Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Thanks.

Honestly, I’m at a total loss as to what my next move should be. My initial plan was to just shorten the break this month and next—essentially starting the new pack after three days instead of the full week—so that everything shifts forward by about seven days. But here’s the catch: I was supposed to start my period today, acting as if I hadn't shifted anything at all, yet nothing has happened. Not in the days leading up to today, and still nothing now. The instructions even mention that there's a chance it might not come at all. 🤷

Anyway, I was considering just taking a few pills from the second pack to see how it goes, but I haven't made a 100% decision yet. I'm going to wait and see if I actually get my period this month first, and then I'll decide what to do about that pack for my summer vacation. 😳

Laura Mendoza said:Thanks.

Honestly, I’m at a total loss as to what my next move should be. My initial plan was to just shorten the break this month and next—essentially starting the new pack after three days instead of the full week—so that everything shifts forward by about seven days. But here’s the catch: I was supposed to start my period today, acting as if I hadn't shifted anything at all, yet nothing has happened. Not in the days leading up to today, and still nothing now. The instructions even mention that there's a chance it might not come at all. 🤷

Anyway, I was considering just taking a few pills from the second pack to see how it goes, but I haven't made a 100% decision yet. I'm going to wait and see if I actually get my period this month first, and then I'll decide what to do about that pack for my summer vacation. 😳

I went through that exact same mental tug-of-war last year. I desperately wanted to dodge my period during the weekend my partner was coming home from his game, and for once, I actually pulled it off. I pushed it back by two or three days, even though I’d been popping pills for ten straight days. But nature doesn't care about your plans. It showed up anyway: nope.
zna:
In the end, instead of four days, I bled for ten.😕

Look, I’m telling you, things might seem fine on the surface. I know female athletes pull this stunt all the time—they push through, they stay focused, and they don't deal with these kinds of side effects. They make it look easy.🤷

Actually, what you were planning to do seems like the best move. Try shortening those pauses leading up to that point. If you can pull it off, it’ll work.

Good luck.🙂

Hey, I just popped an Escapelle pill—like, right this second—so, is it actually okay if I have a cigarette? Or is smoking going to tank the effectiveness of the pill????

driftingseal17 said:Hey, I just popped an Escapelle pill—like, right this second—so, is it actually okay if I have a cigarette? Or is smoking going to tank the effectiveness of the pill????

I’m no hormone expert, but cigarettes shouldn't have anything to do with how effective it is. Besides, just read the instructions.

goldenmoose25 said:I went through that exact same mental tug-of-war last year. I desperately wanted to dodge my period during the weekend my partner was coming home from his game, and for once, I actually pulled it off. I pushed it back by two or three days, even though I’d been popping pills for ten straight days. But nature doesn't care about your plans. It showed up anyway: nope.
zna:
In the end, instead of four days, I bled for ten.😕

Look, I’m telling you, things might seem fine on the surface. I know female athletes pull this stunt all the time—they push through, they stay focused, and they don't deal with these kinds of side effects. They make it look easy.🤷

Actually, what you were planning to do seems like the best move. Try shortening those pauses leading up to that point. If you can pull it off, it’ll work.

Good luck.🙂

Thanks, but I haven't even started yet, and I wouldn't be surprised if mine decides to show up right in the middle of the pack and lasts for days. 😁

driftingseal17 said:Hey, I just popped an Escapelle pill—like, right this second—so, is it actually okay if I have a cigarette? Or is smoking going to tank the effectiveness of the pill????

Smoking doesn't decrease the effectiveness of the pill, but combining smoking with contraception isn't a good idea due to the increased risk of blood clots.

Hey ladies. I need some advice here. I’m currently on Cilest—you know, doing the whole 21 days on, 7 days off routine. But because of my summer vacation coming up, I was thinking about shifting things around to start my break three days earlier than usual. What should I actually 🙂 do? Thanks!

Can you shorten the three-day break, so instead of seven days, it lasts four? That’s exactly what I just tried to do, but I didn't get anything at all. Now I'm really wondering if I'll see any results later this month or if it's just going to be a total wash.

Laura Mendoza said:Can you shorten the three-day break, so instead of seven days, it lasts four? That’s exactly what I just tried to do, but I didn't get anything at all. Now I'm really wondering if I'll see any results later this month or if it's just going to be a total wash.

