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| Dr.WomanSaverM.D. |
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Posted: 2/9/2007 11:37 PM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 100
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Total Posts: 546
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style="background-color: rgb(255, 153, 204);">hey Doctor,![]() I
recently started taking "ALESSE 28" Birth control pills on the first
day of my period which was Wednesday Jan 31...so I took the
first wednesday pill since that is when my period started. I have been
taking my pills once a day at 10pm every night. My problem is
that eventhough my period started so long ago I have been getting a
brown discharge since feb 3 sometimes it is thick and other times it is
not and it is not too much but almost as much as a woman would get who
had a yeast infection. is this normal or is something wrong? am I
taking my pills the right way? Did I start the pack correctly? If I
have unprotected sex with my boyfriend of 4yrs will I still be
protected from getting pregnant? It is my first time on birth control so I am scared.. I
would also like to know how I can get reviews on the alesse pill from
other women that have used it, is there a birth control forum or
something I can go to in order to hear other people‘s experience with
this pill?
Hi
For detailed information about Alesse 28 please see the following information:
http://www.wyeth.com/content/ShowLabeling.asp?id=85
It will show you a picture of the mini pack and explain the details
about how you should be using it, for example how to set the dial and
what the different pill colors mean. In general though, you
should start the first active
pill on the first day of your period and take the pills at the same
time everyday, so it sounds like you are using it correctly.
Regarding the spotting/bleeding: This sometimes occurs when a woman
first starts taking the pill and should only be temporary.
Continue taking the pill as directed, but if you are concerned about it
or if you develop any other symptoms like abdominal pain or cramps or
if the bleeding continues, increases or persists (more than a few
days), please contact your doctor.
As with any form of birth
control, the pill is not 100% effective against protecting against
pregnancy. If you take it as directed and on schedule you have a
better chance of protection as opposed to not taking it properly.
If you miss a period, you can continue the pill but you should call
your doctor to confirm, because this may mean you are pregnant.
If you would like to read about more about the pill I suggest you go directly to the source:
http://www.wyeth.com/products
I‘m sure there are message boards online where people discuss certain
drugs and side effects. You can probably google "alesse" or
"birth control" and find a few. You may use these forums for
support, but please be careful in using this method as a source of
information. Remember everyone is different and medications
affect us in various ways. One person may be able to take a drug
with no problems or side effects and another person taking the same
drug may not be able to tolerate it at all. Therefore on one end
of the spectrum you may find responses form people praising a drug as
if it is a miracle cure or the best medication ever invented and on the
opposite end there will be those claiming it is a dangerous or lethal
drug and should be taken off the market. With so many
contradicting views, and everything in between, you may end up more
confused than before.
The internet is a great tool
for learning about medical diseases and drugs and I always encourage
people to read and learn about their condition or medications.
Patients these days are better informed than they were a couple decades
ago. However there is a lot of FALSE information out there as
well, and as I say, the only thing worse than being uninformed, is
being misinformed! When someone approaches me with a question
regarding something they found or heard online I always ask about the
source. I find that many people trust what they read on message
boards and chat rooms which is often advice given by people with little
or no medical knowledge or experience and is usually unreliable
information. Remember if you have any concerns regarding ANY of
your medications or side effects, do not make any decisions to
discontinue or alter your doses without talking to your doctor
first.
And just to add, your local pharmacist is an excellent source of
information, so if you ever have a question, call up your local drug
store or hospital and ask to speak to the pharmacist. You can
even approach the pharmacist in person next time you are at the
pharmacy. They are always happy to help with any concerns or
questions.
Regarding alesse, here are some reputable sites I recomment for patient information:
http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-63796-Alesse-28+Oral.aspx?drugid=63796&drugname=Alesse-28+Oral
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR202228
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a601050.html
For more information:
www.webmd.com
http://www.mayoclinic.com/
US National Library of Medicine (NIH):
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/portals/public.html
Thanks for writing and I hope this helps.
-Dr.WomanSaver
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| GoodBye |
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Posted: 2/14/2007 10:43 AM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 29
Total Posts: 919
L.A
California
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so doctor since she strted the pill on a wednesday that means she will have 3-pills left over. should she throw them out when she reaches day 28? or what just wondering..
