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Lybrel / Birth Control

posted 3 years ago in Wellness
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    1.
    Bee
    2,218 posts
    Buzzing bee
    frenchfries    June 18, 2010  

    Hello hive!  Just a question -- has anyone taken Lybrel for their birth control?  I'm currently on Seasonale (the generic) and while I love not getting my period for 3 months at a time and that part of it is great, when I eventually have my period/withdrawal bleeding, it's miserable.  Bad cramps, it lasts a long time, etc. 

    Just wondering if anyone has tried Lybrel or is currently taking it and has any info.  Thanks! 

     
    2.
    Member
    1,296 posts
    Bumble bee
    fizicsGirl    8/1/2009   Michigan

    I did try Lybrel...in a multi-year saga of finding the right BC for me.  I used it for two months, but it did not stop the terrible breakthrough bleeding I was experiencing so I switched to Loestrin FE.  This turned out to still be too high of a dose for me, so now I'm on an ultra low dose (not sure of the name) that seems to work for me.  Aside from the breakthrough bleeding I don't think I had any other bad side effects with Lybrel...so you might consider trying it if seasonale isn't working for you.  I warn you that the packaging is horrible.  It's got this spring loaded dispenser thing, and it often skips a pill or just doesn't release...so you end up having to keep going through the circle of pills.  I  think that this has something to do with not handling the pills a lot, but I can't recall exactly.  I'm not entirely sure what that would be about, but I'll admit that it made me nervous (something you might want to ask the doctor about).

     
    3.
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    Worker bee
    smf0613    June 13, 2009   Duck, NC

    I use it and love it! Have had no problems. I do agree with fizicsGirl, the packaging is a bit much.

     
    4.
    Member
    292 posts
    Helper bee
    catrelle83    05/09/09   Mobile, AL

    I took it for about 6 months, and while I didn't have any breakthrough bleeding, I was an emotional basketcase.  I cried at everything, and the smallest things would send me over the edge.  Obviously, it wasn't right for me, but then again, Seasonale was the one that was a winner for me.

     
    5.
    Member
    132 posts
    Blushing bee
    lwillia58    September 26, 2009   Fort Smith, AR

    I am currently taking it and haven't had any problems. I love not having the awful back aches and cramps that came along with my period. I have been on it for a year now.

     
    6.
    Hostess
    751 posts
    Busy bee
    Niki    05/31/2008  

    I am on it and love it!  I think it is a great method.  I did have some breakthrough bleeding, but it stopped quickly.  I have not had a single negative symptom from it, and I kinda like the dispenser....

     
    7.
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    239 posts
    Helper bee
    hwong14    May 24, 2009   Louisville, KY

    Lybrel is a 20 mcg estrogen pill, while Seasonale is a 30 mcg pill. Seasonale has more estrogen, so you will have more endometrial stimulation, so when you do get your period, it will be heavier and crampier compared with a 20 mcg pill. For that reason, Lybrel might be a better choice for you. With a lower-dose pill, though, some people will experience breakthrough bleeding (many won't, just depends on the person).

    You can use any pill in the Seasonale/Lybrel method. Just skip the placebo pills in each pack and take only the active pills. One of the doctors I worked with recommends doing it in this method: take only active pills until you eventually have bleeding (might be less than 3 months, might be longer). Once you start bleeding, stop taking pills for 3 days, then start back up with the active pills where you left off (even if you're still bleeding). Keep going until the next spontaneous "period." Each time, there should be longer period of time between bleeds, until eventually, they decrease tremendously or even stop. Note: this isn't dangerous; you just have so little endometrial stimulation that there's nothing to slough off in a period (or you might just get some of that dark brown sticky stuff, and that's it).

    The lowest dose pill on the market right now are 20-mcg pills. Alesse, Yasmin, and LoEstrin are examples of a traditional 21/7 pill at this dose (21 days active, 7 days placebo). Yaz and LoEstrin Fe 24 are examples of 24/4 pills. A lot of people like the 24/4 pills better, because you take active pills for 24 days instead of 21, and have only 4 days of placebo, so you'll have shorter and lighter periods after a couple months. (LoEstrin Fe 24 is different from LoEstrin). The 35 and 30 mcg pills tend to be referred to as the "low dose pills" while the 20 mcg pills are "ultra low dose," in case you hear that terminology.

    A 10 mcg pill is being studied, but isn't on the market yet. I've also heard, like fizicsGirl said, that the spring-loaded dispenser for Lybrel is stupid, and you can end up discharging pills into your purse accidentally.

    I find out on Monday if I've matched into an Ob/Gyn residency program, so let's hope I can put an M.D. behind all of this advice to make it legit! If you have any personal questions, I'm happy to answer them if you PM me, with the caveat that I am not your personal physician :)

    Attachments

    1. Lybrel / Birth Control :  wedding Img IMG_0844.JPG (158.8 KB, 102 downloads) 1 year old
    2. Lybrel / Birth Control :  wedding Img IMG_0840.JPG (874.6 KB, 71 downloads) 1 year old
     
    8.
    Bee
    2,218 posts
    Buzzing bee
    frenchfries    June 18, 2010  

    Thanks to everyone for their responses...and wow, hwong14, thanks for your response!  You really cleared up a lot of the questions that I had.  I'm meeting with my new ob/gyn on Saturday so I wanted to go in with a bit more information to talk things over with him.  This really helped.  Thanks, ladies!!!

     
    9.
    Bee
    2,218 posts
    Buzzing bee
    frenchfries    June 18, 2010  

    oh, and hwong14 -- best of luck with residency!  Lybrel / Birth Control :  wedding Icon Biggrin

     

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