question about micronor

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-09-2003
question about micronor
4
Thu, 11-04-2004 - 4:00pm
Hello, I just had a little question about my BC. I have been on Micronor for about 5-6 months now, my periods are not regular at all still. I know when you first go on bc or change your bc your body needs time to adjust and stuff. When I was on orth-tri cylen I would get my period on time the day that I started the placebo pills like clock-work, but with this pill i still have no clue when I am going to get it. I was taken off of ortho because I have the beginning stages of high blood pressure and my dr. though it would be good to try micronor because it has a lower dosage of hormones that can sometimes elevate blood pressure. So anyway, I am freaking out because my last period was the beginning of October and I still haven't gotten it, sometimes I feel a little crampy but nothing. Is there anyone out there that is on micronor that can help a little with advice, comments, or suggestions. Or do you all think that I should talk to my doctor about going on something else (i do have an appt. scheduled for 11/18).

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Thu, 11-04-2004 - 4:37pm
Micronor is not ever going to make your periods regular. Regular pills have estrogen and the three weeks of active pills followed by the inactive pills force your period to start when the estrogen level in your body drops. Micronor has no estrogen, and the only estrogen your body has is what it makes. If you're ovulating, then your cycle lengths will be controlled by when you ovulate. If you're not, then you could have irregular bleeding, or no periods at all.

I used Micronor for a year. At first, I was having very irregular bleeding. After I had taken it for a while, I was having periods around every 35 days, which for me is normal, and once I went six weeks without having a period. Like I said, some women can end up stopping periods altogether. If you ever go more than six weeks, then you might want to take a pregnancy test to make sure you're not pregnant.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 11-04-2004 - 4:50pm
I was on micronor for about 8 months and hated it.I didn't have the problem with irregularity too much after the first month or so....I had heavy,painful awful periods.I too had to stop taking birth control pill because of high blood pressure-I now use the IUD and love it....good luck
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-24-2004
Thu, 11-04-2004 - 6:41pm
I was also on Micronor for about 2 years. The problem I encountered was never being able to predict my period. It would go from being 30 days apart till 50 days to sometimes no period at all. It would always make me think I was pregnant when no period showed up. I must have gone through at least 10 pregnancy tests throughout my time on Micronor.

I just switched because of that reason. Also you really have to take Micronor at the exact same time each day. Otherwise I had no other side effects from it.

Good Luck to you

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 11-05-2004 - 6:34am
My blood pressure actually increases on certain pills--when I was taking Triphasil and Ortho Cyclen it got up to 130/85 and 126/90. When I switched to Nuvaring (lowest estrogen dose on the market), my blood pressure went back to 120/80 where it normally is. If your high blood pressure isn't caused by birth control, switching to a lower estrogen dose might not work as well as switching to a no-estrogen dose, but sometimes just lowering the estrogen dose is enough.

Be very strict with how you take Micronor, unlike the combination pills like Ortho Tri Cyclen, the on-time window is much shorter, only about half an hour. Because you don't know when ovulation is suppressed until after you've missed a period, you are relying on thickened cervical mucous to protect you (and it will), but hormonal fluctuations with such a small dose can allow the mucous to thin.

Good luck!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control