How To Stop My Period On Birth Control

Number : Because Of Physical Or Emotional Stress

How to Stop Your Period with Birth Control | Birth Control

So theres this thing called the hypothalamus, which is a gland in your brain. If somethings wrong, your hypothalamus cant kick off the menstrual cycle, and you wont ovulate.

Characteristics that can affect your hypothalamus and lead to missing your period include:

  • Emotional and mental stress

  • Weight loss and low body weight

  • Deficient intake of food/eating disorders

  • Too much exercise

Researchers often see this happening in adolescent girls, where the common triggers are stress, weight loss, and excessive exercise. Girls at this time of their lives can undergo common life events that bring a lot of emotional and mental toll, like changing schools or becoming sexually active. Disordered eating during adolescence is also common.

Is It Safe To Stop My Period

There isnt really anyone who couldnt safely have menstrual suppression, Prager says.

Naturally not having a period can sometimes be an indicator of a health issue such as in people who have eating disorders, for example but if you intentionally and safely stop your period, it isnt risky, Prager says.

Pragers logic is this: 200 years ago, for example, women tended to have more children and so spent much more of their life pregnant or breastfeeding .

Modern people with uteruses have many more periods than people did then, she explains.

In some cases, using an IUD, shot or other form of birth control may be safer for someone than using birth control pills. While rare, birth control pills can increase stroke risk in some people who smoke and are over age 35, have high blood pressure, get migraines with aura, or have a history of stroke or heart disease.

While menstrual suppression isnt dangerous, initiating hormonal birth control can be uncomfortable at first, depending on how your body reacts to the type of birth control youre using. Some people experience mood changes like anxiety and depression, nausea, breast tenderness, migraines, weight fluctuations or other unpleasant symptoms.

For many people, these symptoms will go away within a few months. But some people may need to try a different form of birth control if their symptoms are too bothersome.

On the plus side, there are also benefits to taking birth control and stopping your period, Prager says.

Does Menstrual Suppression Cause Infertility

The short and complete answer is: No.

Assuming birth control and period suppression can cause infertility over time is a common misconception, Prager says.

With almost all contraception theres a relatively immediate return to fertility once someone stops using the contraception. It depends on someones baseline fertility level, she explains.

That means that if you struggled with infertility prior to taking birth control, youll still have the same amount of difficulty after you stop taking it. If you havent struggled with infertility, birth control and stopping your period wont change that.

Some birth control methods, such as the Depo-Provera shot, may cause a delay in returning to fertility that people may need to factor into their baby planning.

That doesnt mean it is decreasing future fertility, it just takes a longer time for it to leave the system. With Depo-Provera, I recommend someone stop six months before they want to try to conceive, Prager says.

Recommended Reading: What Can Throw Off Your Period

How Do No Period Birth Control Pills Work

Planned Parenthood, an advocacy group, says that combination birth control pill packs tend to come with 21 active pills and 7 placebo pills. That means youll take hormone-containing pills for 3 weeks and placebo pills for the final week each month.

That final week is when youd traditionally have withdrawal bleeding. But if you carry on taking the hormone-containing or active pills continually, youll skip the bleeding part.

Why? Because the drop in hormones triggers the body to release blood and mucus from the uterus lining. This is similar to a regular period, except the uterus lining doesnt thicken each month.

If theres no change in hormone levels, 2008 research shows that the body will continue as it is. However, spotting, or light bleeding, can still occur in some people.

While you can opt for an extended or continuous schedule with any combination pill, some pills also have few or no placebo options.

And these options are specifically designed for fewer or zero periods.

Starting Birth Control Pills Based On Type Of Birth Control Pill

Birth Control Pills To Stop Period

There are two types of birth control pills:

  • and the progestin-only pill
  • The combination pill contains both estrogen and progestin. The progestin-only pill, as its name suggests, only contains progestin. While the above-noted instructions provide a simple guide on when to start the birth control pill, these instructions can be tailored based on the type of pill you will be taking.ALSO READ Birth Control and Protein Deficiency

    Recommended Reading: How Many Days After Missed Period Should You Test

    Recommended Reading: Do You Ovulate On Your Period

    Are There Any Natural Methods That Work To Delay Your Period

    You may have heard somewhere on the internet that there are a few natural or homemade methods that can help you delay your periodbut our experts agree that this is not the way to go.

    “If you search online, you’ll likely read about natural ways to delay your period, like consuming gram lentils, gelatin, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or even green bean water a few days to a week before your period,” Dr. Horton said.

    “However, none of these methods are scientifically proven to work because drinking or eating special foods does not alter the hormones involved in regulating your period. They can, however, affect your teeth, gums, mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal tract if taken in excessive amounts,” Dr. Horton added

    Other suspected remedies like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium can help to relieve cramps and reduce your flow if you’ve already started your period, but they won’t prevent it altogether.

    Ultimately, if you’re looking to temporarily pause your period, you are able to do so in a safe and effective way. But, as always, if you have any concerns or are unsure about which method to go for, talk to your healthcare provider to determine the best path for your individual situation.

