You can often delay your period for a wedding, exam or holiday if you talk to a doctor early. You don't need a special reason: wanting fewer periods is enough, and gynaecologists are happy to help. The best option depends on which contraception you use.
Will lemon, vinegar or salt water help?
No. There's no science behind them: none of them affects your hormones enough to stop a period. Painkillers won't stop it either. Some people suggest taking lots of vitamin C at once, but that can give you stomach pain and diarrhoea, right when you least need it.
So what does work?
On the combined pill, you can put off the bleed: skip the break or the inactive pills and start a new pack straight away. How exactly depends on your type of pill, so check with a doctor or pharmacist. The ring and patch can be used this way too, but ask your doctor first.
If you don't use hormonal contraception, a doctor can prescribe separate tablets to delay your period. You start them at least 3 days before your period is due, and bleeding usually starts within 3 days of stopping. They don't prevent pregnancy, so use protection such as condoms.
On the mini pill, the implant or a hormonal IUD, you can't control the date yourself: bleeding on them has a mind of its own. It's still worth asking a doctor. If you take the mini pill, they may suggest switching to the combined pill for a while. Don't change your pill routine without a doctor. And don't borrow hormonal tablets from a friend: they aren't safe for everyone.
What if you'd rather not move it?
Then get ready so the date stops being scary. Pack extra pads or tampons, spare underwear and the painkiller that works for you. It works best taken at the first sign of your period, before the pain builds up.
Change tampons every 4 to 8 hours and never leave one in longer than 8. At a long event, find the toilets early. Often the scariest part is being caught off guard. The forecast in your calendar helps with that, though it can't promise the exact day.
Common questions
Is it even safe?
If the combined pill or ring suits you, skipping the bleed is safe, and the lining of the uterus doesn't build up. The separate delay tablets aren't right for everyone, so a doctor decides based on your history.
Will delaying it mess up my cycle?
Bleeding usually starts within about 3 days of stopping, though timing varies a little. And taking the pill back to back doesn't affect your fertility later.
There are two days left. What can I do?
On the combined pill, there may still be time: ask a pharmacist or doctor how to skip the break with your pills. The separate delay tablets need at least 3 days, so it's probably too late for them. In that case, pack a kit: extra supplies, spare underwear and a painkiller.
My period has already started. Can I stop it?
No, a period can't be stopped once it has started. You can plan ahead for next time, though.
In short
- Lemon and herbs won't move your period
- Ask a doctor about delaying well ahead of time
- Take your painkiller at the first sign of pain
Source: NHS SPS: Choosing a medicine to delay periods
Educational content; it does not replace professional medical advice.