Review article covered recent literature and found what one would expect – of course.
Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2015 Jul;292(1):37-43.
doi: 10.1007/s00404-015-3641-1.
Continuous versus cyclic oral contraceptives for the treatment of endometriosis:
a systematic review.
Zorbas KA(1), Economopoulos KP, Vlahos NF
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25644508
- Continuous pills are monophasic just one combination of estrogen/progesterone – not changing dose through cycle of pills .
- Continuous pills do not have placebo pills – like in Seasonale does
- Some studies mentioned had women on continuous meds for 24 months.
- Continuous meds include Seasonique and Lybrel in US but only Seasonique in Canada.
- Seasonique containes 33 ug of ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 of levonorgestrel; Minovral contains 30 ug of ethinyl estradiol and 0.15 of levonorgestrel. Given that seasonique is not on our drug plan, makes sense to just take Minovral without a break.
- reduction of pain was the rule on continuous meds
Comment -going 6 month or more without a bleed makes more sense and no cramping between pill sets is necessary.