Birth Control Question

Patches08 · August 2011

I'm wondering if any of you 'abused' birth control? I was on one form or another of birth control from 2004 to 2009, nuva ring, the patch, the pill, etc. I would usually skip the placebo week and just start another pack to avoid getting my period. I checked with my Dr. and she reassured me that as long as I took the placebo and actually got my period twice a year it was no harm/no foul. Thoughts/input?

lmsherwo · August 2011

I used to skip the placebo week once in a while so I could avoid having a period while on vacation or something. I never actually talked to my doctor about it, but I did some internet research, and I read that it's best to do the placebo week every three months, so that would mean getting a period four times a year.

baker916 · August 2011

I skipped the sugar pill week very frequently. Later, I had a BC prescription with only 4 sugar pills instead of 7, and never had a period either. My cycles are very regular and have been since a few months off BC. I have never heard of any ill effects of skipping the sugar pills.

ara_cale · August 2011

lmsherwo:
I used to skip the placebo week once in a while so I could avoid having a period while on vacation or something. I never actually talked to my doctor about it, but I did some internet research, and I read that it's best to do the placebo week every three months, so that would mean getting a period four times a year.

I never skipped my placebo pills but the above makes sense based on the pills like Seasonale and Seasonique.

MonroesMisfit · August 2011

I did the skipping the placebo week for about 3-4 months...then its like my body forced me to have a period. I started spotting a lot during mid cycle, and I had to stop the pill to let me bleed until it ended then start back up. I didn't continue skipping after that...

Mindi1020 · August 2011

I have been skipping my period every three months with regular bcp for almost 4 years. My doctors (I've had to move to different ones due to retirements/geographical location) have all said that it's perfectly fine. I really don't think it's a big deal.