I'm just wondering what your opinion is on the following:

I'm on Alesse 28 (I don't take the sugar pills, so it's pretty much Alesse 21, but that doesn't really make a difference) and I tend to always be getting my period during important events (Christmas, Prom, Graduation, March Break, Semi-Formal, oh yes, all of them.) but have always been too afraid of what may happen taking two packs of birth control back to back without the 7 day break. Has anyone done this? Have you had any problems? Is it safe to do it?

The reason I'm asking is because I've had a friend who did this once and then she didn't get a period again for 3 months, and if that happened to me, I'd be very afraid.

Thanks for your help!

I've done that several times. Just skipped the sugar pills (well, I was on the NuvaRing, so skipped the week off of the ring) and started a new pack. I never had any weird bleeding or odd periods afterwards!

Also, my gyno suggested that I do that. Said theres no real reason for us to have a period if we're not trying to chart or get pregnant.

I do it all the time; it is SO handy for when I am going on holiday!

I've done it many times. It just gave me a slightly heavier bleed when I did have a break. It's safe. I only ever took two packs together, but I had a friend who would run four or five packs together and she suffered no ill effects.

I asked my doctor about it because I was curious. Everyone here has pretty much covered what I was going to say, which is:

1. It's completely safe to take active pills back-to-back with no break.

2. You will have a heavier period when you do eventually give yourself a break.

3. It totally depends on your own body. Some people will bounce back fine when they resume the normal cycle of 21-7, and some won't have a period for a long while.

4. I recommend not doing it longer than 6 months, just because the longer you leave it, chances are the more out-of-whack things will get. It's still safe, but just more inconvenient (like, if you do it back-to-back for 12 months, for example, then have a break, then you might have like a 2-week period. Not fun xD).

I am also on Alesse. Yes, you can take another pack right after. I've read it on a few blogs that I found because I was curious as to the side effects and how some people react and whatnot. Hope that helps!

I have a tonne of friends who do that, & when i used to be on the pill my doctor told me it was totally safe & fine to do it as well.
It's odd that she didn't get her period again for three months, I've never heard of that happening.
I would definitely give it a shot if i were you.

I have done the same thing as well. I had no side effects and got my period same as always the next month when I did take the sugar pills. You shouldn't skip your period every month but to do it every now and then is fine.

i do it all the time and i've never had it not return right on time when it's due. i'd say your friend is probably a special case and that she probably should've asked a doctor about that as it seems unusual as far as my and my friend's experiences would tell me. it's ok to do now and then.

My doctor told me it was fine but not to do it more than a month (in a row). Sometimes your body just doesn't listen, it happened to a friend of mine where she got her period anyways. But, to be on the safe side read th booklet that came with the BC (mine as the a little "Skip Your Period" section) and talk to your doctor.

I've never heard that you can only skip it for a month.
I've always been told three months =/

Thats weird. My doctor told me one

I've done it before too when I was on the pill, didn't have any problems with it either.

The only reason they have the week off is so you can be sure you're not pregnant and get a period. I mean, you've heard of the injectable pill which keeps you for three months without a cycle, right? Surely that's safe, too, so don't worry about it.

(I'm a guy, but I know about this stuff after reading quite a bit, due to several close calls.)

I've done it before with my ring, but it didn't work, and I spotted for the whole month until I took the ring out. I know it's healthy, so long as it isn't a regular thing.

I do it all the time. I'd check with your own doctor though.

I've did it occasionally when I was on the pill, but it used to give me really lumpy boobs, if you are on the combination pill the excess oestrogen isn't exactly good for you, the longer you go without taking a break the more likely you are to develop a DVT.

I don't think that's true about running packs together increasing your risk of DVT (but feel free to provide a reference and prove me wrong... I had a look myself and could find nothing to suggest such a thing).

The reason they don't recommend running more than two packs together is because you're then likely to get breakthrough bleeding.

That's very true; I ran three together once and the last month was pretty pointless as I spotted the whole time!

Birth control in general increases your risk of DVT. I don't think it's any more risky running packs together than it is taking birth control in general.

yeah i've never heard running packs together increasing it, just that birth control in general seems to increase it.

I do that quite often so I don't have my period while on vacation or something. I've also never heard of that side affect happening, although I'm sure it is possible. Every one's body reacts differently. The only thing you do have to be careful about is to make sure you have at least 3 periods a year. I've been told that it's not healthy if you don't. But again, consult your doctor. They would obviously know more side afffects and such.

i've never done this...i'll have to remember to do it the next time something important comes up.