Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

mellowcobra82 said:Classic. Hilarious.🤣 Every pill pack starts on Monday because that’s how they label the first day of the week. But don't let that trip you up—you don't have to start at the very beginning of the strip. You start on whatever day your period actually kicks in and just follow the arrows from there. So, if your cycle hits on a Wednesday, pick any of the three pills marked "Wednesday" and just keep following the arrow to the right. Hopefully, that makes sense. It’s probably all laid out clearly in the instruction manual, too.😉

Wait. How does a period know what day of the week it is?
😕 😬
I don't get it—why can't I just take the Monday pill if my period shows up on Thursday? What's the actual difference?

And yeah, let's say I do it the way you suggested; what happens to the pills I skipped? Do I just take them once I finish the last one in the pack?

Steven Miller56 said:Wait. How does a period know what day of the week it is?
😕 😬
I don't get it—why can't I just take the Monday pill if my period shows up on Thursday? What's the actual difference?

And yeah, let's say I do it the way you suggested; what happens to the pills I skipped? Do I just take them once I finish the last one in the pack?

It isn’t that you aren't capable; it’s just that using a blister pack makes it much easier to track exactly which pill you took and ensures you're staying on schedule with every dose.

OT:

I’ve been on Trinovum for three years now. It works perfectly for me, so that isn't the issue.

I wanted to ask someone with more experience about this. The protocol for Trinovum is supposed to be nine months on, then three months off. In my case, I did three months on and then stayed off for almost six. Then, I started taking them again over the summer, but had to stop in September because I needed to undergo some medical testing. Is it actually dangerous for your body to cycle on and off like that—taking them briefly, stopping, and then starting up again?

Of course, I don't intend to keep going like this. I have an appointment with my gynecologist coming up soon, and I'll be asking for a new prescription so I can take them properly, exactly as they were meant to be taken. Or should I just give my system a break from all these shocks for a while? 😁

Thanks. 🙂

Steven Miller56 said:Wait. How does a period know what day of the week it is?
😕 😬
I don't get it—why can't I just take the Monday pill if my period shows up on Thursday? What's the actual difference?

And yeah, let's say I do it the way you suggested; what happens to the pills I skipped? Do I just take them once I finish the last one in the pack?

I'm not following you at all! Listen, I was talking specifically about Novynette. Every pill in that pack is identical; they all have the exact same hormone dose. If you aren't already on them, you start the first day of your period. Think of it like this: imagine the blister pack is just a continuous circle with no real beginning or end. You have 21 pills—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday—and then you just loop through that three times. If your period hits on a Thursday, you just grab the pill marked "Thursday" and keep going until the pack is empty. You'll finish up on a Wednesday. You aren't skipping anything! It's just a cycle, and you just need a starting point. If you tried to just take them in order without looking, you'd lose track immediately and mess everything up. That's literally why the days are printed on them.

With other brands, like Qlaira (which I'm using now), you actually have to start from the beginning because the pills have different hormone doses. But since there are labels, you just stick them on the top of the pack based on which day you start. Anyway, I won't bore you with the details.😉

Brandon Jackson23 said:Hey everyone 🙂
So, I'm wondering if anyone on this thread has switched from Triquilar to something else?
I've been on them consistently for two and a half years now.
On one hand, they were recommended because my PCOS means I can go six months without a period; on the other, there's the protection factor.
The thing is, I'm not exactly thrilled with them.
My appetite is constantly through the roof (granted, I have issues with diet, so that plays a part), and I can't lose weight to save my life—I've put on 20 pounds since starting these.
But the real dealbreaker is the libido drop. It’s huge. I have almost zero drive. I honestly can't tell if it's the pills or just me, since I've been taking them longer than I've been seeing my boyfriend. Maybe I'm asexual? 😁 Doubtful.
Has anyone here switched from Triquilar and dealt with these exact same symptoms? I'd really appreciate some recommendations on alternatives.
Unfortunately, my gynecologists (two of them, actually) basically just tell me to stick with it because my blood work looks fine. My skin is okay, and while I'm about 25 pounds overweight, I'm tall enough that it doesn't show too much.
Anyway, I've rambled. Basically, what should I switch to? What would be the best move for someone in my position? It seems like not many people here use Triquilar.
Thanks in advance!

