I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I don't feel like searching through the thread.

Anyone ever skip their period by skipping the inactive week and going straight to the next set of pills? I'm going to try it by starting a new pack on Sunday. Anything I should know?

ETA: I'm on Ortho Tri Cyclen-lo, if it matters.

My knowledge is limited to what my friends who do that have told me. There was spotting for months until their bodies got accustomed to the change. They love not having a "period."

http://health.msn.com/health-topics/...ntid=100108585

A lot of women get pregnant while, even properly, taking the birth control pill. That of course includes the "skipping the placebo pill" method. Two of my bestfriends had unplanned pregnancies under that method. I feel it necessary to say this because the "skip the placebo" method makes some women think the risks of pregnancy are lessened. And not having a "period" confuses a lot of women when it comes to whether they could be pregnant. They end up on "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant."

I accidentally ended up skipping my placebo week once (I bought my pack a week early) and I ended up spotting until I actually started my period. I've heard that if you take your pills backwards (week 3-2-1 instead of 1-2-3) that you can skip your period without all of the potential spotting.

Boo, this was my fear.

Guess I'll have to see for myself!

I didn't have the best success when taking pills, but with the Nuvaring it works like a charm. There's no other way I'd consider spending three months essentially camping without regular facilities for bathing because as we all learned in Anchorman periods attract bears!

Has anyone tried Implanon?? I'm considering switching to it but I am really curious about whether periods stop or not.
When I google it it says "periods may be irregular, etc" but that's pretty much standard on any birth control info page. Looking for "first hand" answers instead of google.

I used Implanon. I went on it from the mini pill because I was rubbish at remembering to take it. I ended up with periods about every 40 days - which suited me just fine. I had it for 9 years (i.e. 3 different rods, replaced every 3 years), and fell pg within 6 months of having it removed this last time. I do have a smallish scar on my arm from the insertion/removal process.

I would recommend it to other people.

Some people I know didn't get periods any more. Some others tried it and got break through bleeding the whole time. Like all things, it really depends on your body

You can't do this on Tri cyclic birth controls. This only works with Monophasic birth controls. Your birth control increases the dose of hormones each week. If you skip the inactive week and go to the first week of the next pack, the pill dose is low and not enough to keep you from bleeding. Sorry.

Amen. A sister of mine, who also happens to be a pharmacist, is pregnant with her third and due in a few short weeks. They didn't plan on a third either. She was on the pill, took it religiously. She doesn't smoke, isn't overweight, wasn't on any other drugs that could lessen the pills effectiveness (which are all things that can impact the pill). It CAN happen.

That's why a it isn't listed as 100% effective.

Well, I did end up trying it and got the desired result, lol

However, I didn't skip my period all together, so I understand what you're saying. Here's what happened with me: I didn't get my period during the first week I started the new pack (which is the week I normally would have taken the placebo and gotten my period). However, during the last week of the active pills, I started spotting (and of course it's when I had an OB-GYN appointment!) She said this was normal for skipping pills and the next day it was like I had my period full on, a week early. The following month when I went back to using the placebo pills everything went back to normal.

Yeah, the hormone cycle was off. With a Monophasic pill you would have had no bleeding at all. The Tri-phasics will be unpredictable. I haven't had a period going on 3 years thanks to my Monophasic pill. :D of course, I take the one designed to go forever with no break.

Free birth control under health law starts today


This is a good thing. The details highlighted in this article are extremely important. I urge people to pay close attention.

This is a very good thing.