Every time I talk about traditional Chinese medicine, readers ask, "Can I take this medicine during my period?" There are indeed some contraindications during menstruation, especially for certain Western medicines with known effects, such as aspirin. Aspirin inhibits platelet aggregation, and if you happen to have a cold or fever during your period, taking this medicine might cause heavy menstrual bleeding. However, this isn't a major problem; the symptoms will subside after the drug is metabolized. But you should be aware that you're more susceptible to colds during menstruation due to lower immunity, which could lead to needing aspirin. Understanding this will alleviate any concerns. Also, there are hormonal medications. Since menstruation is regulated by hormones, hormonal medications, especially estrogen and progesterone, should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor during menstruation. Other hormones, such as those used to treat hyperthyroidism or diabetes, do not directly affect menstruation.
In traditional Chinese medicine, caution is needed when using blood-activating and stasis-removing herbs, especially for those with heavy menstrual flow due to blood heat and qi deficiency that prevents blood from being contained. Herbs like safflower, peach kernel, notoginseng, and chuanxiong, which have blood-activating effects, should be used with caution, but not avoided entirely. Sometimes, even if used, they are not harmful; the body's hemostatic function should not be underestimated. Furthermore, some women experience heavy menstrual flow due to blood stasis. In such cases, to activate blood and stop bleeding, the stagnant blood must first be removed, but this must be done under the guidance of a doctor.
It is common sense to keep warm during menstruation, and the same applies to medication. Cold and cooling medications should be used with caution, at least before menstruation. For example, large amounts of heat-clearing medicines, or those containing Phellodendron bark or Anemarrhena rhizome, should be used with caution by people who are already weak and cold.
As for other tonics, such as Buzhong Yiqi, Liuwei Dihuang, and Renshen Guipi, they generally do not affect menstruation. However, medications with particularly high heat properties should be used with caution during menstruation, because a person's resistance is low during menstruation. At this time, even the slightest disturbance can have a greater impact than usual, and excessively warming medications can also be a stimulus to the body. Especially if you don't yet understand your own constitution, it's best to try them after menstruation, when the body is at its normal state.
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