IUD insertions and changing period time on the pill

[mizzpyx.livejournal.com]

I've been looking into getting a Mirena for several months now. Had an appointment last week, and this morning got a call from my doc saying that she's willing to insert it on my next period.
Which should next week.
Trouble is, I'm in the middle of exams, and IUD insertion and exams really don't seem like the kind of things that would go well together. So I was thinking that I might just try and delay my period for another two weeks, or bring the next one forward.

Were I still on combination pills, that would be so, so easy. Keep taking the pills, quit taking them when I want to get my period (and yes, I'm aware that this would compromise pregnancy protection, but we always use condoms anyway, and it'd be an easy matter to abstain from PIV for the few days before and during this time).
However, I'm on progesterone-only pills- which you take all the time, and periods show up when they please. My cycles have been pretty long on the POP- five or six weeks as opposed to the more usual four. This isn't a bother, but it's going to mean that I'll have to push back my Mirena insertion by up to 6 weeks, and I mightn't be in this area by then- I want to do a bunch of travelling this summer, and would really like to get my insertion over with ASAP.

So here's my questions:
Is it possible to induce my period by stopping taking progesterone-only pills? In the same way that the drop in hormones in the week off/placebo week of combination pills induces your period? So could I just stop taking the POPs after my exams, and get my period within a few days?

If not, would it be practical/possible for me to go back on combination pills for the next three weeks (I have a few packs at home) and then stop taking them when I want to induce my period at the start of June? Would this postpone my period, or at least induce another one in three weeks?

x-posted to vaginapagina and birthcontrolled.

Comments

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

First, can you call your doc and ask if she'll insert it even if you're not on your period? Though it can make the cervix a little softer and more dilated, it won't necessarily make a noticeable difference in the insertion. (I've had one IUD inserted on my period and two inserted when I wasn't bleeding -- at different times, of course! -- and I can't say that being on my period actually helped me out any.)

(Oh, and if the reason for your doc wanting to insert on your period is to ensure that you're not pregnant, you could request a test.)

As for inducing your period by discontinuing POPs, this is what I know. When I had to induce my period before my first IUD insertion, my NP put me on a 10 day course of Provera, which is basically a pill containing a progestin. Now, it's the progestin medroxyprogesterone -- one not found in POPs, to the best of my knowledge -- and it may be a substantially different dose. So while the theory behind it may be the same -- a drop in progesterone levels triggers bleeding -- the results might not work out that way. I'd guess that this is worth a try -- and it certainly shouldn't be harmful -- but I'm not certain how reliable it would be.

I also wonder about going back on combination pills for a short time, if only because I've had such wacky bleeding whenever I've tried switching methods or brands. That one seems a little unpredictable to me: it very well could work, but then again, it might not.

[mizzpyx.livejournal.com]

My doc was a little iffy in the beginning about doing an insertion on a NP woman. I managed to talk her 'round to doing some research on it, and now she's happy to do my insertion. However, I think she's kind of focused on the whole "NP women have smaller cervices" thing, and wants to do everything she can to minimise issues that could arise.
Since she's been very lovely, and totally willing to actually talk about this and treat me as an equal in the whole procedure (not something I could say of all docs!), I'm willing to get it done when she's most comfy doing it.

As for the combo pills idea- well. What I was thinking of doing was taking the medium-dose and high-dose week of a couple of my packs of Logynon, a triphasic. That would minimise the chance of breakthrough bleeding, and maximise the hormone drop when I stopped taking 'em after the exams.
Of course, on the other hand, given that I used to get pretty intense mood swings when on 'em the first time, that mightn't be the best idea..

Bah humbug! Might just end up waaaaiiiiittttiiiiinnnngggg for my second-to-next period. With my crazy six week cycles :(