Top Model marathons on Oxygen, god bless them, typically include at least two commercials an hour for Seasonique. It's based on research saying if you're on birth control, you don't need to have a period every month, so Seasonique means you only have four periods a year. Over the course of a year, it
to what you'd pay for a monthly prescription. Cool, right? I don't know...
I feel like this could be one of those instances where it seems like a good idea at the time and research indicates it's fine, too, but eventually, something would go horribly wrong and we'd hear a recall like "IF YOU TOOK SEASONIQUE YOU NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOUR UTERUS FALLS OUT" or something. That's based on sheer skepticism/pessimism and thoughts from someone who graduated with a French degree (and consequently knows...not a lot about science).
And, to be honest, now that I'm on Yaz, I don't mind having a period every month.
I found that my periods were much more tolerable - they only lasted a couple days and were lighter - and consistent than they'd been before.
Given my limited knowledge of science and anatomy - but a basic understanding - I feel like what usually comes out during your normal period would have to be built up in some way if it wasn't discarded each month, right? And if not, that'd be messing with makeup of the uterine lining, and I don't think that's something I want to mess with if my future children plan to be renting the space for nine months. I guess I'm just of the school of thought that if it's too good to be true, it probably is...and I thought back to Fen-Phen and the horrible side effects therein.
I'd also want to get a period every month so I knew I wasn't pregnant - even though I'm super careful, I think every girl has the thought in the back of her mind that she really hopes nothing went wrong that month and needs to see some sort of confirmation. Seasonique would be, like,
nah, you're covered...still...okay, fourth month, never mind, no period AHHHHHHHHH. But, again, that's paranoia.
What do you think about the prospect of only having four periods a year? Are you skeptical like I am? Also, if you're on Seasonique now (I know there's at least one of you
), tell us what your experience has been like.
I feel like this could be one of those instances where it seems like a good idea at the time and research indicates it's fine, too, but eventually, something would go horribly wrong and we'd hear a recall like "IF YOU TOOK SEASONIQUE YOU NEED TO SEE A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOUR UTERUS FALLS OUT" or something. That's based on sheer skepticism/pessimism and thoughts from someone who graduated with a French degree (and consequently knows...not a lot about science).
Comments (92)
@datingish - There are a lot of women who swear that Yaz kills your sex drive.
Im on Seasonique and i kinda like the fact that i only get 4 cycles a year. I go to my doc regularly and so i know that everything in there is functioning the way that it should be. I was a bit scared at first about one of those suckers slipping in and me not knowing until its too late.. but after a while.. i dont even think about it anymore... i do plan on stopping when i get married again.. IF i get married again.
I, like you, with no real scientific knowledge, have always been skeptical about the four-periods-a-year thing. It does sound to me like it'll be approved and rendered "safe" until ten years from now when there's chaos and everybody who has taken it has cancer.
I don't know, that's just me though. Birth control is unnatural anyways... but Seasonique is just ridiculous to me. I'll stick to my Desogen. (;Thank you! I have been having this exact conversation with my sister for the past couple of days. She wants to take Seasonique so that she has fewer periods because her cramps are debilitating. I told her to try regular birth control before she does something that extreme. For most women a normal birth control like Ortho Novum will regulate, shorten, and decrease severity of menstruation. As healthy women, we are *supposed* to have periods. It is our bodies' way of keeping things healthy and normal inside. It tells us if we're not pregnant or sea ocupado. In my opinion, it is necessary.
NuvaRing ftw! Don't have to remember a pill every day, its super-low dosage, and yeah you get that reassurance each month that you're not incubating. IDK about some commenter's gyno saying women don't have to have periods; clearly they have a purpose, else we wouldn't have them in the first place! I'm in that group thinking its too good to be true, personally.
the worst form of birthcontrol i have ever used was the depo shot... i was the biggest bitch for four months.. it gave me severe nose bleeds and i had a period for basically three months straight and it was heavy and i was so miserable.. it also made me weak because i lost so much iron and that was the first form of brith control i had ever used, but now im on the pill and i couldn't be happy i take ortho trycyclean and it works good for me... my doctor told me that yaz drains out the potassium in the body because yaz makes you urinate frequently.. because i was on yazmin and i was going to the bathroom all the time but that is just me.
The thought of having no periods ever is greatly appealing to me. I don't care if it's "not natural" --we do so many things that are not natural anyhow.
@datingish -
And also, I don't know about Seasonique but I get the shot every 3 months [ Depo Provera 150 ml which makes you have no periods AT ALL after a few months - for me after the first month] and I know your period doesn't get built up with the shot.
Your period is basically the lining on the side of your uterus to prepare the womb for the baby. Every month when you don't get pregnant, it comes out so it can happen again.
With the shot, it stops your body from building up the lining on the side of your uterus and at the same time keeps getting rid of whatever lining you do have. It's very convenient.
I always knew periods were never necessary, sure, it can tell you if you're fertile in most cases and also be your "best friend" when you need to know if you should get a pregnancy test, but other than that, it's not needed. I was nervous at first when I went on the shot because I stopped using condoms with my fiance considering the shot is more affective then most other birth control methods, but I've been condom-free for almost a whole year and no pregnancy. The shot is convenient since it's only every 3 months [ no need to take a pill every day]...anyway, sorry I got off the track, but I just wanted to let people know it doesn't "build up".
@disorderedpersonality@xanga - It's not exactly necessary, meaning it's helpful if you want to know if you're pregnant or not, but there's no medical reason for it.
It's simply the lining of the uterus which builds up every month and it just comes out if you don't get pregnant or if you miscarry.
It seems unatural because we've all been told we need it, but there's no medical reason for it.
