Period Delay

Yes! Having your period on a special occasion like a wedding, whilst sitting exams or on holiday can be inconvenient and frustrating. Fortunately, there are now ways to delay menstruation easily, safely and effectively for over two weeks by keeping your progesterone levels high through the use of the prescription-only pill Norethisterone.

Period delay tablets work by causing a delay in your menstruation until you stop taking the tablets at which point your usual cycle will resume. Using Norethisterone tablets is a great way to get some control over your body at a time when the last thing you want is your period. It simply and easily enables you to relax and enjoy your time without the pain, discomfort or annoyance of your period. Other tablets that help control periods are provera which contains the active ingredient medroxyprogesterone and utovlan which is the branded version of norethisterone.

Periods are sometimes delayed naturally or accidentally. A change in routine, stress, illness, certain medications, weight problems and even excessive workouts can all lead to delays in the onset of menstruation. Missed periods can be a sign of pregnancy too. However, it is also possible to prevent a menstruation on purpose by turning to specific treatments including the use of the contraceptive pill or introducing the active ingredient Norethisterone into your body which is specifically used to delay the onset of your period.

It is easy to use the contraceptive pill to delay menstruation and if you are already on the pill you can do this straight away without any issues to your health. The only downside to using contraceptive pills to delay your period is the higher potential for breakthrough bleeding.

If you are already taking a combined contraceptive pill, you may have the option of taking two combined pill packs back to back. How you do this will depend on the type of combined pill that you are on.

• If you are taking a monophasic 21-day contraceptive, simply start a new pack of pills immediately without having the seven-day break in between.
• If you are on an everyday pill, you should miss out the seven inactive pills at the end of your current pack and start the active pills in a new pack instead.
• It is a little more complicated if you are on a phasic pill because the mix of hormones in your tablets will vary according to the phase you are in. You can ask your doctor which pills you are able to miss out in order to postpone menstruation.

When you need to decide to go period free, the period delay tablets will delay your period for up to 17 days following which your menstrual cycle will return to normal within 3 days. 

Each Norethisterone tablet contains a synthetic version of the female hormone progesterone. It works by keeping your levels of natural progesterone up, thus stopping your womb lining from shedding and therefore delaying bleeding.

To achieve the desired result and increase your chances of avoiding the possibility of spotting or breakthrough bleeding you should start the treatment no less than three days before your next period is due. You will then need to take three tablets per day for the duration of the treatment. Most women find that their periods are delayed until they choose to stop taking the tablets which come in either a 7 or 17 day, period delay tablet pack.

Once you stop taking Norethisterone, you can expect to experience menstruation returning within two to three days.

It is important to note that even though it is prohibiting your natural cycle it is not the same way a contraceptive and as such it should not be used to prevent pregnancy.

Generally speaking women taking Norethisterone is perfectly safe and will not affect their fertility in the future if they wish to fall pregnant. It is designed to be used on a short term basis and it should not be over used as a means to delay your periods. If you are looking for a way to delay your period more often or even altogether there are other options such as the Mirena coil and the progesterone only contraceptive pill, also known as the mini-pill.

As Norethisterone is prescription only you will have to speak to either your GP or fill out a questionnaire and be assessed by one of the doctors at Click Pharmacy before buying your treatment pack. They can ensure that Norethisterone tablets will be safe for you to use as a means of delaying your period.

It would not be safe to take Norethisterone when pregnant as the hormones can cause harm to the baby's development. If you think you may be then ensure you take a test first or visit your GP for advice before buying a prescription.

No, you cannot get period delay tablets over the counter in the UK. Period delay tablets are prescription medications. You can get them legally if you have a doctor approved prescription. You can contact Click Pharmacy and fill out a short medical assessment form. Our prescriber will then prescribe the medicine most suitable for you.

Period delay tablets are meant to postpone menstruation temporarily. They are not a form of contraception and do not help prevent pregnancy. You will need to take contraceptive pills if you wish to avoid pregnancy after taking period delay tablets. If your period does not return within 3 days of leaving the period delay tablets, contact your doctor in case you are pregnant.

In terms of affecting your period, there should be no issue with your period restarting within 2 to 3 days after you stop taking the pills. Side effects whilst taking the tablets, though uncommon, could include:

• headaches
• dizziness
• rashes
• itching
• nausea
• acne
• libido changes
• depression

More serious side effects could include:

• fluid retention
• migraines
• thrombosis

As such it is important to speak to a doctor before deciding whether this is the right treatment for you and your body.

Click Pharmacy offer Norethisterone for any woman looking to delay their period on a short term basis. If you would like to find out more about the treatment and whether it will be appropriate for you to take, or if you have questions about this health issue more generally, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team. Our specialists are on hand to answer any queries you may have and you can contact us by phone or email for a free, private appointment.