Jumat, 27 April 2012

'Lying doctor failed to spot meningitis' that wrecked a girl's life: Now she is set for a seven-figure sum

'Lying doctor failed to spot meningitis' that wrecked a girl's life: Now she is set for a seven-figure sum

  • Health board concedes senior doctor that junior medic said he had asked for a second opinion could not remember being consulted

By Jaya Narain

PUBLISHED: 09:25 EST, 26 April 2012 | UPDATED: 03:01 EST, 27 April 2012


Before the tragedy: Kate Pierce as a baby, just three days before she was taken ill in March 2006

Before the tragedy: Kate Pierce as a baby, just three days before she was taken ill in March 2006

A baby suffered catastrophic brain damage after a junior doctor failed to spot she had meningitis and lied to her parents that he had sought a second opinion from a consultant, a court heard yesterday.

Dr Halenahalli Vijayakumar told Mark and Diane Pierce their daughter Kate was merely suffering from viral tonsillitis.

But when they requested a second opinion, he disappeared for 45 minutes before returning and, they say, informing them that his ‘boss’ agreed with his diagnosis.

But the junior hospital doctor had not sought the second opinion of a senior doctor and had simply lied to the couple, it is alleged.

Nine-month-old Kate was wrongly sent home, but hours later she was taken back to the same hospital where she was correctly diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis.

Doctors battled to save her life and although she survived, she suffered serious brain damage.

Kate, now six, has breathing difficulties, epilepsy and other hea lth problems and needs round-the-clock care at her home.

The Pierces’ ordeal began in March 2006 when Kate fell ill and they contacted an out-of-hours GP, who told them to take her to hospital.

Her distraught parents later sued the trust that runs the Wrexham Maelor Hospital claiming the junior doctor had failed to get a second opinion and had lied to them.

Now: Six-year-old Kate with her parents Mark and Diane Pierce

Now: Six-year-old Kate with her parents Mark and Diane Pierce

Mrs and Mrs Pierce, who live in North Wales, launched legal action against Betsi Cadwalader University Health Board.

Yesterday a compromise was reached, with the board accepting 75 per cent responsibility for the brain injuries Kate suffered.

The family are in line for a compensation payment of more than £1million to help fund care for Kate in the coming years.

The case, at Mold County Court, was adjourned to agree the payout.

'A complete breach of trust': A court heard how Kate Pierce suffered catastrophic brain damage after an alleged misdiagnosis

'A complete breach of trust': A court heard how Kate Pierce suffered catastrophic brain damage after an alleged misdiagnosis

Last night Mr Pierce, a senior police officer, said: ‘It has been horrific for us. Although an internal hospital review found the doctor had not sought a second opinion, they have done absolutely nothing about it.

‘The doctor concerned has not faced any sort of disciplinary action. We feel a complete breach of trust on the part of the hospital.

‘We have absolutely no confidence that the hospital or doctor concerned have learned any lessons from this.

Baby Kate Pierce was just nine months old when she developed the life-threatening infection

Baby Kate Pierce was just nine months old when she developed the life-threatening infection

‘Kate is brain damaged, she is registered both deaf and blind, she is fed through a tube in her stomach, she has chronic lung disease, she has severe epilepsy and sleep apnoea which means someone has to be with her 24 hours of each day.

'She has no control of her head. As a family we need support and carers who know Kate.’

Mrs Pierce, who works in human resources, has had to reduce the hours she works so she can look after Kate and her older sister, Ellen, nine.

Dr Vijayakumar, who qualified in India in 1990, is still practising as a doctor at a GP surgery, without any restrictions on his licence.

Last night the practice manager at the Dr Asokan and Partners surgery in Mold, North Wales, said Dr Vijayakumar was on holiday.

In court yesterday, Judge Milwyn Jarman QC said Mr and Mrs Pierce had been unhappy with the initial diagnosis and requested a second opinion.

Wrexham Maelor Hospital in North Wales. Health chiefs accepted the care Kate received was not of an acceptable standard

Wrexham Maelor Hospital in North Wales. Health chiefs accepted the care Kate received was not of an acceptable standard

‘Their case is that the doctor went and returned saying it was confirmed,’ he said.

‘The defence of the board is that when Kate presented at the hospital on March 29, 2006, she was not suffering from a bacterial infection but simply a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract.

