Anyone else on the "Pill" try this?

DaveandRoxy

I heard you can "combine" packs of pills to skip your period. Like instead of taking the 7 days of placebos just start a new pack of pills. Has anyone ever tried this? Does it work? Is there spotting? I'm going to need to do this for my Honeymoon and just want to know what to expect. Thanks!!!

dazyabbey

You should talk to your doctor about it first. However most birth control pills you are able to do this. Some pills with a tiered step of hormones you are not able to or you may have spotting.

You should be able to call the doctor up and find out if you are able to do it on your specific type of birth control. Hopefully they can make it work for you.

Jells2dot0

I agree with dazy. You really need to consult with your doctor before doing anything to switch up your medicine. I have done it wth my BC, but always under the care of my physician.

kristinanddan

And after you talk to your doctor, I would alter the dates of your cycle asap, not alter it right before the wedding hoping it works the first time you try it. 

Maggie0829

Talk to your doctor first.

I take the generic version of sesaonique which is essentially the same thing as taking 3 packs of pills right in a row excluding the placebos.  I made the switch over from the month to month pills for two reasons .  1) My period was scheduled to fall right at the beginning of our HM and 2) I just didn't see the point in getting my period every month when there were other options out there that are safe and only give you 4 periods a year (this was my main reason for switching).

At this point in time, even if  you do take a pack back to back you may have some break through bleeding because your body is not use to the continuous taking of the pill.  This happened to me when I first switched my BC but after a month or two it cleared up.

But again, talk to your doctor before doing anything.

ftrmrsw

Do it everytime theres a reason to not have my period. Even if against FI's wishes some times. (Apparently I get extra cranky if there is a mess up with regular scheduled programing). 

My Doctor reminds me about this every time I see him. 

AdeleDazeem

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_anyone-else-on-the-pill-try-this?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:d4ef314e-d348-4143-8c9a-8e28105c7c4fPost:743f25db-4690-4ae6-af2f-4dd6e32b824b">Anyone else on the "Pill" try this?</a>:
[QUOTE]I heard you can "combine" packs of pills to skip your period. Like instead of taking the 7 days of placebos just start a new pack of pills. Has anyone ever tried this? Does it work? Is there spotting? I'm going to need to do this for my Honeymoon and just want to know what to expect. Thanks!!!
Posted by DaveandRoxy[/QUOTE]

Not all pills are designed to do this.  If you are on triphasic pills (different hormone amounts each week), then you can't or shouldn't.  My doctor flat out told me not to do it on my triphasic pills.

Talk to your doctor.

RailWayWife

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_anyone-else-on-the-pill-try-this?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:d4ef314e-d348-4143-8c9a-8e28105c7c4fPost:a245e5f6-e0f2-4da1-84e7-512aeb1b92cf">Re: Anyone else on the "Pill" try this?</a>:
[QUOTE]I've skipped the placebos and started a new pack to skip a period several times. It always works without any problems for me.
Posted by Liatris2010[/QUOTE]


Yepp I do the same thing. If we are going on a camping or backpacking trip and I am about to finish a pack of pills I just start the next one and skip my period. My doctor told me I can take consecutive 3 packs at a time. It works like a charm.

SmallenForever

I've been doing it for years. However, I had tons of breakthrough bleeding my first year in.

alithebride

op you need to talk to your doctor not ask on the internet. this is a health and prescription drug question.

nycrose2013

I do it all the time. I hate getting my period b/c i eat and bloat like crazy so it doesn't work very well with my workout plan. If you are on a regular pill, just skip the placebo and start the new pack. Make sure you take the pill at exactly the same time every day; I find that when I am skipping my period if I take it even half an hour late, I'll likely have breakthrough bleeding.

Ask your doctor if you have any underlying conditions or an unusual cycle, but otherwise it is very commonly done and very effective

Swazzle

I've been doing this for a few years now after my doctor mentioned I could. I take Microgestin 1/20 which is the generic version of Loestrin. I take the pill everyday for 3 weeks and then get a refill. I don't get a period or spotting of any kind. 

dazyabbey

I know I already said this, but I am just reiterating: Make Sure it is Okay with your doctor. Not all Birth Controls will be safe for you to do it. And some of them could actually make your period last longer or start earlier.

I had done that with two different types of pills and on the Nuva Ring. So it does work on some but make sure you talk to your doctor first!

lls31

When I was on the pill, my doctor told me to do this:

- Once you get to the point where you'd take the placebos, take another week of regular pills from another pack instead (my doctor gave me sample packs to use for this purpose).

- Once you finish that week, then take the placebos and continue on as normal.

I was told by my doctor that I should not entirely skip a month, but I could do this to delay my period by a week.  

To reiterate what PPs said - BE SURE to talk to your doctor first!

bburkel

Yes, it works.  My GYN actually recommended this, since I have endometriosis, and the less often I get my period, the better.  But, check with your Dr to make sure.

AdeleDazeem

Holy crap.

All you people saying "YES!  DO IT!!"  You aren't doctors.

