# Getting rid of menstrual cycles--a poll! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 28, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813 "2007-05-28T19:12:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/21 "2007-05-28T21:16:50Z")
I wouldn’t do it. It seems too unnatural to me; how do I know I’m functioning properly if I don’t get my period as nature indended? I’m 33. While I’m not a huge fan of my period, I’d rather get it than not; I’d worry. I recently went off the Pill, partly because my periods were disappearing and it was rather worrying. Now they’re back like they were–and so is my libido. I’ll take that trade. ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/22 "2007-05-28T21:20:51Z")
I’d get rid of them in a heartbeat, and often do skip them with my NuvaRing when I’m not sexually active. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/23 "2007-05-28T22:24:45Z")
[QUOTE=dangermom] I wouldn’t do it. It seems too unnatural to me; how do I know I’m functioning properly if I don’t get my period as nature indended? I’m 33. While I’m not a huge fan of my period, I’d rather get it than not; I’d worry. I recently went off the Pill, partly because my periods were disappearing and it was rather worrying. Now they’re back like they were–and so is my libido. I’ll take that trade. [/QUOTE] If you were on the pill, you already weren’t getting your period as nature intended. [http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=81291](http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=81291) “The pill shuts down your normal hormone production and replaces it with a very tiny amount, so there is no buildup of the uterine lining,” says Goldstein, a professor at NYU Medical Center in New York City. Without a lining, there is no shedding, so the bleeding that occurs when you stop the pill is a “withdrawal bleed caused by a drop in hormones” I just don’t understand all the excitement - a lack of a “normal” menstrual cycle has been very common with women on the pill for years. I thought more people knew that monthly bleeding during the placebo pill week wasn’t really a period. Not picking on Dangermom…had a couple conversations with female coworkers as well, just find it really interesting! Now, opting to skip hormonal birth control due to libido issues - definitely valid!!! ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/24 "2007-05-28T22:25:17Z")
I’m 36 and my tubes are tied, but one of the things I most miss about the pill is the ability to manipulate my periods. It was great to know that I could just skip that placebo week if I was going on vacation, or had some event I didn’t want to be bleed through. I’d be thrilled to never have another period. I’m eagerly awaiting menopause, but since my \*mom \* still hasn’t gotten there, I’m not expecting it any time soon. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/25 "2007-05-28T22:35:49Z")
[QUOTE=Glory] If you were on the pill, you already weren’t getting your period as nature intended. [/QUOTE] Well, I knew that; it wasn’t at all the same. But it was, at least, still _there_; I knew everything was operating pretty much OK. In the last year, however, it was disappearing, and that made me nervous. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/26 "2007-05-28T22:38:19Z")
I’m 31. I don’t like the idea much – why mess around with something that ain’t broke, particularly when you don’t know what the long-term effects might be? But then, I don’t especially like the idea of hormonal birth control to begin with, which probably makes me a certified weirdo. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/27 "2007-05-28T23:08:26Z")
Count me among the “good riddance” crowd. I’m 48 and have periods that must be taken into consideration when planning my schedule. They are not inordinatley painful but extremely heavy. Between making sure I have adequate stashes of supplies at work, in my car, in my purse, etc., and planning my wardrobe, I would be very happy to not have that bother any more, not to mention the low iron levels. ---
**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2007, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/28 "2007-05-28T23:58:13Z")
I’m 20, and I say the hell with bleeding. I see absolutely no reason for it - if I was on the pill and thought there was a risk of pregnancy, I’d take a pregnancy test. Much, much more tolerable than the long list of ‘oh god kill me now’ symptoms I get every month. I eagerly, eagerly await the day when hormonal birth control is available without a prescription (the nurse I have free access to won’t hand it over without a “full exam”, and I’m not about to let someone I don’t know go pawing around down there.) ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/29 "2007-05-29T03:00:56Z")
I’m 36 and chose the Mirena IUD specially for the no/greatly reduced period side effect. More convienent than scheduling an appointment for a Depo shot every twelve weeks and a really small hormone dose _and_ I can get rid of the period?! Sold! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/30 "2007-05-29T03:09:28Z")
I can’t believe I’ve lived this long and never heard of a diva cup (even though I’m a guy). How successful are they? The concept doesn’t look foolproof. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/31 "2007-05-29T03:13:11Z")
[QUOTE=NinjaChick] I’m 20, and I say the hell with bleeding. I see absolutely no reason for it - if I was on the pill and thought there was a risk of pregnancy, I’d take a pregnancy test. Much, much more tolerable than the long list of ‘oh god kill me now’ symptoms I get every month. I eagerly, eagerly await the day when hormonal birth control is available without a prescription (the nurse I have free access to won’t hand it over without a “full exam”, and I’m not about to let someone I don’t know go pawing around down there.) [/QUOTE] How well do you have to know them? You really should have regular, full checkups…especially if you are sexually active. I have a girlfriend who was already diagnosed with cervical cancer at your age, and you know it’s important to have early detection. If the only medical care you can afford is this free nurse, you really should let him/her give you regular pap smears. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/32 "2007-05-29T03:21:21Z")
