Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Hello. I am wondering if anyone here has experience delaying their period using birth control pills. I have been taking Loestrin for four months to manage irregular cycles. Everything has been fine so far, but I have a hiking trip planned for the week my next period is due. I want to postpone it because I will be in the middle of nowhere with questionable hygiene conditions. According to the Loestrin instructions, you can delay your period by skipping the seven-day break and starting a new pack immediately. However, the manual warns that spotting or breakthrough bleeding might occur during that week. Now I am worried about whether I will bleed and how heavy it might be. Has anyone used this method to delay their cycle, and did you experience any side effects?

I went through this during my pregnancy. I had spotting—just bloody discharge. It happened every single time for me. Some people get it and others don't. There is no way for anyone to predict how it will go for you.

steellynx71 said:Hello. I am wondering if anyone here has experience delaying their period using birth control pills. I have been taking Loestrin for four months to manage irregular cycles. Everything has been fine so far, but I have a hiking trip planned for the week my next period is due. I want to postpone it because I will be in the middle of nowhere with questionable hygiene conditions. According to the Loestrin instructions, you can delay your period by skipping the seven-day break and starting a new pack immediately. However, the manual warns that spotting or breakthrough bleeding might occur during that week. Now I am worried about whether I will bleed and how heavy it might be. Has anyone used this method to delay their cycle, and did you experience any side effects?

I did the exact same thing to avoid messing up my summer vacation. I just started the next pack straight away, but I ended up spotting anyway. My periods aren't usually heavy, but that happened regardless...😠

Got my period this morning around 6 AM—starting my first pack of Lindynette today. Quick question though... since it’s easier for me to take them in the evening, say around 8 or 9 PM, is it too late to take that first pill?...

Keith Martin5 said:Got my period this morning around 6 AM—starting my first pack of Lindynette today. Quick question though... since it’s easier for me to take them in the evening, say around 8 or 9 PM, is it too late to take that first pill?...

From what I understand, it doesn't matter at all. The specific hour you kick things off isn't the issue; the only thing that actually matters is making sure you take it on that specific day.🙂

I'm currently on Belara pills—just started my fifth pack. But I’m four days into my break now and still haven't started my period.
I've been super consistent with taking them, too. Aside from those, the only other things I've used are Lactogyn vaginal suppositories and Urosal Lady.
Should I be worried? :/

Keith Martin5 said:Got my period this morning around 6 AM—starting my first pack of Lindynette today. Quick question though... since it’s easier for me to take them in the evening, say around 8 or 9 PM, is it too late to take that first pill?...

I’m on those too—and I always take mine at 9 PM... so yeah, you should be totally fine taking yours tonight. 😉

Has anyone here ever used Microgynon? Any thoughts? 🙂
I think I'm about to start taking birth control pills for the first time, so I was just curious to hear about other people's experiences. 😁

Brandon Lopez6 said:I totally get it. I just wanted to warn you not to be bummed if you see some pills getting great reviews online but they end up being a nightmare for you.🙂
I have the exact same kind of OBGYN.🙄

So, here’s my experience:
Yasmin was easily the worst for me. It gave me chest pains that actually got worse with every new pack, so I had to quit. Then Yaza made me feel nauseous for basically an entire month. Lindynette was probably the easiest on my body—no weight gain, zero acne—but it absolutely wrecked my mood and killed my libido. A ton of girls on these forums complain about the same thing, especially regarding sex drive.
I tried Triquilar too, but I was only on it for a little bit before stopping because the side effects wouldn't budge. Can't remember the specifics though, it was ages ago. 🙂

Well, Lindynette is out for me then. That’s exactly why I switched off Cerazette.
thanks! 🙂

melloworca6 said:So what does it actually say on there? It should be listing interactions.

My friend Tihonsee had some pretty rough experiences using them with Yasmin. She had to stop after just two or three boxes because she felt incredibly weird while taking them. A couple of times her vision went black and she almost collapsed right there on the floor. Her gynecologist ended up discontinuing them altogether. I have no clue which ones she took after that, but I know those were terrible for her. She was constantly complaining about how bad they made her feel and kept asking if that was even normal.

I was on Yasmin and don't really remember having any issues with them.
I might consider taking them again. I honestly thought they were outdated since there are so many newer options out there, but people are still using them.
I usually figure the newer ones have lower hormone levels and fewer side effects.😁
Even Diane-3 is still being prescribed; I really thought everyone had moved on from those by now.

To pick up my pills (I’m on Qlaira) at the pharmacy, I need that slip of paper signed by a doctor. It’s not an insurance prescription from Blue Cross or anything, just a standard script.
Can a private gynecologist sign off on that? Has anyone dealt with this before?
I really don't want to go back to my regular OBGYN; the guy was traumatizing. But the pharmacy won't take my old paperwork anymore because it's over a year old....

Robert Anderson10, yeah, maybe you could even get that private gynecologist recommendation from them. That’s basically the secret formula, I guess.
I guess that’s how they handled my prescription over at Sun City.

