#menstrual suppression

[chemicalarospec]

Thought I ate something wrong but then remembered I took placebos and ouch this is cramps I forgot about cramps. I can't skip one month without getting dirty discharge... Maybe I'll ask my doctor if she suggests any other brand...

[thescrumblingmidwife]

So what are the ways to stop a period (and fertility) as an adult? I need to figure out my plans for when that time comes. I mean permanently, btw.

Hi Anon,

I'm getting a lot of asks like this. Here's another one:

Anonymous asked: whats the safest way to stop getting a period as quickly as possible? i was told by my gynecologist that id be given birth control that'd stop them but i keep getting them and it's been months

So let's do a menstrual suppression post.

MENSTRUAL SUPPRESSION (AKA, Secondary amenorrhea)

What can be done depends a lot on your age, where you are, what kind of healthcare access you have, as well as your reason for seeking menstrual suppression.

If you experience medical complications like endometriosis, serious menstrual pain (dysmenorrhea) or heavy menstrual bleeding that causes anemia, etc., you may find you have an easier time accessing treatments beyond BC than if you just "don't want a period." (FWIW - I think that's a completely valid reason for menstrual suppression!). Trans and GNC people will fall somewhere in the middle - depending on where you are, it may be considered a legitimate medical indication all on its own, and in other areas may result in a roadblock and discrimination.

Disclaimer - my scope as a midwife will be limited to the use of hormonal birth control until I complete separate training on offering gender-affirming care. So please take what I say here only as a rough guide to your own research. If I've missed anything or get anything wrong, please let me know!

PREPUBERTAL (have not yet gotten a period)

Leuprolide (lupron) is an antiandrogen medication that basically stops sex hormones from working. When used in prepubertal/early puberty kids, it's called a "puberty blocker." It's meant to be a temporary solution until the kid can be sure what they want to do next, as its effects are completely reversible. Pediatricians will usually refer you to an endocrinologist or a gender clinic rather than provide themselves.

Otherwise, I'm afraid that you must first go through the initial period of menarche until normal periods are established before you can then go on menstrual suppression.

ADOLESCENT (teen, not yet an adult)

Progestin-only birth control is the first-line treatment. The good news is that pretty much everyone can take it, and it's relatively easy to get. This works by keeping the uterine lining thin, and keeping a level of progestin high enough that you don't experience the withdrawal that triggers menses. Methods include: IUD (intrauterine device), Nexplanon (implant), Depo shot, and pills. In all methods, it takes several months to work, and spotting/breakthrough bleeding is a possibility.

---->If you take the pills, you have to take them at the exact same time every day, so the hormone levels stay even, or you risk breakthrough bleeding. Different brands have different progestins in them, so if one doesn't work for you after several months of taking it properly, you could ask your provider about switching to a different pill.

---->The IUD has the best record with total menstrual suppression after a few months, but it is the most invasive of the LARC methods to insert.

----> Nexplanon can take some time to achieve menstrual suppression, and some people still get breakthrough bleeding, but it is also the single most efficacious BC besides hysterectomy. Yes, even more than tubal ligation.

----> Depo shot is pretty good at achieving amenorrhea, but has more side effects (low libido, dry vagina, risk of bone loss) that can take a while to resolve after you come off it

Testosterone - If you are trans and go on T, it may stop your menstrual cycles/ovulation, but it is not a guarantee. People on T are counseled to also be on BC, because it is does not eliminate the possibility of pregnancy and is teratogenic (can cause birth defects). You should not go on T purely to stop menses, as it has other permanent effects - go on T for those effects and be pleased if it happens to stop your period.

ADULT (18/21+ up)

All of the above methods, plus:

Estrogen-containing birth control may offer more suppression but also increases certain health risks (like clots), and it has a number of contraindications (reasons why someone can't use it safely). Generally don't advise teens to use it.

Tubal ligation for FERTILITY CONTROL ONLY. This will not stop periods!

