Young people's experiences of periods and period pain
Deciding whether and when to see the GP about periods and period pain
Some of the young people we spoke to had seen a GP about their periods, while others had considered going but decided against it, for various reasons. Among those who had seen a GP about their periods and period pain were several who had been back repeatedly, with variable results.
In this section, we hear about how people made decisions about whether or when to see a GP about their periods and period pain, what influenced these decisions and their thoughts about whether and when to go back. This includes:
- Deciding whether or when to see a GP (or not) about periods and period pain
- What people hope to get from deciding to see a GP
- Deciding whether to go back to see a GP
Dr Katy Vincent encourages any young person with any aspect of their periods or period pain that are worrying them or getting in the way of things to speak to a doctor about them.
Dr Katy Vincent encourages any young person with any aspect of their periods or period pain that are worrying them or getting in the way of things to speak to a doctor about them.
I think people often worry about whether their symptoms aren’t bad enough to go and see a doctor. They don't want to be wasting their time, for example. But I would say if there's anything that is getting in the way of your life or anything that's worrying you or anything that you, feel you need advice about, then please come and ask us. We'd always be happy to see you.
Deciding whether or when to see a GP (or not) about periods and period pain
The symptoms people experienced with their periods, and the impact of those symptoms on their lives were central for young people deciding whether to see a GP. It could be hard to decide what amount of pain, cramping and bleeding should be considered ‘normal’ and people were often influenced by their mothers, or by making comparisons with friends or people posting online, to help them decide whether and when to see a GP.
Dr Katy Vincent explains that at any age, or however long you have been having periods for, if your periods or period pain are bothersome, then there are things that doctors can offer to help with them.
Dr Katy Vincent explains that at any age, or however long you have been having periods for, if your periods or period pain are bothersome, then there are things that doctors can offer to help with them.
Sometimes people have been told that they'll grow out of their symptoms and therefore they don't want to come and bother a doctor until the symptoms have been there for a lot longer.
And we do know that for some people that periods will change with time. But actually, if you're worried or your periods getting in the way of your life, then please come and see us. No matter what age you are or how long you've had periods, because there might be something we can do to help.
Chloe, Scarlett, Liv and others said that the pain they felt with their periods (or throughout the month) was what persuaded them to see a GP, while others talked about ‘really bad’ cramps very heavy bleeding, or bleeding that was irregular (Jayden) or lasted for weeks (Willow, Jayden, Elsa). These experiences were definitely not what they had been led to expect – which was usually a manageable bleed for up to one week a month [see summaries in the section: Learning about periods and period pain].
Elsa says that she knew that prolonged bleeding was unusual and something to go to the doctor about, but was less sure about vomiting and passing out.
Elsa says that she knew that prolonged bleeding was unusual and something to go to the doctor about, but was less sure about vomiting and passing out.
Do you have any sense how you might make sense of that and how you might work out whether something’s normal or not?
I’m honestly, I’m not really sure. It’s also for me, like personally, the two-week period is like I... like it’s kind of obvious because the main sort of when you’re taught about period is like it’s a week long, maybe a couple of days more, a couple of days less, but still, you know? So, it’s like, that’s definitely you should go to the doctor for that. But for other things like throwing up a bunch or like passing out and stuff, like whether that’s normal or not is sort of like I... I wouldn’t know, so... yeah. ’cause I think there might be a sort of inclination sometimes to just deal with it.
Symptoms that young people associated with the heavy bleeding, like tiredness and dizziness, could be related to anaemia, and for Chloe, Zaynah, Reham, Sarenna, Elsa, and Sage, concerns about or recognition of this possibility was a driver towards seeing a GP for an assessment. Chloe saw their GP about tiredness, and when a blood test showed anaemia, they were given support for their periods and period bleeding, and also diagnosed with coeliac disease. Elsa asked for a check to see whether their heavy period bleeding might mean they were low on iron. Sage felt dizzy and close to fainting with her anaemia. She was encouraged by her mum to see the GP and to bring her periods up when she did this: ‘My mum really wanted me to bring it up because I... you know, pain and also ’cause I would bleed like a lot, to the point where my mum thought, you know, ‘that’s definitely not normal, we should mention it.’ So yeah, and I knew to bring it up’.
