Two Questions I Hope You Can Answer

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Two Questions I Hope You Can Answer
3
Mon, 05-24-2004 - 12:32pm
I haven't posted on here before, but I have been looking for answers regarding the pill and I thought this may be the place to go to for the answers. I have been wondering, if you remove your pills from the case they come in at the first of each week and put them in with other medications in a pill box, will this weaken them? Also, if you start your period the Friday or Saturday before you begin the last week of pills, is that a sign that the pills may not be effective at preventing pregnancy? I searched the sites for the pill I am on (seasonale) and found no information regarding these questions. Thank you.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
Mon, 05-24-2004 - 12:58pm
Starting your period before you finish your active pills isn't necessarily a sign that they're not protecting you, but it may be a sign that the formulation of those pills isn't strong enough to keep you from bleeding. For some women, though, that bleeding pattern is perfectly normal.

How long have you been on Seasonale? I'm guessing it's been a while since you've already had at least one period. You might want to call your doctor about using a different pill or other alternatives like estrogen supplementation, he/she is best suited to figure out what's best for you.

Also, since breakthrough bleeding is so common on seasonale, especially during the first couple of cycles, this bleeding pattern may change with time. It could be that right now your uterus can't hold out until the end of the 3 month cycle before shedding. since BTB decreases with time, your period may move to the inactive week over time, too.

As for taking the pills out and putting them in a separate container -- I'm not sure about it, but I think moisture might be bad for them. If you're unhappy carrying around the giant pill dispenser that seasonale comes in, you can pretty easily pop the pill packs out of it, and then you could carry it one month at a time in your wallet, instead. I've actually been thinking about doing that, myself.

Or, if you want to get really creative (and I really don't know if this is the greatest idea, but, whatever) you could pop out the pill pack and cut out each day's blister. so the pills would remain in their little protective plastic and foil shell. Then you could put the pill blisters into your weekly pill dispenser.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 05-24-2004 - 1:17pm
Hi schdj_sb1, welcome!

I wouldn’t think removing your weekly pills from the Seasonal pack and putting them with other meds would affect them but I think you should ask your pharmacist to be sure. You have checked for possible interactions of Seasonale with your other meds. right? Personally I’d be a bit leary of combining them with other pills if they all weren’t meant to be taken at the same time. There might be a confusion factor if any of the others look similar (size, shape or color or in the dark) to Seasonale.

A very high percentage of new Seasonale users experience irregular bleeding for the first few months. Irregular bleeding is not ordinarily a sign that a pill is not effective in preventing ovulation. If you have been taking Seasonale correctly you should be protected.

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.

Good luck

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Mon, 05-24-2004 - 2:49pm
Thank you for your responses. My doctor checked possible drug interactions for me but I forgot to ask about removing them from the case each week.

I take my pill within a one hour time frame each day. I've only been on seasonale for one month, but I had been on other pills before that quit working for me after two years. I suddenly had a lot of breakthrough bleeding and extra periods. The only sign I had observed before the changes happened was that I went from starting two days after I began the final week of pills to starting two days or so before. The signs on seasonale are good so far, but I cannot be certain that the early periods will still not happen. I am on the last week of the first month and I have had no bleeding at all. The questions had just been on my mind and I felt I should get answers now before I find myself in a position where the answers would feel critical. Thank you for your time and answers.