Posts by Kimberly Ross3

Hey ladies!

Quick question for you all:

I’ve been on Trinovum for about 7 months now—everything has been totally fine, honestly, zero side effects so far,
and the stuff that used to drive me crazy before I started (like my irregular and super painful periods) has finally leveled out and stabilized.

But, well, life happens—I came down with a nasty case of strep throat recently. I saw my doctor today and she prescribed some antibiotics—Silapen 1500,
which I’ll be taking for the next 10 days. I actually showed her my prescription for the birth control pills and asked if taking
the antibiotics would mess with the pill's effectiveness (or vice versa)—and she told me it was absolutely no problem,
basically saying I could take both without worrying about them interfering with each other.

However—and this is where I got a bit anxious—I was reading through the medication info leaflet for the antibiotic later, and it mentioned that they can reduce the efficacy of oral contraceptives.
The thing is, I couldn't find anything clarifying whether that applies to my entire cycle, just during those 10 days of treatment, or if there's some longer-term window I need to worry about...

Does anyone here know for sure how this works, or what you would recommend I do? 🙂

Thanks so much!

jesam 🙂

Božice, I’m seriously so glad everything worked out the way it did 🙂
hang in there!

Oh man, Božice, I’m really, truly hoping everything turns out okay,
and I’m wishing you such a speedy and successful recovery... hang in there...

Wait, did I just see that? MelodyNine—hold on, let me catch my breath for a second—I feel like we’re finally getting somewhere here! Honestly, seeing this thread move along like this is just… it’s everything. It’s like when you finally find that one perfect song on a random indie playlist and you just have to sit there and *listen*, you know? Just soak it in. Anyway, back to what was being said—I really wanted to jump in because I think there’s such a massive point being made here about how we approach these things. It’s easy to get caught up in the noise, right? The constant chatter, the distractions—it’s like trying to hear a whisper in the middle of Times Square during rush hour. You just have to tune everything else out and focus on the core truth. And speaking of tuning in—did anyone else notice how much the vibe has shifted since earlier today? It feels different—more grounded, maybe? Or perhaps I’m just overthinking it again (guilty as charged, I know!). But there’s definitely a shift. A certain energy. Like the air right before a summer thunderstorm rolls through the Midwest—heavy, expectant, and just a little bit electric. I’m really looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks about this part of the discussion. Please, don't hold back! I want the deep dives, the tangents, the whole thing. Let's keep this momentum going! kaže:
It’s funny how things work sometimes—you know, for some women, even without being on any birth control, it can take quite a while to actually conceive. It's just how biology goes, right? But then you have cases like two people I know—and one of them is actually a really close friend of mine—who both ended up pregnant the very next month after they stopped taking their pills. Just... boom. Right on schedule. Nature is wild like that, isn't it?

So, yeah—there’s really no such thing as an official "body detox" period—and honestly, your options for dealing with that stuff depend entirely on where you stand with your own hormones and fertility levels. 😉

It’s obvious—everything just keeps circling back to that one idea, you know? That whole "it’s all completely individual" thing. Everything—really everything—just gravitates toward that one point. 😁

I mean, I honestly feel like there are two sides to this—on one hand, you have the chance at pregnancy, but on the other, there’s all that intense chemistry being pumped into your system...
because—just think about it—after you miss just a single pill, your hormone levels drop enough that ovulation could kick in,
but that doesn't mean your hormones have just "evaporated" into thin air... the chemicals are still very much in there.
I'm not saying it'll definitely harm an embryo, but I can't rule it out either—who actually knows for sure?
Some girls in this thread were mentioning it might take up to six months for your body to fully clear everything out, which honestly makes sense to me,
and look, it's true that the human body is incredibly adaptable—there are always those natural mechanisms and all that stuff working to balance things out,
but still, after swallowing so many pills, I find it impossible to believe that I'll just be "back to normal" in two days,
you know, like I never even took a single one... if these things are powerful enough to halt my ovulation and basically overhaul my entire system,
I seriously doubt all those hormones can just vanish from my body that quickly...
Again—I'm not saying it definitely has a negative impact on an embryo, I just think nobody really knows the answer, maybe not even the OB-GYNs,
it's pretty obvious that everyone has a different take on this and gives totally different advice to their patients.

Ugh, yeah... I’m with bubica on this one—definitely see a gynecologist first thing. Fingers crossed for you!