Other symptoms that led to people seeing a doctor included fainting and vomiting. Vomiting with their periods contributed to Willow Z, River, Elsa going to see a GP. Eidra learned they had abdominal migraines which were linked to her period. Treatment for these was helpful for her.
Eidra went to see the GP about her migraines and vomiting which lined up with her period cycle. She saw the doctor and was prescribed migraine medication which helped.
Eidra went to see the GP about her migraines and vomiting which lined up with her period cycle. She saw the doctor and was prescribed migraine medication which helped.
I went to see it about... So, I would get really bad stomach migraines before, and this was directly correlated to my periods; I don’t... I only get them like near my periods or like before. And I just... I was throwing up a lot, I had the worst migraines, like I couldn’t... you know how excruciating they are – I couldn’t move. So, I did go to the doctor once. Very quickly though, they didn’t really talk about more, they prescribed me with migraine medication, and that was... that was like the extent of it. But it was like, they did say... they like noticed the correlation between my periods, but as I said, they didn’t expand on that.
OK. And did the migraine medication help a little bit?
The migraine medication did help, yeah, that... that was good.
That’s... that’s... that’s very good. But is that... and that... did... I think you said that’s something that still can sometimes happen to you now?
Yeah, it’s as I’ve grown up, like it’s got less worse, but I still do get them. And as I said, when I do get them, it... it is like the whole day’s written off, but yeah, which is quite annoying.
Working out whether what they were feeling was ‘normal’ (Poppy, Elsa, Emily) or ‘big enough’ (Amalia, Zaynah) to go to see a doctor about could be a difficult task for young people [see Information young people wanted to find out]. This was true for trying to work out what level of pain meant you should or could go, or what level of bleeding. Lucia would find being asked how heavy her periods were difficult to answer because it is hard to know about other people’s bleeding and so ‘heavy for me might be like normal for someone else’. Zaynah thought her heavy bleeding was normal, until a blood test showed that she was so anaemic she needed an emergency blood transfusion.
Emily hasn’t yet been to a GP about her periods and period pain because she is worried about whether she could or should.
Emily hasn’t yet been to a GP about her periods and period pain because she is worried about whether she could or should.
Have you ever been to see a doctor about your period pain?
No, I haven’t.
OK. Have you ever thought about it?
I have, yeah.
Can you tell me a little bit about kinda what you thought and how you kinda made... made those made your decisions?
I tend to think about stuff like just before I go to bed. I’ll sit there and be like... like, ‘is it normal for them to be this painful? Like, is it... is it OK that I’m feeling this bad? Do... like is that something I should be worried about, or is that something that is normal for everyone?’ Because, yeah, I’m not really sure.
OK. And, I mean, I think those are really tricky questions and really important questions.
Mm.
Was there a reason why you kinda decided maybe not to go to the doctor, or was it more not getting to it quite yet or...?
I just assured myself that everything was OK, that it is normal. I’m just... I’m not sure if I’m the only one. I’m not sure if it is something to be worried about. Because it... it can be quite extreme at times, if the pain that I’m feeling is common among other people, or that it is something that I should see a doctor about.
Mm. And do you have any thoughts on... on that for yourself or have you read about that at all?
I have thought about it. I have thought that it probably is a good idea; I’m not overly sure though.
Because?
Because I’m... I’m not sure if that’s... again, I’m not sure if I’m the only one that experiences it this bad, or if I’m overreacting, or if I’m just being dramatic.
Do you ever kinda compare your periods against your friends’ or it’s... it’s actually quite hard to do, I think?
Yeah. Sometimes my... I know one of my friends gets ex... like extremely heavy flows, and I thought that’s where the... the doubt comes in that’s like do I really need to do something about it because I know I’m not as heavy as other people, but it is quite hard to know the pain that other people are feeling because I think it’s the pain that I struggle with the most.
Sarenna says that because you are told cramps are normal, that knowing when to see a doctor is hard and no-one really explains this to young people. She thinks teaching people about the range of experience and when to ask for advice would be good.
