T O P I C R E V I E W
Haumea
Member # 67358
posted 06-06-2011 08:03 PM
I missed my 12th pill on Friday by about 18 hours. I'm on Kavira, and now am experiencing quite a bit of breakthrough bleeding. I planned already on skipping my coming period because my boyfriend and I are going out of town. SO...knowing that: - increased estrogen can stop breakthrough bleeding... - I will have four extra pills with .1 ethinyl estradiol... - and that for the last nine months I was on Levora, with .3 ethinyl estradiol... Can I take one additional .1 ee pill sometime throughout the day to bring the total estrogen to .3? I didn't experience breakthrough bleeding when I switched from Levora down to Kavira, so I imagine I wouldn't have any when I went from Kavira + .1 down to regular Kavira. If not, has anyone had any experiences with 1000 mg vitamin C? I know Vitamin C increases at least *my* absorption of estrogen. I've done this before (on accident, while on Levora) and just experienced period-like symptoms (water weight, bloating, heavy breasts, etc) but no bleeding. The one other time I missed Levora I didn't have any bleeding, but I need to stay on the ultra-low dose because of migraines. Also, before anyone suggests an IUD or depo--I'm normally a 100% perfect pill taker, within 30 minutes each day. I only missed this one due to extreme circumstances and only missed the Levora due to time changes in Italy. [ 06-06-2011, 08:04 PM: Message edited by: Haumea ]
Heather
Member # 3
posted 06-06-2011 08:19 PM
Spotting or breakthrough bleeding can happen as a side effect with any pill or other hormonal method. So, just because you switched from a pill with more estrogen to less doesn't mean this wouldn't happen. It's not just about the estrogen, but about the other hormone and how your body reacts to it, which is very unique from person to person. I'm not sure I understand why you're wanting to take an extra birth control pill (if it's thinking it will stop the spotting, I'd say that's a crapshoot: it may or may not). Ultimately, it's not advised to take more pills than directed, especially when you're already skipping the placebo period and taking a week more than studies have been done with (per your safety). Hormonal medications are just something one always wants to be pretty cautious about, ideally aiming to take the least amount of them as you can. So, if this is something you want to do, with that in mind and knowing you went lower-dose because of migraines, what I'd do is call your prescribing physician to see what they have to say about it. [ 06-06-2011, 08:21 PM: Message edited by: Heather ]
Haumea
Member # 67358
posted 06-06-2011 08:27 PM
Ah, okay, thanks. Is it okay to throw away the extra .1 ee pills then if I skip my period, or is there a special way to throw them away?
Heather
Member # 3
posted 06-06-2011 08:47 PM
No need to do anything special to toss them out, it's just usually advised not to put them in a water source, but just into the trash.
Haumea
Member # 67358
posted 06-11-2011 02:52 AM
Andddd another question: I've now been bleeding for 8 days. My period usually only lasts for three...is this normal if you miss a pill? Is there any way to stop it? People have told me to just skip to the blank pills but I'm worried I won't be protected or that my period wouldn't stop. But this really needs to stop before Tuesday...
Karybu
Member # 20094
posted 06-11-2011 06:55 PM
Missing a pill can definitely throw your bleed off schedule. Skipping the inactive or blank pills may help, but it may throw your body out of whack even more, resulting in more bleeding or spotting. Your best bet is probably just to keep taking your pills on schedule with your usual break of inactive ones and start your next pill pack on time. There's not really anything you can do to stop the bleeding, unfortunately, save wait it out.
Stephanie_1
Member # 36725
posted 06-11-2011 07:07 PM
{Karyn got it} [ 06-11-2011, 07:08 PM: Message edited by: Stephanie_1 ]