Notifications
Clear all

From Generic Ortho Tri-Cyclen (Tri-Sprintec) To Name Brand

 
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 10/23/2011 11:58 pm

*Note---starting the 2nd month my Pharmacist switched me from Tri-Previfem to Tri-Sprintec because of a manufacturing error....they are all generic versions of Ortho-Tri-Cyclen..

 

 

 

____

I stopped my previous birth control pill (high dose Ortho Novum) 4 months ago because it was really causing severe eczema on my hand from extreme photosensitivity...im guessing the dose of hormones was too high. Anyways, my skin was 99% clear while on this birth control pill, I wasn't even taking any acne antibiotics with it....it was that good.

 

 

 

So...here I am, on another birth control pill, a generic form of Ortho Tri Cyclen called "Tri-Previfem". I am on Week 3 of my first pack. Up until now, I thought I had asked the doctor for Ortho Novum 1/35, but I didn't realize she gave me this prescription...and I'm kind of pissed...I didn't want to take a changing hormonal birth control pill ("tri") I just wanted a regular one..........

 

WEEK 3, Tri-Previfem, 1st pack

On to the acne "progress"......I'm hoping this is the initial break-out phase, because my acne has been VERY VERY bad, I'm going to say a little worst than when I was in high school bad......Especially around my mouth, my chin was covered in CYSTS last week. They are beginning to die down, but there are still a few, and of course redness, and scarring. Above my mouth as well, there are breakouts, and on my jawline, where I've never had a pimple before, there are a few stubborn painful ones. My nose area has broken out as well, and my forehead and hairline have had a few pimples too...but nothing worst then around my mouth...it was so painful last week just to wake up, the cysts were throbbing and had a mind of their own....I've been on Yasmin before and Ortho Novum and I don't remember an initial breakout THIS bad......(which was why I was searching my 2006-7 regimen logs)....I cannot even look at my face in the mirror..

 

 

ugh......So other than that, yes the HORRIBLE acne, no side effects...I've been using my Tazorac like always. And I haven't used Duac in awhile because I haven't had the chance to pick it up...these topicals are getting pretty pretty expensive, Tazorac was $64 WITH my mom's insurance..

 

Hoping this acne will die down...eventually..I've been going on job interviews, and interviewers first impression of you- a face covered in acne, not even full coverage foundations can cover it up, is not a good thing...

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 10/25/2011 1:07 am

Still breaking out, now the breakouts are more around the chin, and inching up the jawline ever so slightly..

also my chest has been sore since yesterday...And I've only had 2 weeks of pills...usually this would happen right before the reminder pills...but I don't know I guess it's a good sign if my breasts are getting bigger only after 2 weeks..

I've been using sensodyne toothpaste in the middle of the night to spot treat stubborn cysts, and it seems to help (in addition to the Tazorac)

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 10/25/2011 10:52 pm

this stupid stupid birth control pill has given me the worst initial breakout...ever...we should not have to go through an initial breakout if we've already been on birth control our whole life. And its also given me some deep red/purple scars from where all the cysts have died down....now I see why you should be taking an antibiotic when you start a new birth control pill...I have 13 more Minocycline pills left from a refill I had earlier this year...I'm going to finish off the bottle, hopefully by that time, the birth control pill will be starting to improve my skin rather than be making things worse............other than my chin and mouth area breaking out like crazy, I now have a huge cyst on my nose, and one prominent one on the left side of my hairline.

I just looked back at my topic from 2007, and by the 2nd pack of Yasmin, I was pretty much clear. DOESNT seem like this will be the case with this new damn Tri-Previfem birth control pill...I wanted a regular pill not ortho-tricyclen changing hormones weird type brand!!! 2 more weeks...please clear up..I have a bunch of interviews coming up, I REALLY need to make a good impression with clear skin first off..

on another note, my skin is beginning to feel less oily...this is the first good sign...starting to control some sebum production, hopefully the acne is next.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 10/27/2011 3:02 pm

Update, because I AM IN PAIN...My face...it hurts....My chin...the under the skin cysts hurt so bad, I was waking up a lot last night, I cannot even open my mouth comfortably...There are like 6+ under the skin bumps on my chin alone....I just took a Minocycline pill which should help with the inflammation if it has any working power left...