Sarenna says that because you are told cramps are normal, that knowing when to see a doctor is hard and no-one really explains this to young people. She thinks teaching people about the range of experience and when to ask for advice would be good.
Yeah, I mean I think cramps... like a lot of my friends... ’cause a lot of my friends do have it, like and they’re not normal, but I think a lot of people do get them, but I don’t think it’s... and I think it’s not really explained like how... how bad they’re meant to be, ’cause you don’t know when it’s the right time to go to the doctor, or something like that, ’cause there’s nothing really saying that how much they’re gonna kind of hurt, kind of, like ’cause then you don’t know if you’re just... like if it’s just you and then maybe it’s just like normal, and something like that, or if it’s something you do need to go to the doctor for, so it’s just like...
Yeah, and I think that’s a... that’s really... that really makes a lot of sense to me. Is it something that people have said to you about period pain?
Mm, like my friends and stuff, they haven’t been to the doctor’s, and stuff, but I think she says... ’cause like my best friend like, ’cause she gets it bad, she was like... she was saying that ’cause she’s got an older sister, so she just goes... she talks to her about most of it, and stuff like that, but I think both of them just kind of... they just... it’s not too bad, like they just take a day off when they need to, and stuff like that, so... but I don’t think they like need to go doctor’s and stuff, so...
And at school when you were learning about periods, was... you... I think you said this earlier, that the pain, or what to do about it, wasn’t something that was particularly talked about, from your memory?
No, it wasn’t... like when they talk about it, like even just when everyone talks about it, like when you’re learning about it, and stuff like that, it’s not... like the teachers don’t... don’t go into detail more of what’s... you’re gonna get with it, like they’ll say you might get cramps, or something like that, but they won’t explain like obviously what it might be like, and what it might feel like, and stuff like that, it’s more just like...
OK. We’re nearly, nearly done, I promise. Are you... Are there things that you wish you’d been taught, or that you kinda would like to have learned about?
Yeah. I think it’s more just like obviously knowing... like so first off would be like... like ’cause a lot of the teachers did say like, oh, they’re meant to come like every four weeks, and stuff, so how long they’re meant to be, and stuff, and obviously ’cause mine come every three weeks, and stuff like that, I would have been... ’cause I didn’t know if that was normal, or something like that, but I think ’cause it’s... and then because, obviously before, because it hadn’t settled down and stuff, but now it kind of has, so it would have been maybe more the teach... like someone talking more about that. And then... or more... and also like more like what you’re gonna get with it, kind of, so like more ex... like explaining about like cramps, and stuff like that, and then like knowing how bad they’re meant to be, and then you can... and then ’cause then you can make your own idea of like: ‘do I... should I go to the doctor’s for it or not?’ but...
Along with this, finding periods and period pain hard to talk about, or being hard to explain or describe could factor into decisions about whether or not to see a GP (see talking about periods, describing pain, and talking about periods when you do and when you don’t and probably whatever the stigma section ends up being called also!). Eve thought she could speak with a GP, though she thought she would find it a ‘bit uncomfortable’. Seeing someone she knew or had seen before could help with that - or alternatively someone she would never have to see again so she would not worry that it would be ‘really awkward’ the next time they met. Lily reflected that ‘It would be quite daunting for other people to go to the doctor about it because it’s a period.’
Young people told us about how their symptoms affected their lives. These were often a big part of the decision to see the GP because of the effect on their lives and included being stuck in bed unable to get up, not able to go to school, worry about GCSEs and other exams, not able to go to work, not able to sleep or be able to see friends or play sport (Hannah). As Lola explained; ‘it got to the point where I’d started working and I was having to call in sick on shifts and I was having to cancel a lot plans with my friends and family, and at that point I went: ‘this is going too far,’ because it was getting in the way of me doing things on a daily basis.' [See impact on education and social lives].
Iris had period pain which was stopping her sleeping. When she was unable to complete an assessment in school, she realised she needed to do something about her pain. Her mum supported her to see a GP (read by an actor).
