Prescribed BCP to regulate period while TTC

lindlym

I was prescribed Ortho Tri Cyclen lo six months after coming off of Nexplanon due to amenorrhea (no period) caused by low estrogen - basically i haven't had a period in the past 4 and a half years. My doctor wanted me to do 3 months worth of the BCP but my husband and I really want another baby and the three month wait is going to make me go insane, has any one else been put on BCP while TTC?  Is there any reason to stay on for the full 3 months or does the BCP work after the first month, and I would be able to have a normal cycle with ovulation next month? Has anyone conceived after being on the pill to regulate your cycle? 

TheBorg7of9

You could ask your doctor about going on provera for 10 days instead. That's what most people do. But maybe your doc has a reason for doing the Bcp. Or maybe you could get a second opinion. 

lindlym said:

I was prescribed Ortho Tri Cyclen lo six months after coming off of Nexplanon due to amenorrhea (no period) caused by low estrogen - basically i haven't had a period in the past 4 and a half years. My doctor wanted me to do 3 months worth of the BCP but my husband and I really want another baby and the three month wait is going to make me go insane, has any one else been put on BCP while TTC?  Is there any reason to stay on for the full 3 months or does the BCP work after the first month, and I would be able to have a normal cycle with ovulation next month? Has anyone conceived after being on the pill to regulate your cycle? 

MamaMunn

Seems weird to me that you would take bcp when you over all goal is to ttc. I agree that you should ask for Provera instead or maybe ask more questions as to why your Dr. wants to do the bcp. 

MRSCORKER

I've heard of people going on BCP to try and regulate. I originally went on BCP (15+ years ago) because I had long, irregular cycles. Since going off, I've had textbook 28 day cycles. I don't know if that's a result of being on BCP or not, just sharing my experience. I agree with PP that you should ask your doctor about provera and see what his/her reasoning was for recommending BCPs instead. Good luck!

MonaLisaRalphio

This might be slightly OT, but I'm so confused. Does anyone care to explain WHY doctors prescribe BCP to regulate cycles in preparation for TTC? It seems totally counterintuitive to me. We all know that BCP "periods" are really just withdrawal bleeding and that they mimic regularity but are really just a forced imitation of a cycle. So then how does a few months on BCP help your cycle to regulate after you come off?

I'm sure there's a good reason for it, but it just doesn't make sense to me. If anyone has had this explained to them by a doctor, I would be really interested in hearing the explanation. I can't find any good answers from Doctor Google. 

MamaMunn

LINDSEYRVA said:

This might be slightly OT, but I'm so confused. Does anyone care to explain WHY doctors prescribe BCP to regulate cycles in preparation for TTC? It seems totally counterintuitive to me. We all know that BCP "periods" are really just withdrawal bleeding and that they mimic regularity but are really just a forced imitation of a cycle. So then how does a few months on BCP help your cycle to regulate after you come off?

I'm sure there's a good reason for it, but it just doesn't make sense to me. If anyone has had this explained to them by a doctor, I would be really interested in hearing the explanation. I can't find any good answers from Doctor Google. 


***QBF***

I would really be interested in hearing too!! In my experience bcp didn't help in regulating my cycles at all and they have only been all over the place since coming off. So, I would be really interested to hear the reasoning behind why some doctors think this is the best course of action. 

khbear

I went on BCP for about a year, maybe two when I was a senior in high school for heavy irregular periods. I would miss school for cramps. I came off them because I didn't like taking hormones regularly (personal opinion), and ever since then I've had regular cycles with the occasional exception. I do sometimes have heavy and painful periods, but not as bad as I used to be.

Now I don't know if the BCP did that or if I just used it during a life stage where I regulated on my own. Just my experience. I have heard of the exact opposite happening, as well.

lindlym

i know my doctors reasoning is that i have low estrogen - not low progesterone (thats what provera helps) which is why she gave me a natural cycle BCP that mimics the bodies natural hormone phase during the month. i think she is hoping that even withdrawal bleeding will allude if there are any other problems besides the low estrogen.

KarliQ88

You should listen to your doctor. If you don't and don't regulate your periods you could end up waiting even longer. I'm a nurse and the the worst thing patients do is to consult dr. Google and come to us like they know it all. There is a method behind the madness to what we do. Never do we have it out for anyone. I'd trust your doctor at this point. 

KarliQ88

They perscribe it because your body isn't used to having a period or ovulating. It's like this...i played soccer in high school. I was great! But that was 10years ago. Lets say i go join a team now. But i tell myself...."nah i dont need to practice. I was the best player on my team in high school. I'll crush these girls." so i go right to the game without giving myself time to relearn it. What happens?? I'm going to fail. Your body works the same. You can't automatically think your body will get back into something right away like it did 5 or 10 years ago when you did get your period. Give it time to build up the necessary hormones needed. It's complicated but i promise your doctor isn't trying to keep you from getting pregnant. 

