AF& Emergency Contraception...now what?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-07-2004
AF& Emergency Contraception...now what?
2
Sun, 07-04-2004 - 9:40am
I took EC on Jun 18 (less than 24 hours after a condom slip-up) and am now starting what seems to be AF (she was due this weekend). I didn't have any side effects, no irregular bleeding, etc. after I took the pills, so am I too assume this is AF? It seems pretty normal (heavy cramping, and a light to medium flow for day 1) but just would like opinions.

Secondly, since this pg scare worried me endlessly for the last two weeks, I have decided to go back on the pill. I tried Loestrin 1/20 (on the advice of my doc to help with heavy flow and cysts/fibroids) about a month or so ago, and quit after two days because I, quite honestly, was paranoid. However, I do NOT want another pg scare and have decided that I may as well give this pill a good, positive try once again (I was on Ortho Novum 1/35 for several years with no problems). So, since AF started today (Sunday) I took my first pill today. Is this okay to start BC right after I've taken Emergency Contraception? I have obviously not taken a pg test because I was expecting AF this weekend and thank God, she came today. I assumed I didn't need to take one if in fact this is AF...?

Am I good to go on the Loestrin? And how soon would I be protected? I read that I am protected right away if you start the first day of AF.

Also, if Loestrin doesn't work out, I have read such great things about Nuvaring and wondering if there is anyone out there who has cysts and fibroids, are around my age (39) and are on Nuvaring?

Any help on the above questions would be greatly appreciated. I have come to this board many times in the last couple of weeks to ease my worries and I do appreciate it!

A

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sun, 07-04-2004 - 10:16am
Hi radiogal830, welcome back!

I’m glad EC went well and that AF arrived on schedule! It sounds to me as though you’re golden!

If you begin taking your pills on the first day of your period then you should be protected immediately. Even so, this board recommends using back up for the first full cycle as you learn to take your pills correctly. If your doc just prescribed Loesatrin for you then you should be fine giving it a good try. Did you begin a new pack of Loestrin or are you taking from the one you began 2 months ago? If I were you I would start a new pack since taking from the old one you will come up 2 pills short which, as Martha says, is not a good thing. If you still have the old partial pack around you could use it for spares in case you loose or vomit up a pill. Remember now, give Lowestrin at least 3, preferably 4cycles to let your body adjust to the hormones to give the pill a good try. Let us know how you’re doing, ok?

Good luck

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-07-2004
Sun, 07-04-2004 - 12:43pm
Thanks, Jill. I appreciate it. Yes, I will try and not be so paranoid this time (last time, I posted on here about a month or so ago after two days of being on Loestrin that I was having a weird numbness in my left arm...I think it was all in my head, as I was so freaked out to start up on BCP again). I have become more of a worrier the older I have gotten. But, I don't want to worry again about becoming pg and I know the benefits of being on OCP outweight the negatives, especially at this stage in my life.

I would like to hear of anyone else who is around my age (39) has tried the Nuvaring and if they like it or not. I was leaning towards that a little more, but my doc decided that Loestrin 1/20 would be good for me to start back up on because I was on Ortho Novum 1/35 in the past and that had norethindrone and I seemed to tolerate that with no side effects (that I can remember). I know Loestrin has norethindrone acetate...I'm hoping that it will be okay.

I hope to stay on this for a little while, but any feedback on Nuvaring at my age (and if anyone has cysts or fibroids that is on it) would be appreciated.

Thanks again!

A