Iris had period pain which was stopping her sleeping. When she was unable to complete an assessment in school, she realised she needed to do something about her pain. Her mum supported her to see a GP (read by an actor).
Can you remember anything at all about what kinda led you to that decision that you thought: ‘OK, now I’m gonna go and try and get some advice,’ what that was like?
So, I think every... I think I knew that every period that I would have I’d get at least one set of really, really bad cramps and then these I think, I might get them maybe like two or three times and then I might wake up in the night, and that actually really did distress my sleep schedule a little bit. Waking up at 12 and then kind of staying awake for two, three hours and then going back to sleep and then having to wake up again for school. And then I think it... it did mainly…probably when I had a... a Spanish writing assessment and then they came on really strong during that, even though I did take paracetamol and ibuprofen which... and they just didn’t work, and then I felt... I felt quite helpless then because obviously like they... she can’t just pause the writing assessment for my period cramps. So, I didn’t really know what to do and I think I felt... I did feel quite lost and I was like, look, I’ve got Year 10 assessments coming up which... which are all in like exam conditions in a hall with like an invigilator so I can’t really go out and, yeah, get some paracetamol and ibuprofen, so I thought I actually do need to do something, because my mum knew how hard it was for me as well, so I think... I think she supported my decision to look into it.
However, if the impact of the period and period pain was accepted as manageable, then people might not see this as a reason for seeing a GP. Sarenna explained her perspective that her best friend and her best friend’s sister ‘take a day off when they need to’ so she doesn’t think ‘they like need to go to the doctors’. Although her periods and period pain continue to impact on her significantly, after an encounter with a GP that she didn’t find personally helpful, Rosie has developed a ‘kind of a system’ for managing the bad days of her period.
Rahma observes that people with painful periods might just stay home from school rather than go to see a GP. She thinks they may be worried about the GP suggesting they take ‘hormones’ (read by an actor).
Rahma observes that people with painful periods might just stay home from school rather than go to see a GP. She thinks they may be worried about the GP suggesting they take ‘hormones’ (read by an actor).
I think what you’re saying is that then that kind of feeds into maybe people not expecting much of doctors or not trusting doctors?
That’s the thing, because I do know that a lot of people do just do their own— Research. —medicine at home, or they just let... I think a lot of people just let the pain... they just take their ibuprofens and pills, you know, —rather than: ‘I’m gonna go to the GP.’ There’s not a lot of: ‘I’m gonna go to the GP,’ and more: ‘I’m just going to not go to school today,’ you know? Yeah. And that’s exactly what I’m trying to work out, if there’s anything...
About any ideas about what might change that balance? ’cause in my head I’d quite like people to get to the GP, and maybe find something that can help them, and then be able to enjoy school. Not just get to school, but enjoy school.
I think also just the fact that, like, birth control is used as, like, a solution, especially for a lot of parents they might think, ‘oh, it’s not that we think... it’s not that we don’t want our daughter to be safe,’ it’s just more: ‘I don’t know if putting a child on hormone-altering things is a great idea,’ you know? It’s less about: ‘oh, she cannot have a boyfriend,’ more: ‘I don’t want her to alter her hormones when she’s growing,’ you know? Yeah.
But that’s a really important concern because I think people quite often assume it’s about the stigma, but I think... I think what you’re saying is really important, that it’s actually also worrying as a parent about the medicine and what this would be like.
Yeah, ’cause even the parent might say, like: “I went on this and it wasn’t the best, and, you know, I can’t imagine a child going through it,” you know? Yeah.
Family members, especially mothers or sisters, or friends, had often guided young people in their decision whether or not to see a GP. One of Ivy’s teachers in school, who was aware of the difficulties she was having with her periods, actively encouraged her to seek advice. In contrast, Eidra told us that although ‘I went to the nurse like quite repetitively around my period and she... she would... she would like just send me back to like class, or if it was really bad, send me home, but she never said ‘go to another doctor and get this checked out’, you know?’
Reham fainted in class. Mum supported her to go to the doctor, and she ‘just got swarmed with messages of all my friends just going: “Yo, you need to go to a doctor, this is not normal, get your butt to a doctor.”. This helped her have the courage to go.