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| Dr.WomanSaverM.D. |
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Posted: 2/15/2007 7:33 PM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 100
Total Posts: 546
Doctor's Office
Costa Rica
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| GoodBye wrote: | | so doctor since she strted the pill on a wednesday that means she will
have 3-pills left over. should she throw them out when she reaches day
28? or what just wondering..
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Hi.
I hope I‘m understanding your question correctly. These pills are based on a 28 day
cycle. If you are taking them as directed (regardless of how many
days there are in a month), so you should not have any extra pills at
the end of the cycle. The pack has 21 hormone pills and 7
reminder pills. The following information is from the patient
information insert:
WHAT TO DO DURING THE MONTH
1. TAKE ONE PILL AT THE SAME TIME EVERY DAY UNTIL THE PACK IS
EMPTY.
Do not skip pills even if you are spotting or bleeding between monthly periods or feel sick to
your stomach (nausea).
Do not skip pills even if you do not have sex very often.
2. WHEN YOU FINISH A PACK OR SWITCH YOUR BRAND OF PILLS:
28 pills: Start the next pack on the day after your last "reminder" pill. Do not wait any days
between packs.
If you miss pills, then you may have some left over. In that case please see below (from the insert again):
WHAT TO DO IF YOU MISS PILLS
The pill may not be as effective if you miss pink "active" pills, and particularly if you miss the
first few or the last few pink "active" pills in a pack.
If you MISS 1 pink "active" pill:
1. Take it as soon as you remember. Take the next pill at your regular time. This means you
may take 2 pills in 1 day.
2. You COULD BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You
MUST use a nonhormonal birth-control method (such as condoms and/or spermicide) as a
back-up for those 7 days.
If you MISS 2 pink "active" pills in a row in WEEK 1 OR WEEK 2 of your pack:
1. Take 2 pills on the day you remember and 2 pills the next day.
2. Then take 1 pill a day until you finish the pack.
3. You COULD BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You
MUST use a nonhormonal birth-control method (such as condoms and/or spermicide) as a
back-up for those 7 days.
If you MISS 2 pink "active" pills in a row in THE 3rd WEEK:
1. If you are a Day 1 Starter:
THROW OUT the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that same day.
If you are a Sunday Starter:
Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and
start a new pack of pills that same day.
2. You may not have your period this month but this is expected. However, if you miss your
period 2 months in a row, call your health-care provider because you might be pregnant.
3. You COULD BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You
MUST use a nonhormonal birth-control method (such as condoms and/or spermicide) as a
back-up for those 7 days.
If you MISS 3 OR MORE pink "active" pills in a row (during the first 3 weeks):
1. If you are a Day 1 Starter:
THROW OUT the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that same day.
If you are a Sunday Starter:
Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and
start a new pack of pills that same day.
2. You may not have your period this month but this is expected. However, if you miss your
period 2 months in a row, call your health-care provider because you might be pregnant.
3. You COULD BECOME PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You
MUST use a nonhormonal birth-control method (such as condoms and/or spermicide) as a
back-up for those 7 days.
For the complete information please see:
http://www.wyeth.com/content/ShowLabeling.asp?id=85
I hope this helps. Please read the entire patient information if
you are on this pill, because it is very important that you fully
understand and comply with the instructions in order to prevent
pregnancy. The less compliant one is, the higher the chance of
pregnancy. I know it can be a bit confusing at first, but once
you become accustomed to taking the pills regularly, it will become
like second nature to you. And as always, if you have any
concerns or questions, call your doctor immediately.
-Dr. WomanSaver
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| GoodBye |
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Posted: 2/16/2007 7:45 AM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 29
Total Posts: 919
L.A
California
United States
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| Dr.WomanSaverM.D. wrote: |
Hi.
I hope I‘m understanding your question correctly. These pills are based on a 28 day cycle. If you are taking them as directed (regardless of how many days there are in a month), so you should not have any extra pills at the end of the cycle. The pack has 21 hormone pills and 7 reminder pills. The following information is from the patient information insert:
For the complete information please see:
http://www.wyeth.com/content/ShowLabeling.asp?id=85
I hope this helps. Please read the entire patient information if you are on this pill, because it is very important that you fully understand and comply with the instructions in order to prevent pregnancy. The less compliant one is, the higher the chance of pregnancy. I know it can be a bit confusing at first, but once you become accustomed to taking the pills regularly, it will become like second nature to you. And as always, if you have any concerns or questions, call your doctor immediately.