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 10/28/2011 10:19 pm

I've only taken 2 days of Minocycline pills, but it's really helped to flatten the huge cysts. My face wasn't in pain yesterday night and it's mildly coverable with my foundation now....

Quote
MemberMember
18
(@ameriwife)

Posted : 10/28/2011 11:14 pm

hey I'm really sorry to hear about the bad reactions to the new birth control. If you were to look in my gallery from the beginning of this year, you'll see how bad my acne was. Covered in cysts from forehead to neck.

I had used the wrong birth control and broke out horribly. Awful. Ugh. Then I switched back to Ortho tricycline (the name brand) the one I used in high school and the cysts began to die. I don't know if I had an IB because my skin was so bad already. but glad to say that ortho tricycline is the only birth control that has ever worked for me. I'm actually scared to go off it and have kids some day.

yes, I remember my breasts being sore the first month or so....and yep birth control makes them bigger eusa_dance.gif at least I was surprised when I went back on lol. Almost a full cup size difference. I do not think you should continue taking this pill. Every different birth control is different for everyone. FYI the generic brands SUCK. who cares if it's 10 bucks. I carelessly switched to a birth control that wouldn't make me so nauseated, and all I got was nights spent in tears, face full of painful cysts, and isolation. Take the birth control you KNOW works for you.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 10/30/2011 12:13 am

hey I'm really sorry to hear about the bad reactions to the new birth control. If you were to look in my gallery from the beginning of this year, you'll see how bad my acne was. Covered in cysts from forehead to neck.

I had used the wrong birth control and broke out horribly. Awful. Ugh. Then I switched back to Ortho tricycline (the name brand) the one I used in high school and the cysts began to die. I don't know if I had an IB because my skin was so bad already. but glad to say that ortho tricycline is the only birth control that has ever worked for me. I'm actually scared to go off it and have kids some day.

yes, I remember my breasts being sore the first month or so....and yep birth control makes them bigger eusa_dance.gif at least I was surprised when I went back on lol. Almost a full cup size difference. I do not think you should continue taking this pill. Every different birth control is different for everyone. FYI the generic brands SUCK. who cares if it's 10 bucks. I carelessly switched to a birth control that wouldn't make me so nauseated, and all I got was nights spent in tears, face full of painful cysts, and isolation. Take the birth control you KNOW works for you.

 

hey thanks for the reply! I don't believe so far that the generic factor makes a difference with my skin..actually come to think of it, I was on generic yasmin and generic ortho-novum. lol. And they worked just fine. It's just the initial breakout phase, and I think the initial break out phase is even worse like I said, with these "tri" birth control pills. they are not like normal birth control pills, they have changing levels of hormones throughout the month. I'm still getting crazy huge cysts...but I usually get better eventually.....in the meantime, I'm going to take the remaining pills from my Minocycline refill to try to combat this initial breakout phase. I don't remember an initial breakout as bad with my previous 2 brands of pills...but it's ok because I dont have a job and already graduated so just waiting it out...

and I understand what you mean about not wanting to go off of it, I made a topic previously about wanting to stay on the pill forever for clear skin..lol

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/01/2011 12:30 am

so I went to the pharmacy today to pick up my Duac gel..$50..man these things just keep going up and up, I'm spending all my graduation and birthday and probably christmas money on acne medications...so hopefully the duac gel will help with my acne. I've been too lazy to pick it up all these months, so I haven't used it in around 2 months...maybe that's why my acne has been so bad lately...no benzyl peroxide in my regimen.....soo......my chest has been clearing up, still have ugly ugly spots on my lower back....as for my face, now I still have cysts on my chin, about 5 active pimples right now, and now my forehead and area inbetween my eyebrows is breaking out...so lovely...just waiting it out..

