11 Year Old's Prolonged First Period with Heavy Flow

Hi there, 

I'm sorry you both have to go through this - I think you are on the right track with acupuncture - that is the next route I would take.  

My daughter got her period at 12 and it was really long as well, though not quite as long. She also got them really close, like every 3 weeks for a long while. Mine have always been super regular and not as heavy so I was also concerned about the length and frequency.

Then I consulted my OBGYN, who shared that it is pretty common for periods to be long, heavy and often (or short, light and infrequent) when girls first start menstruation. Hormones are something - anything goes!

Things we did were make sure to be consuming hormone free meats and dairy (and watch soy and other vegetarian hormone sources). As long as her blood work is good and she feels ok it's probably fine - just her body transitioning. You're doing all the right things!

One more thing, it took a couple years for my daughter's periods to even out - it may take some time, but eventually it will likely settle down - best to you both!

If it stays this way and other options don't improve it - you might want to insist they look for a blood disorder.  It's incredibly rare but that is what it turned out to be for a friend of mine.  Medical community wasn't helpful and only started to look when her daughter had issues.  

I feel your concern for your 11 year old and it means a lot that you are there for her! I recommend having a look at Aviva Romm's Hormone Intelligence book, and info on her podcasts and website. She posits a lot of hormone imbalance in our modern life or most or all of us and outlines some ways to regain or promote balance. Worth a dive I think. 

I highly suggest you get a second opinion. I worked with a student that this happened to and she actually was bleeding internally, and had a very rare condition. While this is unlikely, I do suggest a second opinion. 

My daughter experienced something similar. It takes a few years for the cycles to become more regulated. My girl experienced long cycles, very frequent cycles, delayed cycles, some spotting in between. I was extremely worried but slowly her body adapted to the new changes. Now few years later it is very normal and regular.She is healthy and manages everything well.

Our pediatrician had suggested to give some time ( few years)..

As a parent I totally understand your concern. Make sure your daughter is eating healthy and keep track of everything. Maintain a log. Maybe after a few months you will have a clearer picture. 
 

Best wishes 

I highly recommend a natural tea that helped me reduce my flow dramatically. It is raspberry leaf tea. It is available in the bulk area of Re-Up Refill at 6025 College Avenue (https://reuprefills.org/) near Claremont. They might be willing to mail it to you if you are not local. I made a cup of the tea daily using a tablespoon of the tea leaves for the two weeks prior to my period. I hope this suggestion helps.

We're going through a similar issue with my daughter right now, but for her it's that she has her period every two weeks and she has become anemic. This also happened to me when I was young. It does take quite some time for our bodies to start ovulating on a regular basis. First off, please have them check for anemia by doing a ferritin test, not by using hemoglobin as a proxy. This is really crucial! Serum ferritin measures how much iron is stored in the body, and it is a much more sensitive test for iron deficiency than hemoglobin. They should also evaluate her for Von Willebrand disease and other blood clotting abnormalities. For us, our pediatrician ran all of these when she put in the referral to gynecology. Which is another suggestion---see the gynecologist with her! She's not too young, and everyone deserves the advice of an expert! One option our gyn gave us was tranexamic acid, which helps reduce the amount of bleeding when you are having your period and is only taken during your period, but it's not a hormone and it won't regulate her period. When I was a teenager and having a similar problem (period for 2 weeks at a time, with 2 weeks in between), I went on a short course of hormones to get my body to ovulate in a more regular schedule and then I went off of them once things were more even (a few months, I think). My daughter's gynecologist gave us A LOT more options and ideas than our regular doctor, so please go see the specialist.

Look for an *Adolescent* gynecologist (what a great specialty!)  A quick websearch shows:

Dr. Deepti Gupta MD, FACOG, Doctor in Berkeley, CA - Professional Interests. Gynecology (only). Abnormal uterine bleeding, Adolescent gynecology

I find this discussion to be odd. It is your daughter's first menstrual period and her body is doing something quite amazing. Yes, her bleeding may be lengthly for many remembering their first time but not for her. Extreme or not I hope she is getting the message that bodies especially a women's body finds its rhythm and balance, and does not need correction just understanding. If her hemoglobin is fine and there is no deep discomfort let her body regulate on its own. My first few cycles were very heavy and it was alarming to bleed and not feel that something was wrong. It was my grandmother who comforted and assured me I was fine and strong. She cooked me liver and onions, beets, and collard greens which I loved. Hugged and kissed me and exclaimed how proud she was to see me come into my womanhood. My flow abated and I settled into a four-day flow. I trust she will be fine.Let her know that.