Travel Hacks For When You Have Your Period On Vacation
Sometimes your period can make a surprise appearance. We’ve all experienced it: a rogue period shows up out of nowhere to mess up a big day, a major event, or put a huge damper on a backing packing trip up to Machu Picchu. In fact travel, in itself, can also affect your period, throwing everything for a loop. Even the most predictable of periods can, for a variety of reasons, suddenly become unpredictable. Stress, alone, is definitely one of those factors.
“Normal fluctuations in hormones during the menstrual cycle alter neurotransmitters that are responsible for a variety of functions, including mood, libido, appetite, anxiety, emotion, pain, and pleasure,”Sara Twogood, MD, FACOG, tells Bustle. “The changes and relative levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone throughout the menstrual cycle, including during the period itself, are also responsible for many of the changes women notice .”
But you shouldn’t let something like your period ruin your big vacation. So to avoid the potential menstrual cramps, pain, headaches or any other symptoms you may have, here are seven travel hacks, according to a doctor, to help you deal when your period decides to join your party in the Maldives.
How To Delay Your Period
You can delay your period with certain forms of hormonal birth control. But that’s about all that will work.
Don’t be fooled into thinking home remedies like drinking apple cider vinegar or lemon juice every day will help. “None of these DIY home remedies will delay your period,” says Sherry Ross, MD, an OB-GYN with her own private practice.
Therefore, if you’ve just noticed that you have a big day coming up that happens to fall on the same day as your period, here are two forms of hormonal medication that may help you.
Skip Your Placebo Week Of Oral Contraceptives
Some types of birth control pills come with three weeks of active pills and one week of placebo pills. If you skip the week of placebo pills and start a new pack of active pills, instead, then the hormones in the active pills will prevent you from bleeding that week.
However, it’s important to note that if this is your first time skipping a placebo week you may experience some irregular bleeding or light spotting, says Ross.
After two to three months of skipping your placebo week, you should see little to no spotting. Therefore, Ross recommends planning several months ahead if you know your period will coincide with a big upcoming occasion.
Moreover, you can get birth control pills in packs that last 28 days, 90 days, and even 365 days. That’s right, you can go a year without your period while on the pill.
“Being able to stop your period completely is one of the most beneficial side effects associated with the pill and it’s completely safe,” says Ross.
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How To Skip Your Period Without Birth Control
Well start by saying that none of the natural methods mentioned below are proven scientifically to delay or stop your period from coming. That said, some women swear by these methods, and if youre not going the birth control route anyway, you really have nothing to lose by trying them.
- Apple cider vinegar
A week before your period is meant to arrive, start consuming three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar three times a day. People claim that this can delay your period for about a week.
- Gelatin
Empty a packet of gelatin into a cup with warm water and mix to dissolve well. Drink immediately. This may delay your period for a few hours.
- Lemon
Lemon may delay your period or lighten your flow. Cut a lemon up into wedges and chew or suck on it to keep Aunt Flo at bay.
- Gram lentils
Lentils are considered a traditional remedy for warding off a period. First, fry the lentils until they become soft and then grind them into a powder. Use the powder to make a soup by simply adding hot water. Eat the soup on an empty stomach every morning starting a week before the first day of your expected period.
There are so many wonderful things about being a woman, but some may argue that having a monthly period is not one of them. There are a lot of reasons that women may choose to skip their periods medical, social, or personal.
So Its Okay To Skip My Period On The Pill
Overall, the consensus is yesâitâs okay to skip your withdrawal bleed on the pill. But since there are so many differently dosed birth control pills, itâs always best to first discuss the option of skipping your period with your healthcare provider to make sure that it is a safe and healthy option for you.
There is some concern that by normalizing period skipping, people will view their monthly menstruation as unnecessary, a nuisance, and even abnormal . Periods are neither a curse nor a disease. A menstrual cycle is like a vital sign, just like blood pressure, temperature, or respiration rate. It acts as an indicator of overall health . If you are on the pill and you want to have a period always, sometimes, or never, the choice is up to you and your preference.
If eliminating your period or withdrawal bleed is something that is important to you, then the standard birth control pill packs may not be the best option for you. There are other forms of contraception, like the hormonal injection, the hormonal IUD, the hormonal implant, or continuous birth control pills, that can cause your period to decrease in frequency and amount, and sometimes stop altogether . Speak to your healthcare provider about which type of birth control is best for you.
