Managing Your Birth Control Pills: Skipping Placebos & Cycle Control

Question
Hi,
I am currently on Nortrel 7/7/7 pills for (2 mths) before that I was on another pill for a few mths. I am going on vacation end of June and I realized since I get my period exactly every 28 days that I will get my period on my vacation.
I heard if you skip the placebo pills you will not get your period. Are there any other side effects like spotting ? I read if you plan on skipping your period your supposed to skip the placebo and just start a new pack right away, but I want to stop taking the pills completely. So can I just not take the placebo pills that month and that's it no other pills to follow? Is this safe?

Answer
If you want to delay the start of your period, start a new pack immediately after reaching pill #21 and do not take the placebo pills.Getting your period has nothing to do with the plcebo pills. They are only sugar or iron pills. There is no danger in not getting your period. There is a new birth control pill ("Seasonale") that gives you a peeriod only once every three months. If you want to stop the pills completely, just stop after you get to pill #21 and start a new pack the very nest dqy. Continue taking the pills until you get back from vacation. Then just stop the pills. You will start to bleed. Do not start any pills (not even the placebos). You should get your next period within a month. If you do not want your period to start after you return from vacation, just continue taking the "active" pills .