Has anyone used BC pills to prevent or delay a period?

[April]

I tried this two years ago. I was using Ortho Tricyclen and when I got to the end of the active pills I just started a new pack and didn't take the placebos, but it only delayed my period for a day and then I bled for 2 weeks straight. A girl I worked with told me that's because it's a tri-phasal pill, and I should have started a new pack after the finishing the second week. Has anyone done this successfully while taking Ortho Tricyclen? I really, really, really don't want to have my period when it's due next month,:no: and I'm taking ortho tricyclen again.

[Christy]

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=12345

[rabid_child]

I've skipped a period on my BC pills, but I'm on Ortho Cyclen, which is Monophasic. The problem with doing it with Ortho Tri Cyclen is that it is a triphasic pill, like you said. The hormone level gets greater each week, the third week being the highest, then the last week you get none. The drop of hormones causes the period. If you drop from Level 3 to Level 1, its often enough of a drop to cause your period as well. What you CAN do on a triphasic is delay your period one week by buying another pack and just taking week 3 over again. Granted, this is a waste of a pack of pills, and your insurance company may not cover refilling twice in a month (they often won't cover more than one every 28 days), but if that helps it is an option.

You can also change your start day which might help push it back a little, if that helps at all. Like if you normally take pill 1 on a saturday, take it on the tuesday before, and it should move your period back about 4-5 days. I successfully moved mine so I never get it on a weekend :) I get Monday->Friday period.

[April]

I thought that the hormone levels decreased each week until the placebo week. Now I'm not sure. It is a shame that I'll end up losing a month of pills, but realistically I probably won't need them that month anyway.

[rabid_child]

It is increased each week. Don't SKIP your pills for a month afterwards, just do the third week a second time, a week of placebos, and start a new pack.

You could also call your doctor to ask about this, which would probably be the best choice :b

[Thalia]

My midwife actually brought this up to me. I tried it for a trip once, but I eventually had a "weird" period anyway. Maybe it doesn't work with my kind of pills? (Triphasil)

[April]

Thanks for the help. I don't really have a doctor, so I'm trying to gather info the best I can otherwise. I'm planning to take weeks 1,2,3 and then 3 again.

[ImarriedET]

Many moons ago when I was still working one of my supervisors was going on a cruise and was due to start her period. Her doctor told her to skip the pills you take on the period week and go straight into her next pack so she wouldn't have a period...

Dont' know if that helps...

[natalie]

I wanted to delay a period last year, and was taking triphasic pills.
Once i finished the last pill in my packet of pills, i then went on to take the final week of the pills of the next packet straight away. That is, had the last row in the next packet instead of having a week with no pills. (yes, you end up wasting the rest of the new packet, but hey, if it works).
I read about it on this UK website: http://www.margaretpyke.org/faq/pill_practical/moving_periods.htm

[kristadb]

This is how my doctor explained for me to do it and it works:

Pack 1 - take week 1, 2, 3.
Start Pack 2 immediately. Take entire pack.
Rinse, wash, repeat.

There is uncertainity as to if it's ok to do for long periods of time, so it's advised that you don't.

The lower estrogen pills work best for this method. I have not tried it using the patch or high lvl pills.

[Thalia]

I wanted to delay a period last year, and was taking triphasic pills.
Once i finished the last pill in my packet of pills, i then went on to take the final week of the pills of the next packet straight away. That is, had the last row in the next packet instead of having a week with no pills. (yes, you end up wasting the rest of the new packet, but hey, if it works).
I read about it on this UK website: http://www.margaretpyke.org/faq/pill_practical/moving_periods.htm
You mean the third week of the second pack, right?

[rabid_child]

The problem with doing Week 1, 2, 3, 1 to skip a period is it only works with pills where you are taking the same level of hormones every day. This isn't so with Triphasic pills like Ortho Tri Cyclen because week 3 you are taking more hormones than week 1, so the drop from 3-1 is enough to make your body have a period.

[natalie]

You mean the third week of the second pack, right?

yep.
sorry, that other post was a bit of a ramble...