    A Scheduled Visit To The Gynecologist

    Scheduled a pap smear months in advance, only to realize that it falls out on your expected period date? Its uncomfortable enough bleeding down there, but to have someone peering into your privates during your period thats enough to make anyone cringe.

    Going to the gynecologist is a good enough reason for any women to want to delay or skip a period.

    Recommended Reading: Can I Ovulate Without A Period

    The Larger Cultural Impact Of Menstrual Suppression

    The cultural implications of suppressing menstruation play a large role in why many people feel that women shouldnt be encouraged to stop their periods. In a society where women are shamed for having a period, the last thing we want to do is validate that not having one is better. This obsession with hormonal birth control and being period-free sends a message that having a period is not natural or acceptable. There has not been sufficient research done on the effect that stopping your period has on the way women feel about their bodies or the culture of menstruation as a whole.

    One study by Robin Ashley Repta at the University of British Columbia, explored the cultural impact of menstrual suppression on women and found that their motivations to stop their periods were largely based on how society defines menstruation as embarrassing, gross, and taboo. Among the motivations to menstruate? Health concerns, distrust of pharmaceuticals, and wanting to have a natural cycle. Regardless of which side of the menstrual suppression coin you find yourself on, theres no denying that the motivations for many women to stop their period being due to shame around bleeding is cause for alarm.

    Dont Miss: How To Know When Your Getting Your Period

    How Does Birth Control Work And Which Ones Can Stop Your Period

    Is it safe to use birth control pills to stop my period cycle?

    There are tons of options for preventing pregnancy, but not all types of birth control can reduce or delay a period. For the highest likelihood of sending your monthly visitor packing, youll need to use a hormonal birth control method. Some birth control types are progestin-only, while others contain both progestin and estrogen.

    So, which types of birth control will definitely stop your period? Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Some people will continue to get a regular period, while others will experience a decrease in flow and duration or see it disappear entirelyas long as they are on birth control. That said, James Gohar, MD, an ob-gyn at Mount Sinai West and New York-Presbyterian Hospital and clinical instructor at Weill Cornell School of Medicine, tells SELF that combination birth control , hormonal IUDs, and injections have the highest potential to stop your period altogether, but this is not a guarantee. The majority of people will still get a period, but significantly shorter and lighter, he explains.

    Lets walk through how each type of hormonal birth control works, and talk about their period-poofing potential:

    Combination hormonal birth control pills use estrogen and progestin to prevent pregnancy. The progestin thickens your cervical mucus , thins out your uterine lining, and suppresses ovulation. Estrogen helps to control breakthrough bleeding while also working to suppress ovulation.

    Recommended Reading: Can You Have Pregnancy Symptoms Before Missed Period

    Which Way Is Right For Me

    If you want to cut down on the number of periods you have per year, then experts suggest standard birth control pills, patches, or the vaginal ring. To stop your period long-term, birth control shots, long-term pills, and the IUD typically work best. Speak with your doctor about it. Youâll work together to figure out which method is best for you.

    Show Sources

    Is It Unhealthy If You Skip Your Period While Using Mirena Or Other Birth Control Methods

    does having an IUD in and not having a period affect your body in negative ways?

    Hormonal IUDs like Mirena, Skyla, Liletta, and Kyleena can lessen the number of periods you get, or stop them altogether. For some people, thats a huge benefit to using one of those methods. The implant and shot can also have that effect, as well as the pill and ring if used a certain way.

    If youre thinking about using one of these methods to avoid having a period, you may be wondering if its healthy to not get your period every month. The answer is that its actually totally safe to not have periods because of birth control.

    A lot of people believe that their period is a way the body cleans itself, or that period blood will build up over time if they dont have a period every month but thats not true. Your body only needs to menstruate to shed the uterine lining that it makes every month to prepare for a possible pregnancy. But hormonal birth control safely helps stop that uterine lining from building up in the first place, so there isnt anything to shed or bleed out. And this isnt permanent when you stop using your method of birth control, your period will go back to whats normal for you.

    So dont worry: its totally safe, healthy, and normal to not have a period while you have a hormonal IUD.

    -Emily at Planned Parenthood

    Tags:birth control pills, birth control implant, Mirena, IUDs, no period, ring, skip period, Skyla

    Also Check: Can I Get Pregnant 6 Days After My Period

    Do Specific Foods Work To Delay Your Period

    You may have heard certain foods can delay your period. Some websites point to things like lemons because of vitamin C, or bananas because of potassium, or some spicy food. Although some of these ingredients are good or can benefit a balanced diet, it does not affect your period timing.

    The American Journal of Clinical Nutritionhas shown that while diet can be relevant to a womans period, there is no research on lemons, bananas, spicy food, or any other food as a way to delay a period.

    Is It Safe To Try And Stop Your Period

    How to Stop period while on Nexplanon

    Whether its for a week, a month or even long-term, its possible to stop your period.