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Are There Side Effects Of Using The Pill To Skip Your Period Continually
The main side effect of having long bleeding-free stretches is an increase in unpredictable breakthrough bleeding . The good news is that the frequency of breakthrough bleeding may decreases over time . Other than increased rates of breakthrough bleeding, taking your birth control pill consecutively, as opposed to having monthly pill-periods, does cause any additional side effects .
A concern about not having a regular âperiodâ is that you lose the monthly confirmation that youâre not pregnant. Although skipping your withdrawal bleed with the pill provides you with the same contraceptive protection as before, it also comes with the same risks if you donât take your pill on a regular daily basis.
How To Delay Period For Vacation Otc Pills Naturally + More
Your period can come earlier than expected, or even coincide with major events of your life. You may want to stop your period for vacation, to travel or for a wedding. So, how do you delay menstruation for a day, 2 days or even a week?
You can stop it with some over the counter pills such as ibuprofen and Norethisterone Based on hearsay, you can naturally delay it by exercising, using lemon or vinegar.
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Q: I Didn’t Bring Any Pads Or Tampons With Me Where Can I Get Them
A: If you know the general timing of your cycle, you should prepare by bringing the necessary sanitary products with you on holiday, but if you’re quite new to the whole period thing, getting one for the first time or have irregular periods and aren’t really up-to-date with your cycle, there are plenty of places to get what you need.
If you’re staying in a hotel, usually if you phone reception you can ask for some extra toiletries, including tampons or pads.
Asking your parent, guardian, carer or sibling if they have some products to help you out is also another option. It might feel a bit embarrassing, but remember, periods are perfectly natural and a whole lot of people go through them!
Wherever you’re travelling on holiday, most local shops and supermarkets stock plenty of sanitary products, so you could also make sure to check where the nearest amenities are on the first day of the holiday or send someone to the shop for you. In Europe you can also pick up sanitary products at pharmacies, which are usually marked outside with large green plus signs outside of them.
Find out more about dealing with your period and what the deal is with pads and tampons over on our Periods campaign page.
Make Sure You Bring Your Own Pain Relief Pills
“Use of NSAIDS such as Ibuprofen can aid with painful menstrual cramps,” Dr. Loanzon says. “Uterine cramps are caused by a release of prostaglandins and medications like Ibuprofen help to present the prostaglandin release.”
In addition to always having your own painkillers that you’re familiar with, Dr. Loanzon says you should take those pills before your period starts â that is, if your period is fairly regular and you know when it’s about to begin.
“Taking a medication like this the day before your cycle starts can also help when your period does arrive,” she says.
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The Basics Of Birth Control Pills
When you swallow birth control pills, youre ingesting one or more synthetic hormones. This could be a combination of estrogen and progestin, or just progestin, depending on the type of birth control that youre taking. These hormones work to prevent pregnancy in three different ways.
First, they work to prevent your ovaries from ovulating, or releasing an egg each month.
They also thicken the cervical mucus, which makes it harder for sperm to reach an egg if one is released. The hormones can thin the uterine lining, too. This means that if an egg does get fertilized, itll be difficult for it to attach to the uterine lining and develop.
Birth control pills are over 99 percent effective when used correctly. This means taking the pill at the same time every day. If you miss a day or youre late taking your pill, the efficacy can decrease. With typical use, the failure rate is about
Several different types of birth control pills are available.
Some are similar to the pill packs that were first made available in 1960. They included 21 days of pills with active hormones and seven placebo or inactive pills. When you take an inactive pill, it allows for bleeding that mimics normal menstruation.
There are also packs that allow for 24 days of active pills and a shorter menstrual-like bleeding period.
Extended-cycle or continuous regimens consist of a couple of months worth of active pills. They can either reduce the number of periods you have or eliminate your period entirely.
Ultimately If You Want To Get Your Period In Line With Your Schedule Talk To Your Health Care Provider
I get the most questions about how to manipulate a cycle when someone is going on vacation or getting married, Dr. Minkin says. Theyre used to this. See your doctor, explain how often youd like to get your period , and whether thats just for convenience or because your period makes life awful every time it comes around. No matter your specific situation, your doctor should at the very least have an idea of where to start.
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How To Delay Your Period Naturally Without Pills
So far, the methods dealt with above involved pills. However, if you have reservations about using drugs or your body does not respond well to the drugs, you can still make your period delay naturally using home remedies.
Note: Most of the following methods are based on anecdotal evidence. They may work or not work.
Downsides Of Delaying Your Period
Some of the natural methods for delaying a period can cause side effects. Lemon juice and ACV may irritate sensitive tissues in your mouth and throats. They can also weaken enamel on your teeth. Gelatin and gram lentils may cause bloating and discomfort in your stomach.
