Im worried about my patch any help...

Avatar for ilovemyfeet
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Im worried about my patch any help...
14
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 10:20am
iv been on ortho evra for three weeks now i will be putting on my third patch tonight. But the dumb thing doesent seem to stick well. i have to put it on my butt so that it doesent show when i swim etc. i dont want to be sporting a patch on my shoulder or a squair tan line. but the edges seem to lift expecially the corner. iv tried different soap thinking that would help but it dident i dont put lotion near it either. it also gets a wrinkle acrost it and the patch actually lifts a little where the wrinkly is. I dont think this is good. any advise how to get it to stick better. my husband is in the service and its hard for him to get time off to take me back to the dr. but im worried about it. i also have another question about the ring if i do decide to go back to the dr. i have a general practice dr he doesent even do paps he will just give you a priscription. I ask about the ring last time i was in and they told me i would have to go to a gyn and they would have ot give me a refural that would mean another appointment for hubby to try to get me to. they said hte gyn would have to put it in for me is that true have others that have th ring have to have the first one put in for them. help me out im confusted.... thanks alot

julie
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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-08-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 11:58am
I've been on the patch about 6 months now, after stopping breastfeeding. The patch is so much easier than the pills.

I too have had issues with the patch "peeling" at the enge, or "wrinkling" in the middle. I wear mine either on my shoulder, near the base of my neck, or on my backside cheek. yup...the cheek. And it doesn't wrinkle there. It usually starts to peel at the corner around the 5th or 6th day...I've asked my OBGYN about this, and she said not to worry. If it lifts off entirely, then just get a replacement patch. (Make sure to ask your soctor for a prescription for "refill" patches...in case one comes off, etc.

I'm not sure where your abthing suit lies, but the backside cheek has worked well for me. I know you said that you wanted to avoid your shoulder...but I think that it is almost an advertisement for responsibility and safe sex. Almost like "Hey world...look at this patch on my back! I'm responsible, and protecting myself!" (I know, silly, but I had to answer questions about it, and it was more of an educational experience for people).

Hope this helps...

btw...I tried the ring...It hurt SO BAD!! My OBGYM said it isn't for everyone. I hope that you find something that works for you!

Jen - mom to the Awesome Joseph!

*****************************

check out my personal blog: www.raisingjoseph.blogspot.com

 

Avatar for ilovemyfeet
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 12:18pm
thanks for the advice. im out side alot so im afraid if i put it on my shoulder that ill have a really bad tan line around it then ill have white squairs on my houlders. i think it would look kinda dorky as my husband would put it. at least i know its ok with it being lifted a little im just afraid ill catch it on my shorts and pull it off all the way i guess if it gets any worse ill make an appointment and see if i can get something else thank for hte help though i love having this board ot ask questions on.

thanks again

julie
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Avatar for lucy4980
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 12:45pm
Regardless of what birth control method you ultimately decide to use, I would recommend going to see a gyn every year for an exam. I know it will be an extra appointment, but it's important to have a pap and an exam by a specialist. If you are healthy, it will only be once a year anyway.
Avatar for ilovemyfeet
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Wed, 07-07-2004 - 12:55pm
yup i know a yearly exam is necessary to stay healthy my last one was this past dec so i wasent worried about makeing another appointment wiht a gyn to get one. i have a reminder card in my wallet for whne im due to have a nother one and my sis will be shure to remind me about it severial times a year. thanks for the advice though.

julie
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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-11-2004
Thu, 07-08-2004 - 11:58am
Well i have the same issue..i've had the patch on for 4 days and it has some wrinkles...only peeled alittle bit on one edge but the sticky part still on my skin..so i just held it down a bit...i swam with it and nothing came off...so if its alittle wrinkled its okay? So as long as the patch isnt actually like peeling off my skin its okay? I am definitely really worried about this cuz i wanna know im using it correctly that all the medicine is going in and im protected. If i use spermicide will that also help protect me in case not all the medicine is going through the patch to my skin?
Avatar for ilovemyfeet
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Thu, 07-08-2004 - 1:42pm
from what im told its ok if the edge comes up a little and wrinkles are no big deal. yes you can use a spermicide as an extra precausion if you wish to if it helps ease your mind you can also use condoms if that would help ease your mind too. better safe than sorry for me im really not that concerned im prity confident in the patch the one i put on last night seems to be sticking better than the other two the edges would have come up some already i just keep checking it when i use the rest room it takes 2 minutes to press on it. pluss me and my husband are talking about kids some time in the next year so i guess it wouldnt be that big of a deal for me. How is it going for you anny side affects yet. hope all is well for you the patch is so mutch easier than a pill. i had a hard time remembering the stupid pill i had to set a timer on my watch to remind me then i was stuck wering the watch all the time... any way let me know if theirs anything i can help you with. my email is in my profile