P.S.—bubica, did everything go okay for you yesterday?
(Everything's fine on my end, by the way—my doctor told me not to worry, and the bleeding actually stopped today)

And then I’ll head over there tomorrow... it won't be anything major, but still—it’s going to take some time..

BTW, my instructions actually say that missing a period is totally normal (or just spotting/trace amounts)... but what I’m dealing with right now doesn't really fit any of those descriptions. :/
I think I'll go see the doctor tomorrow to figure out what's actually going on.. thanks, bubicee 🙂

It’s not even that unusual for my cycle—I mean, it’s actually just my period, which Ginica told me was because I was late taking my pill, so it just showed up automatically... The only thing bothering me is how long this is lasting, though honestly, it isn't even heavy or painful...

I’m totally with you guys on this—because if you take a seven-day break, that basically means seven days without any pills, so you’d start back up on day eight, right? It just makes sense to me.

On another note—and I don't know if anyone else here has dealt with this—but regarding my issues with bleeding, has anyone actually had experience with that?

So, I’ve finally started digging through this whole thread from the very beginning, and honestly—I have to admit—I’ve learned so much already! I’m only about halfway through, though, and since I’ve run into a bit of a situation myself (which I haven't found an answer for yet!), I figured I’d just ask:

When I first started taking the pill—after doing all my bloodwork, everything checked out fine, and my doctor at the Mayo Clinic gave me the green light for Trinovum—I actually handled it really well. No side effects at all, aside from some mood swings, but I managed those just fine; it wasn't any worse than my usual PMS.
Then, somewhere in the middle of the pack, I missed a dose—well, I took it late. It was the next day, more than 12 hours behind schedule. Following the instructions, I took it as soon as I got home and then just carried on with my normal evening dose. That caused some bleeding the very next day—basically, my period started. It wasn't painful, and it wasn't any heavier than usual, but the issue is that it’s been going on for 16 days now. I finished my first pack, and now I’m in that 7-day break period, and while the bleeding seems like it might stop soon, I’m just not sure...

There was one day where I had to stay in bed because I felt so weak and wiped out (on top of some personal nonsense I've been dealing with lately), and the bleeding still hasn't let up. It wasn't as heavy as my regular days, just a little lighter, with a couple of days where it felt totally normal... so, nothing extreme or terrifying. I feel okay physically—I had some typical cramps and bloating for a few days, but otherwise, everything is fine.

The elders in my house are absolutely losing their minds over this. They saw me stuck in bed all day and started interrogating me about what happened. Plus, they don't even know I'm on the pill because they’re totally against it—I’m almost 22, after all—so now there is this massive family drama unfolding. My dad is basically trying to force me to go to the doctor because he’s convinced I’m dying or something! I’m trying to explain to him that I’m perfectly fine and that this is just a normal reaction as the body adjusts to starting birth control...

Personally, I have zero desire to go back to the clinic. I’m certain I’m okay, and I really don't want to deal with the hassle of waiting five hours just to see the doctor for a single minute. And I'm not even going to call, because they never pick up the phone anyway; whenever I need something, I have to show up in person. So, I wanted to ask you guys—have any of you dealt with something similar? Am I thinking about this the right way, or is this a normal thing to happen?
Or should I just give in to the tyranny and go see the doctor after all?

One other thing—I’ve seen so many questions in this thread about when to restart the pill after the 7-day break. Like, do you take it on the 7th day or the 8th? After browsing around on a site like http://www.mayoclinic.org, I stumbled upon this explanation regarding that:

I’ve been on Diane 35 since 1999, and the instructions say to take it for 21 days with a 7-day break. I took that literally—meaning, a 7-day break, then start again on the 8th day. But recently, a nurse told me I should actually be starting on the 7th day, so now I’m super confused. What is the correct way, and if she’s right, what are the actual consequences?

>> There are different schools of thought on when to start a new pack of contraceptives. Some say you start the new pack on the 7th day of the break, while others say the 8th. The "German school" recommendation is to start the new pack on the 7th day. This minimizes the chance of a follicle from a "dormant" ovary waking up and growing, which could lead to ovulation despite being on the pill. This logic follows how a natural cycle works: the day menstruation starts is both the last day of the previous cycle and the first day of the new one. Thus, the 7th day of the break acts as the 1st day of the new cycle.

