How To Stop Your Period For A Few Hours

Here’s The Evidence On Which Methods Actually Work

• Reviewed By: Julie Lamonoff, CNM, OBGYN-NP

Know your period is coming soon? Let’s say you have a special occasion or a vacation to plan for . Learn which methods can work to delay your period, whether they be natural methods or with medicine, so you can feel more in control.

Are you hoping for a natural way to skip your periods? You might be out of luck. But we’ll let you know more about them later so you can decide for yourself.

If you want to try the most popular and reliable way, see if you’re eligible for birth control to delay your period from Pill Club for $0.

Ask Your Doctor About Hormonal Medication

If you’re not on hormonal birth control, you may be able to delay your period with hormonal medication containing norethindrone, which is a form of the hormone progesterone, the same active ingredient in hormonal birth control.

You need to start taking this medication a few days before the start of your period for it to delay your period. Note that you will probably get your period within a day or two of stopping it.

A small 2019 study found that people who took norethindrone to delay their period were less likely to experience irregular bleeding than those who tried to delay it with birth control pills. However, the study also found that those who took norethindrone were more likely to gain weight.

Visit your doctor for a prescription and check whether this option is suitable for you.

Delaying Your Period With Birth Control Pills

If you are currently on some type of birth control pill, you may have the ability to limit, skip, or delay your period. Before you skip it altogether, though, it is a good idea to check with your doctor. You may also want to check the ingredients of your birth control, as a monophasic pill tends to have less breakthrough bleeding than a multi-phasic pill . This way, if you are on the pill, you can better understand how much breakthrough bleeding or spotting you might have, should you decide to skip your period. Some providers strongly recommend against using a multi-phasic pill to skip your period.

If you are on a birth control pack with 21 pills:

Finish the pack as you normally would, but instead of taking placebo pills, start your next pack immediately. .

If you are on a birth control pack with 28 pills:

Finish the pack as you normally would, but instead of taking placebo pills, start your next pack immediately. .

Looking to skip more than one period?

Ask your doctor about a pill that is a continuous birth control option. This will allow you to skip multiple periods in a row. Often they are options to let you skip up to three months, and in some cases longer.

If you are using a ring:

NuvaRing and Annovera are examples of vaginal birth control rings. You can simply use your ring as you normally would up to four weeks, and immediately put in your next ring instead of waiting. When you are ready to have your period again simply take out the ring to get your next period.

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Why Is My Period Heavy Then Light Then Heavy Again

In some cases, this can be completely normal however, in many cases having a period that starts heavy then goes light and heavy again is a sign of a hormonal imbalance or a sign of endometrial tissue blocking the cervix. In my free online masterclass, I give you insight into common hormone imbalances and how to fix these.

Medicine For Menstrual Pain And Bleeding

Try a non-prescription medicine to help relieve your pain and bleeding. Start taking the recommended dose of pain reliever when symptoms begin or 1 day before your menstrual period starts. If you are trying to become pregnant, talk to your doctor before using any medicine. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label.

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , such as ibuprofen , reduce menstrual cramps, pain, and bleeding by lowering the level of the hormone prostaglandin.
• If NSAIDs do not relieve the pain, try acetaminophen, such as Tylenol.
• Take the medicine for as long as the symptoms would normally last if you did not take the medicine.

Be sure to follow all labels and directions. Do not take aspirin if you are younger than 18 because of the risk of Reye syndrome.

Also Check: Signs To Know Your Period Is Coming

Stopping Menstruation For Day Or Night

There are a number of methods that can be used to make your flow stop for a day or night. Various reasons for this include:

• When planning a special evening with their partners
• When celebrating special occasions like their birthdays
• If they suffer from PMS and are looking for a way to reduce or eliminate their symptoms.

If this is the case for you, think about using any of the following options:

• Using gelatin
• Taking ibuprofen
• The party wayalcohol is known to assist in stopping the periods for a certain The method is however limited as you cannot take alcohol every time you want to stop your flow for a few hours
• Taking vinegar

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy

While theres no actual scientific research behind it, theres limited anecdotal evidence that drinking lemon juice might delay the onset of bleeding.

While moderate amounts of acidic foods like lemon juice are fine, too much acid is not good for you. It can work on a number on your mouth, teeth, gums, throat, stomach, and intestines.

Just like with ACV, make sure to dilute lemon juice in something else, like unsweetened tea or plain water.

Recommended Reading: What Drinks Help With Period Cramps

How To Delay Your Period To Have Sex

For those who want to know how to stop your period to have sex, there are a number of ways that have been tried for quite some time and are supposed to delay your period by a couple of days so that you can engage in sexual activities without the hassle of having your period. One such way is by taking 800-1000 mg of ibuprofen continuously every four to six hours, as long as you start taking it at least a day in advance of the arrival date of your period. Another option is by eating plenty of lemons, again one day in advance. However, these options are not actually proven to help delay your period, but are just rumored to help. There are some other, more helpful ways of delaying your period that are commonly used, although they are not absolutely guaranteed to affect all women the same. These methods include:

1. Take the Contraceptive Pill

Some contraceptive pills can really help a lot, you can ask a doctor for how to take them correctly.

2. Ask for Norethisterone Tablets

If you are not taking a contraceptive pill and you want to know how to stop your period to have sex, ask your doctor for the norethisterone, which can delay your period. Normally, you will have three norethisterone tablets per day three days before the start of your period. Your period should then start three days after you stop taking the tablets.

