help about birth control!
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help about birth control!
| Tue, 06-29-2004 - 10:45pm |
so my doctor said to begin taking ortho trycyclen lo on any day, so i began taking them on a random sunday about a month ago (my doctor said nothing about having to wait for my period to start the pills, he just said begin right away). during most of the month, my boyfriend and i used condoms. By the 2nd day of the "inactive" pills i got my period, but when it ended, and i was still on the inactive pills, i had unprotected sex without any back up method. was i still protected? im freaking out becasue everywhere i look it says you HAVE to wait until you have your period to begin taking the pills, and yet my doctor said to just use a back up method for only the first 7 days. does anyone have any advice or expereince with this situation? im really worried becasue i do not want to have an unplanned pregnancy at my age!

If you had been taking your pills correctly, then yes, you were protected during your placebo week. It is best to wait to start OCs until you begin your period as that indicates that you aren’t pg when you begin them. Also, if you start at the first of your cycle the adjustment to the hormones may be a bit easier on your body as you won’t be putting the hormones from your pills on top of the ones your body is making in increasing quantities as your cycle progresses. Since you are new to birth control pills let me mention some things that will help you use them most effectively.
This board considers taking combined oral contraceptives correctly to mean taking them on time (within +/-2 hrs. of your normal pill-time) and using back-up if you forget a pill or are sick and vomit or have diarrhea within 2 hours after taking your pill (considered a missed pill) and if you are taking medicines or supplements that could reduce the effectiveness of your pills. If you forget a pill or have been sick you should use back-up for at least 7 days afterward. If you are taking medicines or supplements then you should use back-up while taking them and for at least 7 days after taking the last dose. And, if you think you might have trouble remembering your pill-time you can set the alarm on a clock or watch or set a reminder message on your cell phone, computer or PDA to help remind you. Some things to remember when taking oral contraceptives:
• Combined oral contraceptives have a 4 hour window, progestin-only pills have a 1/2-1 hour window for on-time
• Medicines are typically antibiotics, antifungals, anticonvulsants and some other prescription drugs, if in doubt, check with the pharmacist. Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers or allergy medications do not change the effectiveness of the pill.
• Supplements may cause changes in the metabolism of the hormones without your knowledge. St. John's Wort has been known to cause pill failure, but because supplements are not regulated by the FDA, there is no systematic testing to determine which will compromise the effectiveness of the pill.
• You can also set your pill time at the same time as another activity that you do every day, whether it's brushing your teeth, watching a particular TV show, having breakfast...
• The patch and the ring have the same requirements as far as use of medications, though timing isn't an issue, nor is diarrhea or vomiting.
The pill, when taken consistently and correctly, is 99% effective. Anything that deviates from perfect use will reduce the effectiveness by an undetermined amount. The most important step you can take to make sure the pill is as effective as it can be is to take it at the same time every day. THanks for stopping by.
Good luck,
Jill