We've all been there: you're excited about a holiday, a date, work event, you name it... and then you realise that your period is due, throwing a spanner in the works. There's also really no such thing as a 'typical' menstrual cycle (the length, heaviness of flow and accompanying symptoms vary so much from person to person, and even from month to month), meaning having a period can sometimes be darn inconvenient.
With that in mind, there have been some very worrying reports of people taking multiple contraceptive pills, mixed with painkillers, in an effort to try and delay their period – it's something that even actor Sydney Sweeney recently opened up about, and she candidly shared that it had pretty awful results.
With that in mind, we wanted to get the full facts on whether or not taking extra birth control and ibuprofen can actually delay your period, and most importantly, whether or not it's safe to do so (spoiler: it's really not).
We spoke to Dr Claudia Pastides, who is a Medical Adviser at Flo Health, the app for all things female health, to learn more:
Can you delay your period by taking extra contraceptive pills with painkillers, such as ibuprofen?
"I’ve not heard of people taking lots of pills to stop or delay their period," says Dr Pastides. "But it is not a good idea to take lots in one go to try and stop or delay your period, as it is most likely that this will not work." It is also unsafe to exceed the recommended dosage of painkillers and not advisable to take them unless you are wanting to actually treat an ailment that they are specifically created for (such as a headache or neck pain).
Is there ever a safe way to delay your period?
Yes! There are safe ways that you can take contraceptive pills, or another type of hormonal pill to stop, or delay, your period, explains Dr Pastides – who stresses that before doing anything to mess with your menstruation, you should discuss all options with a healthcare provider (like a pharmacist, sexual health clinic or your GP). Not all methods are suitable for everyone.
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Norethisterone
Referring to the NHS guidance, Dr Pastides says, "You can be prescribed a hormonal pill (norethisterone) that you take in a specific way in order to delay your period. This pill is not a contraceptive, so it doesn’t protect you from getting pregnant and you’ll need to use extra protection, like a condom."
She adds that it's usually advised to be started 3 to 4 days before your period is due and is often prescribed as one tablet, 3 times a day. "Norethisterone is a progestogen. Periods start when the progesterone levels fall, so taking progestogen tablets will keep those hormone levels up and prevent your period from starting."
However, norethisterone doesn’t work well for everyone and may also cause side effects, including sore breasts, headaches, nausea and changes to your sex drive and mood.
The combined pill
"For those who are already on combined hormonal contraception (the pill with oestrogen and progestogen in it), it's also possible to delay or stop your period by continuing to take the pill without a hormone-free break," Dr Pastides continues.
"When you have a hormone-free break from the pill, hormone levels drop and that’s when you’ll notice a ‘withdrawal bleed’, which is sort of like a period. By not stopping the pill, the hormone levels don’t drop, and you’re likely to delay or stop your period. That said, some people will still notice some breakthrough bleeding, so it isn’t 100% guaranteed that you won’t bleed at all."
The mini pill
If you're taking a progestogen-only contraceptive pill, you cannot delay your period by taking two packets back-to-back, but you may be able to switch to the combined contraceptive pill or take another medication to delay your period. If you're not sure which type of pill you're taking, speak to your pharmacist, community contraception clinic or GP for advice.
Dr Pastides also notes that if you want to stop having periods on a longer term basis, there are contraceptive options out there which can do this – but again stresses that they must be discussed with a relevant medical practitioner. "If you aren’t rushing to delay a period in the very near future, speak to a healthcare professional about what options you can try that could stop your periods in the longer term, if that’s something you’d like."
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