Hmm, so if I cut the break again, there's still no guarantee I'll get it sooner? Ugh, this is seriously getting on my nerves.🙂

Yeah, that's just how it goes. I was actually chatting about this with my mom earlier; she used to take Celest back when it was the only option on the market, and she swears it worked perfectly for her. For me, I'm on Yasmin, and it hasn't been nearly as effective. I honestly can't say for sure what the deciding factor is—whether it's the specific formulation of the pill, your own unique biology, or just how different things interact within your system...🤷

I hope I’m not hijacking this thread right out of the gate... =)

I picked up some Lindynette 20 at the pharmacy to delay my period (since I'm heading to the coast)... and the pharmacist told me to take two a day starting three days before my cycle is due, and then just keep going for as many days as I want to postpone it...

In that case, do these pills still work as contraception??

Morgan Cruz6 said:I hope I’m not hijacking this thread right out of the gate... =)

I picked up some Lindynette 20 at the pharmacy to delay my period (since I'm heading to the coast)... and the pharmacist told me to take two a day starting three days before my cycle is due, and then just keep going for as many days as I want to postpone it...

In that case, do these pills still work as contraception??

No.

For them to function as birth control and actually be effective, you have to start the first pack on the very first day of your cycle.

Laura Mendoza said:Yeah, that's just how it goes. I was actually chatting about this with my mom earlier; she used to take Celest back when it was the only option on the market, and she swears it worked perfectly for her. For me, I'm on Yasmin, and it hasn't been nearly as effective. I honestly can't say for sure what the deciding factor is—whether it's the specific formulation of the pill, your own unique biology, or just how different things interact within your system...🤷

And now you’ve gone and done it! Honestly, I have absolutely zero interest in messing around with moving things if I’m not even going to shift a single thing!
The advice on Uputama is basically just saying to stop the bleeding by taking the pills without a break... which, let's be honest, is absolutely not happening. I popped the last pill from my pack yesterday, so I've got a few days to sit here and actually think about whether I want to push everything back.😂

True, but the instructions specifically advise against delaying progress by knocking back two boxes without a break. I actually asked some girls the other day if anyone had combined them and what kind of side effects they dealt with, and honestly, that approach doesn't sit right with me at all. You can find it on the previous page.

Drew Parker8 said:And now you’ve gone and done it! Honestly, I have absolutely zero interest in messing around with moving things if I’m not even going to shift a single thing!
The advice on Uputama is basically just saying to stop the bleeding by taking the pills without a break... which, let's be honest, is absolutely not happening. I popped the last pill from my pack yesterday, so I've got a few days to sit here and actually think about whether I want to push everything back.😂

The instructions for Celesta don't explicitly say how to shift your period forward, but that doesn't mean it’s impossible. For instance, the Yaz pill clearly explains how to do it. It isn't a massive deal, you just shouldn't try to shave off 4 or 5 days all at once. It really depends on when your cycle typically hits. If you usually get your period around day 2 or 3, you're fine. But if it hits around day 5, starting a new pack just two days early—right when you're expecting it—might be a bad move because you could end up confusing your system. Hope that makes sense!😉

I used to shorten my cycle by two days all the time without any drama. During the summer, I even merged cycles once or twice—no spotting, no issues, nothing. If you’re planning an event months out, start shifting things by maybe two days at a time. It’s better to ease into it gradually rather than making a sudden jump.

mellowcobra82 said:The instructions for Celesta don't explicitly say how to shift your period forward, but that doesn't mean it’s impossible. For instance, the Yaz pill clearly explains how to do it. It isn't a massive deal, you just shouldn't try to shave off 4 or 5 days all at once. It really depends on when your cycle typically hits. If you usually get your period around day 2 or 3, you're fine. But if it hits around day 5, starting a new pack just two days early—right when you're expecting it—might be a bad move because you could end up confusing your system. Hope that makes sense!😉

I used to shorten my cycle by two days all the time without any drama. During the summer, I even merged cycles once or twice—no spotting, no issues, nothing. If you’re planning an event months out, start shifting things by maybe two days at a time. It’s better to ease into it gradually rather than making a sudden jump.

