Soy + nexplanon

[sophie]

I was just wondering, since soya milk contains estrogen and i’ve read the lack of it in nexplanon is causing my long periods, would it be safe to drink it to potentially bring my period back to normal or would this mess with my implant/make it less effective?

[al]

Hi there sophie, and welcome to Scarleteen!

This is an interesting idea, but not one that would work too well practically. Soya milk (and other products derived from soybeans) actually contains "phytoestrogens", which are very similar but not exactly the same as estrogen. While there have been some studies conducted on using phytoestrogens as a hormone replacement for estrogen (for people wanting to shorten periods, increase fertility, or reduce hot flashes), that's been done in very specific controlled settings. You drinking liters on liters of soya milk and hoping for the best probably won't give you the results you're looking for.

However, if you're feeling down about the length/quality of your periods with Nexplanon, you might try bringing it up with your healthcare provider! As they know your medical history and treatment plan, they might have more ideas about how you could manage or even shorten the length of your period.

I hope this helps!