Posts by Kimberly Ross3

Hey ladies! 🙂

So, here’s my deal: I was on Trinovum for six months, and honestly, it was absolute perfection. But then—because of PCOS triggered by hypothyroidism—I switched over to Yaz for about six months. Physically? It wasn't terrible, I guess—nothing major aside from some sudden cellulite flare-ups everywhere and a few breakthrough bleeds—but mentally? Ugh, it was just brutal. I finally hit my limit and told my doctor I couldn't deal with it anymore, so now I've been prescribed Logest. I've been scrolling through everyone's comments and reading your experiences, and I know it’s all super individual, but I’m just... hoping. I really hope I don't have a bad reaction. I keep worrying that if I reacted okay to the other ones, I might actually have a rougher time with this one—which is such a weird thing to worry about, right?

First question—has anyone else here been in this exact spot? Like, making the jump from Yaz to Logest for these same reasons? How did you handle Logest, and looking back, has it actually been good for you?
And second—does anyone know what the cost looks like with insurance? I checked the formulary, and according to the listing, it should be covered at no cost, but I’m not totally sure how that works in practice. For instance, Trinovum should have been free too (which it was when I was taking it), but it’s not even on the list, so now I'm just confused.

Gary Rivera2 said:Yeah, I took the second dose last night, and today—which is the third day of my cycle—is a total mess. This stuff shows no sign of letting up on the intensity. Oh well, I guess it's fine, provided I don't run into any other side effects.🙂

Fingers crossed for you! I actually got lucky and never dealt with side effects, though honestly, Yaz just messes with my head every time it arrives, so I'm not exactly a huge fan of it lately...

I totally get it, though—it’s hard not to worry when everything is so unpredictable, and the heavy bleeding is just exhausting, truly... but it’s all going to be okay! Hang in there. 😁

quietbison86 said:I've been on Belari since the start of the week—and honestly, aside from that first day where I felt all achy, super cranky, and had this nagging little headache, I haven't really dealt with any other side effects
The only thing on my mind right now is: how long can a period actually last? Because at this rate, it feels like it’s never going to end, you know?
Also, quick question—is it okay if I take Belmiran alongside it? I need it every now and then just to deal with stress levels

Man, my very first cycle lasted 16 days... and during those 16 days, I ended up visiting my gynecologist three different times! Each time, she just kept insisting everything was totally normal because my body was basically reacting to the shock of it all—just telling me to take care of myself, eat enough, and whatnot. After that whole ordeal, everything went back to being fine; all my subsequent cycles were just like they usually are, nothing crazy.

As for the Belmiran thing, you should probably dig through the actual instructions for both the medication and the Belara—there's gotta be something written in there somewhere.

Kevin Nguyen48 said:Hey ladies!
I’m working on my thesis about how oral contraceptives affect PMS symptoms, so if you could spare just 5 minutes of your precious time
to help me out with this research, I’d really appreciate it!
I still need quite a few more respondents—the only requirement is being between 18 and 45 years old.
Hopefully, this request follows all the community rules🙂
Thanks in advance!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Qhn...yLoa8/viewform

Done and done! I hope you get plenty of data 🙂 good luck with everything!

Ladies, how are we all doing with cellulite?
Have any of you noticed it getting worse since you started taking birth control pills? It feels like such a cycle—you try to get healthy, and then suddenly, this curse just flares up. How on earth are we supposed to actually tackle it?

fadedsurfer59 said:I have been taking Yaz tablets, and because of some bloating issues, my gynecologist prescribed Qlaira. It was only after I actually bought them that I noticed they also contain lactose, just like Yaz does. Now that I am nearing the end of this pack, my stomach is still feeling bloated.
I am wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences? Once the body adjusts to these pills over the next two months, will the bloating subside, or should I consider switching to Yasmine since it has a diuretic effect?

Ugh, I honestly have no clue how it'll play out for you—I switched from Trinovar to Yaz, and for about the first week, I felt like a literal balloon, just this constant heaviness in my gut. But I’ve finished about three-quarters of my first pack now and I feel way better; the bloating isn't nearly as bad anymore, at least.

Are you totally sure it’s the pills, though? Like, did you deal with this kind of stuff before you started them?
It might actually be something related to what you're eating... I get these random bouts of bloating sometimes that have nothing to do with birth control, and honestly, I never know what to do about it—it gets so frustrating! Maybe it really is just a diet thing.

neonridge91 said:Ugh, I don't know, I am seriously praying I'm not part of that unlucky 1%.
But it's not just like, a tiny little spot or anything... I actually got my full period. 🙂

How long have you been on them, and which ones specifically are you taking?
And you've never had bleeding like that while actually being on the pill before?
Did you deal with any other side effects at all?
What does the actual pamphlet say about this happening?