‘It is their case that the doctor took adequate steps and made an accurate assessment but because he was inexperienced he should have arranged for her to be assessed by a paediatric registrar.

‘Despite that, had that been done they say the assessment would have been the same and the same sequence of events would have occurred.’

A health board spokesman said: ‘It is conceded by the board that aspects of the care provided by the hospital were not of an acceptable standard. Sincere apologies have been extended to the family and lessons have been learned.’

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I do hope that this Doctor will be Stuck Off

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The only way to diagnose meningitis is by lumbar puncture. A very long, large needle must be insterted deep into the spine to obtain spinal fluid. You have to put a baby to sleep to do it as they won't hold still. Then they must have anesthesia to stay still after as you can't move around due to the risk of spinal tear leaks (that would require delicate surgical repair) Meningitis symptoms resemble many common childhood illnesses. Until a faster, cheaper less risky diagnostic tool becomes available it will continue to be misdiagnosed.

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This makes me want to cry with anger. Poor baby and her parents.

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Bless her. x

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How sad...what sort of quality of life does this poor girl have now. Devastating. Heartbreaking. X

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This is such a sad story... Money won't make a difference, it can't turn back time, make her better... It's just disgusting

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my eldest sister also suffers from the same condition. now she is 27 and bedridden. really saddens me every time i see her. same cause.

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When I was three I had all but one of the symptoms of meningitis, my parents rushed me to a doctor at the out of hours surgery. He instructed my mother to simply take me home and wait for a few hours to see if the symptoms had subsided. My mother, having known a girl who died over night of meningitis, ignored him and took me to hospital. I had to be kept in for three days even though it wasn't meningitis simply because I was so ill. The nurses looking after me told my father that the first doctor had "rushed me out". When it comes to medical care this is unacceptable, especially when caring for children and infants

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2006. Why do these cases seem to take so long?

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She's really does have most beautiful eyes, good luck to her and her family.

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Frail grandmother collapses after being sent home from hospital in a taxi at 6am wearing only her nightgown

Frail grandmother collapses after being sent home from hospital in a taxi at 6am wearing only her nightgown

By James Tozer

PUBLISHED: 06:44 EST, 27 April 2012 | UPDATED: 14:58 EST, 27 April 2012


A frail pensioner was sent home from hospital alone and wearing only a nightie at 6am, her family claimed yesterday.

Beulah Parr, 83, had been admitted the night before after falling out of bed in her sheltered housing accommodation.

She was sent home in a taxi, dropped off in the car park of the flats where she lives and collapsed once she got inside, her family say.

Beulah Parr was found on the floor by her husband Dennis after she was sent home in her nightie by Dewsbury District Hospital

Beulah Parr was found on the floor by her husband Dennis after she was sent home in her nightie by Dewsbury District Hospital

They claim they were not even told she had been admitted and only found out after they went to check on her and found her struggling on the floor four hours later.

Mrs Parr, who is the main carer for her 87-year-old husband Dennis, who has dementia, is now back in hospital after being diagnosed with a chest infection.

Her family claim that being discharged in the early hours made her condition worse. Her son-in-law, Richard Smart, said yesterday: 'It is medical negligence. The hospital just thought this is an old lady, she has seen better days, let's get rid.

'It is absolutely shocking. I wouldn't treat a dog like that.'

He added: 'She has been back in hospital for nearly a week now.'

Mrs Parr's ordeal, at Dewsbury District Hospital, emerged on the day the Daily Mail revealed that an elderly dementia patient was discharged from a different hospital at 2am because bosses said it was 'in her best interests'.

Eileen Hansbury, 89, had suffered a suspected broken nose in a fall.She was taken back to her care home in an ambulance.

Her family accused Warrington Hospital of being more interested in freeing up beds than protecting her interests.

Earlier this month it emerged that up to 400,000 NHS patients were discharged between 11pm and 6am last year.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust said they were looking into the family's concerns

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Trust said they were looking into the family's concerns

Mrs Parr, a retired seamstress who also has a blood disorder and sight problems, fell out of bed at the flat she shares with her husband in Wakefield, West Yorkshire on April 17.

Her husband pulled the emergency cord and she was taken to AE at about 11.45pm.

When she returned home she collapsed again, and her frail husband was unable to lift her up or raise the alarm.