For transmen: Hysterectomy (uterus removed) and/or salpingectomy/oophorectomy (tubes/ovaries removed). This is a component of gender-affirming care - but you will likely need to find a specialized provider for it. The average gynecologist is not going to do an elective (no medical indication) hysterectomy ----> https://transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines/hysterectomy

I have seen some evidence that Lupron can be used for menstrual suppression as well, but I haven't heard much about it being used outside of certain medical indications (like if someone has cancer).

GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE

If you identify as trans or gender non-conforming and there is a gender clinic in your area, I recommend trying to get in with them, as they deal with this sort of question regularly. They have interdisciplinary teams (mental health providers, gynecologists, endocrinologists, surgeons, etc) that can meet all your needs. Someone trained in gender-affirming care will be best equipped to help you.

Here is a list of gender clinics in the USA:

Trans Health Project - Academic Gender Centers - Trans Health Project

Trans Health Project

Ok, all you Anons out there - I hope this is a good jumping-off point for you to find what you need. The TLDR is please try to find a provider who is willing to work with you and help you find what's available to you in your area!

[fertilityfriday]

FFP 095 | No More Periods? The Blessings of the Curse | Menstrual Suppression | The Pill | Dr. Susan Rako

FFP 095 | No More Periods? The Blessings of the Curse | Menstrual Suppression | The Pill | Dr. Susan Rako

[powerpress] Dr. Rako has been a psychiatrist in private practice in the Boston area for more than thirty-five years. She both trained and taught at Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts Mental Health Center, a teaching hospital in the Department of Psychiatry. She has become a pioneering expert on women’s reproductive health. She is the author of several books including “The Blessings of the…

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[usuallymysticinternet-blog]

New Post has been published on Gabvine

New Post has been published on http://www.gabvine.com/female-astronauts-periods/157861

How Do Female Astronauts Deal with Their Periods In Space?

Has it ever crossed your mind how female astronauts deal with her period when she’s in space?

It’s a heck of a struggle dealing with menstruation here on Earth; and with all the gravity issues in space, one might wonder as to how do these female astronauts manage when all hell breaks loose while they’re out there.

But first, let us ask the obvious question: Is experiencing periods up in space different from what women on Earth experience?

Story Pick says the answer is NO.

Periods in space and on Earth are same and the microgravity causes no such issue with the flow. Earlier it was considered that due to lack of gravity in space, the blood flow would travel upwards inside the body instead of outside and cause endometriosis or peritonitis.

Apparently, the nightmare does not stop when you leave Earth. Sally Kristen Ride was the first ever woman to ever fly out of Earth’s atmosphere in 1983 and she talked about her “bloody” experience while floating in space. In 2002, she answered a “woman’s cycle” question during an interview and said:

 I remember the engineers trying to decide how many tampons should fly on a one-week flight; engineers have asked: Is 100 the right number?

Her reply?

No. That would not be the right number.

To answer the main question, “How do female astronauts deal with their periods in space?”

Because there was an issue of tampon disposal, they came up with a solution.

Not only do you have to endure the monster that is your bleeding uterus in outer space, but the constant problem of where and how to manage tampon disposal was becoming a hot issue. So came the pharmaceutical invention of the “menstrual suppression” tablet to solve the “bloody” problem.

Story Pick explains further about “menstrual suppression” tablet:

Medically induced amenorrhea (abnormal absence of menstruation) is simulated by continuous and prolonged used of combined oral contraceptive pills and medicines. LARCs (Long-acting reversible contraceptives) are safe and reliable, though not as extensively used by female astronauts.

Female astronauts do not use this tablet as often. Instead, they take contraceptive pills before and after their space flight adventure.

Female astronauts take in a difficult job exploring space and we need to be concerned about their health issues as all women know and men with wives, girlfriends, sisters and mothers, too, know how brutal being on a period is.

Image source: Flickr

[durexonabible-blog]

Science is telling me that there isn't any real danger in taking pills continuously

Interesting... *steeples fingers* Very interesting...

[darkcloudtherainbowwarrior]

This is an account of my journey so far with menstrual suppression. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

This is a follow up from this post:

http://darkcloudtherainbowwarrior.tumblr.com/post/12393422794/day-one-of-suppressing-my-cycle