Skipping a Period

[sssenza.livejournal.com]

This is probably a common question around here, but after browsing a little I didn't find the answer anywhere else, so I am asking:

I am on Ortho Tricyclen Lo, a low-dose triphasic contraceptive pill. I am due to start the inactive pills the day of my wedding.

I know with some pills you can just skip the 7 inactive pills and go straight to the next active pills, and you can miss your period for that month. But is it safe & effective to do this with a triphasic low-dose pill?

I have no insurance, so I'm not sure I want to schedule an appointment to go and ask my healthcare provider this question if I can get it answered elsewhere.

Thanks!

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_last_serenade_/]

i just did that, on ortho tri cyclen lo. i succesfully skipped the week that i was trying to avoid, but about a week later, i started spotting and spotted the next 2.5-3 weeks until my normal period started, and then it was extremely heavy.

so basically, if you want a period free honeymoon, give it a shot...you really have nothing to lose, since you'd bleed anyway if you didn't skip. and i'd rather have some light-medium spotting than a full on period, you know?

anyway, congratulations and best of luck! <3

[puttysan.livejournal.com]

Safe, yes. Effective? That varies to the individual. They usually recommend using a monophasic pill for skipping, so your body gets a constant level of hormones. But using a triphasic is safe, just less likely to work. Of course, people's bodies all react differently. I used regular OTC to skip several periods in a row for years, and never had any problems. No spotting, no breakthrough bleeding. Other women can't do it even with a low-dose monophasic.

Like said above, give it a shot. Worst case, you get your period like you would have otherwise.

[indreamsx.livejournal.com]

go ahead & try it, it's safe for most women (they even have the new seasonale pill that's meant for skipping periods) but i wouldn't do it too often.

[lime-pink.livejournal.com]

what makes you think it's only safe for most women... if you don't smoke, birth control pills are super low risk... and skipping the innert ones doesn't make it any less safe. I've been doing it for 2 years, and I've tried several different meds. I was on seasonale for a while... it worked well, but it's very expensive. it's not that seasonale is ment for skipping periods so much as it's marketed for it... skipping can be done with any pills. monophasic ones (like seasonale) are just best. but your doctor can perscribe any kind for back-to-back use like that.

no worries. and there's nothing wrong with doing it "often" the longer you do it, the less spotting you get, anyway.

and... congratulations on your wedding :D

[skeptictank.livejournal.com]

What do you have to lose. You're supposed to start that week anyhow, so the worst that can happen is that you'll start your period when you normally would have anyhow.

It's not like if you try it & it doesn't work like it should your arm is going to fall off or anything. ;-)

Congratulations!

[ourika.livejournal.com]

No reason not to post it here, but just so you know, if you've got a question about your medications, you shouldn't need to schedule an appointment to see them. You should just be able to call and ask the doctor (or leave a message with the nurse who can ask the doctor and then get back to you with the answer, or even, in this instance, probably just call and the nurse would be able to answer your question).