Mr Smart said the driver of the ambulance who took her to hospital had told him he specifically asked AE staff to contact her family, but they did not

He added: 'She was put in a taxi with an unknown male driver and was wearing just a nightie. If we had not found her she could have been lying there for hours. We have been told it could have developed into pneumonia.'

Eileen Hansbury was sent back to her care home at 2am

Eileen Hansbury,who suffers from dementia, was sent back to her care home at 2am

Mrs Parr was referred back to hospital later that day by her GP. She is being treated for the chest infection at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

Her husband, who served with the Royal Engineers in the Second World War, is receiving respite care.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust chief nurse Tracey McErlain-Burns said: 'I am sorry for any distress that Mrs Parr and her family have experienced as our aim is to provide the highest possible level of service.

'We have spoken with the family directly and are looking into their concerns.'

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I'm convinced that instead of all these department heads in the UK who seem to organise everything, NORMAL citizens could do a much better job using common sense instead of 'experience' ...

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Yet again another example of the uncaring, incompetent and unfeeling NHS. This attitude seems to permeate through all areas of our NHS. It is time to stop treating the NHS as a "Sacred Cow" that should not be challenged; it is not FIT FOR PURPOSE. The NHS should be completely privatised with patients choosing who they go to for treatment. The cost of treatment would be borne by the Government on the basis of completed successful treatments. The NHS is one of the largest employers in the world - it is an employing facility rather than a caring organisation

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Sue c. Portsmouth ....if NHS workers like you know what is going on and do nothing about it then you are as bad as the people who are doing wrong in the NHS .....how do you sleep at night !!!!!!!!

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Find every single person involved in the decision making process and strike them off. That will make sure can't do it again. But of course that won't happen, spineless jobs worths will wring their limp hands and protect them all!

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@anon, Nottingham - did you actually read ALL of the article? ...'Explaining that Mrs Parr had family contact details with her, son-in-law Richard Smart said: 'We’ve asked her if she asked them to contact us. She said she certainly did. That’s why she had the address book with her.'

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sue c , portsmouth, I don't agree that this is the only way. Reduce the salaries of those managers whose only interest is saving money. Many are accountants who do not have a clue about the staff and patients. Stop paying huge salaries to agency nurses and employ more full time nurses. Stop giving health care free to people. who have never paid tax into this country unless they are seriously ill. I read an article which said many Eu countries are not paying this country when their citizens on holiday receive Health treatment. ANNETTE, SCOTLAND

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When there are articles in the Nursing Times where Nurses are being told that it is acceptable to keep patients on trolleys in corridors because there aren't enough beds in the hospital for people that need admitting, something has to be done. It is unfortunate that this woman has since returned to hospital but if there is nothing wrong with someone and they are able to go home, what is wrong with sending them home from AE whatever the time? It is supposed to be 24 hour care, not everything stops when it gets dark.

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Patients have been sent home in the night for years. AE isnt a BB

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sue c , portsmouth, 27/4/2012 14:15 Perhaps when you have found a new job you could let the national papers know what you do know about our NHS,

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sue c , portsmouth, 27/4/2012 14:15 Perhaps when you have found a new job you could let the national papers know what you do know about our NHS,

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The schoolboy forced to wrap up like winter every day because he is allergic to COLD

The schoolboy forced to wrap up like winter every day because he is allergic to COLD

  • Aiden Smith is the youngest person with the rare condition in the UK
  • Comes out in a rash and can go into anaphylactic shock if he gets cold
  • He can't play outside, go on holiday or eat cold food

By Emily Allen

PUBLISHED: 10:09 EST, 26 April 2012 | UPDATED: 10:49 EST, 26 April 2012


A schoolboy is forced to live as if it is winter every day because he is allergic to the cold.

Aidan Smith suffers from cold urticaria - an allergy of cool temperatures - which only six people in the country are known to have.

The seven-year-old is constantly at risk of going in to anaphylactic shock and is never seen outside of his Bispham home without a hat, balaclava, scarf and gloves.

Aidan Smith suffers from cold urticaria - an allergy of cool temperatures - which only six people in the country are known to have.

Wrapped up warm: Aidan Smith suffers from cold urticaria - an allergy of cool temperatures - which only six people in the country are known to have

The primary school pupil comes out in hives, or skin rash, if he comes in to contact with conditions below his body temperature.

This prevents him from playing outside with his friends, going on holiday and eating cold food.

