Women’s Health
Period Delay Treatment
Going away, getting married, or have an event you would rather not have your period for? Speak to us in good time.
- Booking
- Book at least a week ahead
- Age
- Adults 18 and over
- Setting
- Private consultation
- Timing
- Start before your period is due
About this service
There are times when having a period would be genuinely inconvenient, whether that is a holiday, a wedding, a sporting event, an exam or a competition, and it is reasonable to want to move it. At Berkeley Pharmacy we offer private period delay consultations for women who have a specific event coming up and would rather not have their period at the same time, with no need for a GP appointment.
Period delay treatment works by keeping hormone levels steady so that the lining of the womb is not shed at the usual time, and it is supplied under a Patient Group Direction after a consultation and assessment. Treatment is normally started around three days before your period is due, taken regularly each day, and continued for as long as you want the delay, up to a maximum period that we will explain to you. Your period usually arrives two or three days after you stop. Because it needs to be started before your period is due, timing matters, so please come and see us with time to spare rather than the day before you fly. If you already take a combined contraceptive pill, you may be able to run packs together instead, which is often simpler and costs you nothing, and we will tell you if that applies to you. Period delay treatment is not a contraceptive and does not protect against pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
What period delay treatment is and how it works
Period delay treatment works by keeping hormone levels steady so that the lining of the womb is not shed at the usual time. By maintaining those hormone levels for as long as you take it, the treatment holds off the bleed until you stop, after which your period usually arrives two or three days later.
It is supplied under a Patient Group Direction, which means a pharmacist can assess you and supply it without a separate prescription from your GP, following a consultation. Treatment is normally started around three days before your period is due and taken regularly each day for as long as you want the delay, up to a maximum period that we will explain to you. It is intended for a single event rather than for delaying periods long term, and it is not a contraceptive, so it does not protect against pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections.
Who this service is for
Suitable for
- Women aged 18 and over who want to delay a period for a specific event
- Holidays, weddings, honeymoons and festivals
- Sporting events, competitions and expeditions
- Exams and important work commitments
- Anyone who has used period delay before without problems
Not suitable for
- Pregnancy or possible pregnancy, and breastfeeding
- A personal history of blood clots in the leg or lung, or a known clotting disorder
- Certain liver conditions
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding that has not been investigated
- Some hormone-sensitive cancers
- Certain other medical conditions and medicines, which we check at your consultation
- Under 18s
- Anyone wanting to delay periods long term rather than for a single event, who should speak to their GP
How it works
A simple, consistent process for every service at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Get in touch
Call us or use our contact form to arrange a consultation.
Consultation
A private, face-to-face appointment with our pharmacist in our Berkeley consultation room.
Clinical assessment
We review your medical history and confirm whether the service is suitable for you.
Treatment or referral
If it is suitable we treat you the same day; if not, we explain why and advise on the best next step.
What to expect at your appointment
Your consultation is private and takes about 15 minutes, in our consultation room with no one else able to hear. We ask questions only because they matter clinically.
- A private consultation in our consultation room, taking about 15 minutes
- Questions about your cycle, when your next period is due, your medical history, your current medicines and whether you could be pregnant
- A clear explanation of when to start, how to take it and when to stop
- Where suitable, supply on the day
- Clear written instructions to take away
- With your consent, a note to your GP
Aftercare and safety
Start at the time you have been told, as starting too late will not work, and take it regularly each day without skipping doses, since breakthrough bleeding is most likely if doses are missed.
- Start at the time you have been told, as starting too late will not work
- Take it regularly each day and do not skip doses, as breakthrough bleeding is most likely if doses are missed
- Some people notice breast tenderness, headaches, bloating, nausea or mood changes, which settle after stopping
- Expect your period two or three days after your last dose, and expect your next cycle to be a little different from usual
- Keep using your normal contraception, as this treatment does not prevent pregnancy
- Get urgent medical help for calf pain or swelling, chest pain, breathlessness, sudden severe headache or visual changes
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance do I need to come in?
Because treatment needs to be started around three days before your period is due, timing matters, so please come and see us with time to spare rather than the day before you fly. We recommend booking at least a week ahead so there is time for the consultation and for you to start at the right point in your cycle.
How long can I delay my period for?
Treatment is continued for as long as you want the delay, up to a maximum period that we will explain to you at your consultation. It is intended for a single event such as a holiday, wedding or exam rather than for delaying periods long term, and anyone who wants to delay periods regularly should speak to their GP about a more suitable ongoing approach.
When will my period come after I stop?
Your period usually arrives two or three days after your last dose. Expect your next cycle to be a little different from usual, and if your period has not returned within a few days or you think you could be pregnant, get in touch with us or your GP.
Does period delay treatment work as contraception?
No, period delay treatment is not a contraceptive and does not protect against pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections. Keep using your normal contraception while you are taking it, and we will talk this through with you at your consultation.
What if I am already on the combined pill?
If you already take a combined contraceptive pill, you may be able to run packs together instead, which is often simpler and costs you nothing. We will ask about your current contraception at the consultation and tell you honestly if that applies to you, so you do not pay for something you do not need.
Will it affect my next cycle?
Expect your next cycle to be a little different from usual after using period delay treatment. Most people find their cycle settles back to normal fairly quickly, but if your periods do not return to their usual pattern or you have any concerns, come back to us or speak to your GP.
How we can supply treatment without a GP appointment
Some treatments at Berkeley Pharmacy are supplied under a Patient Group Direction, or PGD – a written instruction, signed by a doctor and a pharmacist, that legally allows our trained pharmacists to supply and administer specified medicines to people who meet defined clinical criteria, without a prescription from your GP. If you do not meet the criteria set out in the PGD we cannot supply the treatment, and we will explain why and advise you on the best next step. Our pharmacists also work as independent prescribers where that is appropriate.
Serving Berkeley and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages
Berkeley Pharmacy is on Market Place in the centre of Berkeley, with easy access from junctions 13 and 14 of the M5. We welcome patients from Berkeley, Sharpness, Newport, Berkeley Heath, Alkington, Ham, Stone and Rockhampton, and we are a short drive from Cam, Dursley, Slimbridge, Cambridge, Falfield, Charfield, Tortworth, Cromhall, Oldbury-on-Severn, Wotton-under-Edge, Thornbury, Frampton on Severn and Stonehouse. Patients also travel to us from Stroud, Nailsworth, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Tetbury and Gloucester.
Safe, regulated care from your local pharmacy team
- Berkeley Pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can check any pharmacy or pharmacist on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org.
- Every consultation is face to face and private, in our dedicated consultation room – not an online questionnaire.
- Serving the Berkeley community for over 25 years.
- This service does not replace care from your GP. With your consent we will inform your GP of any treatment provided. If you are unwell, have new or worsening symptoms, or need urgent care, contact your GP or NHS 111, and in an emergency call 999.
- If you experience a side effect from any medicine you can report it through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.
Page last reviewed: September 2026. Next review due: September 2027.
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Find out moreSpeak to our pharmacy team about period delay treatment
Visit us in Berkeley or get in touch to arrange a private consultation with our pharmacist.
Book a consultation Call 01453 810316
Address
14 Market Place, Berkeley, GL13 9BB
Opening hours
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (closed 1–2pm)
Sat 9am–1pm
Sun Closed