Nice to meet you

Hi, I am a 15 year old female living in the US. Growing up I never knew what it would be like having such a painful period. I always dreaded the sound of having a period and "becoming a woman" but it was way different than I expected it to be. It sometimes got in the way of my extracurriculars such as soccer, piano, and hanging out with my friends. I come from a Hispanic backround and naturally we are told to push any pain aside unless it was extreme, so thankfully my mom could see I really needed some help. My life would still consist of painful periods if it weren't for my mom that pushed me to go see a doctor. So to all the girls out there who think their mom is crazy... listen to your mom! My journey definitly wasnt an easy one and I wanted to be able to share my expiriences with anyone out there who might be unsure of what to do next like I did.

After getting my period I had to figure out how to manage regular life along side the pain. My favorite sport is soccer and I always have done recreational soccer, but that year I wanted to try middle school soccer as well. I think almost every doctor will tell you to be active (explaining that movement could help subside the period pain). I kept this in the back of my mind and joined 2 teams. Little did I know things were going to get complicated.

My Journey

First Period

I was in 5th grade when I had my first period and it definitly was not what I was expecting. I knew that cramps can be painful and I didn't think I was that weak until I was in so much pain. This lead me to dread the beggining of every month when that time came again. I didn't know what a "normal" period looked like because they can be different for everyone which also didnt help my situation.

Pediatrician no more

After so many days in pain, we headed to my doctor, who could only help me so much. She recommended Tylenol frequently to numb the pain. But after my body decided that the Tylenol wasn't working anymore, my doctor recommended we find an expert (OBGYN). It was difficult to find an OBYGN that allowed young girls like me to go in for appointments because it is not common at all to be that young and need an OBYGN.

Kid OBGYN?

After seeing the pediatrician and getting tired of having so much pain, my mom forced me to go see an OBGYN. I was very uncomfortable at first because I am naturally shy and didn't want to talk to anyone about this kind of stuff. After telling them I was in extreme pain, they recommended I take a plant-based medication that would reduce the pain and other factors related to a period. Thankfully, that medication worked for quite some time before things changed.

Symptoms

The reason we were even considering seeing a specialized doctor was that my periods were very extreme. Most days I would have to take 20ml of Tylenol just to help me with my cramps. However, on some of my harder days I would even have trouble getting out of bed and making it to school. Along with the extreme pain I was experiencing, I would occasionally throw up, which made things worse and sparked concern.

Trying my best to learn

EDUCATION

I recommend asking as many questions as you want. Call and find doctors that can answer your questions. I know it can be very hard to talk about this topic with a doctor but trust me they will know what to do.

Ask Questions

OBGYN

Experience

Depending on your age, you might need to find an OBGYN that is trained/liscensed to treat young patients. Sometimes it is better to have one just to be safe. My team was so helpful when I ended up in the ER. They answered the call at midnight and were ready with a plan when I followed up with them.

This whole experience has taught me to always advocate for myself. Every person has a unique body and standard care is not enough. I learned to speak up for myself and with that figured out I actually needed help. Even though it was a tough journey it was worth it in the long run.

Reaching Out?

If you have questions you can email me but remember that I am not a medically trained person.