I am taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen. I started it on June first. A friend of mine who is on the same pill told me her doctor told her she didn't have to take the sugar pills at the end of the pack. That the only reason they were even put in there was because it worried women when they didn't get there periods every month. She told me she only gets her period every two to three months. So I took my pills the same way. I got my period May 25th and didn't get it again till July 24th. The thing that sucks is I still have it. Should I call my doctor or stop taking the pill? Ant advice would be great!
So you didnt talk to YOUR doctor about taking the pills the way your friend did. Just because your friend's doctor said it was ok for YOUR FRIEND doesnt mean it was ok for you.
You can call your doctor and see what your doctor suggests you do. It will truly be the best thing to do as he/she will know you better.
It is wiser to take the pills as they should be taken. You dont have to take the sugar pills since they are actually only there are REMINDER pills. Not like what your friend was told. The sugar pills are so your body will have a period and so you will remember to take the pill at the same time every day. Event hough they contain no hormone it keeps you in the habit of taking you pill. That is why they also have the name of reminder pills.
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Married 3/25/95
DS 13 yr
DS 8 yr (3+ yrs ttc)
TTC #3 since 01/02
Blastoff is totally correct that you should never adjust your own medications without first asking YOUR doctor. You doctor needs to be aware of anything you are taking including supplements and needs to be aware of any changes in your meds or how you are taking them. The advice your friend got from her doc was for her and not for you. Call your doc and get things straightend out.
I went and seen the OB today. He was a different one from the one I saw before. He asked what I was on befor and I told him the shot. He asked why I didn't get back on that. I told him the other Dr I saw said he didn't like the shot and put my on the pill. He said that it should be the patients choice. That the side affect from being on the shot to long is lack of calcium to the bones but if you take a calcium supplement it should be fine. So when I start my next period to make an appointment to get back on the shot. I am going to take this pack of pills the correct way for sure!
Tehcinally, your friend is correct. You don't need to take the sugar pills at the end of your pack (i think they're green) If you skip the sugar pills, and go DRIECTLY to a new pack of hormonal pills, thats call 'skipping your period' if you don't give your body that hormonal withdrawls, you shouldn't get your period. HOWEVER, since ortho-tri-cyclen is a higher dose pill with changing hormone levels each week, many women do not skip their period successfully. And will end up having 'break through bleeding' a week after they skip their period. and break through bleeding tends to last a lot longer than a regular period.
You can also simply just not take the sugar pills. They don't contain any hormones, so you can simply throw them out. They're actually in your pack of pills to keep you on schedule. since you're ONLY supposed to have a hormone free week for 7 days. So, instead of swallowing your sugar pill, you can just throw it out. But make sure you don't get off track and forget to start your active hormone pills again in your next pack, or you risk pregnancy.
The Pill 