Aidan has even had a reaction in the heat of Spain because the cold sweat his body produced was colder than his core temperature.

He said: 'I can’t play outside the house with friends and it makes me sad. When it’s cold my mum won’t let me out in the cold and that makes me upset.

'When I play with my friends I run around a bit and get a bit hot, then I take my hat off, but that means I come out in spots.'

Aidan is a keen swimmer but his family has failed to find a public swimming pool with water hotter than 17 degrees.

Aidan with his mother Melissa. The primary school pupil comes out in hives, or skin rash, if he comes in to contact with conditions below his body temperature

Aidan with his mother Melissa. The primary school pupil comes out in hives, or skin rash, if he comes in to contact with conditions below his body temperature

Aidan added: 'I love swimming but can’t do it because of the cold.

'It would make me feel better if I was able to swim, but we can’t find anywhere to go.'

Aidan was diagnosed with the condition four years ago when his mother, Melissa, took Aidan to Blackpool Air Show and noticed he had suffered an allergic reaction from a light breeze.

She now has to carry special auto-injector - or Epi-pen - with her which delivers a dose of epinephrine or adrenaline to avoid or treat the onset of anaphylactic shock.

The 32-year-old said: 'He can’t live a normal life.

'It really upsets me but there’s nothing we can do about it, so we just try to make things as fun as possible when we go out. It’s really difficult for him because he can’t go outside and he thinks he has done something wrong when he can’t play with his friends just because it’s a bit cold.'

Aidan has seen 20 specialists about his condition since his diagnosis.

He is also the youngest known person to have the illness in the UK, which is more commonly found in men aged 18 to 24 years old.

His mother added: 'It can just be a little breeze in the summer that causes a reaction. He has asthma as well which means it can sometimes be difficult to tell whether he is having an asthma attack or an allergic reaction. He can’t have ice lollies or ice cream and has to brush his teeth with warm water.'

Dr Walter Bottomley, Aidan’s consultant dermatologist at Lytham’s Clifton Hospital for the last three years, said: 'Some people have it in a relatively mild or severe form, but we aren’t unfamiliar with it.

'Unfortunately the treatment we have for urticarias isn’t particularly good and the best treatment is to stay out of the cold.

'All I can say is that it seems to go in most people, but you can’t predict how long it’s going to last and you don’t come across adults who have had it all their lives.

'It will go in the end but with some people it takes weeks, sometimes months or even years if they are unlucky, so he has been unfortunate.'

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I've got Heat Urticaria which is the opposite of his condition.I break out in hives and itch when im exposed to heat or sweat ;which means im allergic to heat.I hope theres solution to this condition soon.

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SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR PROBLEM AIDAN, Maybe your parents should consider to emigrate to a warmer climate......

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I have cold urticaria, diagnosed 7 years ago. All my life I had suffered from welts during particularly bracing winter days.. Winds were the worst. It was only diagnosed when I went swimming in the North sea and my whole body swelled up. Antihistamines keep mine under control. I find it hard to believe there are only 7 of us, my doctor was pretty dismissive when givng me the diagnosis. It really isn't as bad as this article implies, for example, how does Aidan know he enjoys swimming if he canlt go into a pool without going into anaphylactic shock? I really feel for Aidan as it isnlt the most fun condition to have. Yes if left untreated it can lead to death. Isnlt that the way with many illnesses, like Asthma? Good luck Aidan, you'll learn to cope with it :)

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My daughter aged five has cold ulticaria. We live in France and she too comes out in hives with cold air, but haven't been told to keep her inside like Aidan. We were told that she could lead a normal life and does have the right to play outside, even in the snow. It's a shame that Aidan isn't able to do the same. We've been told that the hives won't cause her skin any long term damage and that anaphylactic shock is extremely rare. My daughter's must bee less severe I guess. Good luck Aidan, I hope that you are able to do all the things your friends do.

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Poor little thing. He shouldn't have to live like that. I hope he gets 'better' soon

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Taking the contraceptive pill caused my teenage daughter's strokes, says mother

Taking the contraceptive pill caused my teenage daughter's strokes, says mother

By Nazia Parveen

PUBLISHED: 07:03 EST, 26 April 2012 | UPDATED: 16:18 EST, 26 April 2012


Gemma Hill is studying chlildcare at college following her two strokes

Gemma Hill is studying chlildcare at college following her two strokes

A healthy 15-year-old girl suffered two devastating strokes after she began taking the Pill.