My doctor flat out TOLD me that I couldn't.  It's really annoying to read this thread and keep seeing advice over and over to just do it.

OP - talk to your doctor first.  It may be no big deal, but it might be.  People do - as you can see here - but that doesn't mean that YOU should.

EDIT: I realize that not everyone is saying this.  BCP questions just really irk me around here.  I've done so much research on BCP in the past three years and it's not as cut and dry as this thread makes it seem, which is why talking to your doctor is important.  That's all!

Peledreamsofrain

Most forms of the pill allow you to do this on occasion without any harm done.  How your body will react to it is something nobody can predict (ie you should do a test run to see if you spot).

I did it for my honeymoon, and for the version I was using, all you have to do is skip the last week of active pills (not the sugar ones) because they have the lower horomones that will signal your body to start getting ready.  So I skip that week, then start straight on a new pack as I had completely used the last one.

You should consult with your doctor if you have any reproductive issues, or if you use other medication, but it's really not a big deal.  The little product inserts that come with your medication each month will even have a blurb about it usually.

The big issue for me was timing it so I didn't get hit by insurance.  I had to start adjusting my orders several months before when I was actually going to do the skip.  The insurance company charges me 50 bucks +  if I'm ordering too close together (and won't pay for 3 month supplies like any other sane company would).  So I had to plan my orders ahead so they'd pay for two just three weeks apart.

Weezy56

I did this for our wedding and honeymoon, but I made sure I had clearence from my doctor first. Every pill is different.

Jells2dot0

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_anyone-else-on-the-pill-try-this?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:11Discussion:d4ef314e-d348-4143-8c9a-8e28105c7c4fPost:a3c1703c-2166-41c6-9291-8c3dc73724b2">Re: Anyone else on the "Pill" try this?</a>:
[QUOTE]Most forms of the pill allow you to do this on occasion without any harm done.  How your body will react to it is something nobody can predict (ie you should do a test run to see if you spot). I did it for my honeymoon, and for the version I was using, all you have to do is skip the last week of active pills (not the sugar ones) because they have the lower horomones that will signal your body to start getting ready.  So I skip that week, then start straight on a new pack as I had completely used the last one. You should consult with your doctor if you have any reproductive issues, or if you use other medication, but it's really not a big deal.  The little product inserts that come with your medication each month will even have a blurb about it usually. <strong>The big issue for me was timing it so I didn't get hit by insurance.  I had to start adjusting my orders several months before when I was actually going to do the skip.  The insurance company charges me 50 bucks +  if I'm ordering too close together (and won't pay for 3 month supplies like any other sane company would).  So I had to plan my orders ahead so they'd pay for two just three weeks apart.
</strong>Posted by Peledreamsofrain[/QUOTE]


For anyone: In addition to talking with a doctor, making sure you understand your insurance plan and their monthly allowances is very important. Otherwise, you may get slammed with the out of pocket cost of the medication. I do not take a generic pill, so I know that when I have to buy out of pocket, it will cost me well over $50. This topic is going to be different for every person as I can guarantee all of us have different bodies, different prescriptions, different doctors, and different insurance plans.

sparkles776

I have done it once before, I did talk to my doctor first, and I did have spotting.

jemmini6

I'm glad someone mentioned the insurance part.  I have skipped the placebos before, but I had to get clearence in advance from my doctor, not only to make sure it was safe, but for them to submit it to insurance so that I could get my pills a week earlier the following month.  

xxstardust

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_honeymoon_anyone-else-on-the-pill-try-this?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:11Discussion:d4ef314e-d348-4143-8c9a-8e28105c7c4fPost:ad33e37a-6a05-4311-bbf5-aa0380ad9187">Re: Anyone else on the "Pill" try this?</a>:
[QUOTE]I'm glad someone mentioned the insurance part.  I have skipped the placebos before, but I had to get clearence in advance from my doctor, not only to make sure it was safe, but for them to submit it to insurance so that I could get my pills a week earlier the following month.  
Posted by jemmini6[/QUOTE]

In addition to always talking to your doctor about this for health reasons, they might be able to help prevent the insurance issues by giving you a sample pack or two. I know my OB-GYN is always happy to give out freebies.

amymaysa

Ask your Doctor, like PPs have said.

I have done it, and almost everytime had spotting. I now have been on my pills so long, I barley get a period, and my doctor says this is common.

Call your MD, not a message board. Every person/body is different.

DaveandRoxy

Hello! Thank you very much everyone for sharing your stories. As a follow-up, I spoke to my doctor and she said it was ok to do this and to start immediately to reduce the chance of spotting. I'm on Microgestin and she said I should be fine and even extended my prescription which ends in March. So I got my fingers crossed for no spotting! As for the insurance. Not sure how that's going to play out, but I really am not gonna huff and puff about $50 to enjoy a $5000 honeymoon, lol. Thanks again everyone! 

fperez7542

I had a vacation planned and was freaking out because my period was going to come that same week.  My friend who is a GYN nurse suggested this.  I have done it 2 times since and it worked perfect.