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/05/2011 6:22 am

Halfway through the 4th Week (reminder pill week) - of 1st Pack

I am having an anxiety attack this late late night....I've been up for the past hours obsessing and obsessing about my skin. and looking at photos of me from just 1 month ago, and I had clear skin, and I didn't even need foundation. And now after I started this pill, my skin is bumpy...uneven..broken out...red..blotchy...I cannot even walk around the house, I have to put on foundation everyday because my mom will lecture me if she sees how bad I've broken out...I was reading my Yasmin BCP log from 2007 and I did go through an initial breakout that lasted a few weeks on that pill.

the many cysts on my chin are becoming inactive and are dying down. My forehead is erupting though...in small painless pimples, but they are quite noticeable....

god if high-dose hormonal birth control pills weren't so bad, I wouldn't have stopped it...(I was on Necon, generic Ortho Novum 1/50 for a year)......My skin was 99% clear on that birth control pill even WITHOUT any Minocycline.....that's how good it was...but high dose hormones while they give you less acne, lighter periods, they are bad for your health...UGH...

I should be better about remembering to take a Minocycline pill everyday now that I've started a new birth control pill...I just took one a few hours ago and have a few left, before I need to get a refill.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/05/2011 12:06 pm

Hey I just started Trinessa about three weeks ago. I'm hoping for good results =\

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/07/2011 1:47 am

Hey I just started Trinessa about three weeks ago. I'm hoping for good results =\

 

how is your skin so far? I'm 1 day away from finishing up my first pack, and my skin is nowhere near clear.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/07/2011 2:19 am

My skin is the worst it's ever been in my entire life!!!!!!!!! Omg it's not even funny :( but I did research and some people get an initial break out. I also heard that you should stick with birth control because it takes a while. So I'm trying to see this as a positive thing. Because it means that the birth control is doing something? So maybe within a month or two it'll help. But yeah I have so many pimples :( I'm gonna try to Do a fast for three days and see if that helps. If not I ordered accutane from Canada so I'm just waiting for that to come in.... But yeah... Did you notice and initial break out?

 

Oh wait I just read that you broke out!!!!! I did too :( so badly! Like cysts everywhere! Actually just around my jawline and cheeks=\ a bit on my forehead too=\ so let's stay positive and stick with it? I just startedy fourth week. Those placebo pills or whatever

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/07/2011 2:42 am

Oh wait I just read that you broke out!!!!! I did too sad.png so badly! Like cysts everywhere! Actually just around my jawline and cheeks=\ a bit on my forehead too=\ so let's stay positive and stick with it? I just startedy fourth week. Those placebo pills or whatever

 

omg we are going through the same thing on the same pill haha. Yea....this log so far has been about me, my painful initial breakout, and the cysts that are taking over my face. huh.png But yea, if you see from my signature, I've been on 2 birth control pills already, and after some months (I don't know how long it will take with these generic Ortho-Tri Cyclens) your skin will be clear....but yea, my skin this entire month, this first month on Tri-Previfem has been at its worst its ever been in 5 years.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/07/2011 7:09 am

WOW I feel SOOOOOOO much better. At least I know it's the birth control now. Actually now that I think about it, my face HAS been less oiler too! I thought it was because I started usig milk of magnesia.... Wow. That's crazy. Im glad I found you. Were "Tri" Twins lol. Yeah well we should just stick to it I guess... I'm sure by new years things will clear up. Let's see how i do with this water fast though lol

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/07/2011 3:28 pm

WOW I feel SOOOOOOO much better. At least I know it's the birth control now. Actually now that I think about it, my face HAS been less oiler too! I thought it was because I started usig milk of magnesia.... Wow. That's crazy. Im glad I found you. Were "Tri" Twins lol. Yeah well we should just stick to it I guess... I'm sure by new years things will clear up. Let's see how i do with this water fast though lol

 

That's the first sign you know it's working. I think it's a process actually of little things when you know the hormones have begun to take control..One way I could tell is that my make-up lasts all day teehee.gif

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/07/2011 3:34 pm

So bc IS doing something! Initital break out and less oil. Yeah! I can mosturize now lol. I'm just hoping this will pass already. Well were at the bottom so the only place we can go is up right? Do you know any ideas where we can make the cystic acne from an ib go away faster? I don't have meds obviously but I mean through masks, food, etc.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/07/2011 3:56 pm

So bc IS doing something! Initital break out and less oil. Yeah! I can mosturize now lol. I'm just hoping this will pass already. Well were at the bottom so the only place we can go is up right? Do you know any ideas where we can make the cystic acne from an ib go away faster? I don't have meds obviously but I mean through masks, food, etc.

