Races, periods, and BCPs.

[Susie]

Looking at a calendar I'm going to be on the last day of my period at my HIM next month.  (omg, next month!?)  That is not a huge deal, but for such a long race (in hours) it sure would be easier not to have it at all. 

Since I am on BCPs, I figure I have some small degree of control over it.  I'm thinking I could start my next pill pack one day early, maybe two days tops... and then I'd get it, and be done with it, a day or two early.  Anyone done it? 

Actually I'd kind of like to get on that schedule anyway.  It'd give me a Mon-Fri period instead of Tues-Sat.  No weekend periods = win, for races, long workouts, travel, etc.

If I was going to try the "skip the whole sugar pill week" thing to skip my period entirely I'd run it by my doctor, but a day or two seems like no biggie. 

WDYT?  Will it work?  Worth it?

[joenali]

I just take my packs continuously, so no period!! I started doing that because I didn't want my period for my first half ironman. It works! I love it! I hate having a period!!

[venice2007]

May 10, 2013 8:38:54 GMT -5 joenali said:

I just take my packs continuously, so no period!! I started doing that because I didn't want my period for my first half ironman. It works! I love it! I hate having a period!!

When I was on bcp I did the same thing all the time! Barely ever had a period

[sadlebred]

Just go straight into the other pack of BCP. My doctor says there is no medical reason to have a period on BCP. (YMMV, ask your doctor.)

[sassystace]

I skip the sugar pills and just go to the next pack. My OB/Gyn told me it was fine and I've been doing it for a couple years now, no problems. I have a sugar pill "period" like every 4 months just to do it but I bet there is no good reason to.

[Susie]

Glad to know it works for people! I think I will not opt to skip my period entirely this time just because, you know, don't try anything new on race day/week. But I think I will skip a couple days of the sugar pills to speed things up a bit.

[kams]

Yeah, when I was on bcp I just took 3 packs continuously. It was AWESOME.

[shorewife]

I was doing this and skipping a period completely too but then I started having breakthough bleeding so my doc says only skip 2-3 months at a time to control that. Love it!!

[ebeth]

I'd just do a back to back cycle skipping the sugar pills. I do this on the reg. my GYN knows I do this and hasn't voiced any objection. I do like to have a period every once in awhile though to reassure myself I'm not pregnant.

starting the next pill pack early may or may not stop your period.

whatever you do I'd do it now and not on the pill pack for the month of the race.

[Wines Not Whines]

Yes, it should work. I've done that before when scheduling around vacations.

[katandkevin]

I take my packs continuously and haven't had a period in almost a year. I love it!

[MrsE]

I would adjust it to take your first active pill a few days earlier. I start my pack on Thursdays and my period always comes during the work week so it's a non issue for weekend races. GL!

[Susie]

May 10, 2013 11:03:58 GMT -5 ebeth said:

I'd just do a back to back cycle skipping the sugar pills. I do this on the reg. my GYN knows I do this and hasn't voiced any objection. I do like to have a period every once in awhile though to reassure myself I'm not pregnant.

starting the next pill pack early may or may not stop your period.

whatever you do I'd do it now and not on the pill pack for the month of the race.

I'm not trying to actually stop it next month.  I'm just trying to shift it a day or two earlier (by starting the pill pack a day or two earlier).  Probably 1 day is all I need to avoid having it on race day.

[Susie]

May 10, 2013 11:09:02 GMT -5 MrsE said:

I would adjust it to take your first active pill a few days earlier. I start my pack on Thursdays and my period always comes during the work week so it's a non issue for weekend races. GL!

Yep, that's what I'm shooting for. 

For those who skip sugar pills to avoid a period completely, don't you run into a problem with running out of refills before your next annual exam, and/or insurance paying for pill packs too close together?

I am pretty sure my doctor wouldn't write an Rx for more than 16-17 refills a year to sustain that. 

Oh well.  If I can get myself onto a M-F period cycle, no problem for races, plus mine is pretty light on my current Rx.  I don't mind it too much.

[ebeth]

May 10, 2013 11:09:57 GMT -5 Susie said:

May 10, 2013 11:03:58 GMT -5 ebeth said:

I'd just do a back to back cycle skipping the sugar pills. I do this on the reg. my GYN knows I do this and hasn't voiced any objection. I do like to have a period every once in awhile though to reassure myself I'm not pregnant.

starting the next pill pack early may or may not stop your period.

whatever you do I'd do it now and not on the pill pack for the month of the race.

I'm not trying to actually stop it next month.  I'm just trying to shift it a day or two earlier (by starting the pill pack a day or two earlier).  Probably 1 day is all I need to avoid having it on race day.

sorry.  I misunderstood. I thought you were planning on taking the pill a day or two earlier while the period in question was still going in the hopes of stopping it early.

[ebeth]

May 10, 2013 11:09:57 GMT -5 Susie said:

May 10, 2013 11:03:58 GMT -5 ebeth said:

I'd just do a back to back cycle skipping the sugar pills. I do this on the reg. my GYN knows I do this and hasn't voiced any objection. I do like to have a period every once in awhile though to reassure myself I'm not pregnant.

starting the next pill pack early may or may not stop your period.

whatever you do I'd do it now and not on the pill pack for the month of the race.

I'm not trying to actually stop it next month.  I'm just trying to shift it a day or two earlier (by starting the pill pack a day or two earlier).  Probably 1 day is all I need to avoid having it on race day.

I misunderstood.  I thought your plan was to start a pack with period ongoing with the hopes of stopping in and I was kind of. . .dubious. . . that that would be successful.

[sassystace]

May 10, 2013 11:14:20 GMT -5 Susie said:

For those who skip sugar pills to avoid a period completely, don't you run into a problem with running out of refills before your next annual exam, and/or insurance paying for pill packs too close together?

I am pretty sure my doctor wouldn't write an Rx for more than 16-17 refills a year to sustain that. 

My dr writes additional refills per year (he knows I do this and said it was fine).  Once I had a problem with the insurance and the pharmacy just changed the number of days the pills were for in the computer (21 vs 28) when I told them I didn't take the placebo and it allowed me to refill them sooner.

I just read an article this week that said 25% of women on BC pills skip or manipulate their "period" this way, so it's totally common.

[stargirl]

I've always either skipped to the new pack (therefore skipping that month's period) or pushed back the start of the new pack by a few days. I haven't tried moving the period up but have been successful at moving it back. Would that work for you?

[Susie]

May 10, 2013 21:40:49 GMT -5 stargirl said:

I've always either skipped to the new pack (therefore skipping that month's period) or pushed back the start of the new pack by a few days. I haven't tried moving the period up but have been successful at moving it back. Would that work for you?

I'm not sure.  I'd have to move it more days - like 4 or 5 if I moved it backward, whereas only 1 if forward.  Since I only have one month until the race, that seems less wise.  I'm looking to mess with it as little as possible, KWIM?