How to Encourage Your Period

20 Feb

Ever wanted your period to come early or ‘on time’ for any reason? Your period is late, and you’re having a pregnancy scare, or you’re a few days away from your holiday and just want it out the way.

If your period is delayed, or you have stopped getting it, treating the cause may help you regulate your monthly cycle.

Reasons for delayed period

Menstrual cycles are usually 21 to 35 days. Everyone is different.

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation during the reproductive years. You may have amenorrhea if you regularly have your period, but go without your period for 6 months.

Factors that can cause amenorrhea:

· Pregnancy

· Stress

· Low or high body weight

· Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

· Hormonal contraceptives

· Chronic conditions such as diabetes or celiac disease

· Certain acute illnesses

· Thyroid issues, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism

· Hormonal issues, such as those caused by the pituitary gland or hypothalamus

· Menopause

· Tumours affecting the ovaries or pituitary gland

· Chronic ovulation

Girls who haven’t started their periods by the age of 15 or 5 years after initial breast development are considered to have primary amenorrhea.

There are several possible causes of delayed or missing periods:

· Anatomical differences, such as those that can cause vaginal blockage or the absence of a vagina or cervix

· Injury to the reproductive organs, such as Asherman syndrome or cervical stenosis

· PCOS

· Elevated levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

· Hyperprolactinemia, or having high levels of the hormone prolactin

· Pituitary gland issues

Treatment for amenorrhea

As the absence of your period may be due to another condition, treatment involves first determining the cause. Once treated, your period may return.

PCOS

PCOS is a hormonal disorder that causes enlarged ovaries and small cysts. Doctors may recommend treatments including:

· Oral contraceptives or progestin-containing birth control

· Metformin (Glucophage, Riomet, Glumetza) for insulin resistance to prevent diabetes

· Weight loss

· Medications called statins to prevent or treat high cholesterol

Thyroid conditions

Hypothyroidism means your thyroid does not produce enough thyroid hormone. This can affect your body’s functions, including metabolism, and lead to weight gain, fatigue, and depression. The most common cause Is an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto thyroiditis.

Treatment for hypothyroidism can include taking thyroid hormone replacement to increase you levels.

Hyperthyroidism means your thyroid produces too much thyroid hormone. This can lead to weight loss, anxiety, and an irregular heartbeat.

Treatment for hyperthyroidism can involve medication, radioactive iodine to damage the thyroid to produce less thyroid hormone, or surgery.

Hyperprolactinemia

This can occur when you have high levels of prolactin in your blood. This hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and is involved in stimulating breast milk production.

It can be caused by antidepressant and antihypertensive medications, and health conditions, such as noncancerous tumour in the pituitary gland.

Treatment for hyperprolactinemia may include:

· Changing medication

· Medication to reduce prolactin levels, such as bromocriptine (Parlodel, Cycloset) or cabergoline

· Radiation therapy

· Surgery to remove pituitary gland tumour

· Thyroid hormone therapy

Natural remedies and supplements for amenorrhea

· Vitamin C

· Pineapple

· Ginger

· Turmeric