Should you supress your period???

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YES

Leslie Miller, M.D., clinical associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, University of Washington in Seattle

I haven’t had a period for almost 12 years. Like many other female doctors, I’ve been skipping that monthly chore by taking hormone-filled birth control pills continuously. My health is excellent, and it’s a pleasure not to have to worry about tampons, pads or hygiene.

There is no medical reason why any woman needs to have a period, unless she’s trying to get pregnant. Menstruating is the way your body expels the uterine lining that builds up each month in preparation for an egg to be fertilized. But if you’re on hormonal birth control, the lining never builds up so there’s nothing to expel—the only reason you do bleed is that a traditional 28-day Pill pack has seven no-hormone sugar pills. It’s the absence of hormones in these pills that triggers the flow. Suppressing your period isn’t only about convenience—it can end menstrual migraines, lessen mood swings and reduce the risk of anemia and vaginal infections.

Something else to know: You don’t need to take the new brand of period-suppression pills to skip your period. You can have your ob-gyn alter a prescription for just about any low-dose oral contraceptive to get this result. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other health organizations say period suppression is safe. Skipping periods is simply another reproductive choice for women—and the more choices we have, the better.

NO

Christine Hitchcock, Ph.D., research associate, Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research, University of British Columbia in Vancouver

Our periods aren’t a disease that we need medication to get rid of—and they shouldn’t be treated that way. In the past, doctors have prescribed continuous-hormone birth control pills to the relatively few women who have severe cycle-related pain or mood swings. But for most of us, periods are a pretty ordinary event and getting rid of them would be a matter of convenience. By banishing monthly bleeding, we give credence to the old-fashioned idea that women’s menstruation is distasteful and something to be ashamed of.

Aside from these philosophical objections, the new, no-bleeding pill, Lybrel, may not even stop periods completely for every woman. Trials found that after a year, 40 percent of women on Lybrel still had unexpected spotting, and about 20 percent bled enough to need tampons or pads.

There are other concerns too: While most ob-gyns say period suppression is safe, and the FDA did approve the new pill, even proponents admit that we don’t know what the long-term effects of taking hormones nonstop may be. What’s more, skipped periods are the number-one way women know they’re pregnant; if you’re not expecting a flow, it may take you longer to find out that a pregnancy has occurred.

The bottom line: We simply don’t know enough about period suppression, and for the vast majority of us who don’t have period problems, the pros don’t outweigh the cons.

 
My POV : i like the idea of suppressing the period - it's practical and easy, plus, our bodies get used to have a lot of periods or don't get them - in the past, when people died around their 30's , women had few periods - they'd get preggers, breastfeed, get preggers again, without having periods in between

 
In all honesty, I don't even take birth control pills myself cause I don't want to have to deal with increase risks of blood clots, stroke, or breast cancer. Let alone taking it continuously for many years! Hell no! But this is just my personal opinion.

 
I have been doing for about a year and a half. I haven't had my period since early last summer. I thinks it's great, and I haven't had any health problems at all. I plan on continuing this............. I guess we'll see.

 
i'm actually perimenopausal right now and i miss my period terribly! i think this is one way for a women's body to shed toxins and i look forward to what i consider a cleansing time for my body. also, i can do without another pill that they won't tell you can cause you harm until it's way too late. jmho~

 
Honestly i just dont like the idea of messing with nature like that. I dont even like taking pills.

 
I would love to... but I still have doubts about the uterine lining just not forming.

With my regular pills now, I get my period on every Wednesday of the sugar pills. So if the Yes argument is true... then that means my uterine wall forms and expels itself in 3 days? Is that so?

And I do like the fact that it does tell me I am not pregnant.

 
I did it a lot when I was on the pill. I would just skip the off-week and start the next pack immediately. It's really awesome, especially if your period is going to come at a very inconvenient time. But the person in the post who argues "no" doesn't have a very valid argument. "we shouldn't treat our periods that way" lol.

 
I would say 'no' to suppression. Of course everyone has the personal choice, but I prefer not to take hormone altering drugs in my case.

 
I dont think thats pretty healthy for ur body long term, what if one day you decide u want kids there goes ur chances it becomes harder to get preggy right? I dunno man i dont mess with something that it is supposed to be there, yeah its great not to have a period but long term effects? hmm not worth it i dont think who knows tho

 
I don't like the idea of stopping it with medication, but heavy exercise can have the same effect. Maybe that is a healthier way than with hormones and whatnot?

 
Originally Posted by Saje /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would love to... but I still have doubts about the uterine lining just not forming.
With my regular pills now, I get my period on every Wednesday of the sugar pills. So if the Yes argument is true... then that means my uterine wall forms and expels itself in 3 days? Is that so?

And I do like the fact that it does tell me I am not pregnant.

Actually the way that the pill works isn't exaaactly like preventiing the lining formation. It stops ovulation in fact because of the regular levels of estrogen and/or progesterone on the blood - it's absolutely necessary in order to have an ovulation a peak of LH (a hormone that i don't remember how to write in english) followed by a peak of estrogen.
The uterus' walls grow with estrogen , exogen or endogen, and the bleeding caused by 'breakage' when you take pills continuously happens because the lining grew too much and it wasn't getting nurtured anymore (that is what cause the spotting some women have - one part of the wall remains, another falls). It happens as well as on PCOS (but that's another topic)

When you stop the pill, the stimuli for the wall growth stops, then the nutrition fails and it falls and bleed - a period. Also the growth on the wall caused by only estrogen isn't 'perfect' for the ovule like the 'natural' one

 
I think I am going to do this. I really have no "need" to get my period, and it is more of a headache than anything. Just gotta make sure you are diligent about taking your pills and not getting pregnant.

 
I don't know... it just doesn't seem like a good idea. As much of a pain as it is, we were intended by nature to have a period. I don't think that's something that should be tampered with in the name of convenience.

 
well this is the first time i've ever heard of anything like this.

I think it's more of a hassle to remember to take a pill daily than just putting up with some bleeding a few days a month.

 
I would say "no". Its nature we have a period for a reason.....

I love knowing I am not pregnant.....

 
I was on Bc all the time for about 3 years. then i couldn't do ti anymore, and it messed up my cycle alot. i thought i would never have a period again. and also thought i would never get preggers. but now im on it just normally, and I have to go off it again.

anways. I think it's good to have a period, except for weird cases where women pass out from cramps, and endo stuff.

and it's good to have your bf stop bothering you to have sex for a week or so. Lmao!!

theres my 2 cents.

 
Originally Posted by MsLaVera /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would say "no". Its nature we have a period for a reason.....I love knowing I am not pregnant.....

Yeah, I think this is my biggest reason I wouldn't want to skip continuously. I'd be too nervous that I were pregnant without knowing it (even though the odds are low). Still, I purposely skip my period every once in a while by taking active pills continuously and I have to say I love doing that!
 

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