ortho-tri lo/placebo pills and period?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-21-2006
ortho-tri lo/placebo pills and period?
9
Tue, 05-30-2006 - 8:53pm

For 3 weeks I've been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. I'm wondering, should I expect to get my period within a day or two of starting my placebo pills? Does it differ with everyone?

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 05-30-2006 - 9:18pm

Hi curlychick200, welcome!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-21-2006
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 8:58am
Thanks so much, Jill! I was on the pill years ago and back then, I would begin my per. like clockwork on the 3rd day of placebos. Hopefully I can get that regularity back this go round!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-15-2005
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 1:09pm
I am on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and have been for 1 year and 4 months. When I first started, AF would arrive on the 3rd placebo, now AF arrives on the 4th placebo. Has been like that for about the past 6-8 months now. Hope everything works out for you and be sure to let us know when she arrives and how you are doing!!!
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-21-2006
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 4:11pm

Here's the thing: in the past 2 months, I tried twice to officially "start" the pill. Both times, I started pills on first AF day, per doc and pack instructions.

Each time I had per. for THREE WEEKS. After this second go-round, doc said to abandon pills for time being and start again once AF was over. I think I allowed for maybe a 7-day gap.

And whadya know :( Got AF today with 1 active pill left to take. Sigh. Who knows how screwed my cycle is now. I can only hope there's enough hormone now in my body to regulate cycle. Pregnancy not an issue--use condoms--but pain, cramping--a major ordeal and biggest reason for going back on pill.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 4:52pm

It usually takes about 3 cycles of taking your pills correctly for your body to adjust to the hormones and during that time irregular bleeding is a very common side effect. If you stop and start your pills in other than the normal 3 weeks of actives, a week of placebos followed immediately by another 3 weeks of hormones etc. your body may take much longer to adjust.


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-21-2006
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 8:27pm

Thx again Jill. I've left a msg for my gyn to just get her ok on this--she wanted me to take the pill continuously, but it doesn't really make sense until I've got a sense of how my body will respond to it.

Maybe this is for a new topic, but do you think it might be b/c I'm in my early 30s now as well? I first went on the pill at age 18, and had scarcely any S/E at all. Now it seems like my body's all cranky and unaccustomed to new things. :/

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 9:16pm

>>she wanted me to take the pill continuously<<


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-21-2006
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 9:34pm

Hi Jill,

Sorry I wasn't clear on that. Because I have some pain issues, the original idea of my going on pill was to take the hormones continuously--without the weeklong placebo pills.

Ideally I'd love to skip periods (who wouldn't?!) :) But if this isn't possible--as this is a triphasic--I would be grateful even for a lighter per. with less pain and some regularity. The older I get the more nightmarish all my 'AF' symptoms are (severe bloating, doubled over in pain, etc.)

P.S. My doc just called and confirmed: take all 28 pills. Don't skip anything. :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Wed, 05-31-2006 - 10:21pm

>>I have some pain issues, the original idea of my going on pill was to take the hormones continuously--without the weeklong placebo pills. ... if this isn't possible--as this is a triphasic--I would be grateful even for a lighter per. with less pain and some regularity.<<


      Jill