-Dr. WomanSaver
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Well Doc,
what I was trying to say is this:
at the beginning of the pack it starts from sunday right? but the first day of her period was on wednesday so there are 3 pills she did not take. should she complete all the pink pills before she moves on to the green inactive pills?
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| Dr.WomanSaverM.D. |
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Posted: 2/16/2007 8:45 PM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 100
Total Posts: 546
Doctor's Office
Costa Rica
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| GoodBye wrote: |
Well Doc, what I was trying to say is this: at
the beginning of the pack it starts from sunday right? but the
first day of her period was on wednesday so there are 3 pills she did
not take. should she complete all the pink pills before she moves on to
the green inactive pills?
|
Ok, :) I understand
your question now (but let me know if you have any doubts after reading
this post). To answer your questions: You DON‘T have to
start on a Sunday. And you DO have to finish all the pink active
pills (21 in total) no matter which day you start.
Here‘s how it works:
When starting this medication, you have two options:
1. Start on the first day (within 24 hours) of your menstrual period
OR
2. Start on the Sunday after the first day of your menstrual period.
When your doctor prescribes the pill, you can discuss which is the better
option for you. Some women may prefer to start on a Sunday since it may
be easier to track the number of weeks on a calendar. Other women
may like to start on the first day of their period, regardless of which
day of the week this is.
It‘s just a matter of timing and is totally your
choice. For example you may have been prescribed the pack a
couple days before the start of your period, and in this case you may
prefer to start on day 1. Or you may have been prescribed the
pack during your period, and you may not want to wait till next month
to start the pill on day 1; in this case you could just start on the
Sunday after your period started.
Here is the info on starting (either a day 1 start OR a Sunday start):
DAY 1 START:
1. Take the first "active" pink pill of the first pack during the first 24 hours of your period.
2. You will not need to use a back-up nonhormonal method of birth control, since you are starting the pill at the beginning of your period.
SUNDAY START:
1. Take the first "active" pink pill of the first pack on the Sunday after your period starts, even if you are still bleeding. If your period begins on Sunday, start the pack that same day.
2. Use a nonhormonal method of birth control (such as condoms and/or spermicide) as a back-up method if you have sex anytime from the Sunday you start your first pack until the next Sunday (7 days).
To help you keep track, turn the dial to your first day which will correspond to the first active pink pill.
Whichever option you choose, you should take the pill everyday around
the same time. -Three weeks of pink followed by one week of
green till you finish the pack. If you take one pill everyday without missing any you
shouldn‘t have any left over. After the pack is finished, start a
new pack the next day.
I hope this clears up any confusion. I encourage you to read the
entire package insert for the complete information and communicate with
your health care provider if you have any concerns regarding your
health or this medication.
-Dr. WomanSaver
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| GoodBye |
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Posted: 2/16/2007 10:27 PM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 29
Total Posts: 919
L.A
California
United States
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| Dr.WomanSaverM.D. wrote: |
| GoodBye wrote: |
Well Doc,
what I was trying to say is this:
at the beginning of the pack it starts from sunday right? but the first day of her period was on wednesday so there are 3 pills she did not take. should she complete all the pink pills before she moves on to the green inactive pills? |
Ok, :) I understand your question now (but let me know if you have any doubts after reading this post). To answer your questions: You DON‘T have to start on a Sunday. And you DO have to finish all the pink active pills (21 in total) no matter which day you start.
Here‘s how it works:
When starting this medication, you have two options:
1. Start on the first day (within 24 hours) of your menstrual period
OR
2. Start on the Sunday after the first day of your menstrual period.
When your doctor prescribes the pill, you can discuss which is the better option for you. Some women may prefer to start on a Sunday since it may be easier to track the number of weeks on a calendar. Other women may like to start on the first day of their period, regardless of which day of the week this is.
