Switching brands of OCP; please help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-2005
Switching brands of OCP; please help!
2
Wed, 03-28-2007 - 10:26pm

HI everybody!

I am switching from MOnonessa (generic for Orthocyclene) to Cryselle (generic for Lo-ovral) due to spotting and strange, very painful cramping at odd times (that didn't go away after 3 months of use). They are comparable(relativily low-dose, monophasic, comination contraceptives; there are slight differences in the quantitities of hormones used, but basically they are very similar). Now, my question is: is it OK to switch the brands not at the end of my pack (7th placebo pill of the Mononessa pack), which I know, is the recommended method, but rather after the 2d placebo pill of the Mononessa pack. I know it sounds srtange but here is why I want to do that, but I am not sure I should:

1/ I am worried that protection against pregnancy might be compromised since I am changing brandnames (and yes, my Dr said we should use back up protection for a whole month!)

2/ I Am going by the 7 day rule (new brand or not, I am assuming that seven days of Cryselle hormones should do the trick (contraception-wise).

3/ USing condoms is not an option for us (and I don't trust other methods really)

4/Abstinence is out of the question since this is along distance relationship and he is coming to see me (hence the strange timing, he is coming next Friday, so I figured, if I Skip 5 out of the seven placebo pills, I will have had a week on the new pill before he comes)

So, the question is, do you think I'll mess up my period even more (get more spotting, or possibly break through bleeding) because I will have had only two (and not 7) hormone free days between the packs.I do know, women sometimes take the pill continuously to get rid of their period, but I Am worried about the spotting (iahd breakthrough bleeding as well).

Also, will I get sufficient protection against pregnancy after I have been on Cryselle (my new pill) for 7 days. I am very strict about taking the pill; in the last 3 months I have never missed a pill, I was late by 3 hours once, but this was it.

So, waht do you think?

P.S. I get conflicting info on the Internet: manufactureers say "no need to use backup", while medical sites say: "do use back up"

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Thu, 03-29-2007 - 8:20am

Hi fiesty_girl, welcome back!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-27-2005
Fri, 03-30-2007 - 4:59pm

Thank you so mcuh for your thorough and helpful resonse!

I think I'll start my new pill (Cryselle) at the end of my placebo week on Mononessa (no need to be so paranoid that I mess up my period even more: it is bad as it is -- a week of spotting and horrible cramps for the full 5 days of my period (previously I would only cramp for the first day...)

Thank you a lot!

Have a great weekend!