 

I don't think the masks/food would do anything to speed up the IB process. (i've been using masks and toothpaste right now). They won't prevent new cysts from forming, but I am taking Minocycline pills which helps a lot...

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/07/2011 4:01 pm

Yeah I probably wont be getting any of those anytime soon. I'll just wait it out=/ today things kind of look like they're drying up. Everything is all dark and purple. So well see. I'm not doing the fast anymore. Everyone is telling me how it's a bad idea so I'm just sticking to being healthy? Just got to wait it out... I probably should get my new prescription in soon since I'm starting the last pills in the middle. But I heard the Everytime people start a new pack of pills they break out =\ I'm scared that's gonna happen

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/07/2011 4:27 pm

Yeah I probably wont be getting any of those anytime soon. I'll just wait it out=/ today things kind of look like they're drying up. Everything is all dark and purple. So well see. I'm not doing the fast anymore. Everyone is telling me how it's a bad idea so I'm just sticking to being healthy? Just got to wait it out... I probably should get my new prescription in soon since I'm starting the last pills in the middle. But I heard the Everytime people start a new pack of pills they break out =\ I'm scared that's gonna happen

 

which new prescription? why are you changing?

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/07/2011 4:51 pm

Im not changing, im about to start a new pack of the same one. I'm finishing up my fourth week so im gonna start a new pack in a week, I hear that when people start new packs, they break out

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/07/2011 6:52 pm

Im not changing, im about to start a new pack of the same one. I'm finishing up my fourth week so im gonna start a new pack in a week, I hear that when people start new packs, they break out

 

ah ok got ya, you're starting your 2nd pack....no not necessarily, actually by the second pack, things *should* start to clear up. It's only when people start the first pack of a new birth control pill that the initial breakout comes really strong.

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/08/2011 1:11 am

Okay cook! I'm excited then(: I was nervous but hopefully things will begin to look up. Does it make me clear or just prevents breakouts do you know?

 

I was going to ask you also, what does your diet look like? Do you eat extremely strict like the holistic people? Like no gluten, daily, sweets? Or are you a bit free?

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/08/2011 3:58 am

Okay cook! I'm excited then(: I was nervous but hopefully things will begin to look up. Does it make me clear or just prevents breakouts do you know?

Birth control pills control/regulate hormones, and cut oil production (sebum) down which then causes less breakouts....so they do both really, you will get less pimples, and be closer to being clear. I've been on birth control pills since I was 17 years old, it's not an option for me to go off of it, because my acne is so severe without it. (bad genetics! both my parents had severe acne neutral.gif )

I was going to ask you also, what does your diet look like? Do you eat extremely strict like the holistic people? Like no gluten, daily, sweets? Or are you a bit free?

 

I eat healthy...I don't eat a lot of fastfood (maybe once a month), a lot of fruits and wheat products, vegetables, protein...but I'm on no diet or anything...

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@betsy91)

Posted : 11/08/2011 7:37 am

Yeah, just a healthy lifestyle? What does that exactly consist of? Because in my mind things aren't exactly healthy as I thought after learning from this site, like something as simple as pb&j:( like what did you eat yesterday

Quote
MemberMember
1
(@casablancaa)

Posted : 11/08/2011 9:48 pm

Yeah, just a healthy lifestyle? What does that exactly consist of? Because in my mind things aren't exactly healthy as I thought after learning from this site, like something as simple as pb&j:( like what did you eat yesterday

 

lol this site in general is very obsessive about minute things like touching your face, or sleeping on a pillow case correctly or cutting 50% of your diet down...I just don't believe in obsessing like that because I've been clear...I've been on birth control pills forever (or what it seems like) and antibiotics which have made my face clear...

Quote