Period Delay Tablets

What are Period Delay Tablets and what is it used for?

Period Delay Tablets is a prescription medication used by women to delay the onset of a period. The active ingredient mimics the naturally occurring sex hormone ‘progesterone’.

Period Delay Tablets require a prescription, which can be obtained when you buy Period Delay Tablets online through The Independent Pharmacy using our online doctor consultation service. It is not available over the counter. Our simple health questionnaire takes just a few minutes to complete, and we can deliver as quickly as the next working day with tracked delivery and plain packaging.

Period Delay Tablets are taken three days prior to the start of your menstrual cycle, until the course is completed. A woman’s period will usually resume three days after completing the course.

You can use Period Delay Tablets to delay your period for up to 17 this will effectively completely delay your period and all its symptoms such as bleeding.

Period Delay Tablets cannot be used to stop your period once it has already started.

While Period Delay Tablets are commonly used to delay your next period, they may also be used to treat, manage or relieve:

• Heavy, painful or irregular periods
• Premenstrual tension (PMT)
• Endometriosis
• Breast cancer

How does Period Delay Tablets work?

Utovlan is not a contraceptive pill, so patients are advised to use other forms of protection if they wish to avoid getting pregnant.

Why delay your period?

Periods are healthy and a normal part of being a woman. However, there may be occasions where the timing isn’t ideal, and you’d rather it didn’t arrive when it was due.

Most women have experienced an occasion at some point in their lives where they’ve thought about delaying their period for the sake of convenience. There are no strict criteria that prevent you asking your doctor for period delay medication like Period Delay Tablets.

If you’re thinking of delaying your period, ask yourself why you want to delay it, and for how long. Period Delay Tablets is designed for one-off, occasional use to postpone your period – not for preventing periods altogether. If you’re trying to delay your period simply because it’s too painful to handle, this is a sign you should visit your doctor.

We don’t recommend ‘alternative’ means of delaying your period – such as drinking gelatin or vinegar – since there’s no evidence that either option works.

Can I use Period Delay Tablets with my contraceptive pill?

We don't normally recommend using Period Delay Tablets to delay your period if you are also taking the contraceptive pill. For more information on using your contraceptive pill to skip or delay your period, see our Period Delay information page.

Dosage

Period Delay Tablets dosage might vary depending on what it is being used to treat.

If you’re taking Period Delay Tablets to delay your period you should:

• Take one 5mg tablet three times a day
• Start taking the tablets three days before your period is due to start

Your period will usually start within three days of finishing the tablets.

Do not exceed the stated dose of your prescription. If you do, contact your doctor immediately.

Should you forget to take Period Delay Tablets, take your tablet as soon as you remember and then continue as normal, taking it at the same time every day. Do not double dose.

If you are taking Period Delay Tablets for purposes other than to delay your period (for example premenstrual tension or endometriosis), you should consult your doctor for dosage information.

Side Effects

Menstruating is a healthy and normal part of life for many people. However, sometimes there may be times or occasions when you’d prefer not to have your period — such as if you’re going on holiday or taking part in a sporting event.

In these circumstances, taking period-delay tablets like Period Delay Tablets can delay the onset of your period. But are there any Period Delay Tablets side effects that you need to know about first?

It is best to look into any new medicine you are thinking of taking so that you know what to expect when using it, including any possible side effects you may experience as well as the positive results you will benefit from.

In this section, we’ll be taking a closer at the side effects of Period Delay Tablets that you need to know about, including more common side effects, more serious effects and allergic reactions. Read on to find out more (or you can just skip to the side effects here).

Summary list of Period Delay Tablets side effects

All medicines have the potential to cause side effects, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will. Side effects can vary from person to person, even when taking the same medication. Side effects will not necessarily affect everyone who uses a treatment either.

Period Delay Tablets are generally well tolerated by the body, and side effects are usually rare. Most users will not experience Period Delay Tablets effects at all.

However, it’s worth being aware of the possible side effects of Period Delay Tablets just in case you encounter them.

Here is a summary list of the known Period Delay Tablets side effects:

• Breakthrough bleeding or spotting between periods
• Unexpected or unusual vaginal bleeding
• Changes in vaginal discharge
• Breast pain and tenderness
• Milky discharge from the breast (when not pregnant or breastfeeding)
• Headache
• Mood changes such as depression, confusion, nervousness or euphoria
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping
• Changes in sex drive
• Lack of concentration
• Confusion
• Nausea or being sick
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Abdominal pain
• Dry mouth
• Acne
• Increase in body or facial hair
• Hair loss
• Fluid retention and bloating
• Weight gain
• Change in appetite

As you can see, the possible side effects of Period Delay Tablets are not generally serious or dangerous.

