Do not care for the crimson wave
June 27, 2007 10:08 PM Subscribe
I'm going back on the pill again and wondered what the best course of action is...
A few months ago, I underwent surgery to remove uterine fibroids. Since then my cycles have been virtually pain-free. But what I really want now is to skip periods.
The gynae prescribed Ortho Novum and I'm getting the generic variant (Necon). He also mentioned that even if I didn't have my period, I could start the pill right away and skip the inactive pills after the 21 days. It's been about 2 years since I last took the pill (Yaz) so I'm a bit fuzzy on how it all works.
Is it better to wait to start when I have my period (which will be in 2 weeks)? Is there a great deal of difference in waiting?
A few months ago, I underwent surgery to remove uterine fibroids. Since then my cycles have been virtually pain-free. But what I really want now is to skip periods.
The gynae prescribed Ortho Novum and I'm getting the generic variant (Necon). He also mentioned that even if I didn't have my period, I could start the pill right away and skip the inactive pills after the 21 days. It's been about 2 years since I last took the pill (Yaz) so I'm a bit fuzzy on how it all works.
Is it better to wait to start when I have my period (which will be in 2 weeks)? Is there a great deal of difference in waiting?
Response by poster: Point taken, Twiggy. I did ask him these questions as he made out the prescription. According to my gynae, I could take the pill right away and that the only difference there'd be would be I wouldn't be on a Sunday start schedule. Then I went home and read the insert and freaked out. I'll ask again, but I was hoping to hear from someone who is taking the pill specifically to skip periods for their experience.
posted by sweetlyvicious at 10:41 PM on June 27, 2007
posted by sweetlyvicious at 10:41 PM on June 27, 2007
This is a good article from Salon dealing with the issue. Basically the "period" you get while on the pill is not a period at all, it has nothing to do with ovulation (you don't ovulate at all on the pill, obviously). It's just a weakening of the uterine lining caused when the level of artificial hormones in your body drops. I haven't had a period in two years, and I don't plan on having one again until I decide to have children. Anyone who tries to tell me that it's unnatural or unhealthy can go jump in a lake. I understand the risks of hormonal birth control and I don't think that skipping a week every month is going to affect those risks one way or another, and for me, the freedom from the nearly debilitating pain that I experienced every month (usually for more than a week) more than justifies it.
posted by cilantro at 11:13 PM on June 27, 2007
posted by cilantro at 11:13 PM on June 27, 2007
Having done exactly what you're doing, I say start whenever you want. It makes no real difference, except that you won't have your period in two weeks. So unless you're just dying to have one last period, go nuts and start now. (The same caveats apply regarding the 7-day wait before full effectiveness, though.)
posted by stefanie at 12:31 AM on June 28, 2007
posted by stefanie at 12:31 AM on June 28, 2007
I've heard a physician (ob/gyn fertility specialist) give a very in-depth lecture to a group of nurses on this topic. His explanation was almost exactly the same as cilantro's above.
An interesting bit of history he gave was this . . .
When the pill first came to market, it didn't have the placebos in the packaging. Patients all freaked out because they didn't have a way to tell if they were pregnant or not - so the doctors/pharmacists made the placebo containing formulation to give women a period (and reassurance).
He went on to reiterate this fact several times to this group of nurses and assured them that it is perfectly healthy to not have a period - at all.
That said, if you plan on being sexually active, it's not a bad idea (my opinion) to get the reassurance [of not being pregnant] that this period offers. Doing so might allow you to stop your bc sooner if you became pregant.
Hope this helps.
posted by stuboo at 3:05 AM on June 28, 2007
An interesting bit of history he gave was this . . .
When the pill first came to market, it didn't have the placebos in the packaging. Patients all freaked out because they didn't have a way to tell if they were pregnant or not - so the doctors/pharmacists made the placebo containing formulation to give women a period (and reassurance).
He went on to reiterate this fact several times to this group of nurses and assured them that it is perfectly healthy to not have a period - at all.
That said, if you plan on being sexually active, it's not a bad idea (my opinion) to get the reassurance [of not being pregnant] that this period offers. Doing so might allow you to stop your bc sooner if you became pregant.
Hope this helps.
posted by stuboo at 3:05 AM on June 28, 2007
My vague memory was that they had you wait until you have your period so they can be 100% sure you're not pregnant right now, is all. Like, I once got offered the choice of waiting or taking a pregnancy test.
Although, I can't say for sure if that was for the pill as opposed to some other birth control. Hmm.
My guess is that you get the pill cycle initially somewhat in line with where your natural cycle was, you're a bit less likely to see breakthrough bleeding. If you're planning on skipping the inactive weeks anyways, it doesn't matter at all when you start.
posted by wyzewoman at 4:16 AM on June 28, 2007
Although, I can't say for sure if that was for the pill as opposed to some other birth control. Hmm.
My guess is that you get the pill cycle initially somewhat in line with where your natural cycle was, you're a bit less likely to see breakthrough bleeding. If you're planning on skipping the inactive weeks anyways, it doesn't matter at all when you start.
posted by wyzewoman at 4:16 AM on June 28, 2007
Best answer: I just wet back on the pill two months ago mid-cycle without a problem. After months of freaky and irregular periods, I just didn't want to wait around until the next time I happened to menstruate- which could have been in three days or three months- and just wanted to get back on the pill already. I didn't experienced any unusual side effects- not even the usual signs of starting the pill, such as nausea or breast tenderness- and things are right back on schedule period-wise.
