Changing BC again...HELP!

[Monalissa143]

Hi all,

I've been on birth control on and off for 10 years. I started Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo again in September 2004. I never had problems with it before, but this time I was experiencing random break-through bleeding and after intercourse.

I went to a new gyno in 2005 and she switched me to Apri and sent me for a sonogram to see if everything was OK, which it was. I was on this for a year and experienced a lot of break-through bleeding in the third week of pills. Gyno said break-through bleeding can sometimes happen in the 3rd week with a monophasic pill like Apri and switched me to Ortho Tri-Cyclen in 2006.

I'm currently on Tri-Sprintec (generic of Ortho Tri-Cyclen) and have been for a year. Now I get some break-through bleeding the end of the 2nd pill week for a few days. I mentioned it at my visit this week and now she said maybe my body does not like Tri-phasic pills (they didn't seem to like monophasic either. he). She wrote a script for Yasmin. We also did another sonogram and everything was OK.

At first I wasn't keen on the switch since my copay would go up $50 for a 3 months supply. I called and asked if there is something similar that comes in a generic. The nurse said she would speak with the doc but says she sees this a lot w/ generic pills and I may want to consider a brand name if it continues. I decided to do more reading and have read SCARY things about Yasmin. While there are some people who do very well on it, I feel like I've read lots more negative.

I just don't know if it's worth the switch? Ortho has a higher estrogen than Yasmin and from my reading, the lower the estrogen the higher the chance for break-through bleeding. My wedding is less than 6 months away, and while I have dealt with high emotions and low sex drive for a long time, I don't know if it's worth experimenting with right now. I was thinking of asking for Ortho Tri-Cyclen but don't know if there is any truth to generic vs. non-generic.

I'm sorry this is so long. I could really use some help! I find that most docs don't ask any questions and just prescribe away.

Thanks!

[SweetPea83]

Wow, sounds like you have the same problem as me. I was on OrthoTricyclen for a few years, then my doctor switched me to Ortho Lo. The whole year I was on it I would bleed during sex in that 3rd week of pills. My doctor switched me to Trinessa, which is another generic of regular OrthoTricyclen. I didn't really have any problems with Trinessa until recently. And I think it's because I switched around so much last summer. I was on Trinessa, then Yasmin for like two months then back to Trinessa and I think my hormones are just completely messed up. I'm currently off of birth control and trying to see if everything goes back to normal.

So it may benefit you to try Trinessa. I've seen some other posts about a lot of breakthrough bleeding from Tri-Sprintec.