Birth Control Question

[Mom2Cole]

I just recently started the Yasmin pill and realized that my period is due to arrive while we are on vacation! :( I know when I was on OTC (years ago) my doctor told me I could just start taking a new pack of pills during my plecebo week if my period fell during our wedding (which it didn't).

For those of you on Yasmin...can you do this?! Is there a downside to doing this?! Thanks so much for your help!!

[nolagirl]

I take Yasmin, and although I've never done this, I have friends who have. I think the only problem is that your cycle might get messed up, but it probably would anyway just by starting new pills. You might want to call you doctor or Planned Parenthood just to be safe though. Or even the Yasmin hotline. I'm sure there is one somewhere in that gigantic brochure that comes in the pack!

[off2skl]

I believe you can do this with any birth control pill that has placebos (some have a step down week, so I'm not sure how that would work). I've even done it on the patch.

I have heard that you may experience some breakthrough bleeding.

[Hello Kitty]

I did it once under the supervision of my GYN to move AF a week.

It worked fine, I did experience a little bit of mid cycle spotting, but no worries. I'd just call your GYN office and let them know what's up.

ETA - I'm on yasmin, so we're on the same pill. :)

[DelSol]

I do this all the time to skip AF for certain events. If the first 3 weeks of your pills are same color you should be fine. I think I only had spotting once. If your pills are different colors the first 3 weeks then it's not going to work, you will get AF for a good month until your cycle can get back to normal. Usually the BCPs that are tri-something you can't skip your cycle.

If they now are offering Seasonale, which is the BCP where you get AF only 4 times a year you will be ok for skipping one month.

Good Luck!

[Mom2Cole]

Thank you so much for all your responses!! :D I talked to my nurse today and she said that it would be absolutely fine to just go ahead and take the next pack of active pills when I would originally be taking the plecebo pills! :) I will then just get my period after the next set of active pills.

I can now enjoy our vacation without having to worry about those two days of heaviness! ;)

Thanks again!!!

[eponymous]

I'm also on Yasmin, and sometimes I will take additional pills from the next pack to delay AF a few days, then go off for a week, then just start with the new pack, so I would have (for example) a 30 day cycle followed by a 26 day one. You can't be off active pills for more than a week without risking ovulation, but with a monophastic pill, there's no issues with taking only 18 active pills, then a week off, or taking 25 active pills, then a week off.

I don't like to skip AF all together because I start feeling terribly icky towards the end of the three weeks (bloated, emotional, etc.), but there are definitely times where rescheduling is good!

(I should also point out that my doctor says it's fine to take more or less pills, just as long as the "break" isn't more than one week.)

[FallingforPhil]

I'm on yasmin, and I do this all the time, pretty much every 2 months, unless I forget to refill my prescription. :rolleyes: I'd love to go 3 months in a row (even on the pill, I have really terrible cramps that put me out of commission), but I'm afraid of having breakthrough bleeding and completely messing up my cycles.