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General health

Taking The Pill Non Stop!

7 replies

dottiedodah · 19/07/2019 10:06

Just read an interesting article in the Guardian "Why women dont need to bleed".Basically saying they are just taking the pill without a break .There seems to be no counter argument against ,but I was wondering about increased Breast Cancer rates. and wondered here what anyone thinks or have you done it ?.Also whether it affects fertility long term

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Nearlyfriyay987654321 · 19/07/2019 10:15

It took it pretty much back to back with no break from 16-28years old (microygen 30).
No impact on fertility, but I have had to have lletz for pre cancerous cells (cin3).
Prolonged use of the pill heightens the risk of cervical cancer, I think it helps Lower the risk of breast cancer (can’t remember where I read this). After this baby though no more pill for me as husband has had the snip...

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modgepodge · 19/07/2019 22:45

At my 6 week pp check the dr obviously discussed contraception with me, and recommended a different pill to usual as I’m BF. I think it’s the mini-pill, and said to take it with no break, so no period.

She then went on to say they usually recommend the combined pill is taken with no break now too. Apparently the “ 3 weeks on, have a break” thing is a hangover from when the pill was invented in the 59s/60s, as many women took it to control their fertility without their husband knowing - the break meant they had a period as usual and could hide the fact they were using contraception. Thankfully in this day and age this is not necessary so they suggest no break. Works for me!

I think the pill increases the risk of some cancers but decreases the risk of others 🤷‍♀️

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Turniptracker · 19/07/2019 22:49

My nurse at the family planning clinic told me that actually the week break in the pill comes from a ruling from the pope who believed that women would still want to bleed every month... Unsure how true this story is but I can believe it knowing how men liked to make decisions on behalf of women

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Fatted · 19/07/2019 22:51

I took the combined pill without a break for most of my 20's. I am 39 now with two healthy children. Draw your own conclusions from that about fertility. It did take me time to conceive my first but I put that down to taking the pill for over a decade before hand , not the lack of breaks.

Taking the pill increases your risk of some types of cancers and reduces the risk of others. This risk doesn't really change if you have the break or not.

The Mini pill, implant and injection all work on the basis of no break and no monthly bleeding.

I just think some crazy person in the 60s thought that women actually enjoyed having periods and decided it was a good idea. I think it was a man TBH.

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TheFlis12345 · 19/07/2019 22:51

I have been taking it without breaks for years, there is no medical reason not to, it’s just archaic hangover from when the pill first launched.

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Pipandmum · 19/07/2019 22:55

Ha @Turniptracker the Pope wouldn’t have had anything to say about the Pill other than don’t take it!
I heard the break was so women felt more normal having a bleed every month. Wish I knew back then that I could take it continuously!

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teenytinypontypine · 19/07/2019 23:02

The evidence seems to suggest it is perfectly safe to tri or quadricycle the combined pill as much as you like really, but many women will get breakthrough bleeding somewhere in the 3rd to 5th pack. If this happens, the advice is to stop the pill for 4 days to have a bleed then restart it.

I pretty much tell everyone to take the pill like this now (GP) - so much more practical for life.

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