Smartinez asked
I wanted to change when I get my period. Originally I would start a pack on Friday (weird I know) and I would always end up getting my period Saturday night or Sunday morning when I was done with the pack( I would not take the placebos). I thought that if I wanted my period to start on like Monday or Tuesday I should start my new pack on Sunday (2 days after I would normally start taking them). Well I started my new pack on a Sunday and took my pill every day for 28 days and now its Wednesday after I took my last pill and still no period. Kinda starting to freak out
Answer
While technically possible to delay your period by a few days with birth control pills, doing so is extremely unpredictable and not recommended. Taking extra 'active' pills, or starting your next pack of birth control later than usual can cause spotting, breakthrough bleeding or missed periods in future menstrual cycles. In addition, it puts you at risk of pregnancy if you are sexually active.
Current birth control pills are designed to copy the natural menstrual cycle in women. They are used for both contraceptive purposes as well as for helping women maintain a normal menstrual cycle. There are many different kinds of oral hormonal contraceptives available, but most products contain 3 weeks of active hormonal pills and one week of inactive, or placebo pills. Menses occurs during the week you take the inactive pills with no hormones in them.
Delaying your period is more easily achievable, with less adverse reactions, on products that only contain one level of hormone throughout the pack (mono-phasic). If you are on a birth control pill that contains varying levels of hormones weekly, you are very likely to experience some sort of side effect such as breakthrough bleeding, spotting or amenorrhea (absence of a menstrual period).
As soon as you stop taking pills with active hormones in them, that is when menses (i.e. your period) occurs in most cases. For those wishing to extend the time until menses occurs, you would need to keep taking active hormonal pills. Sometimes, planning ahead, people may start a pack of birth control a few days later than usual to delay the onset of menses a few days.
Delaying the usual start of your birth control is not recommended. Every day you delay your usual start date is considered a missed dose. For most birth control products, missing two active pills during the first two weeks will put you at risk for pregnancy. Most products (example below) recommend the following if you miss two doses of active pills in the first two weeks of your pack:
- Take 2 pills on the day you remember and 2 pills the next day.
- Then take 1 pill a day until you finish the pack.
- You COULD BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms or spermicide) as a back-up method for those 7 days
Source: Ortho Tri Cyclen Package Insert
As mentioned, it is not recommended to try and delay your period. Your body is just so used to the fluctuations in hormone levels that your birth control provides. If you were to extend taking active pills, you should expect breakthrough bleeding or changes to your menstrual cycle. If you start later than usual, you are considered to be missing doses.
There is no approved, or recommended way to extend periods by a few days. My best recommendation for you is to speak to your doctor about what you are looking to do. A specialist in prescribing oral contraceptives likely has much more experience in situations like these. Since there are no medical guidelines regarding this situation, your prescribers experience and advice may be very helpful.
If you delayed the start of your birth control pack and have not had your period, it may simply be a side effect from the delay. If you are sexually active, it is important to take a pregnancy test or make an appointment with your doctor.
