Would You Give Up Your Period?
Is there anyone who really loves getting her period? I mean, I don't know any women who jump up and down with joy, yelling "Menstruation is AWESOME!" Well, unless you had a little pregnancy scare, but that's another post for another day. All in all, while the miracle of life is great and being a woman is totally fantastic, sometimes I think we'd all like to tell PMS, cramps, tampons, heavy bleeding and bloating to take a hike. Well -- now you have one more option for possibly doing just that. This week the FDA approved the birth control pill Lybrel for continuous use, the first time a birth control pill has been given the all clear for indefinite daily dosage. You can find a little bit more about the back story here on iVillage Total Health, but there's a clear divide between those who would jump at the chance of bidding periods adieu and those who are a bit wary of the possible ramifications of stopping the monthly cycle. What about you?
This dilemma is being considered from all sides on the In the News message board:
"I am on depo provera, which is a shot i get every 3 months. I have completely lost my period with this drug and I love it. I don't understand why anyone would complain!?""I haven't read any data that indicates what the long term effects are from taking this med. I would be concerned about a simulation of menopause to the body or some sort of side effect that would mimic that long term. But, the thought of not having a monthly period would be lovely."
"Between 1950 and 1990, breast cancer incidence rates increased 52.3 percent before leveling off in the 1990s. (National Institute of Health). I've always wondered if bc pills played a part in this increase. I wonder what further "advancements" in bc will do to our daughters in 30 or 40 years."
The ladies on the Birth Control message board are a bit more welcoming of the idea. Here's what they're saying:
"As soon as it's generic, I'll be on it. I'm on generic Seasonale right now. I'm trying to take it non-stop.""Women have been extending their cycles on conventional 21/7 dosing regimen pills for years with no problems. As far as I know it is completely safe."
So would you opt to put a full stop on periods? Or is this a case of fooling around a bit too much with Mother Nature? Let me know what you think! Meanwhile, I have to figure out what I'm going to do with all my stockpiles of Midol.
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I think this is a great idea... in concept. But I can't help but think this is yet another area where we're screwing around with something that has a purpose and a natural reason for being - sometimes I think we should just leave things alone and not try to "fix" so much.
At this point, since Aunt Flo has overstayed her welcome (arrived in March and has only left for a few days here or there thanks to her buddy Endo), I would GLADLY take that pill if it meant not having to deal with feminine hygiene products anymore. It would be odd, but it would be a welcome relief at this point. However, I would only do it IF they could guarantee me I wouldn't suffer some horrific consequence like cancer or something. I know that a friend of mine did Depo shots eons ago and then learned later in life that it was because of the Depo that her baby daughter died, the result of a birth defect created as a side effect of years of Depo. I have no intentions of having any more children (had my tubes tied 6 yrs ago), but the other possible side effects are something I still would have to be certain wouldn't come back to bite me in the butt later, all for the sake of convenience now.
I know I'll be in the minority, but I honestly don't mind getting my period. I am a current BC pill user and I would not switch to something to stop getting a period altogether. This may be just me, but getting good old AF each month just lets me know that all is well. I am, however, more apt to use something that made me miss a couple of periods a year -- but not all of them. Fooling with Mother Nature that much seems a little scary.
Oh you betcha! I'd be out buying white pants tomorrow.
Yikes, yet another instance of us messing with nature. I can understand where women would want to do this every once in a while for special occasions such as honeymoons or vacations but terminating a menstrual cycle indefinetely? Just doesn't sound natural to me.
I would try this. I would think twice though if I was even considering having another baby as there's no guarantee a female's body would begin working properly (and safe enough for a baby) when you need it to.
What really amazes me though is that we'll ponder these things more than the vaccines we're signing our kids up for.
I would love this in theory, but I don't like taking pills. That's why I'm not already taking birth control pills. I also do wonder a little bit about putting those hormones into your body.
I'm so opposed to dumping chemicals into my body for birth control purposes - no way would I do this. Now, back in the day when I had 14 day periods, I probably would've been all over it. But not now.
Never, never, never would I take this. It's too new, the long term side effects aren't known. Really, this can't be a good thing health-wise.
How completely at odds with living a greener lifestyle, which is where our focus should be in this age of global warming and drowning polar bears. Does no one remember that "it's not nice to fool Mother Nature?"