Reham fainted in class. Mum supported her to go to the doctor, and she ‘just got swarmed with messages of all my friends just going: “Yo, you need to go to a doctor, this is not normal, get your butt to a doctor.”. This helped her have the courage to go.
Can you remember what people kinda said to you?
Well, people said to me like: “Oh, I usually get cramps, and like they’re not even...” but some people were like: “Oh, I usually get cramps, and like I’d take one paracetamol pill and I’d be all right,” and I’d be like: “Oh, that’s really nice, I had to take like four, but like I’m really glad that you can only take one,” and they were like: “Four, are all right?” And then until I started fainting in class, they were like: “OK, this is... this is getting a bit weird – girl – you need to go get a doctor.” I remember after I came home and like after I texted you and first reached out, I just got swarmed with messages of all my friends just going: “Yo, you need to go to a doctor, this is not normal, get your butt to a doctor.”
So, it was your friends that really pushed you?
Yeah, it was my friends. And my Mum also really pushed me, she was like: “OK, I’m not having my kid fainting in school, let’s go.”
Sometimes, hearing other people’s accounts of seeing doctors about period pain, including on social media, could put young people off going to see a GP. This could include perspectives that there was no point, that period pain would be normalised or dismissed, or that asking for help would require effort. Rahma says that the stereotype that period pain is normal and is ‘just dismissed’ is something that ‘a lot of people struggle with as they go to a GP’.
Bella thought about seeing a GP about her heavy periods, but her Mum’s description of having to complete a period diary put her off going.
Bella thought about seeing a GP about her heavy periods, but her Mum’s description of having to complete a period diary put her off going.
And have you ever been to see a doctor or a nurse?
No.
No.
I mean I used to... I found it... but gonna go TMI (too much information), but I guess that’s the whole point, but I... I get really huge kind of blood clots and they’re... they’re... they’re... and probably something I need to be worried about because sometimes I get them that size of my palm, like they’re about that sort of size, and I remember when I told my Mum about it and she said that, you know, they’re not... if you go to the doctor’s, she said that she had a similar thing and, you know, they’re gonna make you... they’re gonna get you to write a diary and then come back. And I also, I’m not gonna lie, that’s a lot of effort, I don’t wanna keep a period diary about my flow and track everything like that. I mean I probably should, ’cause I have this app called Flo, Flo is just my love, it just keeps everything like I can write all my symptoms, but about exactly that sort of thing, but I just didn’t really... and it kind of my bad, but, you know, I just wanted to just see if it was OK rather than have to go through months and months of periods before, so I just kind of dealt with it and then it slowed down a bit more, but...
So, the thing that kind of put you off going to the doctor’s was the thought of having to focus in on your periods and then wait for treatment and write down lots about your periods?
Yeah, yeah. So, I just thought that at the end of the day there wouldn’t be really any outcomes from it and they’d just be like: ‘oh, painkillers, there’s probably nothing wrong with you, you know, you’ll be fine,’ sort of thing.
Mm. And is that... and... and that... a lot of that came from talking to your Mum and basing it on her experience? But did... did you—
Yeah.
What people hope to get from seeing a GP
Part of deciding whether to go and see a doctor about periods and period pain could be thinking about what they hoped would happen as a result. Making this assessment could be related to whether and what young people knew about options for treatment, or about health conditions that could be linked with periods and period pain. These were both things that young people said they wanted to know more about. [See Information young people wanted to find out].
Wanting treatment that could help with painful, difficult and impactful symptoms was the reason why people like Iris and Hannah X went to the GP. This included having got to a point when over the counter medicines ‘stopped working’ (Zaynah).
Hannah heard about mefenamic acid from a relative which influenced her decision to go and see a GP.
Hannah heard about mefenamic acid from a relative which influenced her decision to go and see a GP.
And can you remember what kind of triggered you, or how you need to or decided to go to the doctor, or whether anyone suggested that?