So, how do you all usually do it? Day 7 or Day 8?
I took my last pill on Friday, and now I can't decide if I should take the next one on Friday or Saturday. I usually take them at night, around 10 PM, and it might be better to take the first one on Friday, since I'll be spending the weekend with my significant other starting Saturday afternoon... just so I can be as safe as possible.

P.S.—thanks so much for everything, and please excuse the messy way I've put this post together.

Alma, honestly, I don’t know—are you absolutely sure it’s from the pills?
You should definitely talk to your OB-GYN, though—I really don't know what else to tell you, especially if this has been going on for a while now.

I just finished my very first pack and didn't have any side effects at all; I actually handled them really well (Trinovum)...
But then, halfway through the pack, I ended up getting stuck out in the city unexpectedly and didn't have my pills with me,
and since I usually take mine in the evening, I missed one and didn't end up taking it until the next afternoon when I finally got home,
so I just kept going with my regular schedule—exactly how the instructions say to do it.
Well, the very next day my period started, and it just won't stop—today is already day 13... I took all the pills—all 21 of them—and now I'm starting my 7-day break.
I went to see my doctor right when it started because I wasn't sure what was happening or how to handle the next cycle,
but she told me it happened because of that one late dose, and said I should just keep taking them and that there shouldn't be any issues.

So, the only thing bothering me is that this bleeding has lasted 13 days now... and I'm feeling kind of exhausted and weak.
Has this happened to anyone else? Should I be specifically worried about anything?

It isn't heavy; in fact, it's actually lighter than my usual flow, so it doesn't surprise me that it's dragging on this long,
if it were "normal," it would have stopped ages ago, but this is just stretching out forever.
And I should mention, this is my first pack, so I guess I'm still technically adjusting to everything...

Yeah, my OBGYN actually brought up that exact same thing regarding family history and all those similar genetic issues,
like, has anyone else here dealt with vein problems or anything along those lines?
And then she just sent me off to get blood work done right after.

I honestly don't know what to tell you—I haven't really gone through this myself—so maybe your cousins might have some better insight or something smarter to say.

Though, look, if there’s a genuine risk of bigger complications—and since it sounds like there clearly is for you, especially if your doctor gave you a heads-up—
I think it's definitely better to just suck it up and switch to a different method of birth control
rather than having something serious happen to you, which would obviously be way worse than just dealing with the annoyance of using condoms.

Wait, did I miss something? I feel like I’m staring at a blank page here—just a name floating in the void! Butterfly-, you there? I was just sitting here thinking about how some of these threads go completely silent right when things get interesting—you know, like when you're halfway through a great movie and someone suddenly pulls the plug—and then I see your handle pop up and I'm just waiting for the rest of the thought. Don't leave me hanging! What's on your mind? Is it something deep? Something totally random? I'm all ears—really, I am. kaže:
So, here’s my two cents—I figured I’d share my experience with birth control with you all! After basically agonizing over it for a good year or two, I finally pulled the trigger and started pills about three months ago. Physically speaking? Honestly, everything was a solid 10 out of 10. My appetite didn't spike at all, my libido was through the roof, and I didn't deal with any sudden cellulite issues—just a little bit of extra fullness in the chest area... which, hey, not a bad trade-off, right? But—and this is a massive "but"—everything would have been a total dream if I hadn't turned into this incredibly depressed, moody mess. It wasn't even normal. I actually ended up breaking up with this amazing guy because I was blaming him for everything... when really, I was acting like a complete maniac. I seriously never want to go through that again. Maybe it's just the hormones, or maybe that specific brand just wasn't a match for my body, but I have zero desire to experiment or put myself through that cycle one more time. So, yeah... I'm going back to condoms (well, until I find another great guy, anyway). 👍

