forcing your period to come a week early

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-17-2004
forcing your period to come a week early
3
Mon, 05-17-2004 - 2:17pm
Ok, here is my situation. I am currently taking TriNessa, and I know you can skip periods by skipping the placebo pills...which I have done before. However, I was wondering if you could skip the third week of active pills...then start a new pack, would that have the same effect...and would you still be protected from pregnancy. So in effect you would be taking 2 weeks of active pills, a week off, then starting over again. Any insight would help...I am very curious!
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 05-17-2004 - 2:48pm
Hi lazarisa, welcome!

Another member just asked the same question. Since you are on a triphasic (TriNessa) that might complicate things, even though you have skipped periods on it before. If you want to advance your period by only a week what I would do is not take the placebos and go right to the next pack of actives since you know that will work. That would advance your period by 7 days. I would be very leery of taking only 2 weeks of actives and stopping for a week. OCs haven’t been tested for effectiveness when less than 21 consecutive active pills are taken. You might be ok, but you might not. If you must take only 2 weeks of actives then what I suggest is that you use back-up during your placebo week and for the first 7 active pills in the next pack. Why take a chance, right?

Good luck

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-17-2004
Mon, 05-17-2004 - 3:18pm
How many times in a row is it safe to do that? I skipped my period last month...and I really didn't want to have to do it again...unless there is no harm in doing it continuously.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 05-17-2004 - 3:57pm
Taking 84 actives (four 21/7 packs in a row) skipping 3 periods is sort of the standard - think Seasonale. Some women with endometriosis skip more than that. You might want to chat with your doc or nurse first but there usually isn't any problem with it if the pill will work well for you.

Good luck

      Jill