Using BC pills to avoid period?
 

Hello everyone!

At the start of March, I am going for a long weekend trip to NYC to visit my sister, see a photography show, be a tourist, the whole deal.

I have been on the Pill since last summer, but decided to give stopping a try since I am currently only taking them to clear up my skin and regulate my periods ;) I thought I'd see how I do off them, since dosing myself with artificial hormones squicks me out a bit.

Anyway, I have a month's dose left. I started to take them on the Sunday after my last period started, but then thought, hey, I bet I can use these to ward off my next period for a week or so, and get away with not having it while in NYC. Cool! So I ended up only taking 1 pill out of the pack.

If I don't take the leftover pills, I will most likely get my period on March 2, the day before I leave for NYC.

So, I have the 3 weeks of active pills, and the one week of sugar pills left. The pills are in three strengths (brand Tri-Sprintec, generic Ortho Tri-Cyclen), with weeks 1-3 gradually increasing in strength.

Question is:
If you were going to use these 3 weeks to prevent your period from starting on March 2nd, when would you begin week 1?

Maybe Sunday, Feb. 12th, so I would be in Week 3 (strongest dose) during the week of my future period?

Any of you all ever do this?

Only time I messed around with period timing before, I used Ortho Tri-Cyclen to avoid a period totally, for a vacation, and just skipped the sugar pills, and went right into another pack... assured this was a-ok by my doctor. Funny thing was, when I got my NEXT period, it lasted 10 days and was very heavy. Guess there's no fooling Mother Nature ;)

Thanks for any experience or advice!

I'd say make it so you're in the middle of the second week when you'd normally get your period. That's really a guess though. Call the doc's office, I bet a nurse would have a good idea how to do it.
I tried it once (skipping inactive pills) and it didn't really work, just delayed it by a week.

Christine

I've done it before but I would do as you said, just skipping the inactive pills and going straight to a new pack. My advice for now would be to start early. If you aren't "regulated" with the hormones and only a week or so in your supposed to start your period you probably will. I would time it so you are taking you last pill the day you come back. Just count backwards that way you are starting ASAP. Good Luck.