TikTokers Are Using This Pain Med To Stop Their Period — And Doctors Have Thoughts

Experts weigh in on the viral hack and whether the common over-the-counter pill can really lighten or halt your period.

TikTok is known for oft-questionable health and fitness advice, such as claims that a dietary supplement is “nature’s Ozempic” and that a “parasite cleanse” is necessary for everyday health.

And now a recent viral TikTok video claims that if you combine Jell-O, lemon juice and ibuprofen, you can delay or stop your period. Many people online say that they have done this, claiming that it really did stop their period for a few hours or even days. But is this legit?

Dr. Karen Tang, a board-certified gynecologist and the author of the forthcoming book “It’s Not Hysteria,” replied to the TikTok trend with a video of her own in which she said the period-stopping tip isn’t totally wrong.

“Ibuprofen and other medications in that family of the NSAIDs — nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — work to decrease period bleeding and cramping by decreasing the production of something called prostaglandin. Prostaglandin is something that acts like a hormone, and it causes uterine cramping,” Tang told HuffPost. “So, the less the cramping, the less that you’ll actually shed blood.”

In fact, NSAIDs are a standard treatment for painful and heavy periods, Tang noted.