I understand that birth control pills in Japan have to be prescribed, and not available over the counter. However, the prescription is usually for a 28-day cycle which includes placebo pills, which means only ovulation is stopped, but periods will still occur.
In my home country, there are people who skip the placebo pills and immediately start on the next pack so that their periods never happen. Do people do this in Japan too? If so, how can I get prescribed for exactly that purpose? Or will doctors only prescribe me a monthly supply with the placebos? Can I get the supplies more frequently than once a month so that I can skip the placebos and start on the next month's prescription earlier?
I've just moved to Japan little over a month ago and still navigating my way around, so I'd appreciate any advice. Thank you!
Yes, you can do that. If you have some medical reason like dysmenorrhea, endometriosis etc. it will also be covered by health insurance. I recommend going to a gynaecologist instead of a regular clinic.