Just take it easy—everything is going to be fine. If you’ve been taking them consistently—and you said you have—then the chances of this happening should honestly be microscopic... so I’m thinking maybe there was just some kind of hormonal imbalance. Have you been under a lot of stress lately? Maybe?

neonridge91 said:Hey everyone! So, I’ve been on the pill for ages now, right? But out of nowhere, I just got my period on day 12. And I’m talking totally unexpected here—I haven't missed a single pill, and I definitely haven't been throwing up or anything. Does anyone have a clue why this might be happening? Could there be any connection to pregnancy?

Honestly, who knows what’s going on... maybe just some hormonal imbalance? If I were you—and I mean, if I were in your shoes—I’d just wait through today and see how things feel, and then either call my OB-GYN tomorrow or just head over to their office for a quick check-up.

And look, if you’re worried about being pregnant, go grab a test right now, or just get to the doctor immediately for an exam—because if it turns out you *are* pregnant, you’d need to stop taking the pills right away.

Just try not to stress too much—usually, when we freak out, everything just feels ten times worse—but I'm crossing my fingers for you and hoping it's nothing serious!

Hey ladies!

First off, sorry about this messy post—I actually ended up making a separate thread specifically about Yaz too, so bear with me.

So, here’s the quick rundown of what’s going on with me: for the last six months, I’ve been on Trinovum, and honestly, things were fine. But, before I even started the Trinovum—after dealing with my period skipping for three months at a time and getting all my hormone tests back—I finally got diagnosed with hypothyroidism back in June. (Quick update on that: my follow-up after three months of treatment showed my levels are totally ideal now, so the hypo is officially under control!) Apparently, though, that whole situation brought along some cysts on my ovaries.

My regular OB-GYN referred me over to a specialist at a major hospital in downtown Chicago—they handle all the endocrine-related gynecological stuff there—and after checking me out, the specialist told me I should switch over to Yaz since it would be a better fit for my specific situation. She told me to just finish my current pack of Trinovum and then start the first Yaz pill on the very first day of my next period. I’ve always taken mine around 10 PM, so I’m planning to stick to that routine. The only thing that really tripped me up was her instructions versus the actual pamphlet... because the Yaz instructions say if you're switching from another brand, you should start it immediately after your last old pill, but I didn't find out about the switch until just yesterday (after talking to my doctor), and I couldn't even get my hands on the Yaz until yesterday afternoon anyway. I took my last Trinovum on Tuesday, and my period actually started today—so, I'm just going to follow the specialist's advice and take my first Yaz today.

I’m really hoping the protection is still reliable during this first week... has anyone else here made the jump from a different brand to Yaz? How did it go for you?

I have to admit, I'm a little nervous about side effects. I’m really crossing my fingers that I get lucky and don't run into any issues, because I never had any real reactions to the Trinovum—everything was just smooth sailing. I felt so lucky that I found the right birth control on my first try, and getting them covered by my supplemental insurance was such a huge win... so, seeing this price tag of $46 for the Yaz definitely wasn't the highlight of my week..

Linda Wright6 said:Has any girl here dealt with stopping birth control pills halfway through a pack? I’ve been on Lindynette 20 for about nine months now, but because of some medical stuff, I had to stop right after the 8th pill in my current blister pack. Should I expect my withdrawal bleeding to behave normally—like hitting within four days of stopping—and will it last as long as it usually does? Thanks!

That happened to me in a super similar way—I actually just checked my calendar to be sure—and yeah, I was taken off the pill mid-pack for medical reasons too (I was on Trinovum for about 8 months at the time) back in November 2011. I had my regular period "on schedule" at the start of that month and it lasted 4 days, but once they stopped me on the pills—I got it again on Oct 19th—and it lasted 7 days. It wasn't even particularly heavier or different from my usual flow (my average is usually 5-7 days anyway).

Basically, yeah, I think you should get it as soon as you stop taking them, no matter how many pills you managed to get through before quitting.

coppernomad22 said:I just can't seem to find a price list for birth control pills anywhere online... could you guys suggest some options that cost no more than $70 $27 and follow the 21 days on, 7 days off schedule? Thanks!

