Only 4 periods a year!!

[Rudegal2020]

I have recently discovered an oral contraceptive that allows us to have only 4 periods per year rather than 13. This is great for me because to control my periods I used to just skip the 4th week in the 28wk pack and move on to a new pack to avoid having a period when I didnt want one. The way this oral contraceptive works is the pack comes with 91 pills(84 active and 7 placebo). You take 1 pink pill each day for 84 days and then take 1 white pill each day for seven days. During the week you are taking the white pills that is when you get your period. Isn't this great? What do you girls think?? Oh by the way with insurance it is about $35 without it is $100 or so.

[Lys]

I agree with most of what Tiffy said, it rings true to me that women (since we are physically *capable* of having a child approximately once a year) were "designed" to ovulate and menstruate less frequently than we do currently. I can also see how high rates of ovulation and menstruation can lead to an increased risk of ovarian and uterine cancer (isn't early age of menarche a risk anyway?)

I was on Depo for 5 years, no periods for 4 years of that and it was great. I know a lot of people take time to get back their fertility and periods after stopping the drug, but I started the pill right away and got a period the next month *obviously a mixed blessing *lol**

This BCP sounds reasonable to me...but I'd be interested to hear the levels of hormones in it. I mean, the reason I was ok with Depo was because it was no estrogen, which meant no development of uterine lining which would build up.

On the same topic, has anyone heard anything about Lunelle (once a month progestin-based injectable) becoming available again?

:balloons:

[reyna]

:uhoh21: i dunno about that...i still like having my period even if it's icky. i use a patch. at least i know when i'm having my period that month...i can schedule around it.

[melpn]

It's OK; you don't need to have menses each month. The endometrium doesn't build up with this med monthly. Also, the more cycles you have over your lifetime the higher your breast Ca risk due to the exposure of breast tissue to hormones. Think about what increases your risk (besides family hx); menarche at young age, no pregnancies or first late in life. The more pregnancies, the later in life your first period, the lower your risk. Women years ago had far fewer menses because of frequent pregnancies and the rate of breast Ca was lower. Go for it if it is appropriate for you and will alleviate some problems for you.

[Nurse Ratched, RN]

I've considered this as I do not and will not have children. But there is something wonderfully reassuring about Aunt Flo's monthly visit. Plus, hubby is no fan of messing with the hormones. States that "at least I know what to expect."

[Melody007_FNP-C, APRN]

I only have 3-5 periods a year. I do have severe PMS headaches and swelling but thankfully not every month!

HX: I had surgery 18 years ago when I was 5 months pregnant with my oldest daugther, they had to end up removing 1 ovary and 1 tube.

I went on BCP after pregnancy #1, but didn't tolerate it, so stopped, I had 4 doctors tell me I was infertile, they all confirmed my other ovary was damaged by the benign tumor they had to remove in the above surgery as it was so large. Well they were wrong...

I had close pregnancies.....I have 3 children oldest and middle daughters are 17 months apart, my middle daughter and my youngest child (son) are 15 months apart. After my son was born I had a tubal ligation. I was very irregular with my periods even before all the above.

As I get older my periods are few and far between. I was having worries I wasn't "cleaning" out....but now I am glad I read these messages due to the high incidents of cancer in my family....breast ca, colon ca, throat ca.

I will bring up the BCP methods we are speaking of to my oldest daughter. She is on BCP they are the 28 days kind...