I think it actually was. I think it might be [relatives name], I think I told my Mum about it and she went to [relatives name] and then that's how I got on starting mefenamic acid and then. I I'm not sure what triggered me to go to actually go to the doctors, but I think it was getting to the point where I was like, feeling really sick and just couldn't leave my bed. And it was just kind of like if I knew my period was coming, I was like, right, I can't do anything for that day and that day because I just have to cut them out, because I know that won't be able to leave the house, and stuff. So, that was the point where I was like, I can't do this anymore. I'm going to go to the doctors.
Deciding to see a GP for medicines for period pain could be difficult if young people did not know there were options – or if they thought that they wouldn’t want what was offered. For example, Emily Z and Bella were wary of hormonal contraception.
Jade made an appointment with a GP, but cancelled it because she was worried about the side effects of hormonal contraception. She is still considering this!
Jade made an appointment with a GP, but cancelled it because she was worried about the side effects of hormonal contraception. She is still considering this!
And have you ever gone to see like a GP or a school nurse about your periods?
No.
No. Have you ever thought about it?
I don’t think so. I wanted to go on the pill to stop my periods, but I thought that I’ll just bust through them.
So where did you come across the idea that you can use the pill for your periods; do you know... remember where you heard about that?
My friend is on the pill.
OK. And then you thought maybe that’s a good idea?
It was just like: “I don’t have any periods, I don’t have any pain,” and I was like: ‘wow, that’s the life,’ that sounds really good now I’m thinking about it.
OK. But you decided not to do it?
Yeah, I just thought, ‘oh, maybe I should just bust through it.’ I don’t know. I don’t know why I didn’t do it, but I just was like: “Ooh, I’m gonna cancel that actually, guys.”
Oh, so did you... so you made a... you got as far as making an appointment?
Yeah.
OK. Can you remember what put... and you sort of changed your mind? Can you remember what put you... was it anything about the pill that put you off? Or was it the idea of going to the doctor, or you just decided it wasn’t for you? Can you remember what sort of made you think you’d cancel it?
It was probably a lot of the, like, side effects of it, and I was like: “Ouu, guys, I don’t wanna gain weight. Ouu, I don’t wanna feel awful all the time,” I’d rather just feel awful than on... on the month I’m suffering, or week I’m suffering.
OK, yeah. So, it was more the worry about the side effects of the pill that put you... put... put you off?
Yeah.
Medications from the GP that helped with pain and in reducing blood flow were helpful for many, although not all, of the young people we spoke with. Amalia and Bella Z found hormonal contraception helpful for their pain and bleeding, although for some people, like Ivy this had not been the case. Hannah had side effects including acne, which made hormonal contraception not an ongoing option for her. [See Healthcare: treatments for period pain].
Some young people, like River, Lily, Amalia went to the GP because they had heard about hormonal contraception as an effective option for treatment which they wanted to try.
Lily decided to go to the GP when she felt nothing else was working for her. Her Mum had found the depo hormonal injection helpful and so she went to the GP to ask for this.
Lily decided to go to the GP when she felt nothing else was working for her. Her Mum had found the depo hormonal injection helpful and so she went to the GP to ask for this.
And what... Can you remember in what way it changed or what kinda helped it... you think about it differently?
Just dealing with it, I think. I think just it got to a point where I thought, ‘I can’t... I can’t deal with it anymore, and I can’t...’ I’m not particularly sure. Like I just sort of gave up with... with dealing with it and definitely just thought, ‘nothing is working at the moment.’
OK. And you said that you... your Mum suggested Depo, —
Uh-huh.
—so, can you remember... and that it was time to go to the doctor?
Yeah.—
Yeah. And that was when you were 15. Was that the first time you’d gone to the doctor?—
Yeah.
OK. Can you tell me a little bit, from what you remember, about how you kinda made that decision to go to the doctor and then what it... what that experience of going to the doctor about your periods was like?
So, my Mum was on the Depo and she just... she just enjoyed it. She, you know, liked not having the periods and so she suggested that. She said there is other options like the... the pill and that sort of area for... for helping with the regulating of the periods, or not having them at all, so I would avoid having the cramps. So, we did speak about those sorts of options and I just thought, ‘if this is gonna help me, I’ll do it.’ So, then we went to the doctor’s, of course, and they were like going through the procedures: “Are you sure you want to do this? Obviously, you’re quite young.” They normally ask you to wait till you’re about 16, they said, “But because your periods are so bad, we’re... we’re gonna give it to you at 15.”
