I need some reassurance
Find a Conversation
I need some reassurance
| Mon, 07-12-2004 - 5:19pm |
Hi - I just posted the other night, but I cannot stop thinking about this so I thought I would write you again. I am a Sunday start on Trinessa (so I just started my first active week on the 4th). My boyfriend and I had unprotected sex on the 7th. He did pull out (which I know is not that effective). That night I took my pill around 10:15 to 10:20, and on the 5th (Monday), I took my pill between 10:40 and 10:45. I have been on OTC for almost two years and just started TriNessa within the past six months. I almost always take my pills at 10 PM. In my last posting, you said that a missed pill is +/- 2 hours of the regular time and that I should be fine. However, it just worries me. I also have one more question...My roommate recently went to the doctor and she said that just to be safe, you should not have sex from day 10 to day 17 (and day 1 is the first day of your period). So, if this is true, I had sex on day 9. If this is not true, can you please give me the accurate information? Thank you so much for your help. Should I be worried about this? I have talked to a nurse, a med student, a pharmacy student, and I have read this website and another, which all say I should be okay. Do you think I should worry? And yes, I am a worrier. Thanks again!!

Let’s calm down, ok? Step back just a bit. Take a deep breath and exhale. Now, repeat after me: I am fine!
Your pill time is 10:00 PM and you were no more than 45 minutes off. That’s good. This board considers +/- 2 hours of your pill time to be on-time. If taken correctly: on time, you haven’t been sick and vomited or had diarrhea within 2 hrs. after taking your pill and if you aren’t taking medicines or supplements that might reduce the effectiveness of your pills then your pills are very effective.
“In my last posting, you said that a missed pill is +/- 2 hours of the regular time…”
I hope I didn’t say that. If you are outside the +/-2 hour window then you are LATE with your pill and if you are 8 hours late that constitutes a MISS as far as this board is concerned. If you miss a pill (more than 8 hours late) you should take it as soon as you remember it and use back-up for the next 7 days of correct pill usage.
“My roommate recently went to the doctor and she said that just to be safe, you should not have sex from day 10 to day 17 (and day 1 is the first day of your period).”
Is your roommate on hormonal contraceptives? If she is and is taking them correctly then she shouldn’t be ovulating and there is no need to worry about counting days, 10-17 etc. If she is cycling naturally and has a ‘typical’ 28 day cycle then she will probably be fertile mid cycle, somewhere between days 10 and 17. However, that is a very dangerous assumption to make as a basis for contraception because any number of things, diet, stress, illness etc. can delay ovulation and throw your cycle off. You won’t know when you will ovulate unless you are charting your fertility signs; basal body temperature, cervical position and cervical fluid. If either you or she is interested in learning more about your menstrual cycle a wonderful book on the subject is Toni Weschler’s Taking Charge of Your Fertility which you can check out from your local library.
.”If this is not true, can you please give me the accurate information?”
If you are taking TriNessa correctly then it is 98-99% effective. The primary means by which combined oral contraceptives prevent pregnancy is by suppression of ovulation.
This is from the prescribing information on the TriNessa website: http://www.oralcontraceptives.com/brand_trinessa.asp
“Clinical Pharmacology
Oral Contraceptives
Combination oral contraceptives act by suppression of gonadotropins. Although the primary mechanism of this action is inhibition of ovulation, other alterations include changes in the cervical mucus (which increases the difficulty of sperm entry into the uterus) and the endometrium (which reduces the likelihood of implantation).”
If ovulation is suppressed then there is no need to concern yourself about what cycle day you are on as far as being ‘safe’ is concerned. Does this help? Again, you should be fine.
Good luck,
Jill
Also, have you considered the nuvaring? You leave it in your vagina for 3 weeks at a time and then take it out for a week to have your period. You don't have to take a pill every day, and maybe that would keep you from worrying every time you take your pill a few minutes late.
Another option is to stop having sex altogether. Do you find yourself worrying and anxiously waiting for your period every month? If so, regardless of how old you are, maybe you are not emotionally ready for a sexual relationship.
Good luck to you.
Lisa