I just calculated the weeks on my calendar
and it looks like the week i'm at the
beach (may 27-june 3), I will be on my
period. Last year, a friend of mine who
is on the patch said her period was
supposed to be the week we were at the
beach but that she just took it off a week
early and had her period a week early.
So my question is.... Is this right? Can
I do this and continue the pattern after
that week? Will I still need to use other
forms of protection if I "make" my period
a week early? Is there any other way to
have it a different week? I mean, the
trip is over two months away. It would
just really freakin' suck to be on my
period that week!!!! Any suggestions?
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tasha82
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Oct 2005 Posts: 112
Posted: 03-11-06 22:43pm
You can delay your period by skipping your
patch-free week. When you finish your
third week, just put on a new patch
instead of taking the "week off." you can
go for up to 3 months without a period
using this method.
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erin1163
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 2
Posted: 03-12-06 21:31pm
That sounds like it would work, but I hope
you are positive and know girls that it
has worked for! So on week 4, instead of
taking it off and having my period, I
should put a new one on and I won't have
my period? So then the next week should I
take it off and leave it off and then
start wearing a new one the week after and
go back to normal? I'm very skeptical
about it, i'm sure you can tell! I just
want to make sure that it's safe. I just
know my boyfriend will have a fit if he
can't have sex with me during that week.
Thanks for your input!
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tasha82
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 03 Oct 2005 Posts: 112
Posted: 03-12-06 22:05pm
I don't blame you for being skeptical. I
would want to know for sure too.
You're right about week 4--instead of
taking it off and having your period, you
put a new one on right away--but I think
you have to continue with the next two for
the following two weeks, so instead of
having your period one week late, you'll
skip it for an entire month. After that,
i'm not sure if you can have your
patch-free week or if you should continue
with another new set of patches, because I
always hear about people skipping their
periods for three months at a time. It
might work for two months, also, but i'm
not sure.
This can actually be done with any
monophasic birth control. It's usually
done with pills, but it works with the
patch too. You've probably heard of
seasonale, the pill that lets you have a
period every three months instead of every
month. The only difference between it
and other monophasic pills is the way it's
packaged. It comes in a pack with twelve
straight weeks of active pills, and then
there is one week's worth of inactive
pills, and that's when you have your
period. If you skip your period with
another type of monophasic pill, you skip
the week of inactive pills and start
immediately on the next pack of active
pills. It's the same way with the patch
or the ring--you skip the patch-free or
ring-free week and put a new one on right
away. I have used seasonale myself, and
I have also skipped my period using the
patch, so I know it works. You might
have a little bit of spotting, but you
might not. If you would be more
comfortable doing it the way you
originally planned--skipping your last
patch and having your period the week
before your vacation--that might work too,
but I don't know if you would still be
protected. Maybe someone here knows, or
you can check with your doctor...Sorry,
i'm just not sure. But the only problem
I can imagine you having if you delay your
period is the possibility of spotting.
Other than that, it's no problem, and it's
totally safe.
