grr. i know i'm annoying but i need help

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2004
grr. i know i'm annoying but i need help
3
Fri, 09-24-2004 - 5:46pm
I'm in my 6th week of Seasonale and just now started to have breakthrough bleeding or whatever. It started last saturday, stopped for sunday for some reason, and then started again on monday and has been getting progressivly heavier although it is still not enough to even use a regular tampon that i used to use at the end of my periods. Its SO annoying. I've been having cramps too...does this mean that i'm getting my period and i'm still ovulating and my pill isn't working??

I also read on a GYN site where the doctor said that btb does NOT stop until you take your placebo pills! WHAT?!?! There's no way i'm going to go through 6 more weeks of bleeding. Is that true? This just doesn't seem like its going to let up anytime soon and i HAVE to get this under control by November cause my boyfriend is coming home from Baghdad for his 15 days r&r.

I've tried the 800mg Ibuprofen every 8 hours but that hasn't helped any. I haven't tried soy yet...maybe i will. I don't know what to do. Should i just take a few days off and finish the pack when the bleeding stops?

Sorry for being so annoying- i'm sure more than half the women on hormones have this problem but is there anyway to make it stop????

I know i just need to wait the 3 months to get used to it but that is soooo long. HELP!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Fri, 09-24-2004 - 7:33pm
Hi j_duck, welcome back!

Irregular bleeding is a very, very common problem among Members on Seasonale who post here. I think you should be able to stop for a week mid-pack to reset your cycle. However, I would do it with at least 3 or 4 active weeks of pills remaining before the end of the pack. The reason I say that is that I think the FDA approval of oral contraceptives (for effective protection during the pill-free week) was after tests using a 21/7 regimen, taking 21 active pills consecutively before a placebo week. Taking a break at least 3 weeks before the end of the actives in your pack should provide effective protection when you get to the placebos. If that works for you then you can try to go as long as you can until the next irregular bleeding, then stop for another few days. Under no circumstances should you go more than 7 24-hour days without taking active pills or you will loose your protection. That way you can probably extend the interval over time to the entire 12 weeks. It would be a good idea to check with your doctor to see what s/he says. Let us know how that works for you, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2004
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 12:09am
Thanks Jill. I have like 5 or 6 weeks left so maybe i'll do that. Do you know if i just keep taking my pills will i bleed for the rest of the pack?
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sat, 09-25-2004 - 10:06am
If I remember correctly some Seasonale posters have said they stopped bleeding before they reached the placebos, but it's a very individual thing. No one can say for sure what your body will do.

Hugs,

      Jill