I used Triquilar. ☕
All I'll say is this: I'd take Yasmin over Triquilar any day, even though Yasmin gave me shortness of breath and chest tightness. Does that answer your question? 😁

Yeah... I had almost the exact same issues. I actually had to take a 6 or 7-month break just to get my body back on track because I gained about 20 to 30 pounds in a single year while taking them. I know the increased appetite caused the weight gain, but the real nightmare was trying to lose it. Progress was painfully slow, and I was furious because I had zero interest in sex—partly because of the weight and partly because of the low libido. I eventually thought, what's the point of taking these if they aren't doing me any favors? 🙂

I switched to Cilest about a month ago, and so far, so good. No complaints yet.

Thanks for the comments, ladies.😍
It’s a relief to see I’m not the only one dealing with this. Reading about your experiences helps.
These pills are driving me crazy. I can't even tell what's a normal side effect anymore. Since stopping birth control isn't an option right now, I'll try to make a logical case for switching brands. My doctor will probably listen, though she's usually running on a treadmill, so negotiating with her isn't exactly easy.
I'll look into some alternatives.
Hopefully, everything works out so I can just forget this whole period ever happened.😁

Joshua Garcia5 said:It isn’t that you aren't capable; it’s just that using a blister pack makes it much easier to track exactly which pill you took and ensures you're staying on schedule with every dose.

OT:

I’ve been on Trinovum for three years now. It works perfectly for me, so that isn't the issue.

I wanted to ask someone with more experience about this. The protocol for Trinovum is supposed to be nine months on, then three months off. In my case, I did three months on and then stayed off for almost six. Then, I started taking them again over the summer, but had to stop in September because I needed to undergo some medical testing. Is it actually dangerous for your body to cycle on and off like that—taking them briefly, stopping, and then starting up again?

Of course, I don't intend to keep going like this. I have an appointment with my gynecologist coming up soon, and I'll be asking for a new prescription so I can take them properly, exactly as they were meant to be taken. Or should I just give my system a break from all these shocks for a while? 😁

Thanks. 🙂

I’ve been on Trinovum for over four years and haven't missed a single day.
I asked my OB-GYN if I actually needed a break since I've been on them for so long, but he told me there’s no real need unless we're trying for another baby.😍

Plus, my mom was on them for a full 15 years without any breaks and never had an issue.

For me, the only thing was that they made me gain a massive amount of weight.😢

Brandon Jackson23 said:Thanks for the comments, ladies.😍
It’s a relief to see I’m not the only one dealing with this. Reading about your experiences helps.
These pills are driving me crazy. I can't even tell what's a normal side effect anymore. Since stopping birth control isn't an option right now, I'll try to make a logical case for switching brands. My doctor will probably listen, though she's usually running on a treadmill, so negotiating with her isn't exactly easy.
I'll look into some alternatives.
Hopefully, everything works out so I can just forget this whole period ever happened.😁

I went through the exact same thing. I finally switched to Yasminelle, though they're still hard to find around here... they have lower hormone levels than Triquilar. Once I told my doctor that I'd gained over twenty pounds in the last year and a half and that my libido had basically vanished, she was totally on board with changing my prescription. Switching to these has been a game changer—my drive is finally back and I'm enjoying things way more. You can definitely tell the difference in my relationship too.🙂

Looks like we’re all dealing with the same symptoms.
Thinking about booking a gynecologist tomorrow, though I'm not sure if I'll actually make it in for an exam this year.
Hopefully she's in a good mood and gives me some solid advice.
If not, I'll just do my own research on the options before the appointment.
Thanks. 🙂

What is it, exactly, about these pills that tips the scales toward weight gain? Is there some specific ingredient or perhaps a particular hormone at play? And if we’re looking for the path of least resistance, which tablets carry the lowest risk? 🙂
I’ve been taking Diane, and the scale just keeps climbing... :/

My doctor switched me from Diana to Qlair. Now I’m wondering—is there anyone here actually taking these who can tell me if they’re any good?!! To me, they seem a bit pricey—but she insisted that Diana was really putting me through the wringer...