So, I’m on the pill—currently in my 7-day break. My period didn't even decide to show up until day four, but today is day eight, which means I’m starting a brand new pack tonight. Yesterday was super heavy, but today (which is day four of the bleeding) it's pretty much gone—just some light, brownish discharge now. Is it actually normal for the bleeding to just stop on its own before the next pack starts? Usually, I’m still bleeding through the first two pills of a new cycle. And what's the deal with the protection part? Am I good from day one, or should I be using extra backup methods?
I had "relations" yesterday.

velvetharbor17 said:So, I’m on the pill—currently in my 7-day break. My period didn't even decide to show up until day four, but today is day eight, which means I’m starting a brand new pack tonight. Yesterday was super heavy, but today (which is day four of the bleeding) it's pretty much gone—just some light, brownish discharge now. Is it actually normal for the bleeding to just stop on its own before the next pack starts? Usually, I’m still bleeding through the first two pills of a new cycle. And what's the deal with the protection part? Am I good from day one, or should I be using extra backup methods?
I had "relations" yesterday.

Everything is fine—really, it’s all perfectly normal. There’s no need for any extra security measures, isn't there?

I have a question for you all!
I’ve been taking Diane-35 for two months now, and yesterday I took my 14th pill at 9:00 PM. Between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM last night, I started vomiting quite badly, and on top of that, I had diarrhea. Now I'm wondering: would that pill have been absorbed during those four hours? Should I take another one just in case it didn't go through? I went to the pharmacy, and the pharmacist told me it likely was, claiming three hours is plenty of time for absorption, but she did advise me to call my gynecologist. However, her office doesn't open until this afternoon, so I'm stuck waiting until then. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? My last sexual encounter was yesterday without any extra protection...🙄

Kenneth Bailey14 said:I have a question for you all!
I’ve been taking Diane-35 for two months now, and yesterday I took my 14th pill at 9:00 PM. Between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM last night, I started vomiting quite badly, and on top of that, I had diarrhea. Now I'm wondering: would that pill have been absorbed during those four hours? Should I take another one just in case it didn't go through? I went to the pharmacy, and the pharmacist told me it likely was, claiming three hours is plenty of time for absorption, but she did advise me to call my gynecologist. However, her office doesn't open until this afternoon, so I'm stuck waiting until then. Has anyone else dealt with something like this? My last sexual encounter was yesterday without any extra protection...🙄

Look, don't sweat it. The rule says four hours, but I read somewhere that two hours is actually enough. That extra buffer is just there because everyone’s body works differently. You can't exactly claim the pill was fully absorbed at exactly two hours but wasn't absorbed at one hour and fifty-nine minutes, you know? It’s just a precaution. Better safe than sorry—stick to the four-hour mark.

You don't need any extra protection.

Lisa Myers said:Look, don't sweat it. The rule says four hours, but I read somewhere that two hours is actually enough. That extra buffer is just there because everyone’s body works differently. You can't exactly claim the pill was fully absorbed at exactly two hours but wasn't absorbed at one hour and fifty-nine minutes, you know? It’s just a precaution. Better safe than sorry—stick to the four-hour mark.

You don't need any extra protection.

I’m currently trying to get a hold of Ginić, but she isn't responding. Anyway, I was asking a pharmacist at the local drugstore—an older woman—about these tablets, and she claimed they stay effective for the entire day. Honestly, I don't think we were on the same page. I specifically asked her how long it takes for the medication to actually absorb into the system, because my concern is that the pill won't just sit whole in my stomach for twenty-four hours. 🙄

Thank you for that advice. In that case, I won't go ahead with booking the second backup option; instead, I'm going to focus my efforts on trying to secure an appointment with a gynecologist.

Kenneth Bailey14 said:I’m currently trying to get a hold of Ginić, but she isn't responding. Anyway, I was asking a pharmacist at the local drugstore—an older woman—about these tablets, and she claimed they stay effective for the entire day. Honestly, I don't think we were on the same page. I specifically asked her how long it takes for the medication to actually absorb into the system, because my concern is that the pill won't just sit whole in my stomach for twenty-four hours. 🙄

Thank you for that advice. In that case, I won't go ahead with booking the second backup option; instead, I'm going to focus my efforts on trying to secure an appointment with a gynecologist.

It wouldn't make sense to take another one now anyway. Just take your next dose tonight at 9 PM like usual. If you're still really worried, you can always use extra protection for the next seven days.

Lisa Myers said:It wouldn't make sense to take another one now anyway. Just take your next dose tonight at 9 PM like usual. If you're still really worried, you can always use extra protection for the next seven days.

It isn't really the upcoming days that concern me—I intend to use a condom regardless. My worry stems from yesterday, when we had unprotected intercourse and he finished inside me. Given that sperm can survive for three to four days, I wanted to be certain.🙄

I’m talking, but there’s really nothing you can do anymore. It's too late now, you know? Besides, there's no need to worry; the pill works. And most importantly—you wouldn't ovulate that quickly after your last pill.

I’m reading some threads right now suggesting that if you experience any brownish spotting mid-cycle, it’s actually pretty standard.
On the flip side, a friend was telling me that bleeding during your period might be a sign
that whatever birth control you're on just isn't strong enough. 😕 🤔

It hasn't happened to me personally, but, I guess, I'm curious.😁 🤔