Gemma Hill collapsed and started vomiting weeks after being prescribed the contraceptive to ease period pains.

Four days later she suffered a stroke, caused by a clot on her brain, and had several fits in hospital.

The stroke left Gemma unable to walk and badly affected her speech, memory and sight.

She underwent two months of intensive therapy but then had another stroke.

Doctors told the teenager the Pill could have caused the strokes, as it can increase the risk of blood clots.

Two and a half years on, Gemma is still numb on one side of her body and struggles with lifting.

Her case emerged after an NHS report recommended that girls as young as 13 should be given the contraceptive pill without having to see a doctor, following a number of pilot projects involving high street pharmacies.

Now Gemma’s mother, Maria Murphy, has called on the NHS to think again.

Mrs Murphy, 40, from Leicester, said: ‘It would be ridiculous to let girls who are just 13 years old be able to get the Pill without seeing a doctor.

'I think teenagers under 16 should need parental permission and a consultation with their GP before going on the Pill, otherwise they won’t be adequately informed.

‘They’re just going to walk into their local pharmacist and say, “give me the Pill”, and that’s it. It’s crazy.’

Gemma Hill, 2nd from left, in the Royal Leicester Infirmary hospital with friends in November 2009

Still smiling: Gemma Hill, 2nd from left, in the Royal Leicester Infirmary hospital with friends in November 2009

Normally women can go on the Pill only after they have had a thorough consultation with a GP or nurse as it can cause side effects including blood clots. This would change if the report’s recommendations were adopted. 

Mrs Murphy said she was shocked when doctors told her that Gemma’s stroke could have been caused by the Pill.

The mother-of-two said: ‘After Gemma’s scan revealed she had a stroke, the  consultant asked if Gemma was on  any medication.

‘I said, “no, just the Pill” and he said that the blood clot could have been caused by that.

Gemma back at the Royal Leicester in October 2011

Gemma back at the Royal Leicester in October 2011. She still experiences numbness on one side of her body

Gemma, who is now 17, started taking Microgynon, a common version of the Pill, in October 2009, shortly after her 15th birthday - but soon felt dizzy and sick

Gemma, now 17, began taking Microgynon, a common version of the Pill, in October 2009, soon after she turned 15 - but then felt dizzy and sick

‘I was horrified when he said that, but ever since I’m convinced that was the cause. She suffered her stroke just weeks after taking the Pill for the first time â€" it’s too much of a coincidence for it not to be.

‘I remember thinking, “I thought the Pill was harmless, but now my daughter is in hospital â€" unable to walk or talk”.

‘It was heartbreaking to see Gemma  like that; I wouldn’t wish that upon  my worst enemy. It’s every mother’s  worst nightmare.’

Gemma, who is now 17, started  taking Microgynon, a common version of the Pill, in October 2009, shortly after her 15th birthday.

But in November she returned home from school one day feeling dizzy and sick and began vomiting blood. She was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary where she was diagnosed with a viral infection. She was sent home the next day with antibiotics.

Four days later however she suffered a stroke, which left her confused with badly affected speech and sight and no feeling in the left side of her body.

In January 2010 she suffered a  second stroke.

Gemma with some of the medication she has to take daily to treat her condition

Gemma with some of the medication she has to take daily to treat her condition

Gemma, who is studying childcare at college, is now able to walk again and her speech and sight have returned to normal, but she remains numb on one side of her body.

Her mother added: ‘I am proud of Gemma, but her strokes have changed everything. She isn’t the girl she once was.’

'I think teenagers under 16 should need parental permission and a consultation with their GP before going on the pill, otherwise they won’t be adequately informed,' she said.

'They’re just going to walk into their local pharmacist and say, ‘give me the pill’, and that’s it. It’s crazy.'

A spokesman for Bayer Healthcare, which makes the Pill, said: ‘The venous thromboembolism [blood clot] risk is slightly increased for women taking Combined Oral Contraceptives (COCs) when compared with non-users.’

The NHS National Prescribing Centre also said the risk was only small â€" and the chances of suffering a stroke caused by bleeding into the brain were even rarer, with studies suggesting a ‘weak’ link to using the Pill.