So, for example, I take Trinovum—the price for a three-month supply (that's 3 packs x 21 pills) was a little over $10, though nowadays I just pick them up for free at the pharmacy via my insurance. A single pack used to be around $5.00, and honestly, I was pretty shocked by how cheap they were when I first started, but they've worked perfectly for me. As for other brands, I really have no clue about their pricing or packaging styles—hopefully, another girl jumps in here and gives you some suggestions so you can find what works best for you.

Zachary James4 said:I don't usually post on forums, but this really got under my skin today, so I’m wondering if anyone else has dealt with something similar. I headed to the pharmacy because I needed to pick up a few things, thinking, "I don't actually need these pills yet, but I'll grab them now so I don't have to go back in ten days." And then the pharmacist tells me she can't give them to me—that she can only provide one box a month or she could lose her job. As if she's breaking some massive law! Honestly, what law? You all treat people taking medication like we're hardened criminals. We're going to destroy the American lineage or something, apparently. I don't even believe this law exists; if it does, someone please enlighten me.
In the end, I didn't get the pills, so the question remains: is it true that I just can't take more than one at a time anymore?😕

That happened to me too... which is exactly why they used to write dates on the back of the prescriptions—just so they could track how you're using them, you know, to make sure you aren't taking more than necessary. Even though I explained—just like you did—that I’d happily grab a new pack now just so I wouldn't have to drive back to the pharmacy in a week (not that I'm out here reselling pills or whatever!), nope, no chance. It was just a flat "you already picked yours up this month," and that was that.

But with the new system, those old paper scripts are gone and everything is digital now. Luckily, my doctor writes it for a three-month supply, so I can just grab a triple pack all at once and be done with it. The only real hassle is having to call her or swing by her office every single time I need a refill or a new script.

Kimberly Ross3 said:Hey Cure, why exactly is it that you have to start taking birth control pills on the very first day of your period?
What actually happens if you take them, say, a few days early or a few days late? What’s the actual impact there?

I’m asking just out of curiosity—I wasn't looking for an answer elsewhere, and honestly, I totally blanked on asking my OB-GYN when I was last at her office.

Specifically, my cycle is incredibly irregular (and painful)—there's zero chance I can predict when it'll show up (last time, I was waiting 100 days for it and almost lost my mind three different times...). I've used the pill before and it worked wonders for me, but I had to stop because of some inflammation. That was about a year ago, and now I want to get back on it—I've done all the tests, got my prescription, and now I just need to start. Well, I did technically start my period, but it wasn't a "classic" Day 1 situation; instead, I had this weird little spotting for a week—just barely enough for a pantyliner—and then yesterday my actual period finally kicked in (my last one was back on October 17th).

Since I couldn't really figure out what was going on—it was my first time dealing with something like this—and I wasn't sure if the spotting would turn into a regular period, I didn't take the first pill. Instead, I’m planning to wait until the next cycle (which will be a normal one, hopefully). While I was overthinking all of this, this question popped into my head, so here I am asking it here. I'd love for someone to explain this to me since it isn't quite clear to me, and frankly, this whole waiting game and my erratic cycle are driving me absolutely crazy.

Thanks in advance!

Hey ladies!

So, after that whole situation I mentioned above (here's the link to that part of the thread and the replies I got: http://www.americanhealthforum.com/thread...#post42829165), much to my surprise, a similar thing happened again..

I hadn't had my period since Christmas (that's 107 days!), and then finally, two days ago on Wednesday night, I started bleeding. Even though it was pathetic and super light, I didn't want to let another weird situation happen, so I took my very first pill that same evening. After that, the bleeding stopped completely, even though I spent Thursday dealing with the usual menstrual cramps.

I've continued taking my contraceptive (Trinovum), and for these past two days, my ovaries have been aching—the usual symptoms are there, but the bleeding has totally vanished, and now I am seriously at a loss.

I keep up with all my regular checkups, everything looks fine on paper, and my OB-GYN tells me I'm perfectly healthy and normal, saying that this kind of irregularity isn't unusual at all... When I first started pills, the same thing happened where I bled very lightly for the first two days and then it just stopped, so I rushed to see her immediately, and she told me not to worry and just keep taking them... So, now I really don't know what to think—am I protected or not? What does all this mean?

I've been thinking about what drewnightfall2 said: "In exceptional cases, you can start taking the pill even if you aren't on your period; the only difference, like Angel mentioned, is whether or not you're protected. If you take it on the first day of your period, you are. If you take it any other day, you need to use backup protection." My question is, how paranoid should I be? How long do I need to use extra protection—a week, two weeks, a month?