Oh, man, I just realized—everything was going so smoothly until this thought hit me like a freight train. Now I’m spiraling because I need my cycle to line up perfectly with our beach trip! It’s all messed up. I take my last pill on Tuesday, then I get my period on Saturday... which means I should be due tomorrow. Honestly, I wish I could just shift things around so I’d get it on Wednesday next month instead of Saturday. Ugh. Anyway, I didn't really follow what you were saying about moving the dates. My brain is just fried right now.😕
Yeah, true. This whole thing is just for postponing; there’s absolutely nothing about actually moving forward. And honestly, I shouldn't even be playing these games with myself—you know, dragging things out... besides, it's already getting late. All I can really do now is start a new round tomorrow or maybe by Wednesday. I guess I'm just not the brightest bulb in the box.

Drew Parker8 said:Oh, man, I just realized—everything was going so smoothly until this thought hit me like a freight train. Now I’m spiraling because I need my cycle to line up perfectly with our beach trip! It’s all messed up. I take my last pill on Tuesday, then I get my period on Saturday... which means I should be due tomorrow. Honestly, I wish I could just shift things around so I’d get it on Wednesday next month instead of Saturday. Ugh. Anyway, I didn't really follow what you were saying about moving the dates. My brain is just fried right now.😕
Yeah, true. This whole thing is just for postponing; there’s absolutely nothing about actually moving forward. And honestly, I shouldn't even be playing these games with myself—you know, dragging things out... besides, it's already getting late. All I can really do now is start a new round tomorrow or maybe by Wednesday. I guess I'm just not the brightest bulb in the box.

And here I thought you wouldn't catch on! 😁Look, I wanted to point out that the 7-day break exists for a reason. That's when your body actually sheds the lining. If you jump straight onto a new pack tomorrow—right when your period is supposed to start—you might throw your entire system for a loop. Your body will be confused: "Wait, where did these hormones come from? We were supposed to be on a break!" If I were you, I’d wait until at least Sunday or Monday. Let the period happen naturally first, then trick your body by starting the new pack 2 or 3 days early.

As for delaying the period by skipping the break entirely? It’s definitely not too late for that! If you take your last pill on Tuesday and your period arrives on Saturday while you're at the beach, you can just start the next pack on Wednesday. You skip the break and take two packs back-to-back, or just keep taking them until you're back from vacation. If your body plays nice, you won't even notice the shift. You might deal with some spotting around the time you expected your period, but it’s not a guarantee. It’s hard to say for sure, but you won't know unless you try it! ☕

Hey ladies! New girl here...
I'm 19 and looking to start on the pill. I was wondering what the damage looks like in terms of cost—like, if I were looking at Yassmin or Yaz, which ones are actually the most budget-friendly? Being a college student, my bank account is basically a joke right now. How many pills usually come in a pack for that price? Also, does insurance like Blue Cross cover any of this, or am I totally on my own? And how much does a prescription actually run me these days?
I’ve been scrolling through some of the other posts here and honestly... everything seems pretty complicated...
Sorry if I'm asking stuff that's already been covered a million times before...
Thanks!

Yasmin is talking about $33, specifically regarding a Yaz pill with 125 mcg of estrogen. Look, you shouldn't just grab whatever happens to be the cheapest option on the shelf; you need to take exactly what your gynecologist prescribes. In the US, insurance coverage varies wildly, but don't assume everything is covered under your plan. Also, keep in mind that prescription durations fluctuate—some are valid for six months, while others last for a full year.

Laura Mendoza said:Yasmin is talking about $33, specifically regarding a Yaz pill with 125 mcg of estrogen. Look, you shouldn't just grab whatever happens to be the cheapest option on the shelf; you need to take exactly what your gynecologist prescribes. In the US, insurance coverage varies wildly, but don't assume everything is covered under your plan. Also, keep in mind that prescription durations fluctuate—some are valid for six months, while others last for a full year.

It covers these ones:

which actually have the lowest hormone levels.

And honestly, you can suggest which specific pill you want—I always do. It’s not like half these doctors bother checking anyway 🤷 (most just hand out whatever they get a kickback from)

Understood, I wasn't aware of those. Regardless, those specific ones are covered, while all the others remain unprotected. 😢

Look, what you choose to suggest to her is strictly between you and your gynecologist. Since I’m neither a doctor nor a specialist, it isn't my place to dictate which medications should be used. The same logic applies to lab work. Every year, I get my tests done, bring the results to her, and we discuss whether I've noticed any changes or if there's a medical reason to switch pills. If a doctor were to just prescribe whatever brand I asked for without consultation, I'd seriously consider finding a new provider. ☕