Females....only.

[CeliacAlli]

Has anyone who is a celiac or has a kid that went through puberty and had these issues with not having menstruation start at the expected age...by the looks of things I def. should have started by now? My doc is like avoiding it totally and mom isn't really sure about anything...don't think she really knows what to think. What to do?

btw..I am nearly 14 mom started 10 ish aunt started at 8

[ShayFL]

Menstruation has a lot to do with body fat. Are you underweight due to the Celiac?

8 is way too young. The average age is 12 which means anywhere from 10 to 14 would be considered normal by US standards. So I would not worry into your 14th birthday.

Are you developing otherwise? Breast buds? Body hair? If you are then it may just take a little patience.

You say you are Celiac so I hope you are on a 100% gluten-free diet. This is what your body needs to develop properly.

[CeliacAlli]

Menstruation has a lot to do with body fat. Are you underweight due to the Celiac?

8 is way too young. The average age is 12 which means anywhere from 10 to 14 would be considered normal by US standards. So I would not worry into your 14th birthday.

Are you developing otherwise? Breast buds? Body hair? If you are then it may just take a little patience.

You say you are Celiac so I hope you are on a 100% gluten-free diet. This is what your body needs to develop properly.

I am not underweight...I am considered a healthy weight and yes I have developed otherwise but have been for about two years...

[Green Eyes]

Hey CeliacAlli,

I do not have personal experience with celiac and puberty, but I have experienced both at different times. My best advise is to enjoy what life you have before you start your period. Every girl is different, you may follow the norm for the females in your family, but you may also be the exception to that rule. With being a female - all rules were meant to be broken.

If you are healthy with no other problems, just sit back, relax and it will happen in its own time!!!

Best Wishes,

Jennifer

[finally diagnosed]

Has anyone who is a celiac or has a kid that went through puberty and had these issues with not having menstruation start at the expected age...by the looks of things I def. should have started by now? My doc is like avoiding it totally and mom isn't really sure about anything...don't think she really knows what to think. What to do?

btw..I am nearly 14 mom started 10 ish aunt started at 8

Give it time it will happen. Everyone starts thier period at different ages. If you are very athletic sometimes this prolongs it. But as long as you are healthy and things are starting to develop let nature take it's course. But as a precaution I would put something in my backpack for when school starts just in case it happens then. Good Luck.

[samcarter]

Alli,

My mom didn't start until age 16, I started at age 14. From her medical history and mine, I suspect both she and I had asymptomatic celiac disease. It will happen, all other things being equal.

Even though I started "late", I went on to have kids and everything has been fine in that regard. My mom had two kids with very little trouble, too.

[celiac-mommy]

I started at 12 and my sister started at 16, it varies so much from girl to girl. Take advantage of this flow-free time If it hasn't happened by 16, then revisit the situation...

[CeliacMom2008]

I don't have Celiac and started late. Then I went through years of annual periods instead of monthly. I too went on to have a child and very normal "regular" life. Really don't sweat this yet. 14 isn't that old. A close friend of our family is a pediatrician and she said there is a lot of research on kids going through puberty much earlier these days and many suspect it to be caused by the increase of hormones in our food. As a Celiac you may be eating healthier food that has less hormones added. I'm not a doctor, but it is yet another possible explanation. But the biggest explanation is that everyone is different. Averages are just averages. There will always be extremes on one end or the other. Your aunt was 8. You need to be 16 to average out your family!

[sickchick]

I got mine @ 10. Think of it as a cramp-free blessing! lol

lovelove

[YoloGx]

I have had celiac since I was four months old--and started puberty at age 15 1/2. Yes, it varies. It may or may not have to do with having celiac. Mine went untreated after I was four years old so it could have something to do with the delay. I always looked way younger than my age. Of course now that is a good thing...

Bea

[ShayFL]

And some really GOOD NEWS is the later you start your period, the less chance you have of getting breast cancer later on.

Enjoy it!!

[CeliacAlli]

And some really GOOD NEWS is the later you start your period, the less chance you have of getting breast cancer later on.

Enjoy it!!

That is REALLY good new!! Thanks everyone!

[Calicoe]

Hey Celiac Alli:

I started mine at 14 too. I've also heard that the later you start, the later you start menopause as well later on in life. So, consider it a blessing all around and don't worry.

[HAK1031]

I started a month before my 14th birthday, and all hell broke loose from there. My periods were 3-5 months apart, and I got debilitating cramps and a heavy flow. I went on birth control when I was 15 and this helped a lot, although it took a LOT of experimenting to find the right pill. But I do think a lot of these issues could have been celiac-related. I was 5'8" and a C-cup before I started, so I guess you never know!

[elonwy]

Mine was a few months after I turned 14. I think its definitely all around better to get it at an older age. Enjoy the hassle free time

[samcarter]

Mine was a few months after I turned 14. I think its definitely all around better to get it at an older age. Enjoy the hassle free time

Funny thing, I thought I would start at 12, because all the other girls were starting, but when I didn't, I felt like "Ha! I got away with something!" I was happy not to have to deal with it. When I did start at 14, I was not happy, but my mom was ecstatic, because she started at 16 and thought something was wrong until she did. She was all "Yay! You don't have to wait like I did!" I was all, "Maaaan, I thought i wasn't going to have to deal with this!"

[JNBunnie1]

Funny thing, I thought I would start at 12, because all the other girls were starting, but when I didn't, I felt like "Ha! I got away with something!" I was happy not to have to deal with it. When I did start at 14, I was not happy, but my mom was ecstatic, because she started at 16 and thought something was wrong until she did. She was all "Yay! You don't have to wait like I did!" I was all, "Maaaan, I thought i wasn't going to have to deal with this!"

That was exactly my reaction! I was hoping it wouldn't happen til I was 16, got it at 13. It's totally normal for your period to show up either way after everything else changes, or even before sometimes. Your body knows what it's doing, enjoy not having to deal with it while you can!