Both natural and chemical remedies for delaying a period may not work. If they dont, you could have a period anyway. Irregular bleeding or spotting might also happen, even when theres not a full period.
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But Wait I’ve Read Some Wacky Things About Drinking Vinegar Or Lemon Juice To Stop Your Period Is That True
Sorry, thats a big nope. Dr. McClellan has never even heard of this myth, but she still ensures that its exact thata myth.
Vinegar can have good health effects, she says, but she has no idea how it would stop a period…because it doesnt make any physiological sense. Neither will drinking lemon juice or any specific types of food, for that matter. Unless what you’re consuming affects estrogen and progestin levels, nothing will delay or halt your periods .
Lastly, if you have skipped several periods in a row without an IUD or birth control pills, you should check with a doctor to make sure everything is okay. If your period stops spontaneously as a result of something other than the pill than you need to really look at what caused it, Dr. McClellan says. Missing periods could be a sign of extreme weight loss , polycystic ovary syndrome, ovarian failure, pelvic inflammatory disease, and uterine fibroids, among other things, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Risks And Side Effects Of Skipping Your Period On The Pill
There are no health risks that we know of when it comes to skipping your period using hormonal contraceptives.
The pill itself may cause side effects, but they have nothing to do with whether youre skipping your period or not. Some women experience bloating, weight gain, mood swings, and low libido on hormonal birth control.
The one side effect that you may experience that is directly caused by doubling or tripling up birth control packs is spotting or breakthrough bleeding. Thats perfectly normal as your body adjusts to a longer cycle.
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Which Birth Control Pills Are Best To Use For Skipping Periods
Medically reviewed by Jenny Ingle Pappas, MSN, APRN, FNP-C on December 21, 2020
Women who want to adjust the way they have their periods on birth control have a number of options. Women can decrease the frequency of their periods, reduce the length of their periods, or occasionally avoid their periods entirely by taking certain kinds of birth control pills or taking them in a certain way.
That said, not every birth control pill is designed to be used to skip periods. The formulas to use for this are monophasic combination pills, meaning those that contain both estrogen and progestin in the same amounts in every pill. Most packs of combination birth control pills contain 21 days of hormone-containing pills followed by 7 days worth of placebo pills its while taking the placebo pills that people have their periods.
Using The Pill To Stop Your Period
So, heres the lowdown on how to stop a period. If you use the combined contraceptive pill you can delay your period by taking two packets back-to-back . Its important to consult your doctor, gynaecologist or practise nurse before you go ahead, to make sure that its safe to do so, and that its possible to delay your period with the type of pill you take.
If you take a different contraceptive pill you may be able to switch to the combined one to enable you to postpone your period . If you dont take a contraceptive pill, speak to your GP about other ways to delay your period. If you dont have any other health issues, you may be prescribed medication to prevent your period starting at an inconvenient time.
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Cases Where The Vacation Pay Provisions Of A Collective Agreement Apply Exclusively
The vacation pay provisions of the Code do not apply to employers and employees who are parties to a collective agreement that provides rights and benefits at least as favourable as those in the Code and where there is provision for a third party settlement in the collective agreement. The settlement of disagreements relating to vacation pay are governed exclusively by the collective agreement in these instances.
Delaying Your Period If You’re On The Pill
If you’re taking the combined contraceptive pill, you should be able to take 2 packets back-to-back to delay your period . For more information, see the contraceptive pill and period delay.
You can delay your period in this way if you take most brands of the combined contraceptive pill, including Microgynon, Rigevidon, Cilest and Yasmin. However, some types of combined contraceptive pill contain a different mix of hormones in each pill . If you are taking a phasic pill brand you should consult with your doctor before attempting to delay your period.
If you take Cerazette, or another brand of the the mini pill , you will be taking a pill every day anyway, so there is no way to delay your period by skipping the 7-day break.
How does taking back-to-back packets delay my period?
You normally get your period when the lining of your womb sheds. The hormones in the combined contraceptive pill help to sustain the womb lining, and so taking back-to-back packets sustains it for longer.
Is it safe to take packets back-to-back?
Yes, this is common practice.
Can I take more than two packets back-to-back?
Yes, you can take up to three packets of the combined contraceptive pill back-to-back to delay your period for longer. However, this will cause the lining of your womb to build up extensively, and your chances of spotting or breakthrough bleeding increase. You will also be more likely to feel bloated.
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