# Is there a way I can shorten the length of my period? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 16, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822 "2013-04-16T08:59:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dragongirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@dragongirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragongirl)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822/1 "2013-04-16T08:59:57Z")
My birthday is this weekend and I got my period this morning. I looked on google but it on ly talks about birth control pills. My doctor cant give me anything but progesterone only pills due to my age. Any ladies out there have any other ideas? ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822/2 "2013-04-16T09:19:46Z")
I might be wrong, but I don’t think you can, unfortunately. Going on the pill might shorten your period - it does for me - but the current one that has started I think you’re stuck with. Hope I am wrong, but I doubt it. I don’t see why you couldn’t have a lovely birthday all the same, though. Or does it cause you pain/fatigue? Because I think a doctor could help with those aspects. ---
**Author:** ![JLRogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@JLRogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JLRogers)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822/3 "2013-04-16T09:25:36Z")
Try a comma instead. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822/4 "2013-04-16T09:37:41Z")
Some hippie-type women claim that using pads or menstrual cups instead of tampons shortens their period but I don’t see why that would be true and I’ve never noticed it. Can’t hurt to try though, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822/5 "2013-04-16T10:04:58Z")
> [@Blackberry](#): > > Some hippie-type women claim that using pads or menstrual cups instead of tampons shortens their period but I don’t see why that would be true and I’ve never noticed it. Can’t hurt to try though, I guess. I can’t say for sure if my mooncup shortens my period, because although it has become shorter since I started using it, that could also be age or nutrition or something. However, it definitely helps with mental cramps - the one time I lost my mooncup my pain came straight back. So that could help. You can also have some types of sex while wearing one, if that’s the concern. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822/6 "2013-04-16T11:02:24Z")
Tried the vacuum? Okay, _don’t_, but I sometimes wish I could… ---
**Author:** ![si\_blakely](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@si\_blakely](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/si_blakely)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2013, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-i-can-shorten-the-length-of-my-period/655822/7 "2013-04-16T11:59:57Z")
Go faster and closer. 😉