MamaMunn

KarliQ88 said:

You should listen to your doctor. If you don't and don't regulate your periods you could end up waiting even longer. I'm a nurse and the the worst thing patients do is to consult dr. Google and come to us like they know it all. There is a method behind the madness to what we do. Never do we have it out for anyone. I'd trust your doctor at this point. 

I also work in nursing and agree that listening to your doctor is usually the best idea. I also believe people should be educated and be able to advocate for themselves when it comes to their healthcare.  I don't think there is anything wrong with asking questions about why your doctor might take one course of action over another. 

MonaLisaRalphio

@lindlym that's really interesting. If you learn any more about the science behind the method, I'd be really interested in an update. And, of course, I hope the treatment works well for you. 

@KarliQ88 no one was suggesting ignoring medical advice. There's nothing wrong with a patient gathering data in order to make an informed medical decision. It's well documented that patients who do their due diligence have better outcomes. The doctor is the expert, of course, but it's the patient's body, and she has a right to know what she's getting into before proceeding with a course of treatment. Furthermore, I would never accept treatment from a clinician whose response to a request for information is "just trust me." Doctors can and should provide their patients with detailed information about the treatments they provide. 

KarliQ88

Whoa whoa! Never ever said "don't ask questions" research yes but do it from legit sources. im sorry the bump is a GREAT site for people to come to for support but not great for medical advice. Not much different than asking medical advice from yahoo answers. So cool your jets lindsey. I never said not to ask questions. Ask them to your doctor. I would much rather people ask me if they don't get it than consult dr google. I can then GIVE them the information they need to know in the form of me telling them or in the form of educational material that is proven to be accurate information. If someone doesn't ask me questions i assume they know or agree. I'm telling her to talk to her doctor about this and he or she can clarify or point you in the direction of accurate information. You wouldn't Believe the amount of bogus stuff I've seen and have had patients tell me they read or saw.
Sorry for typos. Doing this on a phone

KarliQ88

That came off mean. Wasn't meant to be. Im not 100% paying attention to what im writing. Im doing this on a phone and watching a recorded grease live...so i guess it's not live anymore. Didn't mean for it to sound mean

MonaLisaRalphio

@KarliQ88 Um, my jets are perfectly cool. But it's worth noting that as far as OP knows, you're just a random stranger on the internet just like the rest of us. Your original advice was NOT "ask your doctor," it was literally, "listen to your doctor" and "there's a method to the madness." And I'm sure you're lovely and everything, but I'm pretty positive that any idiot off the street could come in here and be like, "trust me, I'm a nurse," and we're, what, just supposed to be like "okay, you're the last word on the subject, then!" That's just as irresponsible as taking advice from Doctor Google. Which, you'll notice, we specifically discussed avoiding, which is a general rule of thumb on this board, anyway. The conversation had actually taken a distinct turn toward "anyone heard an explanation from a doctor and NOT from Doctor Google?"

So no need to get worked up. Sounds like everyone here is on the same page. 

MonaLisaRalphio

KarliQ88 said:

That came off mean. Wasn't meant to be. Im not 100% paying attention to what im writing. Im doing this on a phone and watching a recorded grease live...so i guess it's not live anymore. Didn't mean for it to sound mean

Didn't come off as mean. I'm a big girl and I can handle an opposing viewpoint. We're good. 

KarliQ88

You are right. Anyone could say "I'm a nurse" which is why i haven't shared that tid bit about me until now. Truth is if people believe it or not...i don't care...i am a nurse. I'm not going to spend my time convincing anyone because i don't care.

Let me word it different. Trust your doctor has your best interest in mind. Any questions go to him/her. Don't read stuff you find yourself. There is so much false info out there it can confuse anyone especially if they have no medical background. 

skilouise

@KarliQ88

Most non medical professionals wouldn't know what questions TO ask their doctor (or what type of doctor they should consult) without online research.  A doctor can only diagnose based on the information s/he is given, and a patient may not even recognize certain symptoms as relevant without reading that a long lost of seemingly unrelated issues could indicate, say,  PCOS. 

The internet can also help patients recognize when a doctor is giving really BAD advice (e.g., OBs that prescribe clomid without monitoring) or outdated advice (e.g., stating definitively that a patient has no thyroid issues based on TSH alone).

