# Question about The Pill



## Julee (Jun 10, 2002)

I've been on the Pill for several years. Probably around 10 years. I want to skip my period next month by just continuing to a new pack of pills because I have a wedding coming up and some family visiting. Is this okay? Has anyone done this before? Please let me know your experiences. Thanks.


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## ppretty_poisonn (Jul 14, 2003)

I've done it before with the okay of my doctor and I didn't have a problem with anything.I even thought I might have had a much heavier period the next month, but to my suprise it was very much normal.


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## JoanneThomas (Jan 17, 2002)

fine to do it occasionally....Only thing I would say is maybe you could consider a break from it altogether (for a while) afterwards due to the length of time you have been on it. I was advised to do this after about 8 or 9 years and ended up coming off it altogether.....


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## Julee (Jun 10, 2002)

Jo T,You mean stop taking the pill all together? I won't do that because I'm not wanting to get pregnant. ppretty-poisonn,Do you think I should check with my doctor?


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

I've done it too. I had a little breakthrough bleeding, but no biggie. You should be fine, and I wouldn't think you'd need to call your doctor. My Gyno said it's fine to do for special occasions like weddings - And I know a lot of Gynos that say you can do it forever with no problem.


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## Guest (Jul 16, 2003)

I agree on "taking a break" from the synthetic hormones to allow your body's own natural hormones to rejuvenate your system for a while.Everyone here knows how I feel about the use of birth control pills. They damaged me for life. There are other ways to not get pregnant that don't totally wreak havoc with our bodies' own natural hormones which work to keep us healthy.If I could do it over, I'd never touch another birth control pill.My husband and I used natural family planning for several years, and while it requires some education and willpower... it works.... and it spares your body the devastation that synthetic hormones have the potential to cause.Here's a link to a very informational and eye-opening site regarding womens' health and hormones: http://www.johnleemd.com/ Hope this helps.Evie


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## Julee (Jun 10, 2002)

mrsmason,Thanks for the info.!







Evie,What did The Pill do to you? I've been on it since around 1993. I'm curious to know your story.


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## ppretty_poisonn (Jul 14, 2003)

Julee- If you'll feel better speaking to your doctor about skipping a period, then I suggest you do that. You don't HAVE to, though.







Ashleigh


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## Auroraheart (Aug 8, 2000)

Until this month I took my pills continuous for a year and got no period.







(under doctor supervision) Most doctors now say it is okay to take continuously 3-4 months at a time before letting your body have a period.


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## Guest (Jul 17, 2003)

Most doctors do not have enough training in the female hormone area to be able to treat us patients (ladies) effectively or safely. I learned the hard way.For me, "the Pill" created a viscious cycle of "estrogen dominance"... which finally resulted in my having to have a supracervical hysterectomy at the age of 46 to stop me from writhing in pain and bleeding to death.All that is needed to understand is to read... get one of Dr. Lee's books...preferrably his most recent.... and discover the power that we ladies have available to us the moment we decide to not let the rest of the world, society, cultures, conventional medicine or men to dictate what we do with our bodies.In a nutshell, the pharmaceutical companies have got us all by their little finger. Natural hormones cannot be patented... therefore, they do not promote or sell them because they are not profitable. Natural hormones are better tolerated by our bodies. Synthetic hormones allow us to be "used" by males and set us up for a lifetime of gynecological distress. I even know of a physician who remarked to the husband of hysterectomy surgical patient of his that "You'll like her new vagina... it'll be much shorter and without all of those hormones making everything sloppy... it'll be tighter and feel a whole lot better for you when you have sex".(TRUTH) We still live in a male-dominated world, ladies.And how many men do you know who would willingly succumb to a surgery that removed their sex organs "just in case" they might become cancerous?Gynecological surgery is extremely lucrative. I know a few male obgyns who are affiliated with the hospital where I work that I'd sooner spit on then allow to touch me with a knife... because THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT US...all they care about is a lucrative practice.In the future, I have no doubt that eventually it will be made known to the public that synthetic hormones are related to diseases/disorders such as CFS, FMS, M.S., Lupus as well as IBS (more women than men have IBS too).They just aren't telling us... they aren't being fair with us.... and it will be WE... who pay the price... after they have all lined their pockets with our ignorance and trust.Evie


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## Julee (Jun 10, 2002)

Wow! Sorry to hear that Evie. That's awful. I haven't had any problems with the Pill for now. I will consider your story and advice. Thanks.


