Constant BC Pills

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

I know this has been discussed before, but I'd like a check-in from the women experiencing it.

A few doctors have suggested putting me on BC pills constantly to reduce the frequency of my periods. The idea is that if I take BC pills all the time, and never take the placebo, I will not have a period, and thus avoid the associated pain. They want to reduce the frequency of my periods to twice a year at most.

Some women here have mentioned undergoing this treatment- can I get a check-in from you? How is it affecting your life today? What sort of side effects do you notice? How do you feel?

Comments

[ellison.livejournal.com]

That's interesting! I've heard about that before, and wondered the same thing. That would be truly convenient, but I wonder how it affects the body? Just a note: When I started birth control pills, just plain taking them made my periods lighter and much less painful. Before bc pills, my cramps were so bad I'd just lie in bed all day and cry. I love bc pills!

Re:

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

I'm really torn about bc pills. I havbe known a few women who had really nast side effects from them. On the other hand, for some women, they really make periods bearable, and mine are unbearabel. i do a lot of lying in bed and crying :(

Actually, I am terible at taking pills, so I don't think bc pills are a good choice for me, but I'm wiling to try almost anything these days.

[ellison.livejournal.com]

How are you with shots? Lunelle is an injectable form of birth control -- same results with making periods more bearable, lighter, less crampy, etc, but without taking any pills. You have to go in to see your doc once a month and get a shot, and that's all it takes. It could be worth looking into for you. It's probably at least worth a try, right? Good luck! :-)

Re:

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

Hm, I might try it. I wonder how I could get it to make sure I don't menstruate, though. It sounds better than Depo, though- boy, have I heard some horror stories! And depo lasts for three months.

Depo

[mpeace.livejournal.com]

Depo is freaking evil - I can recommend some links and Yahoo groups for you to read through before you make a decsion to take it. And last I heard (late 1999) Lunelle was not approved for use as a birth control method... even though it is commonly advertised that way... In fact, the only thing I could find out it was approved for was cases of prostrate cancer!

I was on Depo for 6 1/2 years - there's a whole long story of why that is considering the problems I've had with it but it boils down to doctor after doctor insisting it wsn't the Depo causing my problems. I recently ran across some message boards and found tons of other women who sounded just like me. And Depo was our common factor.

My new gyn said she hates it and would never suggest it to anyone, in fact, she tries to talk them out of it.

I just started the pill again. I took it before I did Depo, no problems that round so I'm optimistic for this round. :)

I didn't get my period on Depo at all. My belly is swelled up and I look like I'm pregnant. (I've actually been asked when I'm due... I went from a size 8 to a size 14.) I hope getting off of Depo will let me finally start losing this weight I gained on it... because it was impossible while on it - and I worked out 4 time a week with a personal trainer in addition to sticking to a healthy diet.

OK, I will cease ranting now... Anyway, you might ask about just taking the pill as normal rather than skipping the placbeo week and going to a new pack. When I took the pill before (and I took it then for about 6 years...) my periods were far lighter and less crampy. If that doesn't do the trick, then you might give more thought to the continous chomping of the pill. ;)

-Michelle :)

[ailbhe]

I had horrific periods until I went on the pill. Then, about six months later, my bleeding went down to a normal rate, I stopped fainting, and my periods maxed out at 7 days long. I still had a period every month, but that was better than every fortnight.

I suffered no side effects that I noticed, but that could have been relief from not being in constant pain. I stayed on the pill for 5 years or so, I think, not sure, and stopped taking it about 3 months ago. Periods are quite bearable now, even off the pill.

Re:

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

I've heard of using conventional doses of bc pills as a treatment, but that's not what my doctors have suggested. It's a possible second though.

What my doctors want to do is put me on constant bc pills, so I only have a period every six months or so. Some women have said that after skipping the first period, they feel bloated and pms-y until they have one.

If I really have to, I'll do it, but I'm trying ot handle it with dietary changes.

