Stop your periods : our 5 natural ways to do it

There are many reasons why you might want to stop your periods. Is it possible to do so? How can you stop your period? We'll give you all our tips in this article!

Why stop periods ?

The duration of periods varies from woman to woman. You may want to stop your periodical flow for a variety of reasons: going on vacation, a party planned, an important date such as an exam, etc...

Sometimes, we prefer to avoid having our periods at certain inopportune moments. Some women may also want to stop their periods when they have certain pathologies such as endometriosis or very heavy bleeding.

To stop your periods, there are different methods: some are temporary, others permanent. 

Eugénie, naturopathic advisor and women's health coach, tells you if it's possible to shift your periods for the vacations.

What are the most common ways to stop periods ?

There are several ways to stop your periods :

• natural methods
• medicated methods
• contraceptive methods

Natural methods for cutting periods

LThe effectiveness of natural methods for shorten periods is not scientifically proven, but since there are no contraindications, you're free to try them out! They will be more or less effective depending on the woman and her cycle. 

• Plants: we recommend lyarrow and monk's pepper, which are known to put off periods by a few days (provided you take them in good time!). You can also try shepherd's purse, raspberry leaves, angelica root and sage. We recommend that you consume these plants in the form of herbal teas. They won't necessarily delay lthe arrival of periods but they can reduce menstrual flow.
• Drink enough water: in general, drinking enough water is very important for your health, and we recommend drinking 1.5l to 2l of water a day. If you drink a lot of water, chances are your menstrual flow will be reduced.
• It's also a good idea to eat enough fruit and vegetables to help you get through your periods period. In fact, your menstrual flow is lighter, and as vegetables are non-inflammatory foods, they can relieve dysmenorrhea (pain from periods). 

As a reminder, these methods are not scientifically proven and depend on the individual woman. They will not stop your periods but will influence the abundance of your flow.

Taking medication to stop periods

To delay your periods, there are recognized medicinal methods. To opt for these solutions, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional, to check that you have no contraindications and to inform you of any potential side effects.

• You can take GnRH agonists: this is a treatment that stops ovarian functions: the hormonal cycle is paused, so menstruation disappears. If you stop taking this treatment, periods will return.

This treatment must be taken under medical supervision. 

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to relieve menstrual pain. They can also reduce blood flow.  

If you're using these drugs because your flow is too painful and you want to avoid having them, remember that it's not normal to suffer so much that it impacts your daily life during your periods : consult your doctor, midwife or gynecologist to find the cause of your pain and find a suitable treatment.

Choosing a hormonal contraceptive method to stop the periods

Certain methods of contraception can stop your periods. Contraception is the only truly effective method. 

• For the pill: you have two options s.

Microprogestogen pills are taken continuously, which completely interrupts lthe arrival of periods.

But there are also other types of pill, such as the combined estrogen-progestin pill, which works with a combination of two progestins. This pill causes withdrawal bleeding during the week of discontinuation or placebo (depending on whether you have a 21-tablet or 28-tablet pill). As this is artificial bleeding (commonly known as false bleeding periods), it's possible to take two packs in succession, without interruption or by skipping the placebo tablets. In this way, you will not have your periods, but you may experience some bleeding, such as spotting. 

• The hormonal IUD: 

This method of contraception involves the delivery of synthetic progestin hormones (levonorgestrel) via an intrauterine device placed in the uterus by your gynecologist. By opting for the hormonal IUDthe periods are generally reduced, and in some women even disappear.

• The third contraceptive method for stopping periods is thecontraceptive implant. 

This contraceptive device is placed under the skin of the arm and continuously delivers a progestin hormone. This hormone stops ovulation. The implant generally tends to reduce the onset of menstruation. Some women will see their periods completely stopped when they have an implant.  

As a last resort: stop periods with surgery

Surgical procedures include :

• Hysterectomy: the uterus is removed. It is an irreversible method that stops the menstrual cycle and makes pregnancy impossible. Hysterectomy may be recommended by a doctor if you are prone to serious gynecological pathologies such as cervical cancer. 
• Lendometrectomy: this is a different surgical procedure from hysterectomy. It involves removal of the endometrium, i.e. the mucous membrane lining the uterus. This surgical procedure can be useful in cases of endometrial cancer, fibroids or bleeding periods . The flow is stopped. However, this operation greatly reduces fertility. 

Is it possible to naturally delay periods ?

Natural methods can delay her periodsl he effectiveness of these methods depends on the individual woman and has not been scientifically proven. Only contraceptive or surgical methods are truly effective. But there's no reason why you shouldn't try them out, as there are no contraindications. 

FAQ for stopping your periods

Is it possible to stop periods for an evening?

Is it dangerous to want to stop periods ?

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