I can't give a definitive answer to the question of whether it's ok to skip the placebo pills altogether, but the feedback expressed coheres with what I've been told by health professionals. Also, you may want to wait it out for your body to adjust to the new pill and see what kind of cycles you have. Since the pill makes your periods lighter and reduces the side effects associated with menstruation (indeed, many people who suffer from severe menstrual cramps take it solely for this purpose) you may find that OrthoNovum minimizes your periods to the point where you no longer bleed. This was the case with several pills I'd been on in the past, and I went a good two years or so without any periods. I asked several different gyns and NPs about it to confirm that nothing was awry and was repeatedly assured that your body doesn't "need" to have a period (assuming the missed periods aren't the sign of a problem such as having PCOS, which, if you're on the pill, they're clearly not, or being underweight).
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 6:17 AM on June 28, 2007
I can't give a definitive answer to the question of whether it's ok to skip the placebo pills altogether, but the feedback expressed coheres with what I've been told by health professionals. Also, you may want to wait it out for your body to adjust to the new pill and see what kind of cycles you have. Since the pill makes your periods lighter and reduces the side effects associated with menstruation (indeed, many people who suffer from severe menstrual cramps take it solely for this purpose) you may find that OrthoNovum minimizes your periods to the point where you no longer bleed. This was the case with several pills I'd been on in the past, and I went a good two years or so without any periods. I asked several different gyns and NPs about it to confirm that nothing was awry and was repeatedly assured that your body doesn't "need" to have a period (assuming the missed periods aren't the sign of a problem such as having PCOS, which, if you're on the pill, they're clearly not, or being underweight).
posted by foxy_hedgehog at 6:17 AM on June 28, 2007
Best answer: Here's what your options are, based on Contraceptive Technology, a/k/a the birth control bible.
Option 1, Quick Start: Start today. Use a back up method of birth control for seven days. This is fine to do as long as you are reasonably sure you aren't already pregnant. Your period will come during the placebo week (week four of pills, the inactive ones). If you choose to skip this week, you will not get a period. If you're worried you may have had an early pregnancy before starting the pills (for example, you had unprotected sex 1 week before starting pills, and are too late for Plan B and too early for a reliable pregnancy test result) you can take a pregnancy test 2-3 weeks after starting the pill.
Option 2, Start day 1 of your normal period. No need for back up birth control.
Option 3, Start the Sunday after your period starts (or day 1 of your period if it starts on a Sunday). Use a back up method for seven days. People sometimes choose this method because they like starting a new pack on a Sunday, and getting their period in the middle of the week versus the weekend.
What others here have said about skipping "periods" (which are technically withdrawal bleeds when you are on the pill) being ok is true. We don't have any evidence to show that it is harmful. Be aware, though, that you will probably have break through bleeding (bleeding in between periods, usually light) when you choose to skip periods. Most people find that if they allow themselves a period every 3 months, they have less spotting. I did this for quite a while on the same pill you are on (assuming you are on OrthoNovum 1/35 - there are variations), with no problems. I really liked skipping my withdrawal bleed, in fact, as I find periods inconvenient for various reasons.
posted by tuff at 7:10 AM on June 28, 2007
Option 1, Quick Start: Start today. Use a back up method of birth control for seven days. This is fine to do as long as you are reasonably sure you aren't already pregnant. Your period will come during the placebo week (week four of pills, the inactive ones). If you choose to skip this week, you will not get a period. If you're worried you may have had an early pregnancy before starting the pills (for example, you had unprotected sex 1 week before starting pills, and are too late for Plan B and too early for a reliable pregnancy test result) you can take a pregnancy test 2-3 weeks after starting the pill.
Option 2, Start day 1 of your normal period. No need for back up birth control.
Option 3, Start the Sunday after your period starts (or day 1 of your period if it starts on a Sunday). Use a back up method for seven days. People sometimes choose this method because they like starting a new pack on a Sunday, and getting their period in the middle of the week versus the weekend.
What others here have said about skipping "periods" (which are technically withdrawal bleeds when you are on the pill) being ok is true. We don't have any evidence to show that it is harmful. Be aware, though, that you will probably have break through bleeding (bleeding in between periods, usually light) when you choose to skip periods. Most people find that if they allow themselves a period every 3 months, they have less spotting. I did this for quite a while on the same pill you are on (assuming you are on OrthoNovum 1/35 - there are variations), with no problems. I really liked skipping my withdrawal bleed, in fact, as I find periods inconvenient for various reasons.
posted by tuff at 7:10 AM on June 28, 2007
Response by poster: Thank you all for the great answers. It's really taken a load off my mind. Thanks especially to cilantro and BrotherCaine for the links which I shared with my gynae today.
Happily, the doc reassured me that starting right away and not taking the inactives was okay (he specifically prescribed the Ortho Novum to help me skip periods). But the doc is a man, and thus has never taken the pill, so I wanted to hear from others who have done so. Thanks again for sharing your experiences :)
posted by sweetlyvicious at 6:56 PM on June 28, 2007
Happily, the doc reassured me that starting right away and not taking the inactives was okay (he specifically prescribed the Ortho Novum to help me skip periods). But the doc is a man, and thus has never taken the pill, so I wanted to hear from others who have done so. Thanks again for sharing your experiences :)
posted by sweetlyvicious at 6:56 PM on June 28, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
Yes, that's mildly snarky, but seriously - this is a question you should talk to your doctor about, not take advice over the internet about.
posted by twiggy at 10:20 PM on June 27, 2007