How to Stop or Delay Your Period

Do you know that it is possible to delay or stop your period for a few days? There are safe ways to do this. However, none of these options can stop a period once it has already started.

Some women use salt water, water with vinegar, ibuprofen, and other traditional methods to stop their period. Still, these methods are not advised because they may have adverse effects such as hormonal changes, resulting in irregular cycles.

Whatever your reason for wanting to stop or delay your period for a while, better you do it safely, in scientifically proven ways.

You are advised to talk to your gynecologist before employing any of the methods below to stop your period;

Birth Control Pills

One way to stop or delay your period is by taking birth control pills in a way you haven’t before. The drugs usually come in 28 pill packs.

You would typically take three weeks of active pills that contain hormones, and during the fourth and last week, you would take placebo pills that do not contain hormones. However, if you want to stop your period, you will have to skip the placebo week and start a new pack.

This is supposed to keep your levels of estrogen and progesterone elevated so that the lining of your uterus will not shed. On your first try, you will experience irregular bleeding or light spotting, but after two or three months of skipping the placebo week, you will not see spotting.

Norethisterone

Norethisterone is a hormonal pill that can help delay your period. This pill contains progesterone and is only dispensed on prescription. Without a doctor’s recommendation, you will not be able to acquire it.

When you take the norethisterone pill, your progesterone level shoots up and alters your cycle, consequently delaying your period.

This medication is effective and safe and can delay your period by up to 17 days. It is not recommended for women with a family history of thrombosis, otherwise known as blood clots.

Hormonal IUDs

The work of a hormonal IUD is to reduce the amount of blood lost during a period, and in some cases, it can stop bleeding as well. This can happen because the hormone typically found in IUDs called levonorgestrel works like progesterone and makes vagina fluid thicker and changes the uterine lining.

Its effect can prevent pregnancy and also stop a period. So one way you can control your period is by obtaining a hormonal IUD.

Other ways to stop your period are through contraceptive implants and injections. You can also stop your period permanently by having a surgical procedure to have your uterus removed safely.

The name of this procedure is hysterectomy, and this procedure will not only permanently stop your period but also prevent you from ever getting pregnant. The procedure is usually done in difficult situations like endometrial cancer or cervical cancer.

The other method used when you want to stop bleeding forever is called endometrial ablation. This is when the internal part of the uterus is removed. This procedure is usually done on women who have very heavy periods.

After the procedure is done, the quantity of blood they release reduces significantly, or the period stops altogether. It is advised to talk to a gynecologist to know which procedure will suit the patient.

Who shouldn’t delay or stop their period?

Girls under the age of 15 should not top their periods because it is essential to observe the duration and symptoms of their cycle, such as cycle length, the quantity of blood, and associated symptoms in the first years of menstruation.

For older women, skipping or delaying their period has not reported any significant adverse side effects if they do it the right and safe way.