question about progestin (that rhymes!)

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2004
question about progestin (that rhymes!)
5
Wed, 04-07-2004 - 9:13am
Hi everyone,

I just have a quick (I think!) question. In January, I started on Loestrin 1/20. I was having btb the first two months I was on it so my doctor recently switched me to Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo which I began this cycle. So far, so good. After reading some of the posts on here about btb and changing pills to avoid it, though, it seems to me that it is the progestin activity of the pill that prevents late cycle bleeding (which is what I was having - in my third week). If Loestrin is one of the highest progestin pills, then what good will being on OTC Lo (which has lower progestin activity, I think) be for me? Will the difference come from the different ratio of estrogen and progestin in this pill? After talking with my doctor, she seemed to think I just needed a "smidge" more estrogen (since my btb did improve slightly from one month to the next on Loestrin). Does her rationale make any sense? I'm just trying to understand :)

Thanks for any insight.

Kristina

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Wed, 04-07-2004 - 10:10am
This link may help you out: http://www.fpnotebook.com/GYN87.htm

and this: http://www.fpnotebook.com/GYN103.htm

Progestins(and what type) do help with btb, but so does estrogen. And the combination of the two makes a difference also. Everybody is different. What works for some may not for others and vice versa. Hope this helps!

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2004
Wed, 04-07-2004 - 11:18am
It does help a little! But those webpages are a little confusing to me :) It does make sense that estrogen/progestin ratio makes a difference too so I guess I'll just have to wait and see, huh?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Wed, 04-07-2004 - 3:57pm
Since the pages are just outlines it can be confusing. The more you leaf through them the better you will understand them. Maybe this link will help you, too(scroll down to find what you need). http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm Remember, not everything is set in stone.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 04-08-2004 - 8:14am

It always baffles me when women have btb with either of the Loestrins, and I was even thinking about this last night!

Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-20-2004
Thu, 04-08-2004 - 8:57am
Wow, thanks Judie, that makes a lot of sense! We'll see how it goes . . .and I'll definitely let you know. Keeping my fingers crossed :)

Kristina