Amethyst, the Generic Lybrel, Means No More Periods (original) (raw)

Amethyst birth control is a low-dose, continuous combination pill that contains levonorgestrel, a progestin, as well as ethinyl estradiol, an estrogen. While it will not offer you any protection against sexually transmitted infections, it may be used to help:

Dawn Stacey

Amethyst birth control is the generic version of Lybrel. While no longer available, Lybrel was the first extended-cycle oral contraceptive designed to supply you with an active dose of hormones every day.

This article discusses the uses, dosage, benefits, and side effects of Amethyst birth control pills.

Amethyst Birth Control Uses

Amethyst birth control is 91% to 99.7% effective at preventing pregnancy.

This means that with typical use, only 9 out of every 100 individuals will become pregnant during the first year of use. With perfect use, less than 1 will become pregnant during the first year of using Amethyst birth control.

In addition to preventing pregnancy, regulating your period, decreasing period-related symptoms, and treating acne, Amethyst birth control may also decrease the incidence of:

Amethyst Birth Control Dosage

Each pack of Amethyst birth control contains 28 tablets (90 micrograms levonorgestrel/20 microgram ethinyl estradiol). One pill will need to be taken every day at the same time if possible.

Amethyst birth control supplies a steady, low dose of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel. Unlike some other birth control pills, Amethyst birth control does not contain any inactive tablets—so there is no placebo period.

Surrounding Debate

Some claim that it is harmful to manipulate the menstrual cycle by completely stopping periods. However, anyone who uses birth control pills is already manipulating their menstrual cycle to be a 28-day cycle. Few individuals naturally have a regular 28-day menstrual cycle; you're considered "regular" if you get your period every 24-38 days.

Those who use birth control pills do not have a period. What you actually experience each month when you take the placebo pills is called withdrawal bleeding. The bleeding tends to be shorter and lighter than a regular period because the uterine lining does not build up. When you use Amethyst, you get continuous hormones, so you should have little or no uterine bleeding.

Withdrawal bleeding actually has no medical function other than reassuring you that you are not pregnant. The researchers who invented birth control pills back in the 1960s thought that individuals would be more likely to take them and the church would be more accepting of them if they included a period week.

For decades, healthcare providers have been showing individuals how to skip their periods properly. This may be done by starting a new pill pack during the fourth week (when your period usually occurs).

Benefits

Advantages and benefits of Amethyst birth control:

Disadvantages

Downsides of using Amethyst birth control include:

Amethyst Birth Control Side Effects

Amethyst birth control has the same side effects as other combination hormonal methods. Serious complications are not common with oral contraceptive use.

All oral contraceptives, Amethyst included, carry a greater chance of negative outcomes in:

Getting and Filling a Prescription

In order to obtain a prescription for the Amethyst birth control, you will most likely need a medical evaluation, blood pressure check, and possibly a pelvic exam by a physician. Individuals can then have the prescription filled at a local pharmacy.

Amethyst may be purchased at a drugstore or clinic with a valid prescription. You should check with your health insurance policy as Amethyst should be covered with no out-of-pocket costs for all non-grandfathered insurance plans.

Summary

Amethyst birth control is a low-dose, continuous combination pill that contains a progestin and an estrogen. It may be used to help prevent pregnancy, lower the incidence of certain conditions, treat acne, as well as help regulate periods and decrease period-related symptoms.

One pill needs to be taken every day around the same time. Amethyst birth control, like other birth control methods, comes with benefits, risks, and certain side effects that you should discuss with your healthcare provider if you plan on using this specific birth control.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

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Additional Reading

Dawn Stacey

By Dawn Stacey, PhD, LMHC
Dawn Stacey, PhD, LMHC, is a published author, college professor, and mental health consultant with over 15 years of counseling experience.

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