LizaKate1213

@KarliQ88, as a fellow nurse I disagree with you. I am all about patients doing their own research and coming into a conversation with at least some information rather than none at all. Google isn't just a compilation of crap websites...reputable pages with legitimate information also exist. I don't think the only source of information should be the hospital handouts and a quick conversation with me and the doctor. Patients have a right and a responsibility to themselves to make an informed decision.

KarliQ88

Agree the disagree.
All im saying is there is sooo much out there how can someone determine what is accurate or not? Just the other day there was a very convincing article on how cow milk is just pus. I had one patient research warfarin on their own. They decided to quit taking after they saw it was rat poision and all these law suits against it for bleeding. You...as a nurse know that while yes that is true it is also a drug that is saving your life so....
If a patient of yours has questions do you provide them numbers to call the clinic/hospital? Or do you tell them to go to yahoo answers and wikepedia and use that information and ask at their nect appointment?
While the internet is full of wonderful educational material one needs to educate themself with the correct ones. You as a nurse im actually disappinted you dont recognize this and all the phony stuff or "one-sided" stuff out there. Never said. Did i say "dont ask". I dont understand where people are getting this from...i did say trust your doctor. I meant trust your doctor to ask questions to them. If you don't trust them 1. get a second opinion from a real doctor and 2. You shouldn't be seeing them ifypu don't trust them. Don't consult dr. Google and assume you now understand it and have a medical degree from google university. Anyway I'm done with this thread so let me save you time and not reply because i won't see it.  

LizaKate1213

@KarliQ88

1. You can't dictate how others respond on a public forum. 2. You are being unnecessarily rude when my response was very polite, respectful, and professional. 3. You misinterpreted everything I said. 

I said I like for a patient to come into a conversation with information, not run home and go against the entire plan. Communication is key and I prefer to answer questions and concerns. The patient should always communicate changes so that a new plan can safely be formulated. A doctor-patient relationship is not a one-way street. The patient should advocate for themselves and provide feedback, do their own research and ask questions about their concerns so that they can be put to ease or so a new plan of care can be made. Doctors and nurses are not dictators nor are they the only source of reputable information.

lindlym

I actually am a nursing student- so I did have some inclination of what to ask about regarding my health and why I was insistent on having a pelvic sonogram - I was just wondering why three months when I've seen or heard of other women in similar situations  only being prescribed one month while TTC - is the three months just my Doctor (actually she is a CRNP) being cautious since it has been so long with no period or even light bleeding- I have also voiced my concerns of PCOS or a thyroid issue with her since I had a 90 pound weight gain with my son on top of some other symptoms - and this is the treatment she told me would fit best while saying she thinks I only have a hormone imbalance. I was also curious to learn if anyone else on here actually conceived after BCP for irregular/ absent periods without the use of any other medications like clomid I suppose I could have articulated that slightly better but I was tired and lazy. I didn't mean to spark a debate on ignoring doctors advice - as that isn't my intention but I probably will follow up with my boss who is a GP to get her take on the whole thing. 

lindlym

Oh she also wants me to schedule an appointment after three months if things don't go back to being regular so I have a slight  inkling she was just trying to get me in and out while treating the most common reason for low estrogen 

skilouise

KarliQ88 said:

Agree the disagree.
All im saying is there is sooo much out there how can someone determine what is accurate or not? Just the other day there was a very convincing article on how cow milk is just pus. I had one patient research warfarin on their own. They decided to quit taking after they saw it was rat poision and all these law suits against it for bleeding. You...as a nurse know that while yes that is true it is also a drug that is saving your life so....
If a patient of yours has questions do you provide them numbers to call the clinic/hospital? Or do you tell them to go to yahoo answers and wikepedia and use that information and ask at their nect appointment?
While the internet is full of wonderful educational material one needs to educate themself with the correct ones. You as a nurse im actually disappinted you dont recognize this and all the phony stuff or "one-sided" stuff out there. Never said. Did i say "dont ask". I dont understand where people are getting this from...i did say trust your doctor. I meant trust your doctor to ask questions to them. If you don't trust them 1. get a second opinion from a real doctor and 2. You shouldn't be seeing them ifypu don't trust them. Don't consult dr. Google and assume you now understand it and have a medical degree from google university. Anyway I'm done with this thread so let me save you time and not reply because i won't see it.  

I really hope you aren't this condescending with your actual patients.  Just because there are unreliable sources online doesn't mean that all or most people are too stupid to recognize that, say,  Mayo Clinic or PubMed are more reliable sources of information than some random blog or conspiracy site. 

LizaKate1213

@AshVA:
Major gif fail. Basically, I applaud you!

LizaKate1213

Nope, still not working. Lol I guess mobile isn't my friend today!

