Pre-teens and birth control

[Anonymous]

I am in somewhat of a mentor role for a single mom (wanda)who had her daughter (Sarah) very young. Sarah is now 12 and in the throes of tween puberty. She is moody and difficult. Wanda herself had a terrible upbringing, has a grade 9 education, and while she is 'stable' just getting through a day is challenging for her as there always seems to be some crisis. Her parenting skills are lacking but she and Sarah have both in counseling and working with a family counselor to try and improve things at home. Wanda however doesn't see at all how her actions impact how Sarah acts so she is adamant that Sarah is just being bad and needs to be good. She recently decided that the mood swings must be a hormonal imbalance and she wants to put her on birth control. I encouraged her to make an appointment with her doctor to discuss it but I am wondering if anyone else has put a tween on birth control? Are there any long term effects from starting on birth control this young? Are BCP likely to help mood swings that are related to puberty and inconsistent / ineffective parenting?

[Anonymous]

No, no, no. Not okay.

[Anonymous]

I think that this is a medical question. And Wanda can't get a prescription for Sarah without seeing a doctor anyway, can she? (Well, I guess she could get them prescribed for herself and have Sarah take them, yikes.)

The evidence I have seen is that any long-term effects of starting on birth control pills this young are less than the long-term effects of becoming pregnant this young, and/or that the potential harm in the long-term of birth control pills is less than the actual benefit right now of managing menstrual conditions. But neither of those two things seem to apply in this case?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Wanda thinks now the mood swings are menstrual related. She says the mood swings are worse in the two weeks before her period...and that is why she is thinking that birth control would help if the mood swings are hormonal.

She would need to see a doctor to get her on a prescription. I think her plan was to give Sarah her own supply for a couple months (Wanda isn't dating right now) and if it helps then go to the doctor. I told her I thought that was a bad idea and she should go to the doctor first but Wanda doesn't feel Sarah's doctor listens or makes good decisions.

Lets say the mood swings are menstrual related - would the pros of controlling mood swings with BCP outweigh the cons/risks of BCP?

[Anonymous]

OP, I sure hope you used fake names. Even so, I think you posted way too much identifying information, violating this other family's privacy.

[Anonymous]

Plus, this is really none of your business.

[Anonymous]

I would leave this to her family and her doctor. Please leave other people alone. This is not being a mentor. It is being nosey.

[Anonymous]

Op here. She asked me. I wasn't prying into their lives. i thought maybe others might have had personal experience with putting tweens on BCP. I can track down info through Google searches to give her but like hearing personal experience to add to what I find online.

[Anonymous]

I am with the others that this is a doctor question. If she is sexually active she needs to be on some sort of birth control ASAP. I have a friend who taught at a Middle School and a city for girls who were already mothers. Pregnancy can happen in the tweens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. She asked me. I wasn't prying into their lives. i thought maybe others might have had personal experience with putting tweens on BCP. I can track down info through Google searches to give her but like hearing personal experience to add to what I find online.

You are posting their private information, with names, in a public forum.

[Anonymous]

Birth control to control moodiness??? I find that when I'm on birth control, I feel MORE moodiness and more PMS symptoms.

[Anonymous]

There are studies that show 1200mg of calcium a day help with all PMS symptoms, including moodiness. Omega 3 fish oil pills can help too.

But honestly moodiness is part of being a teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. She asked me. I wasn't prying into their lives. i thought maybe others might have had personal experience with putting tweens on BCP. I can track down info through Google searches to give her but like hearing personal experience to add to what I find online.

You are posting their private information, with names, in a public forum.

Right. As if the names are real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Birth control to control moodiness??? I find that when I'm on birth control, I feel MORE moodiness and more PMS symptoms.

Op here. This is my concern - taking BCP so young and playing with hormones seems like asking for trouble. I hadn't heard about the calcium connection - thanks PP for that will read up on it.

She isn't sexually active - the BCP would be for hormonal stability to control mood swings.

Names are not real, details are not 100% accurate but give picture, family doesn't live in DC.

How do others find BCP impacts on PMS?

[Anonymous]

The mood swings and such come with the turf of puberty and been a teen. Wanda would be much better off learning some parenting and coping skills rather than looking for a quick medical fix. She still has many more years- and worse ones from a behavioral standpoint- coming before Sarah is an adult and Wanda needs to be ready to manage them as a parent. Right now it is Wanda who needs the help more than Sarah.