As well as treatment, there could be other things that people hoped the GP could help with. River and their parent, whose pain impacts significantly on whether they can be at school, and who was being home schooled because of their pain, talked about being asked for medical ‘evidence’ or ‘doctors notes’ when navigating support systems in school. [See support structures in schools].
Candice went to the GP because her school required a medical pass for toilet access, which she wanted to help her manage her heavy period bleeding (read by an actor).
Candice went to the GP because her school required a medical pass for toilet access, which she wanted to help her manage her heavy period bleeding (read by an actor).
OK. And ha... how did that come to be, that conversation with school? Was that... how did that feel?
The first... no, so the first... when I was like missing so much of school, went to a GP, got like... I asked them... ’cause from school to get a medical pass, like a toilet pass, you need to get like a paper confirmation from the GP. So, I got one of those for the school. And then the medical teacher, I told her about it. And then she was like: “All right, we’ll see.” And then she’d see me frequently just go down and miss lessons telling her I’ve leaked through again. And she’d see the amount I’ve leaked and she’s like: “OK, that’s quite a lot.” And then they... she told me to like bring in my spare trousers as well ’cause I used too much of the school’s property, it ran out.
Another thing that motivated people, like Sarenna and Liv to see a GP, was wondering whether there was a cause or underlying health condition related to their periods and period pain, and whether there were any tests they could have (see Healthcare: tests and investigations). This included wondering about the possibility of conditions like endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Lola decided to go back to see a GP ‘when I was 16 and this was at the end of the pandemic, so it was still over phone calls, called them, said, “I have really bad cramps, PCOS and possibly endometriosis run in my family, can I get tested for anything?”’. [See associated health conditions].
Low expectations sometimes deterred people from seeing the GP. Sarenna went about her period cramps and said that they were told ‘there’s no way to really properly know about that’. Wondering about the possibility of related health conditions was complicated if people hadn’t heard of them or come across the possibility. [See Information young people wanted to find out].
Jayden, who had seen a specialist in adolescence and had been diagnosed with PCOS told us that it was ‘annoying’, to expect to be told to lose weight in response to all their menstrual symptoms, because ‘we’ve threw up, we’ve passed out because of the pain, but it’s just always something else rather than they don’t... they don’t look at the issue’.
Rosie hadn’t heard about PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) or endometriosis until she could access the internet. She didn’t want the focus to be on her weight if she saw a GP.
Rosie hadn’t heard about PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) or endometriosis until she could access the internet. She didn’t want the focus to be on her weight if she saw a GP.
I think yes, in that no-one sort of talked about the different severities of periods, and like the most we would learn was that some people had, you know, like a three-day period and some people’s lasted a full week. But even that wasn’t true because some people just have like two days of bleeding and that’s it for them. Then some people... like I sometimes bleed for more than a week, which I know isn’t regular, but it happens sometimes. Also sort of illnesses that affect your period, I would have liked to know about, like, you know, endometriosis or PCOS. I didn’t know what they were till I had sort of like access to the internet, really. And I’ve never considered going back to the doctor for it because, you know, if you... So, like if they suspect you have PCOS, you go and they say lose some weight and then, you know, it’s not really supported, or like a productive environment where you feel like you come away and have sort of like something that you can rely on or that makes you feel better about having gone there.
So yeah, discussion of why periods are so bad and that there might be actually something underlying, and support with that would've been helpful.
Deciding whether to go back to see a GP (or not)
The sections above are focussed on how young people made decisions about whether or not to see a GP for the first time. For those who had been to a GP at least once, many of the same things also applied to how and when they made choices about going again, either to the same or different GP or practice. [See experiences of healthcare appointments]. For example, Lola decided that there that it ‘won’t hurt to try again’ with the GP when her period pain was stopping her doing things ‘on a daily basis’. However, for Rosie, her first appointment contributed to her feeling that she was not going to try again to see a GP about her painful periods at present.
