Do you bi-cycle or tri-cycle your BCP?

Meringoo · 11-13-2006, 08:15 PM

Hello all,

I'm new to this forum. It seemed so supportive and friendly that I just had to join!

I'm 20 and was diagnosed in Jan 06 after 4 years of waiting to be taken seriously, and have tried different brands of the pill. Since being diagnosed, I have tried Dianette (for a 2nd time in my life - came off it again after 2 months as t doesn't suit me), alternative therapies that worked for a while, but I'm currently on Yasmin. It's only my 2nd month and so far it has suited me. But i always seem to get problems with very painful priods, cramps for 2 weeks and just generally being ill. Earlier in the year, my gynae suggested i bi-cycle my pill to cut down on these problems (my natural cycle is 5-6 weeks anyway) and control things better.

I haven't tried it yet, but i am seriously considering it for next month. I just wanted to know whether people have found this to be successful/helpful? Also,if anybody is on Yasmin or Marvelon (which i was on for 2 years without many problems before getting very ill with pcos) please could you share you experience?

Many thanks and best wishes to all xx

februarystar · 11-13-2006, 08:23 PM

I suffered from very heavy periods and have just completed a bi-cycle after doctors recommendations and I'm happy to say its great, cramps weren't so bad, my periods aren't so heavy and as a result I'm not as tired and fatigued.

Meringoo · 11-13-2006, 08:38 PM

Thank you for your reply!!

Yes, i can see why it would work. I was a bit dubious when it was suggested to me because i thought it would confuse my body too much, but now i reckon it would help. But you that feeling when it's like you're all alone and trying to make sense of the vast information you come across?? Well...that's how i'm feeling lol!

Hope you're well, nice to get a positive response!

xx

februarystar · 11-13-2006, 08:40 PM

It still makes no sense to me why it works and I'm just happy that it does. I would of thought that if you could double the amount of periods you had you could halve the pain etc!
But obviously not! :-D

I hope it works out for you!

Meringoo · 11-13-2006, 08:49 PM

I think it works because you are keeping the hormone levels constant for longer, rather than allowing the change so soon. Yes, i also thought that i'd have less pain if i allowed myself more periods, but it really isn't the case. I'm a tough cookie...but i've been crying so much with the pain and just general discomfort, it feels really weird and horrible! I'm at uni too and really don't like missing lectures because of it, though i told my personal tutor today and HE was really understanding. Plus, one of my lecturers told me she had it when she was younger, but now has 2 children and is absolutely fine, which made me smile. At least they are being understanding, it's difficult a lot of the time to get people to understand.

xx

Meringoo · 11-13-2006, 08:58 PM

"understanding" seems to be my fave word at the mo... ^^

:-D

Dawnyel419 · 11-13-2006, 10:55 PM

Hi!
I'm 21, and have been on many different bcps. When I was officially tested and diagnosed with PCOS in April '06, I was put on Yasmin. The doc told me I'd only have to take 3mo and then we could TTC, but my insulin levels were too high and I was on the wrong dose of my metformin. I'm now on 500 mg of metformin.

With my experiance.. of Yasmin 28, Nuvaring, Levlen 28,and now Ortho-Tri-cyclen-Lo, I love the Ortho-tri-cyclen-lo OTCL* OTCL has different hormones in it, while yasmin and levlen only have a single estrogen/progestin combo the whole month. On Yasmin, Levlen, and Nuvaring... WARNING **TMI** I had no libido.. NONE.. couldn't reach a romantic *peak*, and when I did I winded myself. OTCL is good, I was on it for over a year before when I was younger. Also... on yasmin and levlen, I had no feeling down there. NOTHING felt good, it actually hurt because there was no lubrication lol sorry again TMI.

- Me Dawnyel 21
DH Scott 34

Dawnyel419 · 11-13-2006, 10:59 PM

LOLOLOLOL I'm sorry I misunderstood you!! I thought you meant Tri cycle as in 3 different hormones! no, I've never skipped the placebos, that's why I"m taking the pill, so I'll have a period once a month and have a healthy endometrium.

-Dawnyel 21
hubby Scott 34

Meringoo · 11-14-2006, 09:08 AM

LOL! That's fine, thanks for giving me moe of an insight. I'm not really sure how I feel libido wise..I'm not in or looking for a relationship at the moment, partly because I don't feel ready for one right now (i want to feel better first and more confident with my body) and also because i haven't met anybody i'm that fussed about!! I seem to change my mind about people within a week, maybe it's my hormones...

I found that Dianete totally killed my libido (it made me so depressed, and i couldn't feel anything much either TMI..) an at times, Marvelon seemed to dull things as well. But it masked my symptoms for quite a while.

Thanks for your response xx