I suppose every woman is apt to jump at this opportunity on some level. Periods suck. Period. And they are just another topic of ridicule when it comes to the male gender. As a few of my guy friends quote (I can't remember where it is from): "I don't trust anything that bleeds for 5 days and doesn't die." Sure, it is a defining feature of our sex, but is it welcomed? Certainly not. I suppose I can't say for sure what this new product means for me. It seems like a risk, just from what people are saying. What are some of the possible side effects? Until I know, I'm not messing with my cycle.
While I hate it when my period appears, there's a reason women have them! IT seems too much like messing with Mother Nature to me.
I don't think I would take the pill to get rid of all my periods. It has a purpose - other than to drive me crazy. I don't even get the shots that limit periods to every few months. I'd be too afraid of side effects. Or problems that could develop and be overlooked because I don't have a period at all. Besides how would you know right away if you got pregnant - and what would accidental use of the pill while pregnant do to the fetus? I just don't think it's a very good idea. And just because it's FDA approved doesn't always mean it is safe enough to consume.
I think its a great idea and would love to get on it. I'll have to wait until the generic form comes out. The only issue I have is, what if I happen to get preggers? How long before I figure it out since the one major indicator isn't coming around?
I saw something about that on the news last night. Dunno, it seems so not natural to take a pill to stop what is a natural process of being a woman. I understand discomfort and such, but it just seems as if to do that would be going against nature. I dunno. For me, a pill would seem wierd, but what about people who have hysterectomies all the time to stop fibroids or an escpecially heavy period that has to do with fibroids. It's one of those iffy things. But I did find this funny: "I don't trust anything that bleeds for 5 days and doesn't die."
Me again from above. Oh, not comparing hysterectomies with this new pill thing at all as these are chemicals that we have yet to know of the side effects. And besides, it doesn't guarantee total stoppage.
i'm on a birth control pill that is supposed to make the period shorter, but for me i just don't get one at all. sounded like a blessing until i realized how much i relied on that monthly affirmation that i was not pregnant. every once in awhile i'll freak out (or my boyfriend will) and i'll take a pregnancy test. However, even with the constant paranoia, i still prefer to take this bc pill as i have had less side effects than with any others
Anytype of hormone that interferes with a the natural menstral cycle is scary to me. We menstrate for a reason and I bet 15 to 20 years from now, women taking these pills which stop the cycle will have some form of ovarian cancer.
BAD IDEA! Women have been going through this biological process for THOUSANDS of years. Who are we to mess with it? The vagina is one of the two self-cleaning organs- periods happen for a reason! Also- the potential long term effects/effects to babies are completely unknown. As another poster said- it's not very smart to mess around with nature...goodness knows what the consequences will be.
No, I wouldn't take it. I'm not even on birth control...
I have a love/hate relationship with my menstrual cycle. I'm out for about 12 hours the first day due to pain, but afterwards I'm okay and life goes on. Yoga has helped tremendously with the length of my period and has also alleviated menstrual cramps. As much as I hate having my period, it's also a time when I feel very connected to the universe. Strange concept, perhaps, but I just feel more connected to everything at that time.
Also, at my age, having a regular menstrual cycle is a good way to check whether I'm entering peri-menopause or not!
I am at the stage mine are farther apart and I am missing many months so would not bother, but even if I was getting them regularily I think I would wait until they have shown years of data saying that there is no negative side effects from this.
My periods are less than wonderful, and it puts my sex life on pause for four days, but if I were on a birth control that took them away, there'd be no monthly confirmation that I've once again escaped pregnancy.
Also, messing with my body that severely scares me.
I feel that this no period pill is a great idea, but there isn't enough data saying what the long term effects are. I want those facts before I'd even consider recomending this to anyone.
I have severe endometriosis, so my menstrual periods are excruciatingly painful. Additionally, the monthly bleeding causes internal scarring for me, and I get horrible hormonal migraines. No more aunt flo?? I'd jump at the chance to go on these pills!!!!
Research has shown that there is no real need for women to shed a certain amount of blood monthly- it actually does more bad than it does good eg. increasing the risk of anemia. I have a bc shot every two months and have stopped my period all together. Not only do I save an amazing amount of money on feminine higiene products (which gets taxed higher than cigarettes of alcohol), I also have no pms! Beat that.
Strangely, I would be against giving up my cycle. There's something that is, as
said, appealing with the notion of not messing with Mother Nature. The ebb and flow of a woman's life, feelings, rhythms and basically how we approach life is tied into nature taking its course. If we squelch the so-called "bad hormones", how we do know that we are not affecting the good ones (and, yes, there are good hormones) that allow us to express ourselves as we do in whatever we do including home and family dealings as well as career endeavors? I don't think we should look at our lot in life as all bad.