Start Date Question/Concern

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-20-2004
Start Date Question/Concern
1
Sun, 05-02-2004 - 5:58pm
I have been on OTC for almost 8 years and have always been a Sunday start. I take it religiously and never miss it.

For the last pill pack, I started accidentally on a Saturday (I think I was anxious because I had some spotting the last few months and it was just on my brain). My doctor said it didn't matter, just to proceed through that pack as normal. She said that if I wanted to go back to being a Sunday start, to just start the next pill pack on the Sunday.

I did that (now I'm on Ortho Cyclen instead of OTC) but I'm just wondering if that's valid...seems like something should be wrong with starting it a day later when I was supposed to start on a Saturday but instead start on a Sunday.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sun, 05-02-2004 - 6:06pm
Ayeee!! I'd say that's a no-no if that were me, but all's not lost yet... You aren't supposed to go 8 days without an active pill, so says the literature, but if you use backup for the first seven days into the new pack, you should be good to go. If you feel comfortable using backup longer, that'd be okay too, but seven days is a minimum.

Good thing your intuition kicked in! Hope things go well...

Judie

Judie Cl for Birth Control