poodle gyno/ switching from depo to patch update

[savestheworld.livejournal.com]

http://www.livejournal.com/community/vaginapagina/5434028.html
so i want to switch from depo to the patch and i'm still having a lot of trouble!
here are the new questions:
-how long after the last depo shot should i consider my bc ineffective. i'm currently in the range where the new shot would happen and i'm stuck letting its effectiveness run out until i can switch
because...
-after i called my current gyno's office and got a call back from someone who wasn't the doctor (possibly a nurse?) i was told that they weren't sure if i could even switch right away from one to the other and that they'd probably have to do blood tests. what's up with this?
so,
-i think i'm going to just start using planned parenthood as my doc because the southeast pa one accepts a lot of health insurance and might accept my new one. (if you don't know about the last post, the problem is i'm between health insurances until the 27th)
also, they're probably open at times when i'm not at work and i don't feel good about leaving my new job in the the first week for a doctor's appointment! unfortunately, i'll have to get ANOTHER exam to be their patient which is really making me crazy! can't they transfer files or something? i've had like.. 5 in the past 3 years and i'm really sick of it.
-should i be concerned that my old family doctor didn't care to check anything before he gave me a depo perscription? i have really bad luck with doctors i think :) another funny poodle-like story: my old family doc said i had FOOT HERPES and had me take valtrex and i didn't realize it was just ATHELETES FOOT for months!!!!!

Comments

[deadyawn.livejournal.com]

i just recently switched from depo to the patch. i was told to come in and start the patch the day my next shot was due. so i did and thus far everything has gone well. i was warned that i might not menstruate for a few months, but after my first month on the patch i had my period like normal.

[savestheworld.livejournal.com]

yeah that's what i expected they'd tell me, but instead, they say i can't get it without all sorts of expensive stuff. gah.

[butterflieanjel.livejournal.com]

I was told to put on the patch when my next shot was do as well. My period is still sorta wacky a year later though.

[seekingsartre.livejournal.com]

Blood tests? For what? That's the craziest thing I ever heard.

Seconding deadyawn, start the patch on the day that you would normally get the shot.

Yes, they can transfer your records. Legally, they can charge you (In NY, not sure about other states) $0.75 per page. Most of the time they will fax them as a professional courtesy. They have to have the request in writing, so just write out on a piece of paper, "please transfer my records to Dr. Jon Smith, address, phone, fax." Then sign and date it.

Typical that your family doc wouldn't check anything before giveing you depo. Unless you have a history of depression or some other reason that would make depo not good for you?

[moochar.livejournal.com]

Blood test? What?! I switched my depo to the pill & I didn't even have to take a urine test or anything, which I almost expected for some reason, but blood test? That's insane.

I went in on a Tuesday when I was suppose to get my shot & got my pills, which I started that following Sunday. I didn't get my period that month, but the 2nd month I had a regular period. My doctor told me there would be no lapse in protection. I think it was something like the shot is actually effective up to 15 weeks, altough they give them every 13 weeks or so. The pill took 7 days to be effective, so I had no problems switching.

[below-the-belt.livejournal.com]

+ they should ask you some basic questions before giving you any hormonal birth control, like whether you have varicose veins, blood clotting disorders, anemia [i think], genetic diseases, also whether you smoke or take any medication at all. at the very least. anemia would be a quick blood test, the others are just questions. they should also do a breast exam, probly. but i can't think what else.. for depo we just go over the history [ask those questions], know about their hemoglobin levels [this is about anemia/iron levels] and say 'butt or shoulder?'

+ consider your depo useless on the day you're due to get your next shot - 12-13 weeks after your last shot.

+ if you come to my work while i'm there we can hang a little bit. yeah planned parenthood philly! um. sort of.

[savestheworld.livejournal.com]

cool
are you at the locust street one? do you know if it's hard to get saturday appointments and if they're any weird hours around the fourth of july?

[below-the-belt.livejournal.com]

i work in the basement at locust street, in the surgical clinic [if you know what i mean]. i don't think it's hard to get a saturday appt but you gotta call on a friday for that. july 4: they're closed on july 4, we're closed on the 2nd so they might be also. but i get the feeling that we're closed that saturday because our clinic doesn't operate on mondays... aaaaaaah dunno. llook at their website for hours, ppsp.org i think.