Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Well, what else can I say besides thanks again.

Honestly, you women are just something else. 😍

Of course! It really is the absolute best. 🎉 🙂

Ugh, question for the girls who skipped their 7-day break!

Nah, in a clear box, right? Like, last week I missed two pills... just totally blanked on them because I was stressed out and everything.
She ate them and then it hit me. Not sure if it was less than 12 hours or more.
Decided to skip the break / like Yasmina says in the instructions if I forget my pill on day 3 / and started the second pack.
It says there might be some minor bleeding here. Anyone else ever deal with that?
Has anyone ever actually gotten their period right in the middle of a second pack without a break?

Aside from this past weekend, I haven't missed any other hits. Already six days into this next round.
feeling weird.
Everything’s been sounding way too sweet and warm lately, like I'm being played before the big reveal. Getting a little paranoid. 😲 🙂 🙂

If anyone else dealt with that "skipped" break situation, please share. 😢

I started taking Yasmin about six months ago, though I should mention that I had already gained a bit of weight right before I began, and I actually decided to start a diet at almost the exact same time as starting the medication.
Despite putting in what felt like an incredible amount of effort over these last six months, I’ve only managed to lose about 6 or 7 pounds, which feels quite discouraging.
To give you a little more context, I’ve always struggled with maintaining my weight since I tend to gain it fairly easily; there were several times in the past where I gained about 25 pounds, but I was always able to drop it all within three months by exercising consistently and cutting out sweets and processed baked goods.
This time around, I spent three months stuck at home studying for the LSAT, during which I was eating strictly low-calorie meals and spending nearly an hour every single day on the elliptical, yet nothing seemed to work—even though I know from experience that I really ought to be losing weight. It’s almost as if I’ve hit a wall, and interestingly, after those three months passed, I started eating without much control, but I’m still not gaining any weight; I feel as though I might just be permanently stuck at this specific number on the scale.
It occurs to me that it’s entirely possible my metabolism might be slowing down as I approach my 30s, though I suppose the only real new variable in all of this is the Yasmin.
I was wondering if anyone else might have gone through something similar, and if so, perhaps you could suggest how one might navigate this?

By the time I saw your comment, I’d already finished the test.
It came back negative. 🙂

Quick question... I took a three-month break from my birth control pills.
After finishing the first pack, my period arrived after three days.
However, the flow seems rather light. Is this considered normal?
I recall that my cycles were always lighter even before I started the pill. I wonder if this might be because it was the very first pack, which resulted in a twenty-four-day cycle, since I took the first pill on the very first day of my period.

It doesn't really matter though. On my cycle, one month it’s completely normal, and the next month it’s barely there at all; it isn't nearly as heavy as you described. 😁 My gynecologist told me there's no reason to worry because it isn't actually a period, but rather bleeding caused by the pill, so it can fluctuate from time to time. 🙂

Hey ladies😁
How long have you been taking these pills without even a single break?

So I went to see my doctor today for a refill on my prescription... they just gave it to me based on my six-month check-in without even doing bloodwork! Last year, I had to do the whole nine yards with blood tests and an ultrasound... Ugh, I seriously hate it when doctors are so slammed that they start cutting corners.
It totally caught me off guard that I got my Triquilar script approved for another six months without any testing, though. Next time I go in, I’m definitely going to insist on getting that ultrasound and those labs done.
Apparently, he just asked how many years I've been on it and decided right then and there. 🤷
I don't know what came over him, because he's usually such a great guy!

Lisa Richardson8 said:Hey ladies😁
How long have you been taking these pills without even a single break?

I guess I’ve been on them for just under nine years now, without really stopping. 😉

Well, I have been on the medication for five and a half years now, and honestly, everything feels perfectly fine. When I had my blood work done about two years ago, the results were 👍
. Perhaps it would be wise to undergo more frequent blood tests just to be safe 🤔
.

Lisa Richardson8 said:Well, I have been on the medication for five and a half years now, and honestly, everything feels perfectly fine. When I had my blood work done about two years ago, the results were 👍
. Perhaps it would be wise to undergo more frequent blood tests just to be safe 🤔
.

Yeah, definitely every six months.

I could really use some advice here...

I’ve been on birth control pills for seven years now (Cilest)... I’m starting to wonder if taking them for this long is actually bad for you. Will it cause any issues with getting pregnant down the road?

Is it worth taking a break...

Andrew Clark said:I could really use some advice here...