Has anyone else ever started on the pill when they weren't actually on their period, and how did it work out for you?

Edit: I just found some info on this site: http://www.webmd.com/health/diseases...read which says I should use backup protection for two weeks to be safe, so that's exactly what I'm going to do..

swiftpanther11 said:Here’s my deal:
I was on them for about a year and a half, and for the most part, things were totally fine,
but then I stopped taking them two months ago because I lost my prescription (now I’m just doing
a break before heading in to get my bloodwork and everything else checked)
only now my hormones have gone absolutely haywire. I’ve broken out in these nasty pimples—not just on my face, but all over my body,
it’s honestly gross. I'm wondering how many of you guys deal with symptoms like this and how you handle it? I mean, I’ve heard this happens all the time, but I am so done suffering through this. I actually caught myself thinking about just starting back up on my own since I stupidly found my old prescription in the meantime. How smart is that move? Or should I just wait to hear what my doctor says? :/

That hasn't happened to me, but man, that sounds miserable.. 😢
Whatever the case, please just head to the OBGYN as soon as you can. Don't try to DIY this—honestly, I wouldn't—I tend to be a bit paranoid and super cautious about this kind of stuff, so I definitely wouldn't dare make a move without checking first... If you can't make it in for an appointment right away, maybe try calling her to explain what's going on, though I think an actual exam would be better—plus, she can send you straight to get those labs done immediately.

Aw, man... honestly, same here... thank you!! 🙂

Sure, but what’s the actual logic behind it—like, why wouldn't I be protected? What is physically happening in the body that makes such a massive difference if you take it on day one versus any other day?

And honestly, I didn't end up taking it. I'm just incredibly paranoid about this whole thing and I simply don't have the mental energy to spend the next few weeks constantly spiraling and asking myself, "Wait, am I actually safe right now?"—so I'm just going to wait... if this same nonsense happens again, then I'll listen to you guys. Otherwise, I use Truvada (or similar), and I was reading the instructions—apparently, if you miss that first day, you're supposed to take it on day five and then use extra protection for a week. My issue is that I'm not even entirely sure which day was actually my "day one," so I'm really just crossing my fingers that this won't happen again next month, since it's my first time dealing with this kind of mess.

Thanks so much for getting back to me!
I mean, I’ve definitely been sitting here chewing on that idea—but honestly, this past week with that weird blood clot situation has just left me completely spinning, so I haven't had a clue what to do with myself.
And if I'm being totally real, it's actually terrifying—the thought that I might not be one hundred percent protected... so yeah, I ended up skipping this one and figured I'd just wait for the next shot. I really don't know.

Hey Cure, why exactly is it that you have to start taking birth control pills on the very first day of your period?
What actually happens if you take them, say, a few days early or a few days late? What’s the actual impact there?

I’m asking just out of curiosity—I wasn't looking for an answer elsewhere, and honestly, I totally blanked on asking my OB-GYN when I was last at her office.

Specifically, my cycle is incredibly irregular (and painful)—there's zero chance I can predict when it'll show up (last time, I was waiting 100 days for it and almost lost my mind three different times...). I've used the pill before and it worked wonders for me, but I had to stop because of some inflammation. That was about a year ago, and now I want to get back on it—I've done all the tests, got my prescription, and now I just need to start. Well, I did technically start my period, but it wasn't a "classic" Day 1 situation; instead, I had this weird little spotting for a week—just barely enough for a pantyliner—and then yesterday my actual period finally kicked in (my last one was back on October 17th).

Since I couldn't really figure out what was going on—it was my first time dealing with something like this—and I wasn't sure if the spotting would turn into a regular period, I didn't take the first pill. Instead, I’m planning to wait until the next cycle (which will be a normal one, hopefully). While I was overthinking all of this, this question popped into my head, so here I am asking it here. I'd love for someone to explain this to me since it isn't quite clear to me, and frankly, this whole waiting game and my erratic cycle are driving me absolutely crazy.

Thanks in advance!

Jeremy Cook2 said:@Kimberly Ross3-taking birth control while on antibiotics totally tanks how well the pills work, so you seriously need to use condoms the whole time. Honestly, I’d even say stick to them for the first pack of a new box just to be safe..

