Birth Control Pill Question

I have been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for about a year and a half. I had a light period for the first two months and then none since. I have loved it with no problems at all.

I am a HUGE fan of the IUD!

I agree with Alianna. Your body is meant to have periods and needs that cleansing every so often. I found that the hassles of my period were more about having to remember to take a pill every day and thus switched to the Nuva Ring and absolutely LOVE IT! I can't say enough about how it simplified the whole period thing. I got pregnant twice on birth control pills and was a raving weirdo due to the hormones zooming through my bloodstream from the pill. The Nuva Ring is a more localized hormone directly affecting the intended area...rather than going all through out your body. I really think the side effects of stopping your period will definitely overshadowed any "conveniences" it might lend you. If you love Seasonique I would stick with that. Sounds like you've got a pretty good deal with the whole 4 periods a year thing!!

I am with Aliana R. I am with you on it is great to have no periods, but that is not what nature intends. It took me many yrs & many problems to figure this out. Our bodies are designed to have a monthly period. It is a time when the body cleanses itself of toxins and renews it for a healthy environment for the possiblity of a baby. When you do not have a monthly elimination, you are retaining toxins that would otherwise get out. While it may not be in your plans for more children. Talk with your mate about him doing his part (men always have the easy way out, and don't have to deal with problems that occur later on). Try other ways of natural birth control, chart your ovulation & avoid those days, use condoms. Its a hassel, but worth the headache down the road. Ultimately, nothing is 100% (I have many friends that have gotten pregnant on BCP), & there are many risk with BCP. Make sure you read the inserts, & don't just leave it up to DR (remember they will love when you have problems & have to clean them up). I had many procedures that I can only figure that they were the main source. I finally, cleared many of my problems up after I stopped taking them 12 yrs ago. For anyone that takes BCPs, please take a whole food vitamin (no synthetics, no fd&c colors, no gelatin, no dl-tocopherol -you want the d-tocopherol, no centrum or one-a-day) & omega's. Dr.s never tell you this, maybe because they do not realize that BCPs deplete many of your nutrients in order to be processed because they fool your body into believing that it is pregnant. I hope this helps you make your decision.

www.mybiopro.com/claudia13 (learn how to protect your children from cell phone radiation)

Hello. I think you should do alot of research before you try this new method of birth control out. Not having your period for that long sounds nice but its going against nature. Your body was meant to have periods and ive received lots of emails warning about the risks of being on those birth controls. Higher risk of blood clots and stroke and heart attack. Ive read where a womand had a blood clot in her leg and it traveled to her heart and she died from it and they later attributed it to the birth control she was on. Im on the Nuva ring and love it. And even being on that scares me sometimes, from the side effects i feel from birth control. Just be careful and really really make sure that having no periods is worth the risks.

I too was on Seasonique for a couple of years and thought it the best until Lybrel came out. Lybrel you do not have to have your period on it at all. I have been on it for almost two years now (2 years in June.) I never had any issues with the break through bleeding on Seasonique that the doctors say could happen. That seems to be the main concern about Lybrel from most women. I never had it with the Lybrel either. My doctor's office called me once a month for the first six months I was on it just to ask how it was going because I was the first in the practice to have it prescribed. My personal experience and opinion is that if you were on Seasonique and then switched to Lybrel you should really notice any difference except no periods at all. I think the breakthrough bleeding is probably due to women whose bodies have not yet adjusted from a monthly period. All in all I LOVE LYBREL!!

P.S. If you are a Sam's Club member they have the cheapest price in town compared to everyone!! It is a little costly at 42 dollars a month and that is at Sam's. I couldn't find a cheaper price anywhere else. There is not a generic out yet.

I am on Yaz and take it continuously because I have terrible endometriosis and usually need time off work for periods because of the pain.

My obgyn told me that there was no reason for periods to have been included when people first came up with the pill. It is an artificial period you have; you have not ovulated.

Here is my one problem: I spot more when I take it continuously. One tiny variation in when I take it, and I'm spotting. I was told that I could try to get rid of the spotting by taking the pill twice a day instead of once a day (let the dr know before you do this) for 3 days to get rid of it, but that doesn't do it for me. Unfortunately, for me the only way to get rid of the spotting is to find a day when I'm going to stop taking it, let myself have a period, and then start over. So, I had a few periods last year. Therefore, this method might not be much better than Seasonale or Seasonique!

When I went online to see how others were handling it, most people complained of additional spotting.

The doctor told me that I could do this as long as I'm not a smoker and don't have any other health issues that make the pill more risky, and I can stay on it until I'm 51.

I have a feeling that doctors probably vary quite a bit on their advice here; ask your doctor and see what he/she says.

I've been doing the Seasonique thing for a long time now and I always feel like I'm going to explode if I don't have period now and then. It's just nature. I'm not sure if you should fight it or not but that's not why I responded to your question. My thoughts are on the pills you're taking right now. Ask your doctor in May, if you're going to stay on them and if it works better for your insurance, if you can take the Seasonique in the generic form Levora 0.15/30. It's the same drug but packaged in a month to month form. You just skip the placebos and continue taking it. For me it worked best at first because it was cheaper than the brand name Seasonique pack. Then I came to realize that I couldn't go a full four months without having a period. The last month was like non-stop PMS for me and everyone around me. So I only go for three months at a time and the generic packs let me do this.

Good luck!
Jen
http://www.mommysjoy.com

Hey Elizabeth - you can use any birth control pill and skip your period. You just skip taking the placebos and take the next pack of pills. Same with Seasonique. Once you get to the placebos (which would be when you would get your period) just start the next pack. I've skipped my period for years before i had kids by taking the regular 28 day cycle pill. FYI - I had no problems getting pregnant whem I came off the pill.
I'll be trying the Mirena iud next month. I hear you eventually stop getting your period and it lasts 5 years. Hope this helps!

I assume you are done having kids...? The reason I mention this is to point out that these long-term birth control pills can greatly extend the amount of time it takes for your body to adjust to normal hormone levels/regulation and fertility functions.

Just wanted to bring it up in case you haven't considered this aspect...

I have my exam in a couple of weeks and will try to remember to ask. I think the risks are the same like breakthrough bleeding or spotting. I am on Seasonalle now too and love it. I don't know how I ever went every month with a period!