It is not recommended to delay your period by more than a week or two. The risk of postponing in this way is that you might get pregnant. The associated risks of unplanned pregnancy may also increase. There can be times when you don’t take the pill at the same time every day. In such cases, you are likely to get a breakthrough bleed. It is often worse than usual periods. Moreover, if you don’t take period delay tablets regularly, there will be bleeding. It may also last a long time. If you need to delay your period for a special event, such as a wedding or holiday sometimes. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist regarding the same. They may advise you to take a pill containing a very low dose of oestrogen and progestogen (mini-pill). You would have to take this tablet the time you may have your period. This mini-pill is different from other birth control pills. It is because it thins the uterus lining and makes bleeding lighter and irregular. However, you may have spotting or breakthrough bleeding during this time.
Can you use other things to postpone the menstruation date?
You can also use other hormonal contraceptives to delay periods. The injection and the implant (such as Implanon®) suppress the hormones in your body. This ultimately postpones periods. Women who use these methods of contraception can experience irregular bleeding. Moreover, they can also notice spotting during the first few months. This will settle, and they will go back to having regular periods, like before.
What is norethisterone tablet?
This pill is a contraceptive pill. It is sometimes called Diane-35 or Dianette®. It contains 2 hormones progestogen and estrogen. Moreover, period delay tablets can help-
- Treat acne in women who also want contraception
- Delay periods
- Treat endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and fibroids
- Prevent pregnancy if you have had unprotected sex
Doctors often prescribe this period delay pill to women after childbirth or miscarriage. This hormone can prevent their period. It acts on the pituitary gland in the brain, which tells the ovaries to stop producing hormones (progesterone and estrogen). When taking this medication, bleeding may occur at irregular intervals. It is because women take the hormone every few days. Therefore, the body has time to produce a few more eggs and then stop. It can be helpful if you need to postpone your menstruation date. There can be an important reason, such as a holiday or special event.
How do you use this medication?
Doctors suggest using Norethisterone every 2-3 days. It depends on the dose you are taking. You have to take the first tablet at the beginning of your period or within 5 days of your period starting. However, if you forget to take the medicine, take it as immediate as you recall. Do not compensate for the missed one at the same time.
If you are taking period delay tablets to defer your menses start it 7 days before you want your period to begin. For example, if your period is due on 5 October, start it at the end of September. Continue to take norethisterone for 12 days after the date you would have had your period. However, if you are taking this drug for acne or another reason, use it as directed by your doctor.
How long is it safe to take this medicine?
This medication is a prescription-only pill. It can lead to blood clots, heart attack, and stroke when women use it for prolonged periods (>6 months). Moreover, women can also experience menopausal symptoms while continuing treatment with this pill. Consequently, you should use the lowest effective dose for the shortest possible time.
What are the side effects of norethisterone?
Not everyone who uses this pill will experience side effects. However, the following are some common or notable unwanted effects are-
- Hot flushes and redness of the skin (erythema) at the site where you apply it. These usually pass within a few days if you go on with the treatment.
- Slight weight gain, sometimes associated with salt and water retention. It can cause swollen ankles or feet.
- Mood changes such as feeling irritable, depressed, or anxious.
There are certain severe side effects too. Therefore, report your GP promptly if you notice the following-
- Severe headaches, vomiting, double vision, and paralysis of part of the body. These could be signs of a serious condition associated with the drug.
- Abnormal vaginal bleeding or spotting that continues beyond 10 weeks. Your doctor may need to review the use of norethisterone if this occurs.
- Signs of an allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing and facial swelling.
Women who fall under the following condition should not use period delay tablets-
- Have a history of thrombosis (blood clots in veins)
- Gone through thromboembolism (blood clots in the lungs)
- Experienced stroke, heart attack, or angina
- Is allergic to the medicine, or any other ingredients of this medicine
- Have a history of blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
- Gone through severe liver disease
- Have severe kidney disease
- Are likely to become pregnant during treatment with the pill
- Have cancer of the breast (currently active or having previously spread therefrom)
The following women should not take period delay tablets without medical advice-
- If they are 35 years of age or above and smoke 15 or more cigarettes a day
- Women who smoke less than this should reduce their smoking before taking norethisterone.
- Women who have diabetes mellitus or diabetic retinopathy (an eye condition)
- If they have had more than one pregnancy
- Women whose children were born prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy)
- If their babies weighed less than 3,000g at birth
- Women who have primary ovarian failure (loss of function before menopause)
- Women who have gonadal dysgenesis (a condition in which the ovaries are present but do not work the way they should)
- If they have had unexplained vaginal bleeding after menopause
If any of these conditions apply to you, don’t use this tablet. Moreover, your doctor may recommend regular blood tests to check your hormone levels while taking norethisterone. He or she may reduce the dose of oestrogen in period delay tablets, if necessary.