Rosie was offered a medication that she decided she did not want to take. She didn’t feel she was heard or given other options. This has influenced her thinking about whether to go back to see a GP about her periods and period pain.
Rosie was offered a medication that she decided she did not want to take. She didn’t feel she was heard or given other options. This has influenced her thinking about whether to go back to see a GP about her periods and period pain.
I guess for health professionals and teachers, I would kind of have the same advice of sort of like... especially men, that I’m not too empathetic towards, but if you are dismissive of somebody who, you know, it’s obviously taking them courage to come to you and ask for help, it’s probably going to affect how they view reaching out for help for the rest of their life. And it also could completely change their sort of quality of life, especially for health professionals, if you listen to them. And I think sort of like female pain shouldn’t be viewed as something that is intrinsic to women and that is normal, because it’s not, and to have sort of like this presence of like constant pain in your life, it’s very difficult and something that all women are always gonna sort of struggle with, and to be dismissed is scary as well, because it’s sort of like confirming that this is something that has to happen to you for the rest of your life. It’s difficult.
Knowing when to go back, and being told how to do that, was something that could have a positive influence on whether people felt confident to book a follow up GP appointment. [See experience of navigating healthcare].
Lily’s GP asked her to keep in touch about how the treatment was working for her. This helped her feel ‘more confident and relaxed that…that I was getting the help that I needed'. In contrast, Sage says she would try to see a different doctor if her period problems continued, she found it hard to go back to the same person ‘just ’cause I felt like it was really awkward: if they didn’t help last time, like why would I go to that same person again? And like sometimes I would just end up with the same person, and they’d be like: “OK, like, I still don’t have any way of helping you,” and I’d be like: ‘yeah, this is why I didn’t go to you again.’
Hannah thinks GPs should help young people by giving options and in making clear follow up arrangements after trying medicines for period pain, because it’s hard to do without guidance.
Hannah thinks GPs should help young people by giving options and in making clear follow up arrangements after trying medicines for period pain, because it’s hard to do without guidance.
So, your decision to go to the doctors was when it was really starting to stop you doing things? Do you have any kind of reflections or recollections of what that of how what those series of consultations felt like, and whether there's anything that was helpful or anything that you found trickier? We've talked a bit about the scan and I think that's really that's a really good example.
Yeah, yeah, that was good and I think. Um. I think that one like I think the hardest thing is that making the doctors like actually pay attention to you. Like when I'm at the doctor's, it's fine. But it's like getting appointments and getting them to have like check-ups because obviously I took myself off the pill in… I think it would have been like February, a year ago. And then since then I've just been, it's just got worse and worse. But like I've not done anything about it because I like even when I was on the pill and like my skin was getting bad and I was bleeding all the time, it was quite hard to get them to actually do something and like find the right thing, if you know what I mean?
Yeah. And does that have an impact on how you feel about kind of maybe going back the next time?
Yeah, it's ‘cause you just have to be quite persistent when it's like, I feel like this doesn't work. I wouldn't like…Obviously I'm not going to give up because I don't want to be in pain, but it's like it's quite frustrating because I just want to find something or have them help me look at options and try all those options instead of just putting me on one thing, and then just presuming that I’m then fine.
So, when you’ve tried something, did you ever have a kind of plan about what to do next?
No, it was just try this, and then yeah, see what happens.
Dr Katy Vincent explains that there are lots of options for helping people with periods and period pain. Sometimes people have to try a couple before finding one that suits them, and it’s important to go back to the doctors and talk about next steps.
Dr Katy Vincent explains that there are lots of options for helping people with periods and period pain. Sometimes people have to try a couple before finding one that suits them, and it’s important to go back to the doctors and talk about next steps.
One of the challenges for us is trying to work out the right treatment for the right person.
We have so many different options that often we just have to go through a few before we can find one that suits you. So, if you find that the treatment really doesn’t work or has side effects that you don’t like, please don't sit at home and suffer or just stop the medicine without coming and discussing it again. Please come back and then we can try to understand what it is about the medicine that isn’t suiting you and also offer you an alternative.
Copyright © 2024 University of Oxford. All rights reserved.