TheBorg7of9

I disagree with the notion that we are anything like yahoo answers. 

BostonBaby1

***lurking and ignoring***

i second the question if Provera might work. Three months sounds like a long time to wait if there is no advantage over the medroxyprogesterone (Provera.)

khbear

Waaaa missed the nurse drama. First rule of nursing, don't say you're a nurse! How do you not know that! -headslap-

Now let me break the rule. I'm also a nurse, and even more than that, I work in obstetrics. I absolutely love a patient that has questions and looks ANYTHING up, even if it's the wrong thing. If someone is willing to look something up and tell me they did it, they're open to discussion and they want to know the truth. That makes a happy, dare I say "eager to learn" (which you all know we chart ;D) patient. Yes, there's misinformation out there - most especially in the topics of obstetrics and gynecology. However, I would never say "just trust your doctor." If anything, I encourage questions at every decision point. I regularly check in with my patients to make sure they understand their plan of care and WHY the plan exists.

Also, OP, I already told you how BCP may have regulated my own cycle, but I would encourage you to call and ask why you've been prescribed 3 months worth of you've seen evidence that less works, and I would stress once again that you are TTC. Fertility is a mystically hazy area of health and wellness. It's hard to pin down!

redheeler

Is it that you were prescribed 3 months or that, that is the smallest pack you can buy of them (in Australia for example I can't buy less than 3 months of BCP) so it just made sense? 
I would also hazard a guess that 1-2 months may not be enough to regulate your cycle, and 3 was just a safer bet. I would also hazard a guess that maybe there is an issue, could be an issue or she suspects there may be an underlying issue that could jeopardise a pregnancy if it were to occur with your hormone imbalance, which may be the thinking behind BCP rather than a medication to improve your fertility.

juliehollz13

It could be that he wants you to have your uterine lining where it needs to be before you officially TTC. If you hadn't had a cycle in 4 months it may be a good idea to go through 3-4 "periods", but that's a question for your Dr. 

britters314

KarliQ88 said:

Agree the disagree.
All im saying is there is sooo much out there how can someone determine what is accurate or not? Just the other day there was a very convincing article on how cow milk is just pus. I had one patient research warfarin on their own. They decided to quit taking after they saw it was rat poision and all these law suits against it for bleeding. You...as a nurse know that while yes that is true it is also a drug that is saving your life so....
If a patient of yours has questions do you provide them numbers to call the clinic/hospital? Or do you tell them to go to yahoo answers and wikepedia and use that information and ask at their nect appointment?
While the internet is full of wonderful educational material one needs to educate themself with the correct ones. You as a nurse im actually disappinted you dont recognize this and all the phony stuff or "one-sided" stuff out there. Never said. Did i say "dont ask". I dont understand where people are getting this from...i did say trust your doctor. I meant trust your doctor to ask questions to them. If you don't trust them 1. get a second opinion from a real doctor and 2. You shouldn't be seeing them ifypu don't trust them. Don't consult dr. Google and assume you now understand it and have a medical degree from google university. Anyway I'm done with this thread so let me save you time and not reply because i won't see it.  

I feel like this is something the patient should have been told about before being prescribed the medication. Don't people have the right know information and be able to decide for themselves whether the benefits outweigh the risks?

LizaKate1213

@bcooke314, the incredible importance of staying on the drug should definitely have been stressed! Its purpose and the way it functions to prevent blood clots, and the purpose of frequent monitoring to make sure it is having the intended therapeutic effect definitely should have been taught. And, the patient should have had to do some teach-back to demonstrate understanding too!

lindlym

I understood the importance of being on the drug to regulate my hormones I am just also pretty sure that there is some underlying cause of the low estrogen because 6 months of the nexplanon being out of my body should have been far long enough to have my hormones jump start on their own and that this is my second meeting with her about none existent periods after nexplanon removal the last time she told me to come back if they hadn't started by the fourth month (which is why it got to 5 1/5 months instead of 3) I was just thinking of taking an initial month stopping for a month while doing opk's to make sure my body still producing the hormones it should be because as I had pointed out I believe there is an underlying issue here of why my body has low estrogen 

MrsDho11

lindlym said:

I understood the importance of being on the drug to regulate my hormones I am just also pretty sure that there is some underlying cause of the low estrogen because 6 months of the nexplanon being out of my body should have been far long enough to have my hormones jump start on their own and that this is my second meeting with her about none existent periods after nexplanon removal the last time she told me to come back if they hadn't started by the fourth month (which is why it got to 5 1/5 months instead of 3) I was just thinking of taking an initial month stopping for a month while doing opk's to make sure my body still producing the hormones it should be because as I had pointed out I believe there is an underlying issue here of why my body has low estrogen 

So you had an appointment with your doc, had her reasoning explained to you, accepted it and got a prescription, but when you got home, you had more questions/concerns and came in here to ask about it.  That's all fine, but bottom line is that I don't think you should take medicine in a way not discussed with/prescribed by your doc. So personally, I would contact my doctor, and probably go in for another appointment about this.

