BC pills messing with me :(

If you've taken over 21days worth of pills I believe it is ok to take your break whenever you want (as long as it's no more than 7 days - it can be less though I think). I checked this when I did something similar - took pill packets back to back and then started bleeding - when I didn't stop for 10 days I decided to take an "early" break but because it was early on the second packet and I'd taken more than 21days worth it was fine. But I'd read the leaflet to be sure.

Also - if you want to take your packets back to back regularly you could try switching pill (after your hol of course). I've tried most of the combined pill types and some when taken back to back give me periods during pill taking days, some give me spotting on pill taking days and some are absolutely fine until month 6 or even month 9 or 10 of taking back to back packets so switching may help. Doctors should be absolutely fine switching you - Microgynon 30 is the cheapest so they always try that first but if you want to try another they'll be happy and switching is dead easy, just ask the doctor how best to go about it :).

Adx

ahh, now thats interesting to know...but then knowing the NHS they would just try with the cheapest first. i think a talk with my GP would be good though. when i started on them i wanted to take my partner along with me so that he could be equaly involved in my contraception and so he could be reasured of their effectiveness (was a little paranoied at first) but i think he was a little scared of going to see the GP with me to talk about that...might try pursuading him again though. afterall, im not even too sure about how you can still be safe on pill free days and stuff- i really should understand better i think

rag doll wrote:

ahh, now thats interesting to know...but then knowing the NHS they would just try with the cheapest first. i think a talk with my GP would be good though. when i started on them i wanted to take my partner along with me so that he could be equaly involved in my contraception and so he could be reasured of their effectiveness (was a little paranoied at first) but i think he was a little scared of going to see the GP with me to talk about that...might try pursuading him again though. afterall, im not even too sure about how you can still be safe on pill free days and stuff- i really should understand better i think

great attitude :)

Adx

If you don't like the pills then I suggest you look at either an implant, injection or a coil.

I personally have had the implant for 11 years witha one year break two years ago. You get them changed every 3 years and I love mine. I don't get periods on it apart from problems with bleeding when I decided to take the break and I had a lot more side effects from the pills I tried than I do from the implant. You can be on the implant and the pill for a while to help your body stabilise on one or the other.

lilac_vix wrote:

If you don't like the pills then I suggest you look at either an implant, injection or a coil.

I personally have had the implant for 11 years witha one year break two years ago. You get them changed every 3 years and I love mine. I don't get periods on it apart from problems with bleeding when I decided to take the break and I had a lot more side effects from the pills I tried than I do from the implant. You can be on the implant and the pill for a while to help your body stabilise on one or the other.

eech, when i was put on my Bc pills they tried to encourage me to have the implant instead (as i was younger and so they think you wont remember to take it) but i didnt like the lack of control it would give me over my body and as i had head lots of bad experiences. my pill works mostly and i think i would feel sort of lost not taking it every day now, i like how i know im safe because i've taken it rather than just something pumping homones in to me that i cant see working or control in any way.

im glag it works well for you though L_V

I feel the same as you rag doll, I like that I have control over the pill and feel far more comfortable with that than most other forms of hormonal contraception. Unfortunately I think my pill is now affecting my sex drive, so am trying to mentally prepare myself for the fact that I may need to come off it and consider something else. Will be very strange if I do, have been taking some kind of pill for the last eight years, don't even think about taking it every morning now! Fingers crossed that maybe I can just try a different pill and see how I get on with that!

rag doll wrote:

lilac_vix wrote:

If you don't like the pills then I suggest you look at either an implant, injection or a coil.

I personally have had the implant for 11 years witha one year break two years ago. You get them changed every 3 years and I love mine. I don't get periods on it apart from problems with bleeding when I decided to take the break and I had a lot more side effects from the pills I tried than I do from the implant. You can be on the implant and the pill for a while to help your body stabilise on one or the other.

eech, when i was put on my Bc pills they tried to encourage me to have the implant instead (as i was younger and so they think you wont remember to take it) but i didnt like the lack of control it would give me over my body and as i had head lots of bad experiences. my pill works mostly and i think i would feel sort of lost not taking it every day now, i like how i know im safe because i've taken it rather than just something pumping homones in to me that i cant see working or control in any way.

im glag it works well for you though L_V


TBH with both the implant and the coil if you have a reaction to it they can take it straight out. With the injection if you react badly you have to wait 3/5 months for the hormones to get out your system.

At least with all three you can't be tempted to mess around with them and cause problems with your body like you are doing by not taking the pill correctly (which you seem to be interpreting as 'having control'?). The pill can cause just as many problems and has far more side effects. Maybe you would have less problems if you took it as you are suppossed to. There are progesterone only pills such as cerazette which *can* stop periods but also cause constant bleeding depending on the person.

Personally the pill made me mentally ill and it took two years of treatment with various anti depressants for me to get well again.

My body just starts when I take the pill for 3 months!!! It's not meant to happen, so if it's a full on period get checked out.

@Lilac_Vix when i said having control it wasmore that if i suddenly didnt want to take it then i could just stop as soon as it was safe to without going to a doctor etc, but yes, i know its bad to mess abouyt and take them not as they ar supposed to, but it is nice to be able to say "right' a period right now wouldbe very inconvienient so ill miss this one" I mean i know its not imposible but you really dont want to have to deal with messy menstral products in a muddy field where you'll have mucky hands and no access to propper toilets or funning water.

as it iss it seeams i've nearly run out of blud to randomly leak just in time but i shant be messing around with my pills for a while' atleast not without fist discousing them with an offical authority.

My recommendation would definately be admire a coil - if you find yourself joining packets a lot this might be the thing for you. I had major problems with the pill (migraines, incredible moods, no sex drive, depression, etc) which got a million times worse on the week off so I took to joining packs regularly. My own GP actually threatened to stop prescribing it if I kept doing it - he just kept telling me to either try a new brand or to just live with it. I was less than impressed!

It wasn't until I spoke to a locum GP (who, ironically, was preggers at the time) that we figured out the high levels of hormones in the pill completely messed my body up. She recommended the mirena and it's been a godsend.

I'm on my second one and in 7yrs the only time I have bled is when I had the first one fitted and then when it was replaced after 5yrs. According to my (new) doc this is completely normal and absolutely fine and I should just consider myself lucky :)

Ragdoll, as far as control goes if you and I stopped our respective methods of birth control on the same day my fertility would most likely return quicker than yours because my body doesn't have to get rid of massive amounts of artificial hormones. something to bear in mind.

Argh spelling mistake and it won't let me edit! I meant "mirena" coil not "admire"! Stupid iPad spellchecker lol