Anyone here taking Seasonale?

[Kungjo]

I've breastfed DD #2 for 13 months and am ready to wean her. I've been taking the mini-pill but need to get back on regular birth control. I was on Orthrotricycline, but heard about Seasonale. Had no problems with the Orthro, but the idea of only 4 periods a year is tempting. Anyone taking Seasonale right now? What do you like or don't like about it? How safe is it?

Thanks,

[MichelleRC]

I have been taking it since just after DS#2 was born. I had some spotting for the first few months, but once that stopped i LOVE it! No side effects (that I know of) and having 4 periods a year is much more manageable than 12!

[miki]

If the Ortho worked for you, you can ask your GYN about taking the active pills for 3 months at a time and skipping the placebo pills. Seasonale pills are regular birth control pills, just packaged differently.

[Piglet]

Sort of... I am taking a similar mono-phasic pill (Demulen 30) and not taking breaks in between each month. Demulen is a lot stronger than Seasonale, and the only reason I am on Demulen is because I have a tendency to spot on just about every other pill on the market. Demulen is better, but I am still spotting off and on. I talked to my doctor and she recommended I try not to even take breaks every 3 months, just to see if my body will continue spotting if I don't restart things, so to speak. I like that I haven't had my period, but I hate that I am still spotting intermittently. I have heard that this is quite common on Seasonale as well. I guess from my end, I would give Seasonale a try and see if you like it or not. Everyone reacts differently. It is a low commitment option (unlike Depo or an IUD).

Ultimately though, I have not found my ideal birth control yet... well other than sleep deprived abstinence, LOL!

[emmiem]

Seasonale gave me very bad back and chest acne. It is not "regular" birth control. It has more testosterone in in. Every brand of pills has a slightly different combination of hormones. Check with your doctor for information.

BTW, I am a wife of an OB-GYN.
Michele

[Piglet]

I forgot to mention in my post that you need to be on a monophasic (same drug each day/week in cycle) for it to work and generally, the monophasic ones are the hardest on your system - I have 'drive' issues on Demulen... another way to prevent pregnancy, I guess ;)

[Dee150]

This may not be much help because you did well on OrthoTriCyclen..
I recently stopped my 1 cycle of Seasonale, which I went to from the patch (after the study). Before DS, I was on Ortho and did rather poorly- weight gain, mood changes, etc. Seasonale did not add as much weight, but I don't know if things change after a pgy. I still have gained a lot of weight in my mid-section; just not as much as with Ortho. I barely had any spotting except for the first few days into the switch (and my system seems so geared to spot at the first opportunity!). I am on continuous BC for ovarian cysts; currently on Alesse (defy. more spotting early on, but its not been very long). I guess any monophasic pill can become a continuous method (as a PP had mentioned)- just need to find the right one! How has your experience with the mini-pill been? - that is not an option at this time?

[Kungjo]

Nope....mini-pill is no longer an option. Mini-pill and breastfeeding together works well as a contraceptive, but I need another alternative once I stop breastfeeding. Mini-pill alone isn't strong enough. Only reason why I was on the mini-pill was because I couldn't take anything stronger since it would have been passed to my DD #2.

Guess that I'm just wondering if Seasonale is safe. Love the cocept. :-)

[JBaxter]

I used to do the same thing w/ my ortho pills. I had asked my doc about the seasonale and he told me if I was doing well on my current brand to keep taking them but just skip the"inert" ones and go to the next pack.

[essnce629]

I was prescribed Seasonale a few months back because I get horrific menstrual cramps (possible endometriosis) and the dr thought it might decrease my cramps. I never filled my prescription though because I read alot about Seasonale on an endometriosis board and a lot of the women on it complained about spotting. I haven't been on any BCP since before I was pregnant, but back then I was on Ortho Novum 7//7/7 (a monophasic pill) and every now and then I'd try to skip my period by skipping the placebo pills and going straight to a new pack, but even then I'd have spotting for up to two weeks which was even worse than just having a period for 4 days. So I skipped the Seasonale and we're still using condoms :(.

***Latia
Birth and Postpartum Doula

Conner 8/19/03 (homebirthed water baby)
http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/a/aug2003angel
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif Self-weaned at 24 months!