The likelihood of experiencing any of the above side effects will vary from user to user; what one individual may encounter could be completely different from another. However, you are unlikely to have a negative experience with Period Delay Tablets.

Generally speaking, if you are using Period Delay Tablets to delay your period for a week or two and you experience side effects, it will only be for a short time and they will stop once you have stopped taking the tablets.

If you are using Period Delay Tablets for a longer period of time to treat any other conditions such as endometriosis or heavy periods and you are worried about side effects continuing, speak to your GP about your options.

More common side effects and symptoms

The most common Period Delay Tablets side effects are changes in your period such as irregular bleeding or spotting, headaches or feeling sick. These side effects may affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 users.

These more common side effects do not usually need medical attention — they are just a result of your body adjusting to the changing levels of hormones.

Serious side effects and symptoms

Serious side effects of Period Delay Tablets are very unusual but they may happen.

Period Delay Tablets have been linked to an increased risk of blood clots in the blood vessels, which can lead to a number of more serious dangers to health, including stroke (a blood clot in the brain) and deep-vein thrombosis (DVT).

Look out for any of the below symptoms of these more serious side effects including:

• Having an unusually severe, sudden or long-lasting headache
• Feeling faint or dizzy
• Fainting or collapsing
• Any part of your body feeling weak or numb
• Sharp chest pains
• Coughing up blood
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid heartbeat
• Difficulty speaking
• Sudden problems with your eyesight (impaired vision or eyesight affected in any other way)
• Pain, swelling, tenderness, discolouration or heat in the lower legs

Tell your doctor straight away and stop taking the tablets if you notice any of these unlikely but serious symptoms.

You should also consult a medical professional if you experience:

• Yellow skin or the whites of your eyes turning yellow (jaundice) — this could be indicative of liver or gallbladder problems
• Migraine-like headaches that appear for the first time

If you have been taking Period Delay Tablets and you are concerned about any side effects you are experiencing (particularly if they feel severe, long-lasting or painful), then you should consult a medical professional for further guidance.

If you feel like your symptoms are dangerous or life-threatening in any way, you should call emergency services.

Allergic reactions

A serious allergic reaction to Period Delay Tablets is very rare, but it can happen.

You should stop taking this medication and seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction:

• Difficulty breathing or talking
• Breathlessness
• Wheezing
• Tightness in the chest or throat
• Feeling faint
• Severe dizziness
• Swelling (particularly in the face, tongue, throat, hands or feet)
• Any skin irritations such as rashes, or skin that is itchy, red, swollen, or blistered

These are the symptoms of a serious allergic reaction and you should treat this as an emergency and seek immediate medical attention.

Warnings and precautions

Taking Period Delay Tablets can be a useful aid, but it isn’t necessarily suitable for everyone. Before you start taking Period Delay Tablets medication, read the following warnings to check that none of them apply to you.

You should not take Period Delay Tablets if:

• You’re allergic to the active ingredient or any of the other ingredients
• You are or could be pregnant
• You have ever had unexplained vaginal bleeding that wasn’t a period
• You have a family history of blood clots or DVT
• You’ve ever had a heart attack or angina
• You have liver problems
• You had jaundice while pregnant
• You have pruritus
• You have porphyria
• You suffer from any of the following:
  • Epilepsy
  • Migraine headaches
  • Asthma
  • Heart problems
  • Kidney problems

Hormone-based medicines like Period Delay Tablets slightly increase your risk of developing a blood clot in the leg, lungs or brain. However, this risk is compounded if you:

• Are very overweight
• Have systemic lupus erythematosus
• Have had a blood clot before (or it runs in the family)
• Are immobile or recently had major surgery
• Have had more than one miscarriage

Drug interactions

If you’re taking any of the following medicines, as the effect of Period Delay Tablets may be altered. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking the two together:

• Epilepsy medication
• Antibiotics
• HIV antiviral medicines
• Anticancer medicines
• St John’s Wort
• Aminoglutethimide
• Ciclosporin
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• High blood pressure medication

Period Delay Tablets and pregnancy

Hormonal medicines like Period Delay Tabletsn should not be taken while pregnant, as they can affect the developing baby. Period Delay Tablets is also not a contraceptive, therefore other precautions must be taken if you do not plan to get pregnant. If you wish to take Period Delay Tablets while breastfeeding, consult your doctor for advice.