NO NO NO NO NO NO

[ex-ending606.livejournal.com]

Your uterus can only hold so much!! You need to have one period every three months! You feel full and crampy and you have breakthrough bleeding ... just don't, okay? trust me. go on BC, skip the placebo sometimes... not all the time.

Re: NO NO NO NO NO NO

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Have you tried this treatment? How did you feel after skipping the first period?

Re: NO x 8,000

[ex-ending606.livejournal.com]

I'm on Estrostep. I don't know how the dosage compares to yours, I'm sadly uninformed. However.
After the first month skipping my placebo, I was great! It wasn't until the mid/end of the second periodless month that I started having rather uncomfortable cramps, but a couple of midol took care of that. It seems that after the first time you skip your period for a month, it's easier each time after that... though I've heard through the grapevine that it's really best to have one period every three months. ALSO- I did get a slight amount of breakthrough bleeding at the end of the second month. Not too bad, just annoying.
The period you get the month after skipping can be an unpleasant one. Sometimes, there's nothing there but what you usually get the last day of your period- and sometimes it's heavy as hell. *I* certainly don't understand.
I'm currently skipping my period (on the first week of pills of the second pack), and lord am I glad I did. No period on Valentine's Day. *grin*
Apologies if I rambled, but I think I gave you everything I know...

Re: NO x 8,000

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

No, apology necessary. I am really trying to figure out if this is right for me or not. every women I have spoken to whohas skipped periods has mentioned this, but the gynecologist who recommended it insisted she'd never heard of such side-effects. She's a twit, though.

Thank you!

[divinemissa.livejournal.com]

I was on Ortho Tri-cyclen for two years, and I just recently went off of it. I didn't have any serious side effects going on it: However, I did put on about 15 pounds. At the time I didn't connect the two, because I was living a fairly sedentary lifestyle and eating a lot of junk... but since going off the pill, I have dropped all that weight (plus about five pounds more) without making any serious changes to my diet or activities.

My roommate went on the pill at about the same time I did, but went off it within a few weeks, because she experienced bad nausea and fainting spells.

I only tried to skip the placebo pills once. I didn't like it, although, again, it wasn't too terrible. Basically I felt crabby and was bloated for the entire second pack of pills. Sort of like PMS, except that I had never had those sort of symptoms before, whether I was on the pill or off.

Hope this is useful.

Re:

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

See, I've heard that before, which is why I am reluctant to try it. Thanks.

[urania.livejournal.com]

I'm on ortho trycyclen; it was originally for very bad cramping and mittleschmertzen (and moodswings but that's a little different) although now i use it for b/c too as i'm in a steady, clean relationship. anyhow. I really like it; it has cut down on my cramps to the point that they can be managed with other meds, and they are lighter and far more regular. The only side effect I got was mild nausea in the mornings for the first few months; an annoyance (i chewed crystallized ginger) but never enough to make me vomit or miss school. Also, I have a family history of obesity and depression (and a personal history of the latter) but haven't experienced significant weight gain or depressive trends since going on the Pill--at least, not ones that I didn't trigger with other stuff.

So, basically, I think it can really work well for some people; and it's worth a try. Also, the benefits of pills over shots is that if the pills really *don't* work (give you *bad* side effects), worst-case you can stop taking them immediately. the shot, you have to wait...

Re:

[00goddess.livejournal.com]

But do you take them constantly, or do you menstruate every month?

Re:

[urania.livejournal.com]

... roight, i *knew* there was a point to me writing that! *grin* sorry, i'm apparently more fuzz-brained than i thought.

because ortho-try-cyclen is multiphasic, a lot of ppl who try that have said they spotted. i tried it, and just had a period anyhow--during what would have been placebo week but during which i was taking the first week of "real" pills. i attributed that to the fact that i was already sick and stressed; i think my body just didn't want to deal with anything more! so... basically, it's a lot trickier to "skip" with multiphasic, but hopefully the doc prescribing for you will have told you that...