BTB Despite Different Brands

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-26-2003
BTB Despite Different Brands
4
Sun, 08-22-2004 - 5:26pm
Hi All -

I posted a while ago. I have tried quite a few different types and haven't gotten it quite right, yet.

I've tried: Yasmine - I hard horrible back pain, breasts so incredibly swollen that I was forced to stop going to gym for several months. Truly the worst. Some BTB, but very scanty. Despite 4 months on it, had no reduction in side effects except it seemed the BTB was slowly improving.

Cyclessa - Made my period so regular. Regular like twice a month regular. The BTB came exactly in the middle of the pill pack, particularly after sex at that time.

Currently I'm on the Patch. The first month I started it I had horrible cramps week 3 and had almost a light period, that stopped after a few days, then a regular period. It seemed to have adjusted me to it, though - because no BTB for the next 2-3 months. Then, this month, here I am on Sunday putting on a new patch - stomach pain last night and today (thought it was just from something I ate) - nope - had sex, now seeing a little blood and still with the cramps. Still have horribly swollen breasts, but my new motto is - "If it ain't breakthroug bleeding, don't fix it" - so I'm willing to deal with my DD's blowing up even bigger (a huge nuisance) if this month's bleeding was just a fluke.

I'm going back to the gyno in a few weeks and I'm tired of experimenting - wondering if this month was really a fluke and should wait it out or maybe try something else. The Nuva Ring?

Despite my gyno's words of consolation that I'm OK - I'm beginning to think that there's something physically really wrong with me. I get so upset that I can't be normal and just take a pill and not bleed twice a month . . .

Any words of wisdom?

Thanks,

Sharon

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-22-2003
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 4:07pm
I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems...Have they worked out since you posted or are you still suffering? I know exactly how you feel, I've been dealing with BTB for the last year and a half and still haven't found the right pill. I'm considering trying the NuvaRing myself but I don't know anyone personally who has used it yet. I have been on Yasmin, LoOvral, Alesse, Ovcon 36 and now i'm on Ortho Novum 1/35. I'm on the 5th month with this one and I can say that things are better (I was getting 2 periods on the others) now I'm just continuing to spot sporatically throughout the month. Sometimes I just feel like throwing in the towel, don't you???

Anyway, let me know how you are doing.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 09-08-2004 - 9:44am
Aww, Sharon! I'm sorry things still aren't going so well! There's lots of things you still haven't tried, don't give up yet (unless you want to :P )!

I've been using Nuvaring for between a year and a half and two years (I think I started it after it had been available for about three months and haven't looked back). It may help because it's got a decently strong progestin and a very low level of estrogen. The progestin is similar to what's in Cyclessa, and stronger than what's in the patch, and it's got less estrogen than Yasmin. If you want more detailed information, please just ask!

Other pill options might be Mircette (20mcg estrogen, progestin is desogestrel), Nordette (30mcg estrogen, progestin is levonorgestrel), or LoOvral (similar to Nordette, slightly different progestin, supposedly it's good for breakthrough bleeding).

When I took Ortho Cyclen, my breasts hurt a lot the first six weeks or so, but were pretty much better except for the third week of each month after that. I would have hoped that by now the breast tenderness and swelling would have gotten better!

Please let us know what you decide, okay? Good luck!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 09-08-2004 - 9:47am
If you'd like to hear about the ring, I'm all mouth! ;) I'm a big fan (as is my gyn). Less estrogen might work better for you, the only pill you've tried with less than 30mcg of estrogen is Alesse, but it's got a low level of progestin to go with that low estrogen. I read somewhere recently (I can't remember where, please forgive me!) that Nuvaring is supposed to be better at controlling breakthrough bleeding than most pills, now I wish I could cite that somewhere! :p

Good luck, let us know what you come up with?

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-19-2003
Wed, 09-08-2004 - 12:44pm
I'm a fan of the ring right now. This is my first month on it. I also was having lots of btb (when I was not on the pill). Dr put me on Ovcon35 and in the 5th month on it I was still having some spotting. Not heavy but annoying. So far this month, knock on wood, I haven't had any spotting. I actually put it in on the Sunday before my period was to start and I didn't even have spotting that first week - which I fully expected. I would suggest trying it. I'm sold.