with terrible 'shyness' which we later realised was just awful anxiety.

The only times she was 'normal' and cheerful was when she was pregnant. Even after her menopause she suffered with mood swings and depression. She refused HRT at the time because of the supposed risks.

It's only these last few years (she's now in her late 40s) and has been taking HRT that she is much happier and more chilled out. Altogether a different person.

[Briony]

Estelle, I would say it was hormones. My cousin (the one who had finished her menopause by 28) suffered terribly with extreme PMS and agonisingly heavy periods all through her teens and early twenties. She was often incredibly moody to the point of being blatantly rude. She also suffered with terrible 'shyness' which we later realised was just awful anxiety.

 I was about to say something similar. It's certainly something to rule out, if nothing else.  x

[Chi chi]

Thing is though I never had heavy periods at that age from what I can remember, I went onto the pill at 16 and was always regular and light and never had PMS. Had my first daughter and then PND and then became more shy/reserved, never been the same since but just got on with things as we do 
So what's the answer for them? The pill or BHRT??? My eldest is on the pill and my youngest has been prescribed it but isn't too good at taking it 

[CLKD]

Because of her age she was seen - GPs will take into account whether a woman has completed her family hence the referral to a Gynae..  At her age serious disease had to be ruled out ……..

I had heavy periods from early on, beginning when I was 11.  Painful.  Nausea.  Dreaded each one  the only treatment was The Pill.

[Dorothy]

Estelle, I would recommend your daughters speak to their GP - it's normal to have some emotional upheaval in your teens, but this sounds quite extreme, so they need to check it is nothing medically-fixable! 

I had heavy and painful periods from age 13; the pain gradually extended from one day to the whole week and then I began to get pain at other times.  It ruined my teens and 20s.  By the time I was 30, I only had a couple of pain-free days a month and I was drenching a night-time towel every hour during my period.  Finally found a GP who was sympathetic, she reckoned it was due to hormone imbalance, put me on the pill and I was pain free within a few days and the heavy bleeding never returned.  It was wonderful, but I wish so much it had been sorted sooner.

[CLKD]

Also - I believe that endometriosis can cause similar symptoms?

No one should suffer  ……… in the 1970s we knew less than we do now …….. ask, ask, ask 

[Chi chi]

I think my eldest is pretty much ok most of the time due to the pill but it's my youngest I'm more worried about, she is always complaining of tummy ache, her periods are very erratic and heavy, sometimes it's bright red with clots and other times it's almost black in colour  she has been on since last Tuesday and is as heavy if not more than when she started, it's not showing any signs of getting lighter yet although strangely on Saturday it was light???
She is off school today as she says she feels drained 

[CLKD]

She may be anaemic?

Also, black blood is old blood which hasn't been shed …….. HORMONES  .   I really do sympathise with her !

[Dorothy]

Estelle, do you know why your youngest isn't good at taking the pill?  If it's that she forgets, maybe she could try leaving them next to her toothbrush or where she leaves her mobile overnight - something that will remind her to take them.  If she has health concerns or some other issue, it would be worth going back to the doctor for advice.  It is such a shame to miss out on so much because of this.

CLKD is right - if she is bleeding that much, she is probably anaemic too.  I was on iron pretty much constantly in my teens due to my heavy periods.

[Chi chi]

You know I've just remembered something! My other (eldest) daughter is!  as she spends most of the time at her boyfriends in another county so doesn't see our doctor I tend to forget 

Hmmm.......