Meds for menstrual suppression

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Anyone know what drugs were given for women in combat in the Middle East for menstrual suppression? A client served 8 years as an EOD (explosives ordnance disposal, for the uninitiated--as I was until recently!) and spent weeks out in the sand with her assigned unit. She was a Marine, assigned to Army units, as I understand it.

Anyway, they gave her a medication to stop her periods, that didn't work, and she says they then gave her a shot and that worked "great." She now would like to start a family and we both have some concerns about long term effects of whatever drug or drugs she might have received. She says she wasn't told at the time and doesn't think we can get this from the military. I'm respecting her wishes and not shaking that particular tree. There is some hirsuitism (pubic type hair around her umbilicus), if that clue is helpful.

Anyone here know anything, from the little bit of detail I happen to know?

TIA--

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Specializes in ICU, ER, OR, FNP.

She's fishing huh? Well, I can't blame her. I see Vets all day that are on a fishing expedition. If memory serves me - I think estrogens and progesterone can stop or slow menses - but I'd have to break out a nursing 101 book to verify that.

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I googled military menstrual suppression drugs and such, and didn't find anything like what she described, also nothing to suggest any long term effects. What is available online, and I only am interested in scholarly sources, are what we see advertised in the popular press...

The hirsutism in combo with the "unknown" drug (military known too long for not needing the FDA's permission, etc.), makes me wonder about polycystic ovaries.

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I was in the Marine Corps for 8 yrs and have never heard of such a thing. I knew several female Marines that were on Depo shots because they liked not having a period and a few others that chose to do the thing where you take the BCP straight through and once your body adjusts, you only get your period every few months. Another thing was to adjust your placebo week to try and make it so that you didn't have your period when you were in the field.

Also, did she not copy her medical record before she got out? She should be able to request a copy, if she didn't (though it seems as though you're alluding to some secretive project that would be conveniently omitted anyway).

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First, thank you for your service. My son was a Marine and my proudest day was seeing him graduate from basic. I appreciate what you have done and who you are.

I don't know about alluding to plots. I do know that it is sometimes very hard to get medical information from the military--you may be young enough not to remember all the agent orange problems. I don't for a minute think that all information is freely available. But I don't think this client is anything special. She, however, has been trying to get her DD214 for about 8 months, inquired after two months, was told to wait, and is still waiting. She has little hope of actually getting a copy of her medical.

I'm reassured if all they used was what is generally available. I'd like to believe (really, I'd rather know) that whatever issues she may have are not related to anything but her own physiology, unaffected by anything she doesn't know about.

I'll encourage her to try to get a copy of her medical record, which she apparently did not get prior to separation. She's fairly neglectful of her own health, fortunately is very healthy, but when I noticed the hairs around the umbilicus and the dowager's hump (she is 29), further questioning brought out this business of the shots to suppress menses.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I'll look more for the cow than the zebra. :D

And thanks again for your service. My client says, it was just a job, it wasn't any big deal. But I know it was. So thank you.

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She's fishing huh? Well, I can't blame her. I see Vets all day that are on a fishing expedition. If memory serves me - I think estrogens and progesterone can stop or slow menses - but I'd have to break out a nursing 101 book to verify that.
What do you mean by fishing? She wants to get pregnant and at 29 has the s/s of a hormonal disruption that wasn't there prior to service.

Let me guess--you are male, aren't you. You know, I don't think anyone said anything about trying to get something for nothing. What a sad, sad commentary on the profession.

Note, CRF250, I am asking for clinical reasons, to help manage those s/s. Nobody is trying to get anything for nothing. I'm guessing you weren't in the military--or you would NEVER have posted this.

If you are seeing vets all day, my bet is some of them really do have something wrong. Are you on the public dole? Working at the VA maybe? Yeah, I thought so.

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Specializes in Acute Surgery/Trauma.

The drug you maybe thinking of that stops menstration is call Depo-provera....It's an injection (thick and white) a form of birth control for women who chose not to take pills or use other forms. You take it every three months and it suppresses your menstral cycle altogether....well at least it did for me..Lol! Hope this helps, you can google its side effects and adverse reactions...

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I call shenanigans.

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Specializes in Cath Lab/ ICU.

Shenanigans as in the OP is lying? Or that the OP's pt is not truthful??

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I did my share of field duty during my 20 year stint in the military and never once heard of menstrual suppression drugs being given. The topic never came up, even when discussing going to combat areas.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Obtain your medical records? Mine were very detailed.

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Interestingly, there are NIH articles about menstrual suppression in the field and particularly in battle situations, which is where my client was.

Most people in the world may lie some of the time, but why would I come up with this here? I'm surprised at the responses I have gotten--accusations of fishing and lying. I came with a reasonable question, posed with trust.

As for suspicions that something might have been used in order to stop menses during battle which might not be approved by the FDA, that's in the literature too, and not just from the paranoid fringe. Again, a seriously and intelligently posed, responded to with insults. Shenanigans and fishing indeed.

Thanks a bunch.

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