No more periods??
So what about this idea of getting rid of your period altogether?
A customer sent us a link to this article posted on Yahoo a few days ago.
I’m scared and sad about this supposed “trend”. While my first reaction is to get into arguing why it’s “wrong” or bad for your health to suppress your period, a deeper part of me knows that this isn’t really the point. My bottom line has always been and remains personal bodily sovereignty - in other words, if some women want to do it and it feels right to them, then I’m not going to mess with that. That said, here are my thoughts…
Let’s start with the argument that women today have “too many” periods (as opposed to in past centuries). Why do we have so many eggs, then? Not to mention that, at least in the Western world today, women are living decades longer, are better nourished and are able to choose not to have 9 children. The implication seems to be that spending half your life having babies is a more “natural” state than simply having your period once a month for about one-third of your life. There is no way that having your period beats out bearing a bunch of kids when it comes to physical exertion. It never ceases to amaze me how in our culture women’s bodies are never OK just as they are - they always need tweaking, usually of a nature that will make someone lots of money. Speaking of which, the companies that make hormonal birth control/menstrual suppression methods must be rubbing their hands gleefully at the thought of expanding their sales with this new “application” for their products.
The other dimension for me that transcends the question of whether or not it’s better to bleed or not to bleed is everything that I find fascinating about the menstrual cycle in the first place. The mystery of it, the stuff that no scientist or doctor that I know of has ever figured out, namely the connection with the cycles of the moon, tides, seasons and other such major natural phenomena. I have always loved the mystery that links me and my blood to the cycles of the entire planet - it’s so big and powerful. While I guess I’d be interested if someone were to actually “solve” it, I’m happy just to know that I’m a apart of its power and beauty. So if you’re not having a menstrual cycle, what are you missing beyond your period?
All that said, the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research has some good thoughts on the more scientific aspects of this question. Check it out, and let’s talk some more!
June 12th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
There are some interesting arguments for skipping periods, including the mention of the withdrawal periods that happen with hormonal birth control use. That said, I have been hormone free for six months, with my copper IUD, after 10 years of hormonal birth control, and I couldn’t be happier.
I don’t care that I am getting more periods than I would be not having babies most of my adult life. The trade off is so worth it. It wouldn’t feel normal otherwise.
June 30th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
I really don’t like the idea of taking something to eliminate periods all together. I just feel like we should leave our bodies alone as much as possible. I just made the switch to Lunapads so that I would no longer have to worry about the safety of disposables so a pill to eliminate periods on top of that seems ludicris. I think we shed our uterin lining for a reason and I would never want to stop doing that and let it build up inside me. It seems so creepy.
July 3rd, 2006 at 3:56 pm
I do use pills to skip periods, especially for long travels. I don’t find this an anti-menstrual position at all - I still think it’s important to have periods, of course, but the evidence might indicate that fewer periods could cut down on the incidence of certain reproductive cancers, such as endometrial and ovarian (which hormonal bc does anyways), and may help women with anemia.
There definitely needs to be testing and development of continuous bc treatments, but it’s a bit of a fallacy to say that because something is occuring naturally that it’s automatically the best option (are you not going to treat disease or wear corrective lenses because that’s nature’s way too?). If increased nutrition has caused us to have more (and more regular) periods, and if that is detrimental to our health in another way, then are we just to sit back and let nature take its course? My health is important to me, and I’d like to find the best path in this case too.
July 10th, 2006 at 4:08 am
Then there is the whole issue of where all the extra hormones are going when women are on the the hormonal birth control/menstual suppression products.
About 10 years ago when I took my B.Sc in Environmental and Resource Science one of my profs told me that the number 1 source of estrogen-like substances in municipal sewage was estrodiol from women’s birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy. There is more estrodiol in these products than the average woman can use, so the excess gets excreted from the body and ultimately ends up in the water.
Excess estrogen and estrogen-mimics in the environment is being implicated in birth defects, early puberty in girls and cancers.
Before women make the choice to supress their periods they should stop and think about those who live downstream.
July 25th, 2006 at 3:25 am
HI!
I just wanted to say that of course having you period is natural, and I want to have it sometimes, to see that I am healthy, not pregnant, etc…
But! My periods are very heavy, I loose a lot of blood and I miss school for several days. I don’t like the idea of changing my bodys habits with fake hormones. But while I’m searching for a better way, I don’t know what else to do.
kind regards
yasmin
April 16th, 2007 at 9:54 am
I have enodometriosis, which causes me to have excruciatingly painful cramps every time I have my period. I chose to stop having it by taking my bc pills all the way through (Yasmin) and I couldn’t be happier.
Not only do I not have to deal with painful cramps, but I no longer have to buy tampons or schedule any events around my period.
When on birth control, your period is ‘fake’ anyway, as you are not ovulating. After taking the pill straight through a few months of periods, your body gets the hang of the situation and ceases to produce the uterine lining that is shed during your period each month.
I highly recommend skipping periods to anyone who is thinking of it! It took a few months of random spotting, but the wait was well worth it and now I don’t even have to think about it anymore until I decide to have children!
July 30th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Kirsten - It’s unfortunately possible that when you decide to have children, your body will not co-operate as it has got used to suppressing ovulation. I think this sort of thing is happening to women using regular BC pills at the moment. They stop taking them, but many find it takes a very long time before their body is ready for conception. Just a thought that you may want to look into.
As far as endometriosis is concerned, there may be more natural ways/diets to assist in reducing its negative effects. Do an internet search.
August 16th, 2007 at 5:49 pm
OK Ladies, I did some research and here is the answer…it’s called the Novasure Ablation. It’s a procedure that DOES NOT use hormones and IS NOT a pill and DOES NOT stop ovulation or change you hormonally AT ALL!! It will greatly reduce if not stop your period. PERIOD. I am having it done on the 20th of August. It’s FDA approved and really works. However, it will NOT prevent pregnancy. My mother had breast cancer which was caused by excessive use of hormones during menopause so you DO NOT want to mess with taking additional hormones EVER in your life. Not even birth control pills! ANYTHING that stops ovulation is BAD. ANYTHING that messes with your hormones is BAD. Hormone Replacement Therapy is the first thing your Dr. will try to give you when you go into his/her office telling about all those pre-menapausal symtoms…don’t do it!!!!! Anyway, ask your OB/GYN about the Novasure Ablation. Also, go to http://www.novasure.com.
August 23rd, 2007 at 6:26 am
good luck with your procedure crystal. best of health to you.