3. Try a Softcup

How Do I Fix My On And Off Period

Periods that keep coming and going have many causes, but mostly are just a sign that your body and hormones need a little extra support. The cause of your stop-start period will determine the best treatment to restore a normal bleed. Below are some suggestions for a healthy period to try:

• Restore blood flow to the pelvic area: in the days leading up to your period and once you start bleeding, use a hot water bottle over your pelvis to encourage healthy blood flow

• Consider seeking out a Maya Abdominal Massage Therapist, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner or acupuncturist

• Explore potential hormone imbalances and correct them naturally through diet changes and supplements

• Explore your emotional connection to your cycle. Is there anything you are holding on to that you need to let go of? Menstruation is the perfect time to go inwards and reflect on the previous month. What worked for you? What didnt? Where would you like to focus your energy in the upcoming month? Learn more about living in sync with the seasons of your cycle in this guest blog I wrote on Nicole Jardims website

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Lets Face It Mother Nature Doesnt Always Have The Best Timing Whether Youre On Holiday Or At The Pool There Are Ways Of At Least Delaying Your Period

Realising that your period is going to inconveniently coincide with jetting off on your vacation or a swimming competition doesnt necessarily mean youre stuck with it. Once youve sussed out how to regulate your periods occasionally, you get a sense of control over the situation. Well also talk about how you can prevent those night time leaks when your period does come along.

Drink Red Raspberry Leaf Tea

Raspberry Leaf is said to help ease heavy menstrual bleeding while improving egg qualityso its a win-win for the present and the future.

It contains something called fragarine, an alkaloid found in raspberries, which is known to help tone and tighten muscles in the pelvic region .

The tea is also high in tannins which is believed to strengthen the uterus and reduce heavy and irregular bleeding during your cycle.

Read Also: Does Pickle Juice Help With Period Cramps

How Can You Slow Down Your Cycle

How to stop your period with ibuprofen: Three Ibuprofen every six hours on a full stomach will help stop your period for one day without your period by reducing your flow about 50%. Stay under the maximum dosage for a day and dont take it every day. Ask your doctor before you start taking so much Ibuprofen to stop your period. There are other things you should know about taking Ibuprofen to stop your period, read Does Ibuprofen Stop Your Period?

The natural way: You wont be able to stop your period completely this way, but it will be very light. First, drink a lot of water, take a bath and drink a few more glasses of juice. Most importantly, eat healthy foods and exercise. Your body needs vitamins so eat a lot of fruit too. A secret tip is to eat green beans. All these ingredients will give you a very light period.

The party solution: Alcohol has been known to stop your period for a brief time like a few hours, but you cant drink every time you want to stop your menstrual cycle, so this method has very limited use.

Taking Your Pill Packets Back

Not everyone will be on the pill but anyone who has will probably have heard of this as a way of temporarily postponing your period.

Does it work?

Is it safe?

Yes – ish. Last month, the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health released new guidelines stating that there’s actually no need for women to take a seven day break from the pill. Still, some doctors are wary of it as it can cause things like bloating or spotting.

The extra influx of hormones oestrogen and progesterone from taking more of your pill could also affect your skin or your mood, so that’s definitely something to bear in mind!

Recommended Reading: Can I Get Pregnant 6 Days After My Period

Is There Anything Bad About Using Birth Control Pills To Skip My Period

There is nothing bad or harmful about using birth control pills to delay or skip your period, though it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. And for those who are looking to skip multiple periods, there are different options for you.*

*Note: If you’re not taking birth control pills and are missing periods, you should consider asking your doctor about it. The Mayo Clinic recommends seeing your doctor if you’ve missed 3 menstrual periods in a row.

Skipping or delaying your period is not harmful. Some doctors even see skipping periods as beneficial, allowing women to avoid pain or the potential cost of a period. Other research has shown skipping multiple periods using birth control can actually limit your likelihood to develop certain cancers like ovarian cancer.

Given all this information, we hope you feel confident about choosing the best way for you to delay or skip your period.

S That Can Stop Your Period Long

If you wish to explore the idea of stopping your period long-term, you have options. At the very least, birth control can minimize the frequency of periods you have a year.

• Intrauterine devices may take three to six months to stop your period altogether, but after that, they can remain effective for anywhere from three to 10 years depending on the type.
• Birth control implants like Nexplanon work for up to three years and provide lighter periods or may stop them altogether depending on the person.
• Endometrial ablation procedure: This procedure is usually only recommended for people with very heavy, prolonged periods who are at risk of anemia and shouldn’t be considered if you are planning to get pregnant at any point in the future.

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Who Shouldnt Stop A Period

Girls under the age of 15 should not stop their periods because in the first years of the menstrual cycle, its important to observe the interval between cycles, the quantity of blood lost, and which symptoms you have.

Observing the duration and symptoms of a girls cycle help to assess the health of her reproductive system, if the ovaries are working correctly, or if there is a problem such as ovarian cysts.

Whats Considered A Heavy Period

You might be surprised to learn that about one in five women experience menorrhagia, the medical term for heavy periods. Because each womans period is unique, it can be tricky to know if what you think is normal for your cycle is actually excessive bleeding. In fact, half of women who experience menorrhagia dont realize they have it.

While the best way to know if your heavy periods are chronic is to talk to a doctor, you can keep an eye out for some common symptoms of menorrhagia.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, any of the following is considered a symptom of heavy bleeding:

• Bleeding for more than seven days
• Blood soaks through one or more tampons or pads every hour
• You need to change your pad or tampon during the night
• You need to double up on protection to keep from leaking
• The blood clots in your flow are the size of a quarter or larger

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