Hope that clears things up for you🙂

Thanks for the advice, seriously! 🙂

Kimberly Ross3—honestly, sometimes I feel like I’m just shouting into the void here, but I really wanted to touch on what was said earlier about the community vibe. It’s funny, isn't it? How we all gravitate toward these specific topics—kind of like how you can't help but notice that one flickering streetlight on a quiet suburban block—even when things get a little chaotic. Anyway, I was thinking about the recent shifts in the conversation, and I can't help but wonder if we're all just looking for that same sense of connection, even if it's through these digital screens. It feels important—really, truly important—to keep this space feeling genuine, rather than just another noisy corner of the internet. Just my two cents! kaže:
Hey ladies!

I have just one question:

So, I’ve been on Trinovum for about seven months now—seven whole months!—and honestly? Everything is going totally fine. I haven't dealt with any side effects at all, which, you know, feels like a bit of a win in my book. Just smooth sailing so far!
And honestly—this is the part that really matters to me—those issues I was dealing with before I started taking this (you know, those irregular and super painful periods) have actually finally cleared up and stabilized. It’s such a relief.

So, I came down with strep throat this week—just total misery—so I finally dragged myself to the doctor today. They put me on some antibiotics, Silapen 1500, which I’m hoping kicks in fast because, honestly, I am just over it.
How much I’m going to burn through in the next ten days—honestly, who knows? I actually took my prescription over to the doctor and asked her if taking these pills like this would be okay, you know, just to be safe...
Do antibiotics have any kind of impact on how birth control works—or maybe it’s the other way around?—which she mentioned shouldn't be an issue, but honestly, that’s always such a gray area...
Yeah, honestly, I can drink both of them—no problem at all—and they aren’t going to have any kind of impact on each other anyway. It's fine!

Later on, while I was digging through the fine print in the instructions for some antibiotics—you know how it is, reading all that tiny legalistic stuff—I actually read somewhere that they can lower how well oral contraceptives work.
I couldn't find any info on whether this applies to the entire cycle—like, does it mean just those ten days on antibiotics, or are we talking about a much longer period of time altogether?

Does anyone here actually know the deal with this—like, for real—and what you’d suggest I do? 🙂

Thanks a million!

So, if I could just jump back in here with another follow-up question regarding that whole "7-day rule" thing—because, honestly, I feel like we’re only scratching the surface—so, basically:
So, looks like we need to keep up with the usual pill routine—you know, staying on track with the daily tablets—but for the next seven days, we’ve got to layer in an extra non-hormonal method too. Just a heads-up to stay consistent with both!
If you happen to miss a dose—and let's be honest, life gets crazy and we all forget things sometimes—and it’s been more than 12 hours since you were actually supposed to take that tablet... well, here's the deal.
If you end up dealing with vomiting or diarrhea—and we're talking about it dragging on for more than 12 hours straight—then you really need to take it seriously.
If a woman happens to be taking any of those medications listed under the "other medications" section—just a heads-up there—that's something to keep in mind.
If those seven days end up stretching out longer than the actual supply left in your current blister pack—you know, when life gets in the way and things don't go exactly to plan—you’ll need to crack open a new pack and start taking the tablets right away. Basically, you just skip that usual seven-day break entirely. It sounds a bit counterintuitive—I get it—but that's how you stay on track!

So, looking at my stash right now—I’ve still got 8 pills left, and then there's those 25 antibiotics... which means I'm looking at about 8 more days, plus one extra day on top of that. Just crunching the numbers, really.
So, about that last dose of antibiotics—I think I should probably take it at 7:00 AM on the first day of my break... just to be safe, you know? Everything feels a bit fuzzy when you're trying to time these things perfectly—not that I'm a doctor or anything!—but I really want to make sure I don't mess up the schedule.
Honestly—I mean, really—I’m just sitting here totally lost on what I should even do next... like, do I just let her go, or do I actually try to move past this whole thing? I genuinely don't know.
Either let me get my monthly allowance normally—without all this constant back-and-forth—or I’m just going to be sitting here staring at the wall until the next shipment arrives. Seriously.
Will everything be fine then, or should I still look into setting up some extra layer of protection just in case?

I just loved how confidently that doctor spoke—honestly, there was something about her delivery that just hit right.
Look, just take my word for it—there’s absolutely no reason to worry. Seriously, don't sweat it. There isn't a single problem here... none at all.

Has anyone here actually dealt with mixing birth control pills and antibiotics before? I’ve been spiraling a bit trying to figure out if it actually messes with everything—like, does it actually make them ineffective? Just looking for some real experiences if you've been through it.