How to delay your period

Question

Can anyone tell me how to delay your period? I am 21 and have always had my periods run like absolute clockwork. This is both good and bad. Good, in that I am never surprised but bad in that it has an annoying habit of showing up exactly when I don’t want it to! I am going on holidays to Hawaii in a little under 2 months and, according to my precise calculations, I should be getting my period about 2 days after I arrive. This means it will then linger for the next 5-6 days, effectively ruining the greater part of my holiday. I know this is just one of the cycles of life, but I have worked two jobs for the last year in order to save up for this once-in-a-lifetime holiday with my closest friends! I refuse to spend it bloated, crampy and emotional! So please, please, please…will someone tell me how to delay your period?!

Answer 1

If you’re looking for a more natural and less pharmaceutical approach to delaying your period then there are several things you can try. Some of the suggested remedies include mixing a few teaspoons of vinegar with water and drinking this mixture a few times every day. Another option is eating a piece of lemon or drinking a water/gelatin mixture. I’m not 100% sure, but I think it all has to do with how acid or alkaline your body is. Either way, you’ve got a bit of time to spare, so could always experiment with a few of these options in the lead up to your trip to see if any of these natural options work.

Answer 2

I agree wholeheartedly with the answer above! If you’re not already on the pill, just talk to your doctor about getting a prescription. I sometimes skip two to three cycles at a time (although doctors generally don’t recommend skipping any longer than this). Apparently, so long as you don’t suffer any notable side effects then you’re fine to regularly skip cycles. But you may get some “spotting” or breakthrough bleeding if you skip too many cycles and your body is not used to it. Final piece of advice for how to delay your period for this trip is to see your doctor as soon as possible – any new medication will usually have an adjustment period of about two weeks where you might end up feeling nauseated, so best to get started straight away so that you’re feeling good and ready for your holiday when the time comes. All the best!

Answer 3

Wow, clearly a major freak out happening here! Are you on the contraceptive pill? If so, just skip one cycle of the non-active pills. This will result in you skipping your period for one cycle. I do it all the time, not a problem.

Answer 4

If you’re really concerned about how to delay your period, then I’d recommend seeing a doctor and discussing the issue with them. There is a medication you can get called norethisterone which you start taking three times a day in the lead up to when you’re expecting your period (I think the recommended timing is three days prior). This works to delay the start of the menstrual cycle until you stop taking the pills, at which time you will start your period and then proceed as normal. I’m not sure if this is an over-the-counter type of medication that you can get from the pharmacy or whether it is prescription only, so I’d definitely recommend booking in to see your doctor. They’ll be able to discuss possible side effects and (if necessary), write you out a prescription.

Answer 5

I’m not sure about the natural remedies (sound a bit wacked out to me!), but I can recommend the following as tried and true remedies that my sisters and I have used in the past. Whilst not 100% effective, you’d be amazed at how these simple natural alternatives can help to delay your period.

One of the most important things is exercise! It needs to be a part of your everyday routine. I know this could be difficult on holidays, but you’re going to Hawaii! Swim! Windsurf! Hike! Dance the hula!

Secondly, have a critical look at your diet. A lot of people report that spicy food can bring on their period early, so steer away from curries and other spicy food in the weeks leading up to your holiday.

Another awesome home remedy is eating gram lentil soup every day. You fry up the lentils to soften them and then incorporate them into any kind of lentil soup or dahl mixture. These lentils can really work to postpone the menstrual cycle in a natural way. You should also boost your fluid intake (water, not caffeine or alcohol) and try to de-stress your life by taking calming walks or listening to harmonious music that has been designed to balance the left and right sides of your brain.