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If she has migraines, of course she shouldn't take Microgynon. I had exactly same situation and had a mini stroke. My GP completely failed to warn me about it and it was terrifying. However, when I went to see doctor after the mini stroke, he was livid that I hadn't been warned about it. Shows what a mess NHS is...

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I had a dvt, found a couple of days after a longhaul flight back from hawaii, (Hawaii, LA, LA London, done in one day. I'm 5"8 was 116lbs at the time and a non smoker, I was on the pill however. I began getting pains in my legs after sitting still for a while about 2 years prior when I first began taking the pill, I had seen a GP about it who thought it was varicose veins hidden deep beneath the skin? I was negative for test for Thrombophilia at the time, so they thought I was ok for the pill. I think it absolutely can cause dangerous blood clots, it's a form of a steroid and is not a medication to be taken lightly. Very sorry to read Gemma had a stroke which affected her so much, I'm thankful she's succeeded in rehabilitation and of course if alive t tell the tale, thank you for sharing the story Gemma more young women need to be aware of the risks of the pill. Years later Ive had o be extra careful when having surgeries or pregnant, taking medication which lowers clotting risk

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Why is she on the pill at 15?

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oh for goodness sake, these stories have been coming out since the pill was first ever prescribed - you all know the risks

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She should not have been having sexual relations of any sort as , at 15, she was under the age of consent. - brian harwood, portsmouth uk, 26/4/2012...BEFORE you start prejudging Gemma I suggest you a) read the story and b) research the uses of the pill...it's not just for contraception. I was 29, married and had been on the pill before having my son. After he was born I suffered a stroke. As I had been fit and healthy, never smoked or drank, the cause was put down to the pill. I was told not take it again and advised not to have any more children either...that was over 25 years ago. I still have problems with my left side which is numb, my left arm and leg are weak and I am deaf in my left ear....and they want to make this drug available to 13 year olds WITHOUT medical supervision...absolutely wrong on every count.

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Doctors prescribe Microgynon first because it's one of the cheapest forms of the Pill. It was terrible for me and I didn't realise for a year, causing some really bizarre side-effects not mentioned in the leaflet. I'm now on a more expensive form with more hormones in and doing much better!

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@Hannah - "I think everyone shoudl have to go to the doctors for the pill and also have 6 monthly check ups as your body is always changing" Who's going to pay for all that? - Mike Lovell, Chicago, British ExPat, 26/04/2012 14:31 Are you really that dim? Firstly as many women pay taxes that fund the NHS they are entitled to a regular check ups. Secondly if a woman feels she has a problem with the pill she would schedule an appointment with her GP. Hannah simply suggests that this is scheduled in advance and that people have all the information they need before taking the pill seems like money well spent. Since you live in the US it's not your money so not your problem anyway.

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Helen - Thank you for setting the record straight with them as I suffer the same symptoms! Without the pill I would be bed-ridden and sick, with an ineffective hot water bottle. My natural period is heavy and occurs every 14 days so I only take it because I have no other options! I started taking it when I was 13 for these reasons and not because I thought it was contraception. I hope Microgynon doesn't get a bad rep from this because it's been fantastic for me, it's the only pull that doesn't give me terrible side effects. This is a non-story though as the warnings estimate this happens to around 1 in 1,000,000+ people! I agree girls should have thorough health checks before being prescribed, but I don't believe parents need to be involved.

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@Hannah - "I think everyone shoudl have to go to the doctors for the pill and also have 6 monthly check ups as your body is always changing" Who's going to pay for all that? - Mike Lovell, Chicago, British ExPat, 26/04/2012 02:31 PM This is what my doctors do, you have a checkup every 6 months before they will give you any more.

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I have 2 teenage daughters and because I had them at 17 and 18 (I was married!) I wanted them to fully understand what having sex meant. I started off by leaving my sanitary towels on view so there was no embarrassment, I showed them how to use them. Then the talks went from periods to intercourse. I told them about the pill and that it could ease period pain BUT it would not protect them from STD's and I showed them images of herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis and told them once they started thinking about sex to always carry a condom. I also told them how having sex at a young age increases the risk of cervical cancer and that undetected chlamydia causes infertility. Both of my daughters, like me, suffer terrible period pain so they asked for the pill and I took them to our GP where they were given a full check up and explained the risks. Then mefenamic acid (painkiller) came out and we all switched to that. My daughters come to me with all of their problem s now and that is how it should be

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