Any experience with Trinessa bc?

[Apiphobic]

My 17yo dd recently started Trinessa bc, and I'm concerned. We'd been thinking of starting her on bc for a while but kept putting it off in the hopes that her cycles would become regular. We decided to give it a go because they still weren't regular, she recently started dating, and she also hoped it would help with her skin. I know there's a period of adjustment, but I'm really worried because in the short amount of time that she's been on Trinessa her moods have just been giving me whiplash. This is a girl that's been pretty level-headed and easygoing, able to handle stress and change, and generally enjoys life. But it seems like since she's started the pill, she loses her temper a lot, is reduced to tears over things that didn't phase her before, and is just not very happy. Her periods are also much heavier, more painful, and last longer. There's also some breakthrough bleeding.

 

I've googled Trinessa and am reading all these horror stories, so my immediate reaction is to get her off of them. I think I'll be making an appointment to see if we can switch bc. I was on birth control for several years before getting married and don't remember anything like this. Anyway, I thought I'd ask here to see what your experiences have been and what suggestions you might have. TIA,

[Renee in NC]

I used bc years ago and this is why I had to stop. I even had a disgnosis of bipolar disorder that went away TOTALLY after I quit taking them!

[DianeW88]

I use Ortho Tri-Cyclen and I LOVE IT!! If your daughter has skin problems....this will take care of it. You often have to switch pills at the beginning to get a good "fit". Also, the MDs tend to push whatever the latest and greatest is. Ortho Tri has been around forever. Call your doc and ask if she can try something else. My periods are almost non-existent on it and PMS has all but disappeared.

 

I have taken both forms of Ortho Tri and am currently on the low-dose version. That will not help as much with acne, but that isn't a problem for me.

 

Don't give up....just keep trying. The first brand of pill my doc gave me was a disaster, too.

 

Diane W.

[fairfarmhand]

I took Tri-nessa for awhile and had no problems. Then I got pregnant and had a baby. Post baby I started back and went INSANE the second week of my cycle. Like clockwork. Dr. put me on the generic ortho cyclen. It helped alot. Keep track of which weeks are good, which are problematic. Try several different kinds. Also the mini pill (I took this when nursing) might be a good fit. (Don't use this to try to prevent pregnancy. It won't work unless you are nursing) It has a very low dose hormone in it.

[Tap]

I use Ortho Tri-Cyclen and I LOVE IT!! If your daughter has skin problems....this will take care of it. You often have to switch pills at the beginning to get a good "fit". Also, the MDs tend to push whatever the latest and greatest is. Ortho Tri has been around forever. Call your doc and ask if she can try something else. My periods are almost non-existent on it and PMS has all but disappeared.

 

I have taken both forms of Ortho Tri and am currently on the low-dose version. That will not help as much with acne, but that isn't a problem for me.

 

Don't give up....just keep trying. The first brand of pill my doc gave me was a disaster, too.

 

Diane W.

 

 

Ortho Tri Cylen and Trinessa are the same. Trinessa is a generic.

[Tap]

Call the dr and see if they can have her try something else. There are several medications that comprise bcps. Each one uses the medications in different combinations. If you talk to the dr and tell them the side effects, they can take that knowledge and pick a different one. It may take a few tries to find one that works for her. Drs will sometimes want the pt to be on the med for a few months before moving them around.

 

This med has three weeks of different strength pills, has she been the same on each week or was one week better or worse than the others? This kind of information can help the dr. to pick the next one that they feel is appropriate.

[DianeW88]

Ortho Tri Cylen and Trinessa are the same. Trinessa is a generic.

 

LMHO....then I guess Ortho-Tri might not be the answer. :lol: My OB only prescribes the brand name version for his own personal reasons, so I'm totally unfamiliar with the generic equivalent.

 

Hmmm, maybe she should try a steady dose of hormones all through the month rather than a tri-cyclic kind.

 

Also, you really need to give the pills about 3-4 months. The breakthrough bleeding should calm down after that. And, is she taking them at night, right before she goes to bed? Sometimes that helps with the side effects, too.

 

 

Diane W.

[Aggie]

Ortho Tri Cylen and Trinessa are the same. Trinessa is a generic.

 

 

I don't have the link to the article anymore, but I'm almost positive it was posted here a while back. The article stated that while the *drug* is the same in the generics, some of the non-drug components may cause reactions or change how the drug itself works.

 

Perhaps she could use Ortho-Tri with different results.

:grouphug:

[Tap]

I don't have the link to the article anymore, but I'm almost positive it was posted here a while back. The article stated that while the *drug* is the same in the generics, some of the non-drug components may cause reactions or change how the drug itself works.

 

Perhaps she could use Ortho-Tri with different results.

:grouphug:

 

 

Sure, that is true. But there are very few people who really notice a difference. It would kind of be like being allergic to corn. If there are corn ingredients in it, an allergic person can't take it. But there aren't huge parts of the population that are allergic to corn. The vast part of the population that isn't allergic...has no perceivable problem.

 

 

Depending on insurance they have, switching to the brand name can mean the pt has to pay full price which is over $60 a month for brand.

[Apiphobic]

Thanks for all the input. I think we're going to wait one more month to see how things go, and if there's no improvement we'll call to see if we can switch the dosage.

 

Btw, I've read that some women had better luck with OTC than Trinessa even though Trinessa is a generic version of it.