Switching from 24-day BCP to 21-day BCP

[biblio-filia.livejournal.com]

Hi Everyone,

This is hopefully a quick and easy question! It's outside of my gyno's hours and you've all been so lovely and helpful with past issues that I know someone can help me out :)

I've been on Loestrin 24 FE since February 2011. However, I've had some annoying issues with breakthrough bleeding ever since I've been on it and it's gotten really expensive, so I asked my doctor to switch me to Tri-Sprintec. I want to see how I do on a tri-phasic pill, and I know lots of people who did well on it. The office called the prescription in today, and I'm scheduled to finish my last pack of Loestrin (i.e. take the last inactive pill) next Wednesday, 7/25.

In reading up on Tri-Sprintec, it looks like I'm being instructed to take the first pill either with a "Sunday start" the Sunday after my period begins or on the first day of my period. If I did this, historically, it would be on the day I took the 2nd of my 4 inactive Loestrin pills. I'd assumed I should start taking the Tri-Sprintec when I should have started my new pack of Loestrin if I had continued on it, but I'm not sure if the difference in the number of active pills throws this off.

My doctor started me on Loestrin on a Thursday in order to avoid periods on the weekends, and I'd actually like to preserve this on Tri-Sprintec if possible because I'll be seeing my boyfriend ONLY on the weekends as I start grad school. What should I do in that case? We're planning on using condoms for the first month or so of the Tri-Sprintec to be extra-cautious, so not being fully protected by the BCP alone for a bit is not necessarily a huge issue.

Thanks!

Comments

[nickelshoe.livejournal.com]

When switching brands, just start the Tri-Sprintec when you'd have started the Loestrin. Information about your period is irrelevant on the pill and you remain fully protected as long as you start the pills without an extr days after the Loestrin pack.

[helenkacan.livejournal.com]

As per what the first commenter said, the instructions in the package are for people who have never taken hbc (or it's been several months), hence they would be having natural periods. As you've already been on hbc and just switching to a different type, you should start it the day you would have begun your next package (July 26).

As to when you'll get your withdrawal bleed since switching, you'll probably just have to wait and see how your body reacts. When I started, it just happened to be a Sunday. For the next 20 years (no, not a typo), my withdrawal bleed ALWAYS began on the Wednesday of the inactive pills. If you find that you begin to bleed on the weekend after you've finished your active pills, then you can try to readjust when you'll bleed next month by reducing the hormone-free week by a day or two, to see if that'll give you blood-free weekends. You can always shorten the hormone-free week, but never extend it past 7 days to remain fully protected.