I have a question. Now that we’re switching the clocks back an hour, if I keep taking my pills at 5, is that going to mess with how well they protect me?

brightmoose6 said:I have a question. Now that we’re switching the clocks back an hour, if I keep taking my pills at 5, is that going to mess with how well they protect me?

😁 It won't. Honestly, you don't really need to be hitting them down to the exact minute anyway.

Nathan Baker said:😁 It won't. Honestly, you don't really need to be hitting them down to the exact minute anyway.

pda
I think it even mentions there’s a six-hour window where you can take the pill without things going sideways.

Now, whether that means three hours before or three hours after—most likely it does. Otherwise, wouldn't the window be twelve hours or something?

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve turned off my alarm, completely forgotten about it, and then remembered two hours later.😁

Taking pills and drinking alcohol? Obviously not at the exact same moment, but in general terms.
How does that work, is it even allowed, etc.? 😁

They’re laughing about it, but I think I recall stumbling across some piece of writing somewhere suggesting you really ought to avoid knocking them both back at once—you know, like not getting tipsy on a Pilsner if you're planning on having a drink later in the evening—mostly because the liver has to process both simultaneously, which might lead to some diminished efficacy... though, honestly, I’d take that with a heavy grain of salt.

Hey everyone, did anyone else deal with a pill-induced rash? I started taking Yaz about a week ago, and now I’ve noticed these tiny red spots all over my arms and chest. It looks like an allergic reaction, I guess. Does this mean I have to quit them?😢
I'm thinking about putting some hydrocortisone on the area, then heading to the gynecologist on Monday...

Hey👋

So, here’s the deal: I started my first pack of Novynette pills exactly when my period kicked in, which was October 17th.
Usually, my cycle is pretty predictable—it never lasts more than seven days, no matter what's going on in my life.
But right now? I’ve been bleeding for 13 DAYS STRAIGHT!!!!😲
I am seriously losing my mind here!!🙂
I’m assuming this mess is because of the birth control...
And honestly, what am I even supposed to do about this right now???😕
To be clear, today marks both day 13 of this endless period and day 13 since I started the pills.
Is this actually normal? Should I be freaking out??🙂

nimbleeagle69 said:Hey👋

So, here’s the deal: I started my first pack of Novynette pills exactly when my period kicked in, which was October 17th.
Usually, my cycle is pretty predictable—it never lasts more than seven days, no matter what's going on in my life.
But right now? I’ve been bleeding for 13 DAYS STRAIGHT!!!!😲
I am seriously losing my mind here!!🙂
I’m assuming this mess is because of the birth control...
And honestly, what am I even supposed to do about this right now???😕
To be clear, today marks both day 13 of this endless period and day 13 since I started the pills.
Is this actually normal? Should I be freaking out??🙂

Well, look, this sort of thing happens occasionally when you're just starting out. My advice is to keep taking them; don't go stopping halfway through a pack, because honestly, that'll likely cause more chaos than it solves. If the bleeding doesn't let up, you should probably call your gynecologist—it might just be that these specific pills aren't the right fit for your body.

Nathan Baker said:Well, look, this sort of thing happens occasionally when you're just starting out. My advice is to keep taking them; don't go stopping halfway through a pack, because honestly, that'll likely cause more chaos than it solves. If the bleeding doesn't let up, you should probably call your gynecologist—it might just be that these specific pills aren't the right fit for your body.

Thanks for the input.
🙂

So I guess I'll just wait out these next three days (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday), and if things haven't settled down by Wednesday, I'm calling the doctor.🙄
I really hope I don't have to switch brands because of this...😕

I’m willing to bet you’ll end up saying the exact same thing I did—just grit your teeth and get through that first blister, and if the bleeding keeps up until the second one shows, well, then you just show up and let them give you another set.