I’ve been on birth control pills for seven years now (Cilest)... I’m starting to wonder if taking them for this long is actually bad for you. Will it cause any issues with getting pregnant down the road?

Is it worth taking a break...

Well, the general advice is to take a break every 12 to 18 months, though I do know women who have stayed on them continuously for five or six years.
I honestly can't say if that will lead to any lasting consequences, but the common wisdom suggests taking a hiatus so the body can essentially "reset" or "rest," allowing it to return to its natural cycle—since what we experience on the pill is effectively an artificial one—so giving the system a little breather from those intense hormone levels seems reasonable...
I wonder, why didn't your gynecologist suggest taking a break? 😕

Hey everyone, I wanted to share my story here because I think it might be worth a read for some of you. I’m 41 now. I had my first child when I was 18, and since then—aside from one specific break I’ll mention—I’ve mostly relied on birth control pills. Over twenty years ago, back in my early twenties, getting them was a breeze. No heavy questioning, no endless blood work, nothing. I could just walk into a local pharmacy, pick them up, and go. That lasted about five years until I stopped taking them after losing my partner. After four years of being single and finally finding some peace of mind, I got into a new relationship about 14 years ago. Because I was absolutely terrified of an unplanned pregnancy, I went right back on the pill. My doctor at the time didn't care for details; he just wrote the prescription without any real follow-ups or testing. He was so focused on the fear of pregnancy that he wouldn't even blink if I needed two, three, or five pills a day. Thankfully, a new doctor came along—someone I still see today. When I first went in for a refill, instead of just handing over a script, he actually sat me down, talked to me, and gave me real advice. He sent me straight for immediate blood work and liver function tests. Thank God everything came back clear. He gave me a six-month supply, but since I was a smoker at the time, he insisted on another six-month break before continuing. It was during one of those breaks that a Pap smear caught something—cancer in my cervix. What followed was an intense gauntlet of tests, biopsies, and eventually, surgery. That was five years ago. I’m doing great now. After the surgery, I asked about going back on the pill, but my doctor wouldn't even entertain the conversation about using medication for protection anymore. Honestly, because I used to have such bad anxiety about pregnancy, I actually used to dream about taking them. I laid all of this out for my gynecologist, and last year, he offered me the option of tubal ligation. I went through with it six months ago. Physically and mentally, I feel incredible. For the first time in a long time, my body feels like it understands what a period is supposed to be, rather than just dealing with random bleeding. Every once in a while, I still lie down and have that momentary panic of "Oh no, I forgot to take my pill," and only now do I realize how much of a mental burden they actually were. I am so grateful to my doctor. To all of you reading this, especially the younger women: please, be careful with the pill. Get checked annually and never skip your regular Pap tests.

My doctor didn't even suggest taking a break. She thinks there’s no point since I’m not dealing with any side effects and my blood work looks fine... She told me if I want to stop, I can, because it's my call. But she doesn't see the need for it.

I'm curious about what everyone else is doing: take a break or just push through?! 🤷

I've been reading this thread and seeing that some women have been on these things for years without stopping once.

How much have you spent this month, Triquilar? I paid nearly $5.00 more than usual today. Now I'm wondering if it's just the pharmacy being difficult or if prices actually went up. 🙄

I suppose I should probably offer a few words here, though I often find myself wondering if my contributions even carry much weight in a conversation such as this. It feels as though I’m just drifting through the periphery of the discussion, hoping that my small reflections might find some resonance with you all. kaže:
I find myself wondering about everyone else's perspective on this: is it actually worth taking those breaks, or should one just push through? 🤷

I’m honestly not quite sure myself... I tend to be pretty disciplined about taking regular breaks. Looking back, my gynecologist actually mentioned once that I could probably keep drinking for another year, even though I’d already been at it for two—which would have meant three years straight without stopping. But, in the end, I decided to take a full year off instead. It’s one of those things where you hear conflicting advice from everyone; some say you shouldn't stop, others insist you must... I suppose it really just comes down to whatever decision feels right for you.
I feel much more secure when I take a break—even though I actually feel better while on the pill—so for the next three to six months, my boyfriend and I are just being extra cautious with everything.

I'm picking up some Triquilar next week, so I'll let you know how it goes...
How much did you end up paying for yours?

Andrew Clark said:I could really use some advice here...

I’ve been on birth control pills for seven years now (Cilest)... I’m starting to wonder if taking them for this long is actually bad for you. Will it cause any issues with getting pregnant down the road?

Is it worth taking a break...

Well, my OB-GYN actually told me it’d be a good idea to take a break every three or four years.