Birth control pill for teen?

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure if this should go here or in the Health forum, but does anyone have a fairly young teen on a birth control pill - especially if they are on it but NOT for contraception.

I'm asking because my 14 year old has painful and heavy periods. And she hates it. And she associates it with being female and being able to get pregnant. She has tried tampons twice and says it really painful and refuses to use them. I was listening to a podcast somewhat on this subject today and a woman called in and said that she doesn't consider the pill just birth control but menstruation control since (in her words) menstruation is only necessary for pregnancy. That was kind of a light bulb - like, does she have to deal with this?

Obviously I would talk to our doctor and a gynecologist, etc. before doing this, and I have a lot of hesitation, but at the same time I'm thinking, why not? I was on the pill from 19-33. I did take the sugar pills and got my period but my periods were no big deal and it cured what I think was endometriosis.

If there's anyone that's on birth control with no period, what do you think?

[Anonymous]

Definitely more common than when we were young. Safer than in prior decades either way, as the synthetic estrogen amount has been cut from 0.050 (in the 1960s) to 0.035 to 0.030 to current options of 0.020.

[Anonymous]

It is really really common for young teens to go on the pill for this reason and I encourage you to think seriously about it. It can truly be life-changing for someone who has debilitating periods.

[Anonymous]

My DD started first control to suppress her periods(extended cycling, where you skip the sugar pill week and just go straight onto the next batch of hormone pills) and she really likes it. Her periods weren’t even all that bad but there was definitely an improvement in quality of life when she felt she had some control over them. She’s in college now and we’ve talked periodically about whether she wants to change to a different method where she doesn’t have to take some thing every day but she’s accustomed to this now And doesn’t want to mess around with changing to a new method where her period might be more unpredictable.

[Anonymous]

My DD started on it at 15 because of painful, heavy periods. It definitely has helped. She's 16.5 now and still uses it and is not sexually active.

[Anonymous]

I think you should seriously consider doing this. I have two friends (sisters) who had debilitating periods in HS and they went on birth control and it honestly changed their lives for the better.
Ask your gyno for recommendations and be prepared to try out a few brands if your daughter is experiencing side effects from one but give it a try.

[Anonymous]

Nobody is really "on" birth control unless they actually ingest the pill every day. I would assume young teens are not responsible enough to do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is really "on" birth control unless they actually ingest the pill every day. I would assume young teens are not responsible enough to do that.

Most teens are and lots of teens take daily medication without issue.

[Anonymous]

My 14 yo is on the pill to address severe cramps and cyclical vomiting. It took a while to find the right one (third time was the charm for DD) but now she’s so much better. Of course I had/have concerns, but watching my kid be unable to do anything except lean over a bucket in pain for two days every month was unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

I think there is often a genetic component to this so it is likely that if you had uncommonly severe cramps when you were younger and birth control benefited you it could benefit your daughter now.

Take your daughter to an ob and go over her options.

[Anonymous]

My DD went on BC at 12.5. She was missing school every month because of extreme cramping.
We talked to our nurse practitioner and didn't hesitate to prescribe a low dose birth control. She said after a few months DD could skip the placebo and her period. She has been on the meds for 5 months and so far so good. First month she still had some cramps but it was no where near as bad as before. Now we are doing the extended cycling so she doesn't get her period most months.

[Anonymous]

Serious question. Why not put teens on the mirena (or something similar) instead of a pill everyday?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Serious question. Why not put teens on the mirena (or something similar) instead of a pill everyday?

It’s an option but the insertion of an IUD can be pretty painful and I can’t imagine doing that as a young teen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody is really "on" birth control unless they actually ingest the pill every day. I would assume young teens are not responsible enough to do that.

Your assumption is not necessarily correct. In addition, there are other forms of hormonal contraception where you don't have to take a pill every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is really really common for young teens to go on the pill for this reason and I encourage you to think seriously about it. It can truly be life-changing for someone who has debilitating periods.

+1