Saying Goodbye to "That Time of the Month?

   By drodriguez  Sep 14, 2008
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Next month the Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve a new birth control pill that eliminates the period year round as long as it is taken daily. People in the health profession as well as consumers have begun to debate over whether this new pill should be approved.

The issue has even motivated one woman, Giovanna Chesler, to film a documentary concerning menstrual suppression called “Period: The End of Menstruation?” The issues currently being discussed are the unknown long-term effects of this pill as well as the idea that eliminating this natural human function seems wrong somehow.

A New York Times article reports that the company intending to put Lybrel on the market has done studies indicating that almost 2 out of 3 women they spoke with showed interest in eliminating their menstrual cycle. The professor who conducted these studies, Linda C. Andrist explains that women in this day and age are “too busy” for their periods.

One other issue that has been brought up is the idea that a woman’s natural period can alert women to underlying health problems by becoming irregular. If a woman takes a pill that does away with her period she is also giving up this natural warning system making it more difficult to treat or detect problems early on.

On the upside, this new pill is expected to make life a lot more manageable for the many women who suffer from extreme physical and mental stress during their monthly cycles.

Would you as a woman and consumer consider taking Lybrel to eliminate your period? 

Do you think your monthly cycle is an important part of being a woman or do you feel it’s an unnecessary inconvenience?

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Comments
chudgins3 by chudgins3 | Orofino, ID
May 21, 2007

I completely agree that messing with nature is wrong! We have our periods for a reason! Though I find it highly inconvenient at times, I would not go through with something that would permanently end my period.

rusty2rusty by rusty2rusty | DEFIANCE, OH
May 20, 2007

My period has always been irregualr and when I do have one. IIt is often very painful and so heavy that I bleed throu in less than an hour. It makes it real hard to hold a job that way. i would love to be able to take a pill to make it go away for good. No more bloating, pms or pain. I'm all for it.

chocolatesatie by chocolatesatie | great neck, NY
May 20, 2007

I would never consider this! While I have painful cycles and it frustrates me when it comes during "inconvenient" times, it is still scary to completely do away with it. It's frustrating that media and such make periods such a horrible and disasterous thing when it is completely normal to have them.

lockliss by lockliss | lake grove, NY
May 19, 2007

It would be nice to be in control of when you get your period. I could see going a few months without it here and there, but to never get it would not be good.

momandally07 by momandally07 | Prospect Park, PA
May 15, 2007

I would like to be able to control WHEN I get my period, but I think eliminating it entirely could be dangerous. If scientists could come up with something that simply pushes us back a few days until we are ready for it, that would be OK by me!

sharman421 by sharman421 | TALLAHASSEE, FL
May 14, 2007

This is idiotic! I wonder what would happen if there was a male pill to make him sterile 12 months out of every year! Why don't scientists start working on that one? Having a cycle is part of being a woman. It may not always be convenient when your period comes, but it comes for a purpose and will end permanently soon enough. We need to stop playing with nature.

lshauntea by lshauntea | Linwood, PA
May 14, 2007

I would love not to have to deal with my periond no more. But I have a hard time taking my birth controls bills now being a full-time mother and having a career, I know for a fact that I would not be able to take the pills on time every day. What are the side affects.

cmckinney by cmckinney | Collingdale, PA
May 12, 2007

I agree with stopping the menstrul cycle if it is medically necessary. I have personally had Lupron injections and didn't have a period for 10 months, however I don't think that this new pill should be given strictly as a matter of convenience.

wendys by wendys | Buena, NJ
May 12, 2007

I suffered with painful periods and PMS for years. I think this would be good for some people who medically need it for a limited period of time. I do not think this should be perscribed for convenience factor at all.

katenotsogreat by katenotsogreat | browns mills, NJ
May 12, 2007

i personally think it is great for some women. i was on birthcontrol nonstop for two years due to re-occuring ovarian cysts & endometriosis so for me it was healthy. But there are many women who would just take it for convenience therefor it wouldnt be such a good idea for them. im in the healthare field also and a period is healthy for some women.

sharon1953 by sharon1953 | apple valley, MN
May 11, 2007

I,personally;dont think this is a good idea. It sounds more like a convienence pill to me. I;m in health care. Now,yes;I agree that with some women and other health care issue this might be the only way to go. I feel there should be a good screening tool for doctors to use before prescibing this medication.

tacofreak1984 by tacofreak1984 | Mount Laurel, NJ
May 10, 2007

Like some of you, I take Depo-Provera. I haven't had my period for three years. Also having bipolar disorder, not having PMS every month helps me manage my disorder much easier. For those worrying about bone density - take a calcium supplement. Because of the harsh side effects of my normal medicine, I take Centrum Silver to combat the hair loss and a huge benefit of that is the larger amount of calcium in the supplement meant for older (and post-menopausal) women.

missy1954 by missy1954 | nettie, WV
May 10, 2007

I really think that God gave us women periods for a good reason and if we take a pill to stop it we are going pay for it in the long run. I think it's stupid to try to get out of period.

mybunnyslipperz by mybunnyslipperz | Shenandoah, PA
May 10, 2007

I am also get the Depo Provera shot every 3 months, which completely rids me of my period and its very painful side-effects. I suffer from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and a disease called Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) which is highly impacted by hormones. Since taking the Depo Shot, my hormones don't fluctuate as much every month and I don't end up with painful cramps, headaches and as many flare-ups from HS. If I did not have a way to "Play God", then I would continue to be in agony each and every month when I got my period.

While I understand that menstruation is a natural process, there are some of us who opt to do away with it for medical reasons. The side-effect of not having a period every month is just a bonus.

While I do love my depo shot, I do worry about the bone density issues associated with it. In essences, taking the depo shot is like forcing your body into menopause - which comes with bone deterioration. If this new pill could do away with the bone density issues, I'd certainly consider it - after having researched everything else about it.

kamaiki by kamaiki | pearl city, HI
May 10, 2007

I HAVENT HAD A PERIOD SINCE I HAD MY DAUGHTER IN NOVEMBER 2005. I DO SPOT EVERY NOW AND THEN BUT IT IS REALLY LIGHT AND I DO NOT GET CRAMPS OR BLOTING AND ALL THAT. I AM ON THE DEPO SHOT WHICH IS EASIER THEN TAKING A PILL EVERYDAY I JUST GET A SHOT EVERY THREE MONTHS. BUT I WOULD CONSIDER THIS PILL IF IT WAS ON THE MARKET.