New with a few questions

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-11-2004
New with a few questions
2
Sat, 09-11-2004 - 10:29pm
Hi all, I've been browsing the boards and the internet because I have a few questions about BC. I have been on Yasmin for the past 10 months but I was very unhappy with it. It made my skin discolor to the point if I was in the sun without sunscreen a "5 o'clock" shadow appeared above my lip. It was pretty horrendous. My periods would linger on and on and on and just when I thought they were over, a new burst of fresh blood would come!! So finally when my prescription needed to be refilled I asked the doctor to switch me to something else.

She has now prescribed me Seasonale and from what I've been reading on the internet you can bleed throughout your initial cycle on Seasonale. That is the last LAST thing I want. That happened to me on Yasmin as well and I didn't just bleed for a few days but I would bleed for 2 weeks at a time and then when it ended it was time to take the white pills and I would have a "period" for almost 3 weeks initially. Has anyone experienced or tried Seasonale? I'm curious to see if any one has had any bad experiences with it.

Also, I'm thinking about tossing the pill away all together for maybe the diaphragm or from an above post maybe the cervical cap seems pretty good, except I read in the FAQ that if you've had children it's not a good idea, and I have one child so I'm wondering.....

Also, if you use the diaphragm or cervical cap, can you use it during your period and how does that work? Is that a messy situation or does it suppress the bleeding for the time you have it in?

Thanks very much in advance for reading!

Nicole :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sun, 09-12-2004 - 8:11am
Hi Nicole, welcome!

There have been a lot of members posting about Seasonale since it became available late last year. Most discussions have concerned irregular bleeding which will decrease over time but can take several extended cycles to disappear. While you are waiting for replies you can search the archives for previous posts, just type 'Seasonale' in the search box at the top of the screen. I use a cervical cap between and a diaphragm during my periods. If you have given birth then it can be harder to get a good fit with a cap, and a good fit is crucial for the cap to be effective. I use my diaphragm for contraception and flow control. I wear a Milex wide seal which has a bit deeper dome than most latex diaphragms and is made of silicone rubber and it has a wide rim for a better seal. My flow is not suppressed when my Milex is inserted. On heavy days I can go about 4.5 hours before it needs emptying. Emptying can be tricky until you develop a technique that works for you. If you try Seasonale let us know how you like it, ok?

Take care,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-11-2004
Sun, 09-12-2004 - 10:17pm
Thanks Jill for your response. I am keeping my fingers crossed that Seasonale will work out but we'll see. After reading your post, I am really convinced that maybe the diaphragm would be better for me. Thanks again!