Just one more day...

October 7, 2010 10:07 AM

I need to delay my period using Ortho Tri Clycline LO. Help!

I take Ortho Tri Cyclen LO - it is a low hormone tri-phasic pill. Just today as I'm popping my pill I realize that I'm due for my period Monday, which is when I have my yearly exam. I really can't reschedule it because I'm traveling to see my gyno and I had to book this 3 months in advance. I have enough pills of each of the 3 phases to get me through the weekend. What is the best pill combo to take from today on to delay my period till Tuesday? (i just took a phase 3 pill this morning).

Things I don't care about: I can bleed for five centuries straight afterwards, I just can't have my period during the exam. I frequently get abnormal pap smears so I would prefer to not have my period and get an accurate reading. I am not concerned with accidental pregnancy as I intend to refil my Rx and just continue on schedule as normal starting the sunday after my period starts.

Please help me!

posted by WeekendJen to Health & Fitness (4 answers total)

I think you would want to take a blue pill (the heaviest dose) each day, all weekend.

But, IANAG, and if it were me I would just call my gyn's office and ask the nurse which pill to take. They don't want to reschedule you either, or do an exam during your period, and they will know best which of three phases you need based on your body type, past history with BC, etc.
posted by pineapple at 10:13 AM on October 7, 2010

Looks like your pill has the old-school week of "inactive" green pills... what you experience during that week isn't a "period", per se. AFAIK (and IANAD, TINMA, YMMV), here's what to do:

- Take all pills UP TO the green pills in the pack.
- Instead of taking the green pills, immediately begin your next "normal" pack of pills (which should start with "active" pills).
posted by julthumbscrew at 10:15 AM on October 7, 2010

It looks like The Well-Timed Period (blog about skipping periods/withdrawal bleeding this way) suggests taking the heaviest-dose pills from a new pack instead of this pack's placebos, to delay by a week.
posted by needs more cowbell at 10:21 AM on October 7, 2010

I agree with the advice to call and ask your doctor/nurse. That said, I have successfully skipped a period on a tri-phasic pill by just starting the new pack without taking the green pills. You're more likely to have breakthrough bleeding when doing this with a tri-phasic pill, but I never had a problem. If you're only looking to delay a week, then the advice above to take the heaviest dose pills seems right.
posted by thejanna at 10:25 AM on October 7, 2010