julie
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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-11-2004
Fri, 07-09-2004 - 7:34am
Well...im on the 5th day..so far...nothing..i mean i get alittle queazy but it really just seems because of the fact that i dont eat alot in a day....so maybe its just my eating habits...also I just got an ear infection so any pain i focus on is the ear..lol...which im taking an antibiotic that I've taken whenever i get such ear aches..but I called a pharmacy and asked about any interactions...and they said with any antibiotic I have to use back up protection while using it and after stopping...I mean I've only taken a pill yesterday and today...probably only one more day and I wont be sexually active til july 18 so I should be okay by then. As for the spermicide...i really wanna use that as an added protection every once and a while...but I dont want any like irritation or infection so me and my boyfriend have to figure out which spermicide mught be better for us. Do u know anything about spermicide? WEll, the wrinkles are okay...only one edge detaches but only if i kinda lift it myself...bcause i check the edges everytime i go to the bathroom...other than that the patch is competely on other than some wrinkles...or creases. So I mean let me know if there is anythin i can expect and after the 5th day what might happen. Also I'm going to always put it on my butt cheeks but is there an area where it might not wrinkle when on my butt i mean I cant have it too close to my hip because i want my underwear to cover it. Also what happens when u wanna wear a thong...don't jeans rub against the patch? Anyways I'm sorry for all this being long but as everyone knows...when u have doubts gotta ask questions...and i'm new at this and though i keep myself as informed as possible I still get nervous and anxious.
Avatar for ilovemyfeet
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Fri, 07-09-2004 - 9:52am
im sorry to hear about the ear infection i hate getting those i used to get them all the time. as for spermicide i dont really know mutch about them me and my hubby dont use them i do know that some of them can cause irritation youll probably have to do a trial and error to see what kind will work best for you mabie someone else on the board that has more experience with them could give you some better advice about that. as for a thong i were one just about every day so far it doesent seme to do anything to the patch. i were jean shorts all the time and iv wore pants too and it hasent caused me any problems yet. Dont feel bad about it being long asking questions is a good thing its better to be safe than sorry. i hope i was of some help. o ya and forgive my spelling iv always been bad at it.

julie
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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-11-2004
Fri, 07-09-2004 - 11:33am
thanxs soo much for yer concern and quick response..the patch is lifting like in the middle seems alittle like an air bubble or extra wrinkle...i mean it sticks but that bothers me....but let me ask..if like lets say this week i didnt get like all the dosage...because it wasnt on most of the time correctly or something...when i put on the patch on sunday does it mean that im still protected or is it like an accumulated amount of medicine going into my body. I dont get it...if it wasnt effective this week and i put on a patch on sunday and that one stays on effectively does this first week matter or am i protected all the time since i start no matter if its just alittle off one week? sorry if this is confusing. hey what side effects did u get around the end of yer first patch week
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-19-2003
Fri, 07-09-2004 - 1:13pm
I'd say call your gyno to check the dose...if you're not over 170lbs, you're probably fine as long as it stayed on--but you can find out by calling without seeing the doc.

My favorite patch place is in the small of my back, right above my *ahem* plumber's crack. It ALWAYS peels off from my cheeks. FWIW, mine wrinkled and peeled so badly a few weeks ago I was sure I'd end up preggers, but no.

I do think it's important to note that:

**The patch is NOT safe sex!**

You're still at risk for any and every STD on the block--so if you have any doubts about your partner at all, condoms are the only way to go without worrying about the icky stickies. It doesn't sound like you do; I just felt morally obligated to mention it.

Also, the medicine in the patch is exactly the same as that in Ortho Cyclen pills, so if you wanted to switch, you should be able to just call the doc and ask to change. There's no reason for you to be seen by either doctor for that. Good luck! Aside from the peeling, red skin, tan lines, dirty outline, and itching, the patch is great, ain't it? :-p

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