Seasonale BTB
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| Wed, 05-19-2004 - 3:02pm |
My best-friend has recently (1 month ago) started using Seasonale. She is a little anxious about the "only having 4 periods a year" thing, and has some questions. She has asked me if I know anything about this pill and so I have started doing a little research. The main thing that she is interested in knowing seems to be the ONE thing that I can't get an answer about. I have read about people having BTB but not about anyone NOT having BTB. Is BTB "normal" or is it more "normal" to not have BTB? She is basically afraid that she is pregnant because she has not had BTB (yes - there is a possibility that she could be pregnant due to not using another form of bc). Is Seasonale immediately effective or should she expect to have a "light" period the first month?
I would appreciate any information regarding this!
Thanks a bunch,
One determined friend!

Is your friend familiar with the correct way to take oral contraceptives? If she has taken OCs before and followed the rules for correct use and is doing so now, then she should be fine. A fairly high percentage of first time Seasonale users experience btb but if she doesn't have any side effects that's great! Seasonale is like other OCs in being immediately effective if she is a 1st day start and effective after 7 days if she is a Sunday start. However, btb can appear in Seasonale users at any time during the first few months of use so she isn't home free quite yet. As you point out there is no 100% effective method of BC, except abstinence, so there is always a very slight chance that pregnancy can occur.
Btb is not exactly 'normal' but it is one of the possible side effects to be expected in some women as their bodies adjust to the hormones in their pills. This can take up to 3 or 4 packs of pills and Seasonale seems to have a higher incidence of btb than other pills. Perhaps that is because of the way it is being used, in an 84/7 regimen rather than the standard 21/7 pill pack.
Just for information, this board considers taking combined oral contraceptives correctly to mean taking them on time (within +/-2 hrs. of your normal pill-time) and using back-up if you forget a pill or are sick and vomit or have diarrhea within 2 hours after taking your pill (considered a missed pill) and if you are taking medicines or supplements that could reduce the effectiveness of your pills. If you forget a pill or have been sick you should use back-up for at least 7 days afterward. If you are taking medicines or supplements then you should use back-up while taking them and for at least 7 days after taking the last dose. And, if you think you might have trouble remembering your pill-time you can set the alarm on a clock or watch or set a reminder message on your cell phone or computer to help remind you. Some things to remember when taking oral contraceptives:
• Combined oral contraceptives have a 4 hour window, progestin-only pills have a 1/2-1 hour window for on-time
• Medicines are typically antibiotics, antifungals, anticonvulsants and some other prescription drugs, if in doubt, check with the pharmacist. Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers or allergy medications do not change the effectiveness of the pill.
• Supplements may cause changes in the metabolism of the hormones without your knowledge. St. John's Wort has been known to cause pill failure, but because supplements are not regulated by the FDA, there is no systematic testing to determine which will compromise the effectiveness of the pill.
• You can also set your pill time at the same time as another activity that you do every day, whether it's brushing your teeth, watching a particular TV show, having breakfast...
• The patch and the ring have the same requirements as far as use of medications, though timing isn't an issue, nor is diarrhea or vomiting.
The pill, when taken consistently and correctly, is 99% effective. Anything that deviates from perfect use will reduce the effectiveness by an undetermined amount. The most important step you can take to make sure the pill is as effective as it can be is to take it at the same time every day.
Hope this helps.
Good luck to her!
Jill
This will help her tremendously!!
kitkat_ginger (Meg)
Part of the reason you're having trouble finding examples of women who haven't had BTB on seasonale is because women who aren't having any problems are much less likely to show up here and post about it. Mostly it's women who need help because they're having a problem, or just like reading about other people's problems to be prepared for anything life throws at them (like me).