@April_Disaster@xanga - Oh wow. I love the depo shot, I've been on it for a long time too and I didn't get my period a month after my first shot. My only problem was, I gained weight, but I can't say for sure it was the shot cause it was only like 5 pounds in a whole year...
@RunningMan42@xanga - Most birth control methods that mess with your hormones do decrease them. Me and my gyno always joke that, that's how it prevents pregnancy, by making you not wanna have sex xD
@datingish - Every single one of my female friends has switched to YAZ over the past year. Everyone has their horror stories about all the other forms they tried, but we've all had great results with Yaz. Less moodiness and depression between us, and the ones who had acne have improved! I'm a huge fan of Yaz, so I'll probably never switch, even for fewer periods.
my friend went on seasonique & LOVES it, so i'm going to switch from my regular birth control over to it. i work outside every day with no access to a bathroom for between 4-6 hours a day sometimes >_<
the reason seasonique (and the other BC like it) got approved was because the doctors & nurses had been basically doing what seasonique does for yeeaaaarrss with no ill effects. (if you are on regular birth control & just don't take the placebo/sugar pills, it's the same effect) there were studies done comparing the nurses and doctors who didn't take the BC/placebos and didn't get their periods & nurses and doctors who did get their periods, and they didn't find any real differences in their health.
plus, historically, malnourished and perpetually pregnant & nursing women didn't start menstruation until later in life and then had significantly fewer periods over their lifetime than the modern woman...having a period every month between the ages of 12-55 is actually sorta abnormal.
I've been on Yaz for almost a couple years. It has done wonders for me. I used to have periods that lasted between 7-10 days. Not only that, I had killer cramps where I was laying in the fetal position crying constantly. There have been times when I have missed school because of my period. I would also be taking a change of clothes to school because it never failed that I would somehow bleed through my super plus tampon and pad. Luckily for me though, I had understanding teachers who didn't mind how long I was gone to the bathroom when I was on my period. I started Yaz and now they are about 2-3 days, and I don't have anymore accidents. My face even cleared up, and I used to wash my face constantly trying to find something that worked for it. Birth control did it. It's also a plus that I can have sex on top of it fixing my period.
I feel kind of skeptical about Seasonique myself because I think it's natural to have a period every month. I would feel weird going three months without one, even though it would be nice and would save all the money I spend monthly on tampons. I think I'll just stick with my Yaz and put up with my bareable periods.
no i deffff agree. I mean messing around with mother nature to THAT extent just seems crazy to me....like, going from 12 periods a yr to 4....it just doesnt seem right to me and like you i wouldnt be surprised if in a couple yrs something came out saying that it actually fucks up your reproductive system or something.
oh! and any ladies who r thinking of switihing to a non hormonal BC!!! i recommend the IU! its the thing that placed in your uterus for up to 10 yrs! its called paragard and its amazingggg....you dont have to worry abt pillss or hormones or anything. the placement was, not gonna lie painful, but deff worth it for not having to worry abt pills for up to 10 yrs!
i'm on yaz too and i love it because having my period every 3 months is just too much. people think having a period every month was too much but for me the period was worst. i just couldn't take it. though i didn't take the seasonique, i took the depo shot and it works just the same. if it's the first time you're taking bc, you should always start with the one a day for 28 days first.
I was on yaz and it made me crazy for two weeks out of every month i was having crazy hormonal mood swing i felt seriously unstable now im on seasonique and i love it! no more craziness even when im on my period i love having only 4 periods a year and my boyfriend likes it to! ; )
hahaha. every time the commercial comes on and it says "who says you need to have one every month?" my dad always yells back "nature!!!"
When you're on the pill , you're "period" isn't technically a period . The pill basically tricks your body into thinking its time to have a period .. My doctor has always told me its okay not to have a period . You have periods because of the menstrual cycle .. The pill makes it so you don't ovulate . If you don't ovulate , you don't get a period . Make any sense ? Lol .
I'm on birth control , still have my period every month , but I wouldn't have a problem skipping periods . Or doing without them . As long as you're good about taking your pills , you wouldn't have to worry about being pregnant . I'm open minded to Seasonique .
to the girl that posted this-
yaz will rot your soul. if you start noticing irrational irritability that isn't pms, i'd advise you to switch pills before you turn into a psychotic bitch.
haha just a heads up (from me and several other women it unfortunately happened to)
@RunningMan42@xanga - all of my friends (and myself) are on Yaz and i don't know where you heard that sex drive thing from...
anyway just a heads up for girls, DONT TAKE YASMIN.
@Cest_LaxVie@xanga - I've never "been told" I need it, per se. I just feel that it is there for a reason, and while I don't mind tweaking with my hormones a little I don't feel comfortable taking it that far. I did do two packs of pills back-to-back once to avoid a period while on vacation, and it landed me in the ER. I just feel safer sticking to my monthy torment than risking that kind of agony again *shrug*
I'm on seasonique.
I've had absolutely no problems at all. My OBGYN told me it was perfectly safe, and I trust him -- He's an excellent guy. I've also done research on it, and there appears to be nothing wrong.
All birth control pills give you an "artificial" period anyway.
The whole pregnant thing doesn't really bother me. I have faith in seasonique and in condoms... And I -really- enjoy only getting my period 4 times a year. It's lighter than a usual period (just like if you were on regular birth control) so it doesn't come out all in a rush or anything...
Maybe certain women just don't do well skipping a period? I tried to skip menses on the NuvaRing (just replacing it every three weeks rather than going without for one week), and it was horrible! I just started bleeding and bleeding, and when I finally decided to remove it and have a period, it was the worst period of my life. I've never tried to skip a period again.
So, yeah... I'm skeptical of skipping periods.