Type 1 diabetes, periods & the pill

[Floridatilly]

Does anyone have any experience with this?
My daughter is 16, type 1 diabetic and started her periods over 3 years so.
She is under a specialist for her periods because they are so bad.
Not just bad cramps and heavy bleeding. I am talking about vomiting, fainting, flooding, runs, shaking & sweating like she has a bad fever. They send her bloods through the roof and she literally can’t move.
She is on some strong pain killers and tablets to reduce the bleeding. They said that she can’t go on the pill because she is diabetic.
She is due on next week, the final week of her GCSE’s
She also can’t take the tablets that prevent periods.
Specialist have said that she will hopefully grow out of it.

[Mary A]

Have they thought about endometriosis? I had my first operation for endo at 14.
Won't help for next week's exams but thinking longer term

[g1970]

I'd ask for a second opinion on the advice given about the pill...

diabetes/diabetes-...tive-pill.html

[dubletrub]

Have you asked about the progesterone only pill, I remember reading about this for diabetes when I was researching for my daughter. Although not diabetic she had horrendous migraines so she couldn't go on just any pill.
She has the progesterone only implant now as she was terrible at remembering the pills.

[ch1ps]

No real advice, as I'm a lot lot older, and had a coil fitted prior to diagnosis.

Does your daughter use a Libre or Dexcom/CGM? This can be useful as through different phases of the monthly cycle insulin requirements change. That isn't going to help with the symptoms you've described, but might help for amending amount of insulin being taken.

I hope you get this sorted out soon

[Excited83]

Is her specialist a gynaecologist? Or someone who looks after her diabetes.
People with type 1 diabetes can use any type of contraception. This is a screenshot of the UKMEC guidelines that doctors use to determine if a contraception is safe. To be specific, this applies to when they’re used for contraception, not for other reasons like this. But it shows they’re safe. If she hasn’t seen someone specialising in Gynaecology or Sexual Health then it might be worth doing that.

[Clare]

I had endometriosis from within a year or two of starting my periods, my diabetes was uncontrollable, by that time I’d been a type 1 for 7 years. I was under the care of a paediatric diabetic professor at the Middlesex Hospital London (hospital no longer there and I’m sure the Professor isn’t around either), he felt there was a link between type 1 diabetics and endometriosis/period issues due to immune issues/hormone issues. I was 14 when I went on the pill and stayed on it for over 25 years with no issues at all.

I’m now in the menopause which is causing havoc with my blood sugars, my consultant endocrinologist is keen for me to start HRT as she feels it will help my blood sugars.

Unfortunately some doctors are so blinkered, it might be worth seeing if your GP will do a referral to a gynaecologist who specialises in younger patients. Hope you get it sorted.

[Floridatilly]

She is under the gyno specialist and they have given her Tranexamic 500mg. 2 three times a day
Mefenamic acid 50mg. 2 three times a day.
she does have the libre and I fortunately has poor control of her blood sugar levels.
Her periods are not normal, she can go through 4 extra pads in one hour and still flood through clothes etc and the pain is horrific to the point she is pale, sweaty, sick then faints.
We have to use this medication for a few months whilst keeping a diary and she will be seen again in 3 months.
During this time her bloods are over 25! No matter how much insulin we give her.

I honestly don’t know much about period issues but I always thought they tried the pill to get hormones in control and help with the bleeding. But the specialist said no due to her diabetes.
It’s such a shame because she is worried sick for next week.
On her last period the school rang me because she could not get up and there was mess all over her chair etc. Luckily she was on health & social and there are no boys in that class.

[THE WIZARD]

I had exactly what your describing regarding periods your daughter is having , I was not young & did not have Diabetes, but I would check out HRT as others have said & get an appointment with a good lady gynecologist (at least a women understands what these things can be like!) as it turned out I had fibroids so bad that I had to have a hysterectomy, so just in case get that checked out now for her. The poor girl must be exhausted & really needs some help.

[Clare]

Originally Posted by Floridatilly

She is under the gyno specialist and they have given her Tranexamic 500mg. 2 three times a day
Mefenamic acid 50mg. 2 three times a day.
she does have the libre and I fortunately has poor control of her blood sugar levels.
Her periods are not normal, she can go through 4 extra pads in one hour and still flood through clothes etc and the pain is horrific to the point she is pale, sweaty, sick then faints.
We have to use this medication for a few months whilst keeping a diary and she will be seen again in 3 months.
During this time her bloods are over 25! No matter how much insulin we give her.

I honestly don’t know much about period issues but I always thought they tried the pill to get hormones in control and help with the bleeding. But the specialist said no due to her diabetes.
It’s such a shame because she is worried sick for next week.
On her last period the school rang me because she could not get up and there was mess all over her chair etc. Luckily she was on health & social and there are no boys in that class.

See more...

Poor thing, this was how I was until they put me on the pill. I’m pretty sure I was on Mefenamic acid (or something similar), nothing helped until I went on the pill. It was like a miracle drug, my bloods still spiked but nowhere near as bad.