Skipping periods with the pill

[Sadako]

How many periods is it safe to skip in a row by running packs of the pill together?

I recently switched from one brand of the pill to another, and to do this I ran the 2 packs together, so I had no period. Next week I'm due to go away with my bf, but something else is due as well so would it be safe to go straight on to another pack, considering that would mean taking some form of the pill for 9 weeks with no breaks? Also, is it likely to work or will I bleed anyway?

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Sadako

[racevixen]

If someone else could embelish on the first post I would appreciate it. RUn two packs together? I don't get it. Don't you take an entire pack the way through and then start on the nextI was told if you miss a pill you would not be protected for a month so why would you say 9 weeks with no breaks? I thought with any form of the pill you could have no breaks in terms of being 100% safe.

[Steph]

There were a lot of articles on this a while back. Doctors actually don't think it's that big of a deal to not have your period due to pill-taking like that. I wouldn't worry about it at all.

[LixyChick]

Originally posted by racevixen
If someone else could embelish on the first post I would appreciate it. RUn two packs together? I don't get it. Don't you take an entire pack the way through and then start on the nextI was told if you miss a pill you would not be protected for a month so why would you say 9 weeks with no breaks? I thought with any form of the pill you could have no breaks in terms of being 100% safe.
If memory serves me (:D...no need for a pill anymore) there are placebo pills at the end of your cycle pack. I think it's (7) but could be (5) and they are there to keep you in the habit of taking the pill daily and to "let" your body have it's period. They now have a device they insert under the skin which will deter your cycle for up to four months. I've never known anyone to run pill packs together to keep from menstruating....so I won't say this method is safe or unsafe. There is also a shot (Depro...something or other) that might completely stop your period. It's a hormone...like the pill...and so it has side effects just like every other hormone. It's up to the individual to decide if it's worth the risks. I do know that there are many "outside" contributions that can render the pill null. Some forms of anti-biotic...for example....but there are many other things as well. I suggest talking with your OBGYN....because they know you best and can answer the question with more authority!

[Sadako]

Thanks Steph, that's reassured me a lot.

Just to clarify for racevixen I use a 21 day combined pill, which doesn't have 7 'dummy pills' in it, so instead I take a 7 day break between packets. Sorry, I probably didn't make that clear enough.

Sadako

[Lilith]

Docs are now saying you can run 9 packs and then cycle out the rest of the year. I did this all through highschool. I was a cheerleader and did not wanna have them during football or basketball season.

I would discourage it in a developing female but you are an adult. I did suffer fertility issues for some time afterwards but I think a couple 2-3 months is not gonna hurt you. BUT you will run out of pills before your perscription is up so make sure you talk to the Dr. and use protection!

[BlueSwede]

My daughter, on her gynecologist's advice and prescription order, runs her birth control pills together; a 21-pill pack is followed immediately by the next 21-pill pack. There are no placebos, no breaks, so that she does not have a period at all at any time. This is becoming a relatively common practice to treat dysmenorrhea (severe menstrual cramps). The doctor prescribes as low a dose as possible that still keeps her from having any breakthrough bleeding. Usually severe menstrual cramps are treated by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naprosyn (Aleve, Advil, etc.). However, my daughter can't take those drugs, so her only alternative to avoid those cramps is to not have a period in the first place. She is just now 18 and has been doing this for about 4 years.

However, I agree with the others that if you are combining just a couple of months' worth of pills together so that you are avoiding having periods only sporatically, you will probably mess up your cycle enough that you better be using another method of birth control at least once you stop taking the pills and before you've taken an entire month's worth again.

[big_green]

http://talksexwithsue.com/nonstopbirthcontrol.html

All your questions answered.