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## Guest (Jul 18, 2003)

Julie... rather than consider only my story, get yourself a copy of Dr. John R. Lee's most recent book:"What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Perimenopause"Get it even if you are nowhere near menopausal age.One day you will be very glad that you did.You may feel just fine right now... but the process is very insidious. http://www.johnleemd.com/ Best wishes, Evie


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## *Luna* (Nov 19, 2001)

Evie, could you explain what "estrogen dominance" means? I am thinking of various ways that could be applied... For instance I seem to have a very dominant pheromone cycle...my roommates and coworkers end up menstruating when I do, while I stay nice and regular







And when I take my pills for months at a time, I still have some hormonal fluctuations that include breakouts, moodiness, etc., just not as drastic as they would be without the continous dose of pill. My gyn told me I could take the pill continuously for the entire year between visits, but my body likes to have a period every 3-4 months, as much as i may dislike the cramps. At least they are not as bad when the pill has been thinning the uterine lining (and endo growing anywhere else) for those months.IBS certainly seems to have a HORMONAL link, whether those are natural or synthetic. I had undiagnosed GI problems for years before I was on the pill. Being on the pill actually seems to help me. And taking it continuously seems to even out my hormonal cycle some, preventing cyclic flare-ups.For me, the pill has been a godsend. I had truly horrific periods before the pill. They're still come with pretty mean cramps, but not absolutely agonizing like they were before.The next step for me, when/if I want to stop relying on the pill and prescription painkillers to reduce my period pain, will be a laparoscopy. I'm perfectly happy taking synthetic hormones for a little while longer, rather than subject myself to surgery sooner than needed.


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

> quote: For me, the pill has been a godsend. I had truly horrific periods before the pill. They're still come with pretty mean cramps, but not absolutely agonizing like they were before.


Ditto for me Luna. Before the pill I was stuck in the fetal position moaning for at least a week every month. I'm getting scared that the endo is somehow getting worse though, even after 8 years of being on the pill, because my cramps are getting worse again, and even my sciatica is aggrevated during my cycle.







I think we always need to check the pros and cons of putting pills in our bodies. There are always positives and negatives. For now, this is what I have to do to function - I wonder how long it will keep working.


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## Guest (Jul 20, 2003)

Luna.... estrogen dominance refers to having too much estrogen circulating in our bodies. All the excess estrogen attaches to our hormone receptors and prevents progesterone from attaching to those receptors... the result is imbalance that causes a variety of high-estrogen related problems. Not only do our own ovaries manufacture it, we live in an environment that gives off substances referred to as "xenoestrogens". Plastics would be a good example of a xenoestrogen, I think....styrofoam cups, heating foods in microwaves using plastic containers, ingesting food additives.... etc. We're pretty much overwhelmed with the bad stuff. Then we also need to consider all the toxins in our environment from eating foods contaminated with pesticides and/or antibiotics...or possibly breathing polluted air in heavily populated metropolitan areas (i.e. Los Angeles)Too much estrogen not only causes benign conditions such as heavy bleeding, severe cramping, endometriosis and fibroids, it is also carcinogenic in excess. It needs to be offset... and that can be done in a variety of ways: diet changes that include more plant foods and fewer animal foods, regular exercise, relaxation therapies to help control stress, spiritual development and using topical natural progesterone. If animal proteins are eaten, it's best if they are organic. Same thing with produce.... choosing organic over conventional reduces the xenoestrogen content.It's a viscious cycle really, we take synthetic birth control pills either for birth control or to help bleeding and cramping or other undesireable conditions, which in turn, actually throw the body into an even more severe cycle of estrogen dominance. Eventually, there's no going to back to what is the body's own natural balance..... and that, for me, equaled years of agony and then surgery.The short-term effects of using BC pills might seem to work (hey, I've been there too), but the long-term effects are a whole other can of worms. When possible, it's always more desireable to attempt to correct the hormonal imbalance that is causing the pain/bleeding, etc., by utilizing natural means such as what I described above (diet, exercise, relaxation, spiritual growth and natural progesterone). The only justification I know of for using synthetic hormones the way they are pushed these days might be in the case of controlling a serious gynecological problem such as the inability to stop bleeding, where life might be threatened.I was able to achieve some relief from the cramping by using natural progesterone, but in my case I was going through such a personal upheaval in my life that there was an abundance of Cortisol circulating in my body which attached to some hormone receptors and prevented the natural progesterone from being more effective. I also routinely achieved relief from fluid retention and headaches around my period with use of the natural progestone. Because I also had adenomyosis, the bleeding was still very excessive and I would pass "clots" the size of the palm of my hand.It is also now known that once fibroids reach a certain size, they begin to manufacture their own estrogen and that's when natural progesterone no longer helps.Even now at the age of 50 and being menopausal, I use a natural preparation of all 3 estrogens in the form of a cream (estradiol, estriol, estrone) The dangerous estrogen is estradiol, so it needs counterbalance from estriol and estrone. I also still use the natural progesterone cream. I am virtually hot flash free most of the time, and my depression lifts with its use. It has also improved my sleep.If I try using synthetic estrogen (keep in mind that is always only estradiol), my blood pressure soars, I retain fluid, my breasts hurt and I feel like ####.We all gotta do what we gotta do... but that's what happened to me, so I am just posting it and you guys can choose to investigate further or continue doing what you're doing. So basically I providing information from my experiences. What you choose to do to/for/with your body is ultimately your decision.If you get and read Dr. Lee's book, it will explain it all in much greater detail. I'm not the expert.... he is.EvieP.S. One of the perks of using natural progesterone is that it boosts metabolism. I lost 14 pounds the first 3 weeks without doing anything else.


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