My #1 fear in life (other than my dog suddenly dying, I guess) is fear of pregnancy. I have heard one too many stories (one was enough) of people having kids while on the pill. It freaks me out enough to put a damper on my sex life. I use the pill, occasionally condoms, and the “rhythm method” (I don’t trust sex w/o condoms during my most fertile time of the month). So, that being said, I will always have my period until I can get something tied or removed or whatever. To me, “risk of pregnancy” means “having had sex at all” so taking a pregnancy test every time I have sex is way out. I don’t mind any side effects of some sort of “no period pill” - I have a girlfriend who hasn’t had a period since she was 12 or something, because she is on that sort of pill cycle - and I hate my period as much as the next girl but I am just way too uptight to think I would not be lucky enough to fall into that .3% of failure rate. ---
**Author:** ![MissGypsy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@MissGypsy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissGypsy)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/33 "2007-05-29T03:35:14Z")
I am one of the few who got pregnant on the pill, at a time when I had deliberately “skipped” a period because we went on vacation, so it was difficult to determine when I got pregnant. Not having any periods would make me a trifle nervous; I’ve since had my tubes tied (cauterized, actually). I’m 36, with kids who are 5, 2 and 1, and I still get nervous if I’m a day or two late. It seemed I used to get pregnant every time my husband looked at me. ---
**Author:** ![Telperien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Telperien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperien)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/34 "2007-05-29T03:43:47Z")
[QUOTE=Magiver] I can’t believe I’ve lived this long and never heard of a diva cup (even though I’m a guy). How successful are they? The concept doesn’t look foolproof. [/QUOTE] There have been lots of threads about them here, as many Doper ladies are enthusiastic users. Due to physical properties of the vagina and the cup itself (as far as I can tell), in most women, the Divacup stays right where it should when inserted properly. I keep forgetting to order one myself, so I can’t speak from personal experience, though. If you run a search, you will find way more Divacup threads than you could possibly ever need. Literally, since you are a guy. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/35 "2007-05-29T03:44:37Z")
We put ours out by the curb on Tuesday mornings. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/36 "2007-05-29T03:45:46Z")
40 - I’ll be getting rid of mine the old fashoned way shortly. I’m not sure what getting rid of them earilier would do for menopause. My mother had estrogen replacement therapy linked endometrial cancer - at my age and with that behind me I’m a little shy of hormone therapy. And for something as “not terribly inconvient” as what my period has become in my old age, not worth the risk. (Couldn’t stand the Diva cup - and I really wanted to - I cramp horribly when anything touches my cervix, and after three periods spending my time not walking well (or when I could, lying in bed and whimpering) and reinserting trying to get it right (the most comfortable I got was “I could walk upright”) - I gave up. ---
**Author:** ![Zjestika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/8edcca/32.png) [@Zjestika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zjestika)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/37 "2007-05-29T04:01:56Z")
I skip my placebo pills, and have 3 periods a year about every four months. Oh, no, wait, that’s what I tell my gynocologist. I actually have about one a year. I don’t know if that’s bad, but my understanding is that the period while on the pill is not real, so why have one at all? I’ve been doing this for almost 5 years. It works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/38 "2007-05-29T04:06:03Z")
The only reason I didn’t go the all pill all the time route was my insurance would only pick up 12 Rx’s a year. I would do it for vacations in squat-toilet lands. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/39 "2007-05-29T04:06:24Z")
[QUOTE=ZipperJJ] My #1 fear in life (other than my dog suddenly dying, I guess) is fear of pregnancy. I have heard one too many stories (one was enough) of people having kids while on the pill. It freaks me out enough to put a damper on my sex life. I use the pill, occasionally condoms, and the “rhythm method” (I don’t trust sex w/o condoms during my most fertile time of the month). [/quote] I’m confused - if you’re taking the Pill, when is your “most fertile time”? Not that I’m ragging on you (pardon the pun!) for doubling up methods, I think that’s wise. It’s just that if you’re on the Pill, there is no more or less fertile time - anytime during the month you skip or are late or have malabsorbtion of the Pill from diet, illness or pharmaceutical interactions has the potential for triggering ovulation - week two is no more or less risky than week three. > [@](#): > > So, that being said, I will always have my period until I can get something tied or removed or whatever. To me, “risk of pregnancy” means “having had sex at all” so taking a pregnancy test every time I have sex is way out. Or you could just stock up on HPT’s from the dollar store and take one on the first of each month, if you wanted. You’d know by the second month of pregnancy, just like us bleeders. I don’t do well on hormonal birth control, which is the only reason I won’t eliminate my periods (again, that is. Depo-Provera did it for me for a few years before I said “enough!”). I think NOT having monthly periods is the safest, most “natural” treatment of the uterus, as \*\*Telperien \*\*already said. But the hormonal manipulation to get my body to do it without being pregnant or breastfeeding just doesn’t work for me. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813/40 "2007-05-29T04:55:01Z")
Approaching the end of my period-bearing years, I’m not all that comfortable with it. I’m sure it stems from my ancient family doctor telling me in the 70’s that a woman’s body _needs_ to have a period every so often to maintain hormonal balances. He’d take me off the pill for (iirc) a month every 3 months. If I were young, though, I think I would certainly consider it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-rid-of-menstrual-cycles-a-poll/405813.md?page=3)