Using the combined pill to delay your period...

[Bodenbabe]

I want to do this but not sure of the best way. I could just take 2 whole packs back to back, over my holiday, so that I miss the holiday out altogether. But I did this many years ago and felt awful, bloated and horrible, and I don't want that to happen again. So I was thinking of taking 2 packs back to back but stopping the 2nd pack in the middle so that I get my period a week or so before I go on holiday and then not take any more pills. My GP said you can stop the 2nd pack at any point and you get your period within a few days - is this correct or does it sometimes take longer than a few days to come on? My next question is what happens to your cycle after doing this if you then come off the pill? Do you stay pretty much regular after that and your next period will be a month after the pill-forced one or can it be really messed around? Because I'd hate to time it so that I get my period a fortnight before I go on holiday but then get another one whilst I'm there, if it messes your dates around/

Grateful for any thoughts, thanks!!

If you stop the second pack at any point then you should only have to wait the normal time before your period starts. Take the 7-day break as usual and start a new pack, and your cycle should then be back to normal.

I don't want to go back on the pill afterwards though (I'm only taking it for the period-delaying), so would my next period be a month later or might it be all over the place?

It could be a bit later than a month but is unlikely to be earlier.

you might get a bit of breakthrough bleeding in the middle. i normally get my 'period'on the last day of the 7 day break, sometimes not until i've started taking them again. it can really vary.

thanks ladies, that's very helpful!