How much is efficacy of pill decreased?
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How much is efficacy of pill decreased?
| Fri, 06-04-2004 - 4:52pm |
Okay, so I went to my dermatologist yesterday who prescribed me an antibiotic for my acne. I had concerns because I had always heard that antibiotics decrease the effectiveness of the pill, so becauase I am on OTC-lo and not wanting children at this point in my life, I asked him about this. He said there were no solid studies that showed that antibiotics had this effect, and that all of the things I had heard before were just rumors or stories not reporting the entire picture. But, he encouraged me to talk to my gynecologist anyway, which I did today. He told me that there was a chance that antibiotics could decrease the effectiveness of the pill, and I should consider using a backup method. This was incredibly frustrating, because I may end up taking this antibiotic for a while (for now at least 2 months), and the whole reason I went on BCP in the first place was to not have to rely solely on condoms (even though my fiance and I normally use them in addition to the pills). I tend to be a worrier, so using a couple of different methods always eases my worries. Anyhow, after all of this rambling, my question is...just how much is the effectiveness of the pill decreased? What exactly does this mean? Does it mean I am more likely to ovulate? Or does it mean I probably will ovulate? This is all very confusing to me. Any advice, comments, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!


With one exception no one can say which women will be affected by which antibiotic so there is no way to say if the effectiveness of OCs will be reduced (or if it is by how much) for you on a particular antibiotic. That is why this board recommends using back-up during the entire course of the AB and for at least 7 days after the final dose. Sorry, there is no way to be more specific. Which antibiotic will you be taking?
If you want to use a method in addition to OCs and condoms while you are taking your ABs you might want to consider a diaphragm or cervical cap or the contraceptive sponge. Diaphragms and caps need to be fitted by a medical practitioner the sponge (Protectaid or Today) can be purchased at some pharmacies or over the Internet. If you are interested in a diaphragm or cap there is more info. in the FAQs on the Board webpage at http://pages.ivillage.com/cl-judie_rae/id1.html If you have questions about diaphragms or caps please ask.
Good luck
Jill
Oh, and to the woman whose doctor said that no antibiotics reduce pill effectiveness, that's just wrong. There hasn't been enough conclusive research to determine which antibiotics and which pill formulations interact badly, but it's widely known that certain antibiotics affect the way your liver processes the hormones in your pills. this means there's a solid chance of ovulation during the antibiotic course. those drugs are: tetracyclines (e.g. tetracyline, minocycline and doxycycline), penicillins (e.g. penicillin, ampicillin and amoxicillin), and trimethoprim. Both of my doctor's offices tell patients to use backup when on any antibiotic.
If you're anxious about using condoms as your sole protective method, you could also chart your fertility signs to be aware if your pills aren't protecting you and to know which days you shouldn't have intercourse should you become fertile.
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/WaysToChart.html