Changing Your Cycle : Is it safe?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-25-2004
Changing Your Cycle : Is it safe?
1
Sat, 12-25-2004 - 10:03pm

I've been planning my upcoming cruise for months, but recently realized my period will fall the same week - restricting me from doing many activities I had planned. I asked a girlfriend who is very experienced in cruises and says whatever her period comes durring her cruise, she goes to her doctor and gets a shot that prevents her from having her period.

She recommended this to me, but I was unsure of how safe it really was. I am not on birth control, and my cruise is a few days short of a month from now. Is there a safe way I can speed up or delay my period from coming?

My cruise will last 7 days, and it should be starting on the 2nd or 4rd day. I'd appreciate any advice or suggestions you could give me. Thank you! And Happy Holidays!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sun, 12-26-2004 - 12:05am

Hi ooalysonoo welcome and Happy Holidays!

Ask your doctor about a regimen of progestin pills (such as Provera or Aygestin) to delay your period. SCUBA divers often use them to reschedule their periods around dive trips and they seem to work well for most of them. These are 5mg tablets not the contraceptive progestin-only-pill which has a much lower, 0.35mg dose. Or, a shot might also work for you. Ask your doctor what s/he would recommend.

What most of my friends use are norethindrone tablets like Aygestin. You can look up what a drug advisor says about Aygestin to see if it is something you are willing to take. For example, see:
http://www2.eckerd.com/content.asp?content=pharmacy%2Fdrugadvisor&cookie%5Ftest=1 Let us know what you and your doctor decide and how the method you selected worked for you, ok? I hope you have a great cruise!

Good luck,

      Jill