i have been on birth control ortho tri-cyclen for five years now and this past year i've had so many blunders its confusing me. i am like a robot about taking the pill, and lately my period will come two weeks early or will start right before it theoretically is supposed to end. i cant take a higher dosage of estrogen....anyone? help? what should i do to control this issue?

Jess,

I've heard of this happening in a few friends of mine. For the first few years, Ortho Tricyclen was great as a pill, but then all of a sudden it made their periods all erratic - some getting them earlier, some even missing an entire period and they weren't pregnant.

I'd go in to see your doctor and talk about switching to Ortho Tricyclen Lo. The lower levels of hormones in this version may make for more reliable periods!