It's your health, and it is important not to f--- it up. So go back in and say, "when I was here last, we talked about _______, and you prescribed me this for reasons x, y, and z.  But when I got home, I had additional questions/thoughts and discovered ________.  I'd like to try taking it for only one month, blah, blah, blah, would that be an acceptable strategy?"

lindlym

MrsDho11 said:

lindlym said:

I understood the importance of being on the drug to regulate my hormones I am just also pretty sure that there is some underlying cause of the low estrogen because 6 months of the nexplanon being out of my body should have been far long enough to have my hormones jump start on their own and that this is my second meeting with her about none existent periods after nexplanon removal the last time she told me to come back if they hadn't started by the fourth month (which is why it got to 5 1/5 months instead of 3) I was just thinking of taking an initial month stopping for a month while doing opk's to make sure my body still producing the hormones it should be because as I had pointed out I believe there is an underlying issue here of why my body has low estrogen 

So you had an appointment with your doc, had her reasoning explained to you, accepted it and got a prescription, but when you got home, you had more questions/concerns and came in here to ask about it.  That's all fine, but bottom line is that I don't think you should take medicine in a way not discussed with/prescribed by your doc. So personally, I would contact my doctor, and probably go in for another appointment about this.

It's your health, and it is important not to f--- it up. So go back in and say, "when I was here last, we talked about _______, and you prescribed me this for reasons x, y, and z.  But when I got home, I had additional questions/thoughts and discovered ________.  I'd like to try taking it for only one month, blah, blah, blah, would that be an acceptable strategy?"

She never really explained anything to me just called and left a voicemail that says I have low estrogen, that she wasn't giving me provera like we had discussed in her office, That the natural cycle pill would work for me and to come back in three months if I still don't get a period (never told me my test results but I'm assuming they were clear since she didn't tell me a diagnosis other then low estrogen)  - I think I will probably just stick with the BCP mostly because on the cases I could find where BCP was prescribed and wound up getting pregnant afterwards (found a bit where it was for shorter but they then were put on clomid or metformin because it was an ovulation issue or other infertility problem)  they had taken it for 3 months and I am trying not to take too many prescriptions 

PugsandKisses

RN here, working on my MSN. My OB put me back on BCP to help me regulate my cycles. The rationale was that I stopped having cycles on my previous BC, and this pill was to help build up the lining in my uterus and balance the estrogen /progesterone. 

I am not sure how you are Googling, but I can always find credible resources to answer my questions. 

britters314

LizaKate1213 said:

@bcooke314, the incredible importance of staying on the drug should definitely have been stressed! Its purpose and the way it functions to prevent blood clots, and the purpose of frequent monitoring to make sure it is having the intended therapeutic effect definitely should have been taught. And, the patient should have had to do some teach-back to demonstrate understanding too!

I know this is a little off-topic - sorry everyone.

Yes, that too. (I know nothing about this drug, so I didn't know how the benefits weigh in comparison to risks). But if nurses and doctors know about stuff like lawsuits that their patients will read online, they should probably also say something like "hey, here are the risks and you might read about this but the chances of it happening are whatever-percent" etc. It sounded like they were hiding that information. I guess I'm just the type of person to like all information possible to be given to me lol

BostonBaby1

***lurking some more***

is there a reason why Estrace (estradiol aka estrogen pills) wouldn't work? 

lindlym

BostonBaby1 said:

***lurking some more***

is there a reason why Estrace (estradiol aka estrogen pills) wouldn't work? 

this right here is why i am questioning the three months of BCP and why I'm glad i put this online - I have normal levels of progesterone so the provera wouldn't be effective but Estrace never even came up in a discussion so now i can pose that question to my OB 

LizaKate1213

Side convo, sorry people! @bcooke314, the problem with that is it can scare the patient away out of the gate and actually cause them to go Google crazy. Risks should absolutely be reviewed, but with careful wording. For example, with this drug, using phrases such as "rat poisoning" would be too scary. Instead, "risk of bleeding" is used, followed by "frequent lab work to monitor you for the intended therapeutic effect to prevent these complications." Then, if they do Google anything, they will figure out that they are not taking toxic doses and the doctor has a plan to protect them from harm. I definitely agree that the doctor and nurses clearly did not do enough education with this patient!