Does taking allergy medicine affect menstruation?

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In most cases, menstrual cycle changes are normal, and menstruation can begin earlier or later between cycles. However, if your menstrual cycle frequently changes, this could be due to a number of reasons, including medication use. So does taking allergy medicine affect menstruation?

1.Does allergy medicine affect menstruation?

The most common allergy medicine today is the antihistamine group. So to answer the question of whether taking allergy medication affects menstruation or not, we need to understand the relationship between histamine and sex hormones. Antihistamines (eg, Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec) have not been shown to cause significant changes in sex hormone activity and are not associated with changes in the menstrual cycle.
According to normal physiology, it is certain that there is a definite relationship between histamine and some sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in our body. However, how antihistamines affect these hormones and whether they cause menstrual irregularities is unknown. There doesn't appear to be any significant changes to the menstrual cycle, but there have been some studies on the relationship between histamine, hormones, and the menstrual cycle.
According to the normal physiology of the body, estrogen has the ability to stimulate the release of histamine from mast cells and reduce the amount of enzymes that eliminate histamine from the body. Conversely, histamine can also stimulate the production of estradiol (a form of estrogen). Scientists agree that histamine is important for normal ovulation, milk secretion, creating a suitable uterine environment for egg implantation, and regulating uterine contractions.

Although histamine is one of the important substances that affect many processes in the body, there is still a lack of evidence that the effect of antihistamine allergy medicine can cause any changes to the cycle. menstrual period.
Sure this can happen based on what we already know about histamine, but again the information is incomplete. In clinical trials of many antihistamines, there were few reports of certain side effects such as:
Dysmenorrhea; Breast pain; Menstrual disorders such as bleeding between periods. A single study that examined the effects of allergy antihistamines on menstruation found that the use of chlorpheniramine (a first-generation antihistamine) reduced total blood loss during menstruation. There are no reports regarding missed periods or effects on ovulation.
If the patient does not take more than the recommended dose of antihistamines, they will not significantly affect your menstrual cycle. Taking more than the recommended dose or combining different types can affect menstruation or not depends on each person's body, just there isn't any accurate information.
If you are looking for alternative antihistamine treatments for drug-resistant urticaria, talk to your treating doctor. The most studied antihistamines for the treatment of hives (urticaria) include:

Xyzal; Zyrtec; Allegra; Hydroxyzine; Singulair; Xolair.

2.Other drugs that can cause menstrual disorders

2.1. Hormonal Birth Control Pills Oral contraceptives or hormonal IUDs often make periods shorter and more regular. They are sometimes prescribed as a treatment for women with endometriosis, a condition that can cause heavy menstrual bleeding and very painful cramps.
However, if you are taking progestin-only birth control pills, in the early stages of using the pill, your cycle may be less regular. Some women experience bleeding between periods, which continues for several months after starting the pill. Some women even notice a missed period for a few months after stopping birth control pills.
2.2. Hormone therapy During perimenopause, hormone levels in a woman's body change greatly, which leads to unpredictable and often heavier menstrual periods. Hormone therapy (estrogen, progesterone, or a combination of the two) can help make your periods more regular, but talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.
2.3. Warfarin (Coumadin)

This is a drug that helps prevent blood clots, the biggest problem associated with that drug is bleeding. If a patient is taking this medicine and notices that the amount of menstrual blood becomes abnormally heavy or bleeds between periods, then immediately notify the treating doctor.
2.4. Aspirin and NSAIDs: Aspirin helps prevent blood clots, and doctors often prescribe it after a heart attack or stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel is blocked by a blood clot. However, if you take aspirin regularly, you may notice that your periods are heavier or last longer than usual.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including ibuprofen and naproxen have been shown to have the opposite effect, they can make periods lighter.
2.5. Thyroid medications Thyroid is considered a gland that produces certain hormones. When the gland does not produce enough hormones, it is called hypothyroidism, which can lead to irregular periods. A medicine used to treat hypothyroidism. called levothyroxine (Levoxyl, Synthroid) helps replace the normal hormones made by the thyroid gland, and it can cause changes in a woman's menstrual cycle.

2.6. Antidepressants Researchers have found that some women who take antidepressants regularly experience menstrual disturbances such as painful cramps, heavy bleeding, or missed periods as a side effect. It's more likely that irregular periods will persist for the first 3 months after starting the pill, but tell your doctor right away if your periods don't return to normal after that.
2.7. Epilepsy Medicines Studies of women with epilepsy and taking antiepileptic drugs have shown that many of them frequently experience missed periods, menstrual irregularities, or changes in the length of their cycles.
2.8. Chemotherapy Cancer treatment with chemotherapy can cause your periods to become irregular, irregular or heavier than usual, or even stop your periods altogether. If the patient is under 40 years of age, the cycle will likely start again after the chemotherapy treatment is finished.
If the patient is not taking more than the recommended dose of an antihistamine, most allergy medications will not significantly affect your menstrual cycle. In addition to allergy medications, some of the above medications can also affect your menstrual cycle. Therefore, to ensure health, patients need to have regular health check-ups and strictly follow the doctor's instructions for using drugs.

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Reference source: webmd.com, walrus.com