Progestogen only pill – three months on, three months off?

[CitizenErased]

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all doing okay.

Just got a quick question. I'm now on my third month of taking the minipill (progestogen only). My first month was an absolute nightmare with constant bleeding and having a really low mood (plus a big cyst in one breast), but about a week into my second packet, I started feeling much better. Since then, I've only had a little bit of spotting, no period.

When my consultant at the hospital prescribed the minipill, she said I should take it for three months and then have three months off. In all the stress and confusion on the day, I didn't ask her why. Has anyone else been told this before? Do you know why I should take three months off now? I'll admit I'm curious to see how badly my symptoms reappear, but also I'm dreading the thought of having to go through that first month of taking the minipill again while my body gets used to it after having three months off. Has she just asked me to do this to check whether it improves my symptoms? Or is there some other reason?

[Tangoandmax]

Hi, I run a different pill three monthly cycles with a one week break and then straight back into the next three months. I think that’s normal to stop ovulation altogether/and create less pain with the infrequent periods. I initially started with the progesterone only but that does not work well for me. I haven’t heard of three months on and then three off before. Could it be a misunderstanding?

[CitizenErased in reply to Tangoandmax]

Maybe I have misunderstood! Why do you take a week break after three months? Is that because you're on the combined pill and taking it back to back?

[Pugparent]

when I’ve been on the mini pill for contraception before I knew I had endo, you just take it consistently with no breaks?

[CitizenErased in reply to Pugparent]

Yeah, you would definitely not take breaks if you take it for contraception! But I'm not using it for that (my partner had a vasectomy ages ago). I've been prescribed it for endo symptoms, so that's why I'm not sure.

[irishwife93]

I would think she meant three months on, one week off? If you took three months off every theee months your body would be so confused! Maybe clarify though because I was convinced my doctor made a mistake when he told me to start taking the pill on the first day of my period so I ignored him and started immediately, turns out he meant what he said 😂

[CitizenErased in reply to irishwife93]

Oh really? Why one week off though? Is there a reason for that? I would understand that if I was taking the combined pill back to back, but the minipill is meant to be taken every day. Think I might just have to call the hospital and try to get through to the consultant I saw!

[irishwife93 in reply to CitizenErased]

To give your body a break and have a bleed? Personally I never got on with taking the mini pill back to back, I just spotted constantly, even when taking a break every couple of months! Definitely ring the hospital and check