Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with BCP

Early period while on BCP--best choice to minimize the bloodbath

not that girl — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:01:28 -0800

Period starting a week early on Seasonale: your best educated guess about whether I should skip the sugar-pill week or not? This is my first 13-week cycle on Seasonale. I already had 18 days of heavy bleeding, tapering to spotting in the last few days, beginning in late June. Now my period has started with a week yet to go of the active pills, after several days of spotting. I see myself having three choices:

1. Given that my period has started, make this my sugar-pill week and then start the next 13-week packet of pills.

2. Keep taking the active pills and take my sugar-pill week as scheduled.

3. Keep taking the active pills and then start the next 13-week packet immediately, without a break.

I am interested in minimizing the suffering and blood, especially the blood. I've been having epically long periods with heavy heavy bleeding and flooding at roughly 24-day intervals for a long time. Regular 28-day BCP stretched my cycle to 28 days, but my period always started during the last week of active pills and lasted 8-10 days. My doctor and I are trying Seasonale in the hope that I can finally get some relief.

I know this is hormones speaking but (weeps quietly) I am just so tired of bleeding all the time and I want to make the choice now that will minimize this period that has just started.

How long does it really take to start working?

Bakuun — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:31:27 -0800

I've heard everything from needing to wait one month, to going through 3 packs of BCP before it becomes effective (if you don't start the first during your period). I'm about to start my second pack of Yasmin on Sunday, and with all the conflicting answers being thrown at me I'm confused as to when condoms can finally be put aside. Sure, I can wait through several more months. But I don't want to, y'know? Must I really? (Will you confuse me too, mefi?) In a committed, long-term relationship, pregnancies have been discussed and agreements formed, so everything is covered on those bases. Not interested in using the pill and condoms at the same time indefinitely, even as I'm aware of the increased statistical protection :) I know you guys care!

Migraine with aura + birth control = stroke??

Mr Bunnsy — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 13:32:58 -0800

What's the real deal with hormonal birth control and migraines? Internet says there are stroke risks, my doctor(s) say not to worry. Asking for general info from anyone who'd done research on this, not specific medical advice. I've had occasional migraines since around puberty. They'd go something like this: trouble focusing my eyes, severe headache and vomiting starting about an hour later and lasting for up to 12 hours. In college they got more frequent, I'd have one every few weeks.

After I went on birth control pills, the frequency decreased but the migraines changed. I would only get about one or two a year, presenting like this: glimmers in my vision for 30-45 minutes, then difficulty talking/reading (like aphasia) for another 30-45 accompanied by medium headache, then general weakness, trouble concentrating and feeling like crap for the rest of the day. No nausea, and if I took Imitrex while still in the visual aura stage, I'd go directly to the generally feeling crappy stage with no other symptoms.

I would also get mild migraines (slight headache & brain fog, especially while looking at a screen) around my period.

A doctor at the university health center mentioned that migraine with aura puts me at increased risk of stroke, but my regular gynecologist told me the risks were negligible. My gynecologist after college said the same thing, and when I mentioned the mild menstrual migraines, encouraged me to take low-dose BCPs continuously with no periods. He also suggested I visit a neurologist to check up on the migraines w/aura.

I saw a neurologist with a very good reputation as a migraine specialist. He did the usual exam, and when asked about BCP, said the studies are old and with the new pills the risks are negligible unless there are other risk factors or a malformation in the blood vessels in the brain. He sent me for an MRI just to be sure, and said my MRI looked great. (I was not on the pill at the time of MRI due to an insurance screw-up, I went off for about three months.)

Back at the gyno, I inquired about a longer-term method such as IUD due to some lifestyle changes in the future, and my concern about the risks of hormonal birth control. He again dismissed any risks, and advised against IUDs because of my (young) age. He suggested I try the Nuvaring, which I am on right now.

All is well so far, but is my brain going to be turned to mush by a stroke at some point? I love the pill and ring otherwise - no periods, no mild migraines and very infrequent severe migraines controllable by Imitrex, no acne... But obviously I don't want to risk a stroke.

Generic Birth Control Pill?

Miko — Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:42:49 -0800

Generic brands of the Birth Control Pill: Are they really as terrible as I'm hearing? I'm on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, and I love it. It actually makes me feel better than not being on a pill at all -- smooth mood, soft skin, lots of nice effects. I have no problems with it whatsoever.

....Except that it's costing me $50 a month. My insurance covers only a few dollars of the prescription price. I know there are generics for this pill, but in the Googling I've done, I've encountered only stories of the negative variety. Seems as though people notice a big difference when they switch to generics. This concerns me, because I'm happy with the way my body's working now, and if a cheaper pill would cause problems, it's not worth it.

I'm seeing my GYN in a week and will of course ask her, but I wanted to gather some reports from the field, as well.

Opinions on Yaz BC?

barrakuda — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 09:05:38 -0800

I am just about to start using bcp for the first time in my life. My gynie prescribed Yaz, which I understand is quite new. Has anyone here been on it? Any comments, impressions, advice?

isql and bcp

joecacti — Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:41:06 -0800

MS SQL Server Filter: I'm supporting a pretty old process that loads data into and out of SQL Server 6.5. The process uses isql and bcp from a SQL Server 2000 installation. Is there anywhere I can download these utilities for free, perhaps as part of a "SQL Server Client" tool? I have searched the M$ website...