It‘s just a matter of timing and is totally your choice. For example you may have been prescribed the pack a couple days before the start of your period, and in this case you may prefer to start on day 1. Or you may have been prescribed the pack during your period, and you may not want to wait till next month to start the pill on day 1; in this case you could just start on the Sunday after your period started.
Here is the info on starting (either a day 1 start OR a Sunday start):
DAY 1 START:
1. Take the first "active" pink pill of the first pack during the first 24 hours of your period.
2. You will not need to use a back-up nonhormonal method of birth control, since you are starting the pill at the beginning of your period.
SUNDAY START:
1. Take the first "active" pink pill of the first pack on the Sunday after your period starts, even if you are still bleeding. If your period begins on Sunday, start the pack that same day.
2. Use a nonhormonal method of birth control (such as condoms and/or spermicide) as a back-up method if you have sex anytime from the Sunday you start your first pack until the next Sunday (7 days).
To help you keep track, turn the dial to your first day which will correspond to the first active pink pill. Whichever option you choose, you should take the pill everyday around the same time. -Three weeks of pink followed by one week of green till you finish the pack. If you take one pill everyday without missing any you shouldn‘t have any left over. After the pack is finished, start a new pack the next day.
I hope this clears up any confusion. I encourage you to read the entire package insert for the complete information and communicate with your health care provider if you have any concerns regarding your health or this medication.
-Dr. WomanSaver
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Now I get it and you have now anawered my qestion fully. When I went to the alesse website the pills were in a different packaging "not a circle one" but I guess they changed it. thanks for the help doc.
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| redgurl |
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Posted: 4/8/2008 5:49 PM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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New WomanSaver
Female Member
Age: 20
Total Posts: 1
montreal
Canada
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hi doctor, I‘ve been on alesse for almost a year now, and i have never
had any problems with my period at all, it has always been regular. But
this month, for some odd reason on my last day of the pill whic was
satuday i started having this brownish discharge, i did not get that
much but i‘ve been having it for the past three days, and the discharge
can vary from normal to clotty, and I am kind of worried I am suppose
to be gettin my period tomorow (wednsay) is this normal..every one has
been telling me it is the residue of my old period, and I did go to
dominican last month wen I was on my period so maybe it is the
temperature change? please if you have any info on what this might
mean, it is kind of getting me nervous thanks
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| Dr.WomanSaverM.D. |
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Posted: 4/11/2008 3:53 PM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 100
Total Posts: 546
Doctor's Office
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| redgurl wrote: | |
hi doctor, I‘ve been on alesse for almost a year now, and i have never had any problems with my period at all, it has always been regular. But this month, for some odd reason on my last day of the pill whic was satuday i started having this brownish discharge, i did not get that much but i‘ve been having it for the past three days, and the discharge can vary from normal to clotty, and I am kind of worried I am suppose to be gettin my period tomorow (wednsay) is this normal..every one has been telling me it is the residue of my old period, and I did go to dominican last month wen I was on my period so maybe it is the temperature change? please if you have any info on what this might mean, it is kind of getting me nervous thanks
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Hi.
It‘s not the temperature change. Some side effects of this medication are spotting (vaginal bleeding between your periods), or irregular/missed periods. I suggest you contact your doctor if these side effects continue or get worse.
Since the pill is not 100% effective, pregnancy is also a possibility. Contact your doctor for a pregnancy test if:
1. You have missed 2 periods in a row and have been using the pill as directed.
OR
2. You have missed 1 period and have not been using the pill correctly (either missed/forgot doses, or doubled up, etc.)
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| Dr.WomanSaverM.D. |
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Posted: 4/11/2008 3:58 PM |
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Subject: Anonymous Question: Alesse 28 |
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WomanSaver MoFo
Female Member
Age: 100
Total Posts: 546
Doctor's Office
Costa Rica
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| GoodBye wrote: |
Now I get it and you have now anawered my qestion fully. When I went to the alesse website the pills were in a different packaging "not a circle one" but I guess they changed it. thanks for the help doc.
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You‘re welcome. Remember, no matter what the package looks like, whether the pills are arranged in a circle or anything else, it‘s always 21 pink (active pills) followed by 7 green (inactive pills).
-Dr.WS
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