What if I take my 21 day pill for 28 days?

pussycat · 01-19-2003, 09:45 PM

I've just started taking dianette (diane-35) and hate the headaches and tiredness that I get in the 7-day break of the pill and wondered what effects I would have if I took the pill continously instead of taking the seven day break. i know that it would probably stop my periods but would this have a bad effect on my health and my PCOS symptoms?

Thanks, Pussycat

Sari · 01-20-2003, 12:52 AM

Pussycat,

I have no experience or knowledge about that particular brand of bcp, but usually skipping the 7-day no pill period will just mean no menstruation. I have heard that a lot of women routinely (like for months or years at a time) just keep taking the pills so they don't have to go through AF, but I don't know if that's a particular brand or how exactly it works. Just ask your Dr. or pharmacist if it's OK to use with the brand you're on, and also if you have cysts or other issues, mention that, in case it would adversely affect that.

nightrider · 01-28-2003, 01:31 AM

Don't take this as being right or anything, but I don't think anyone with a medical background would recommend that. Not menstruating regularly can cause a back-up and could possibly lead up to a form of endometriosis. This can also cause cancer. I know this becuase doctors have been trying to regulate my periods since i was 14. They still haven't succeeded

Stacie M · 01-28-2003, 01:42 AM

Actually, my doctor told me once that it was okay to do this ( I was on ORTHO though). AF on BCP is not a real AF, it is just withdraw bleeding, therefore if you do not stop taking them there will be no bleeding to back up (that is why BCP periods are usually much lighter than reg. AF). Really, AF on BCP is not a real "period" at all. I also seen on TV once where a gyno said that she herself takes them that way so as to not have AF.

This is just what I was told though (and seen), and I would def. ask my doc first if I were you (Esp since this is a dif. brand).

The reason (as far as I know) that no AF can cause cancer is becaue if you are not on BCP, then your lining is actually thickening like a norm cycle, therefore it can get too thick. From what I understand, BCPs kind of flip flop the whole process so that there is no thickening. That is why some women have very very light bleeding or spotting on BCP instead of periods anyway.

StaciieM

Sari · 01-28-2003, 10:57 PM

I would agree with StaciieM, although I definitely don't have a medical degree

I think I read that BCPs put you in a state of "false pregnancy" so that's why you don't have periods. Also, you don't ovulate while on BCPs - hence, they are a contraceptive - so the lining would not build up the same as if you were ovulating.

I think the bottom line is, ask your Dr. or pharmacist, because you personally might have issues that would affect you constantly taking BCPs but I believe that for women in general it is safe and accepted.

martini · 01-28-2003, 11:10 PM

Continuous BCP use was my salvation from rupturing cysts. I was taking Alesse and my Dr said it was safe to take them continuously for quite a while.

For awhile it was great not to have AF but after a few months I started to have constant PMS. I negotiated with my Dr that I would just go continuous as long as I didn't get PMS symptoms and then I would stop for a week. For me it ended up being about 5 weeks of BCP and 1 week off.

Junebug.M · 01-30-2003, 06:14 PM

I have not menstruated in 3 years, since starting Demulen (21 days) and spironolactone. My reproductive endocrinologist said it was fine, since my endometrial lining was not building up. Recently I started a weight loss program at a local medical center. The medical director of the program (an endocrinologist) said that he thought that it was not good that I am not getting my menstrual cycle, and that my lining is building up. Now, I don't know what to do. Is anyone in a similar situation?

Stacie M · 01-31-2003, 04:05 AM

All I know is from what a few dif. docs have told me and that is this:

If you are on BCP's your body thinks it is preg. therefore it is not building up the lining for implantation. Therefore, there is no buildup to "shed" and BCPs just cause a false period. I actually seen on TV where a doc. said that they never intended to make the one week off time except that they though women would be freaking out (I guess we were stupid they thought) if they did not have a "bleeding time" and so they thru that in later.

However, if you are not on BCP and are not bleeding, you need to do something because there could be a build up and that can lead to problems.

As far as I know BCPs do not allow the lining to thicken, and as far as I know that is the only reason to have a period. So, if there is no thickening, i would think there would be no reason to have one.

However, I am not a doc (and I dont know everything)!. I would def. investigate further.

StaciieM