Is it going to work? - delaying period

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-18-2004
Is it going to work? - delaying period
4
Tue, 10-19-2004 - 12:07am

Hi,

I understand a lot of people have already asked the same question over and over. However, it wasn't quite same as my situation at this point, and I also wanted to clarify this because I ended up doing some sort of experiment based on a doctor’s advice.

I wanted to delay my period, which is suppose to be the first week of November because I’m going to a vacation in the same week. First I talked to a pharmacist and asked her how I can do it.

My cycle (I start taking pill on Monday):
* I’m on ALESSE (21) for around 6 month and my period is very stable.
WEEK A: Sept 27 – Oct 3rd > 3rd week of on-the-pill period (period started on Tue, finished on Sat)
WEEK B: Oct 4 – Oct10 > getting period week
WEEK C: Oct 11 – Oct 17 > 1st week of on-the-pill period
WEEK D: Oct 18 – Oct 24 > 2nd week
WEEK E: Oct – 25 – Oct 31 > 3rd week
Nov 1st – Nov 7 > getting period week *** vacation week (I wanted to avoid getting period in this week somehow.)

The pharmacist basically told me that if I go off pills for two weeks instead of one week, and start a new cycle next week, it’d automatically delay my period for a week. (That means to go off pills on WEEK B and C and start a new cycle on WEEK D as 1st week on the pill) To make sure this is a proper method I also went to a walk-in clinic and asked a doctor the same question. So then the doctor told me it should work theoretically.

At this point I’ve already missed the pill for 2 weeks, and today I started a new cycle so it’s sort of too late to not to trust them. However, more I think about it it doesn’t sound right because what instruction says is that even missing the pill for 2 days in a row is a big deal.
My first priority is “not to get period, not to bleed” while I’m on vacation in WEEK E. Would this method work? Is there risk? (I’m guessing not to use protection when having sex is not a good idea at all.) Is there any other way I should do or I should’ve done?

Hopefully my writing is not too complicated. Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 10-19-2004 - 9:23am
Hi Bamboo_stick, welcome!

Taking an additional pill free week will probably move your period like you wanted, but it also left you without hormonal protection for 2 weeks, during your second hormone free week and for the first week of active pills in your new pack. Your doctor's did mention that, didn't they? So you should be using back-up during that interval. Since you were off hormones for 2 weeks you may also have some 'getting started' side effects as your body adjusts to the hormones in your pills again.

There are ways to move your periods without jeopardizing your protection, some take time and planning such as: 1) Shorten your hormone free week by several days over a span of several cycles. 2) Take the active pills in 2 or more packs back-to-back without a hormone free interval in between. This should be done ahead of time if possible as it doesn't always work successfully for all women but if you have been on a monophasic pill like Aleese for some time and your cycles are stable you stand a good chance of being able to skip successfully.

Another way is to switch to NuvaRing http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp which can be left inserted for up to 4 weeks. With NuvaRing adjustments like you want are very simple to make. Let us know how you're doing, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Tue, 10-19-2004 - 10:30am
If you're missed the pills for two weeks now, you have absolutely no protection at this moment. You will not be protected until you've taken the pill for seven consecutive days, so I hope you've been using condoms as backup.

There is another way to do this without losing your protection. You can skip your period by starting a new pack instead of starting the inactive pills. It doesn't always work perfectly, so it's something you'd have wanted to do early. You could have taken three weeks of active pills, then instead of inactives, started a new pack, then had your period, then started a new pack the week before your trip. That would have guaranteed no bleeding during the vacation.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-18-2004
Mon, 11-15-2004 - 9:38pm

Hi,

I just wanted to report back to you all. It worked:) I'm safely back from a holiday, and just finished the first period after changing the cycle. Thank you so much!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 11-15-2004 - 10:22pm
Hi bamboo_stick, welcome back!

Thanks for the update. I'm glad it worked, What method did you use?

Take care,

      Jill