Man, I feel you... I mean, I barely drink—like, super short bursts, nothing crazy—but man, those hormones are hitting me like a freight train right now. It’s like my whole system is just... out of whack.
For my own sanity, I’m sticking to the regimen—really trying not to let myself spiral into thinking I’m losing it before I can actually figure out if there's any logical basis for how I’m feeling... but man, these pills definitely shift the mood. It’s not like I’m depressed or anything, but I get these moments where things just feel... off. Like, weird. Something I’ve never really dealt with before. Take the other day, for instance—him and I had one of those typical little misunderstandings. You know how it goes, especially when you're just texting or messaging instead of being face-to-face... it’s so easy for things to get lost in translation. Usually, we hash it out in like thirty minutes and move on, totally forgotten, back to our normal selves. But this time? I felt like I just couldn't get past it. It was so frustrating because it was such a trivial, stupid thing, but I just couldn't shake the feeling. And then I started spiraling, wondering why everything was hitting me so hard all at once. For three whole days, I could barely even talk to him normally—I was just acting so strange and withdrawn. It was awful. Eventually, I snapped out of it and went back to my usual self, and everything is fine now, truly—but that odd sensation still pops up every now and then. Since I don't have a better way to handle it, I’ve just decided to ignore it. Honestly, if I actually knew what the hell was bothering me or why it was happening, I’d just fix it—but I can't. It feels so idiotic. It’s just this nagging thing lurking in my subconscious, occasionally jumping out and messing with my head for no reason. It makes zero sense. Anyway, I guess I’ll just see how things go later, once I’ve settled into the medication a bit more—I only just started taking them.

Thanks a million 🙂

I’m not going to stop drinking—well, the breaks fit right into my regular Truvada routine since there are 21 in a pack,
so once I finish those, I take a 7-day break, and then it's back to square one...

Anyway, it’s all going to be fine... and I’ll let you guys know what she says as soon as I get a chance to talk or meet up with her...
I was just really worried about whether things could get messed up if the initial start gets all out of whack...

But you guys have totally calmed me down, thanks again! 😉

Hey there!

First off, sorry if I’m doubling up on a topic—I’m totally new here. I’ve scrolled through as much of this sub-forum as I can find, and I didn't see anything similar, but if I missed an existing thread, please excuse me for opening a new one anyway.

So, I’m having a bit of a situation with starting birth control—my very first time ever—and honestly, it is driving me absolutely insane.
To give you some context, my periods are incredibly irregular (here’s what the last two years looked like: Feb 17 - April 9 - June 4 - July 18 - Sept 18 - ? - Dec 20 - March 8 - April 1 - June 2 - July 13 - Aug 12 - Oct 2 - Nov 27). I went to my OB-GYN, had an ultrasound, a Pap smear, everything—all looks perfect. I asked her about the irregularity, wondering if it might be genetic since my mom dealt with the exact same thing back in the day before her first pregnancy, after which everything leveled out. My doctor just said it’s all normal and nothing to worry about because I’m healthy as a horse (and I'm 21).

I asked her about the pill, got my bloodwork done, and everything came back fine. She prescribed Trinovum and told me that if I run into any issues—like nausea, mood swings, or whatever else—to come straight back so she can switch me to something else.

Since you're supposed to start the pill on the first day of your period, I was basically just waiting for a "signal" to begin. I had no clue when it would actually happen or if it would, since I can't really rely on tracking dates—it just follows its own chaotic schedule and leaves me stressed...

On Saturday night, I noticed a little spotting, so I took my first pill. On Sunday, my "period" was extremely light—more like a brownish discharge rather than a full flow—nothing like my usual cycle... I've never experienced anything like that before.
I thought to myself, "Well, it's only day one, maybe it's just light and will turn into a normal period soon..." but by Monday, everything just stopped. Based on my own gut feeling and some advice from friends, I haven't stopped taking the pills, but there hasn't been any bleeding at all.

My doctor is out of the office this week so I couldn't get a hold of her, and Google hasn't exactly been helpful with its advice... I'm still taking them; I've taken 6 pills so far. I feel totally fine—maybe a tiny bit hungrier—but no nausea, no headaches, nothing... I actually feel okay.

So, I’m wondering if any of you have gone through something similar? What should I be thinking about this? Should I stop taking the pills until I can see my doctor on Monday, or should I keep going? Are they even working properly if that wasn't actually my period (which it almost certainly wasn't, even though I had my usual PMS symptoms beforehand)? Could this mess up the whole system or cause long-term issues? (I figured those 6 pills wouldn't kill me, especially since I feel good, but could it affect how things work later on?)

Ugh, why does everything always have to be so complicated? Why can't things just be simple for once...

If anyone has any advice—even if it's just something to help me worry a little less—I would appreciate it more than you know.
I'm a total nervous wreck right now, just spiraling a bit, not knowing what to think...

Hi everyone!