    Some people want to stop or delay their period because of special events like a wedding or honeymoon. For others, the desire to stop their period stems from a medical reason like:

    While its safe to stop your period, remember that your body is normally on a cycle, which ranges from 21 to 35 days. And it all has to do with hormones.

    Estrogen is the hormone that makes tissue build up in your uterus, which provides a nice cushiony lining for a pregnancy to implant, says Dr. Jhaveri. If you dont get pregnant, that tissue needs to shed, and thats your period. After you ovulate, another hormone, progesterone, is released and helps to keep you pregnant. But if you dont get pregnant that cycle, the progesterone goes away and thats when the period comes.

    That decrease in progesterone causes your uterus sheds its lining, which results in a period.

    If you can prolong the progesterone, thats the most effective way to stop your period, says Dr. Jhaveri. Youre faking your body into thinking youre pregnant.

    You May Like: What Is The Incubation Period For Kennel Cough

    Where Does Menstrual Blood Go If You Dont Have A Period

    The hormones in the pill, patch and ring methods of birth control are similar to your bodys natural hormones. They stop ovulation from happening and prevent the uterus from building up a thick lining. When you take a week off from these methods , this mimics the natural withdrawal of those hormones that occurs during a menstrual cycle. This is considered a withdrawal bleed.

    Continuous use of certain types of birth control can allow people to skip their periods all together. In these cases, because there is no hormone-free week, there is no withdrawal bleed. Many people ask, Where does all the blood go if it doesnt come out? the answer is: there is no blood building up in the first place. In these situations, using the contraception continuously without a break prevents the uterine lining from developing.

    Certain hormonal contraceptives, such as the Mirena IUD, Nexplanon and Depo Provera, contain the hormone progestin, which can cause irregular bleeding during the first few months. However, this bleeding usually stops over time and some people using these methods may not have any bleeding at all for several years.

    Exercise The Right Way

    Exercising regularly can help reduce the intensity of cramps and other symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, says Ross. Exercise may even reduce the frequency or length of your period. However, its also important to note that exercising too much or suddenly starting an intense new exercise routine can cause your period to stop or become more irregular.

    You May Like: Usaa Grace Period Auto Insurance New Car

    Don’t Miss: How To Hold Off Your Period

    How Soon Will Your Period Stop Once You Start Using Birth Control

    With each kind of birth control comes a different timeline as to when you should expect to see changes in your period. But it all comes down to the individual and whether or not they’re using their birth control correctly, says Dr. Shepherd.

    If you use the shot, you may stop after one year. If you use the patch or take the pill, you could technically opt to continue taking birth control and skip your placebo pills or keep applying the patches to stop your period within that month. However, if you have an IUD or take the shot, that could take more time.

    Related Story

    If you’re skipping your period, you’re also not likely to experience monthly PMS symptoms. “Many birth control methods help with these already, so if youre not having your period, they may go away completely,” explains Dr. Shepherd.

    What Are The Treatment Options For Heavy Periods

    ð??ð??ð??ð??ð?? stop period birth control subliminal ⧠ð?¡ð?ð?¨ð?©ð?ð?£ ð?¤ð?£ð?ð?, ð?§ð?ð?ð?£ ð?«ð?ð?§. â¢Ì©Ì©Í ð?¬ð?®

    There are various treatment options available for women who have very heavy periods, including medication, hormonal contraceptives and surgery. Knowing about the advantages and disadvantages of each can help make it easier to choose an appropriate treatment.

    If very heavy periods become too much of a problem, treatment can help you to cope better. Different types of medication can reduce the bleeding and related problems. If one medication doesn’t work, it is usually possible to try out other kinds.

    Hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills or intrauterine devices affect the menstrual cycle and lessen the amount of bleeding. Any fibroids or polyps that are found to be the cause can be surgically removed. If the effects of heavy periods are particularly bad, other procedures can be considered.

    The choice of treatment and best time for treatment will depend on whether a woman is planning to become pregnant. The most effective treatments all limit a woman’s ability to get pregnant either temporarily, like the pill, or permanently, like the surgical removal of the womb .

    But as long as the heavy periods arent causing anemia, they dont necessarily need to be treated. Some women learn ways to prepare as well as possible for heavier days. But its a good idea to see a doctor and try to find out what the cause is.

    Also Check: Is It Okay To Miss A Period

    Quick Read No You Dont Need A Period Period

    • Stopping your period is safe having a period isnt necessary for good health.
    • Hormonal shots and intrauterine devices are the most effective methods.
    • The most common side effect is breakthrough, irregular bleeding or spotting.
    • Period suppression does not put someone at risk for infertility, if they want to have kids.
    • It also lowers the risk for uterine fibroids and endometrial polyps or cancer.

    Most people who have periods can agree: They arent exactly fun.

    Research has shown that heavy, painful and otherwise disruptive periods also can have a significant impact on someones life, such as missing more days of work.

    The good news? If you have a uterus, you dont need to have a period. There are safe, effective ways to stop getting a period for a little while or a long time. Heres what you need to know.

    Related Posts

    Popular Articles