Seasonale- I've read horrible things....

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2006
Seasonale- I've read horrible things....
9
Sat, 07-15-2006 - 9:22am

I told myself I wouldn't do it, but I went and read posts and blogs about Seasonale and they have scared me off. I'm 40 and am terribly inconvenienced by my cycle: acne, migraines, diareah, pain, bloating, PMS, huge painful breasts to name a few. I thought I would find a pill I could take continuously. I haven't been on BC since I got pg 9 years ago. My doc immediately gave me a sample of Seasonale. I started reading up on it and it seems like a bad idea. It seems a lot of women are having miserable side effects: insomnia, anxiety, acne, weight gain, dizziness, nausea, headache, and, most importantly, loss of sex drive! I have only heard minimal good things. Plus, it sounds like it takes months to stop the breakthrough bleeding.

So, I looked up some older pills I used to take like Ortho-Novum 7/7/7 and Ovcon 35. Of those two, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7 had minimal side effects. I'm thinking of taking them, instead.

What is your opinion? Is there anything good anyone can tell me about Seasonale?

Thanks,

Lucky

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sat, 07-15-2006 - 3:24pm

Hi apricot.sushi, welcome back!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2002
Sun, 07-16-2006 - 5:48pm

apricot_sushi


The thing you need to realise, is that every pill has the potential to cause bad side effects.

 


 


iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2006
Sun, 07-16-2006 - 9:42pm

Yeah, I've decided to go ahead and give it a try. I mean, it's reversible so I can stop at any time.

I guess I will report back and let you all know how it's going. Maybe like a Seasonale journal....

Lucky

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-19-2006
Mon, 07-17-2006 - 12:55pm

Just to add my 2 cents...About a year ago I was put on Necon 1/35 because I was having issues with my Ortho Tri-Cyclen LO. When I did an internet search I found all sorts of negatives posts about the side effects of Necon. As was expected, my body took a month to adjust to the difference in hormones, but I ended up loving it.

As you mentioned, you can always stop taking it if you don't like the side effects. And as the other poster said - most people only post negative stuff about their pills when they have problems, not too many post positive experiences.

Good luck with it!!

Avatar for princessana
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-04-2003
Mon, 07-17-2006 - 1:54pm

I like seasonale. I don't spot much on it, or have any of the other nasty side effects.

Good luck!
Ana


Anastasia, the blog version: http://www.longlivegeeks.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2006
Mon, 07-17-2006 - 3:05pm

hi apricot
i do not have personal experience with seasonale, but i do know you can use "regular" bcpills to go period free for months at a time (try a google search on "how to skip a period")

also, my friend swears by Ortho Novum 777, she's used it for years with no side effects and a healthy sex drive!

good luck to you!

sounds like you have more to gain than to lose by trying bcpills again. give it a shot and if you don't like the reaction you can always go off....

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-09-2004
Sat, 07-22-2006 - 12:10pm

I've been on seasonale for about a year and a half now and i love it. I dont have to hassle with my periods and honestly i'm not nearly as moody as i was with any other pill i tried. The first two packs i took about 3 weeks before my period i would spot, sometimes heavy, but after that i've never had a problem. I think its a good idea for you to try it and like you said if you dont like it just quit taking it. Good luck and I hope you like it.

Nikki

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2006
Sat, 07-22-2006 - 10:23pm

Well, I've been on it for a week now and the only complaints I have are that my period has lasted now for 9 days instead of the usual 7 AND I have this vague queasiness that comes and goes. I started the pack on the 2nd day of my period and had no side effects until a few days ago.

The one positive side effect is that my period was much less tireing. I am usually exhausted during a period but I think the extra hormones kept me more up. I even worked out through much of it. I am usually on the couch for 2 days. I just wish my period would finally dry up and go away!

Lucky

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-29-2006
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 11:54pm
I want to say a positive thing about Seasonale! Well, I have been on Seasonale now for almost 3 years, and I love it. I was on Ortho-Tricyclen before and my emotions were haywire. I'd get really depressed about a week before my period, and during my period I would get bad bouts of nausea and a couple of times I even passed out for no reason at all! I got sick of having my period each month, so when I first heard about Seasonale, I decided to try it. I don't get depressed anymore, I only feel nauseus when I haven't eaten anything in the morning, I never spot, and I haven't gained more weight or experienced insomnia. I also LOVE not having my period every month. The only minor complaints are that my acne got a little worse than it was when I was on Ortho, and I still do get bad cramps during my period (I heard that Seasonale has decreased the pain in some people, and that some people don't get their period at all!). But my cramps aren't any worse than they were when I was on Ortho -- I guess I'm just a person who's meant to have bad cramps! Lol! Anyway, I recommend it to anybody who is thinking about trying it.