Question regarding sugar pills

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2004
Question regarding sugar pills
8
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 3:44pm
Hi,

I currently take Junel fe 1/20 It is a 28 day pack with the 7 sugar pills. I know that the 4th week are reminder pills to keep me on track but I was wondering... If I set my alarm to take them as I do my regular active pills but instead of taking them just throw one out every day for 7 days, would that harm anything? Since they are doing me no good I was hoping it would be okay to get up and pop pill from package but instead of taking it, toss it. Do this for 7 days and when I get to the active pills, resume taking them. Is this okay to do?

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2003
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 5:38pm
The 7 placebo pills at the end of a 28 day pack of pills contain no hormones, so of course you don't *have* to take them to remain protected from pregnancy. Personally, I always preferred to keep taking my pills as normal, so as to keep the habit of taking them at all times. If I may ask, why do you not want to take them?
Avatar for kas9066
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 5:49pm

Hi Lucy,


There is nothing in those placebo pills, I trash mine every month! I know that I start the next Sunday with the pills again, so I give myself a week "off"


It will harm nothing if you do not take them.


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-04-2003
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 6:05pm
I agree, this is my week of freedom!! Just as long as you can remember to start back on Sunday your fine. I throw mine out and celebrate that it is 7 days i don't have to remember to take the pill!! And believe me, by the end of the week, you keep thinking oh my did i take my pill? Oh silly you don't have to. So by the end of the week, you kind of remind yourself that it is time. But thats just my experience. Why take them when you don't have to? Give yourself a little break once in a while. The only time i'd say that you would need them is if you have the iron pills and your doctor would recommend you taking them for whatever reason, although that is not necessary to take them. I think there are only a few (2 pills?) that have the iron in them (estrostep and Loestrin... May be more but i'm not sure). So if they are just sugar pills/Iron pills then you don't need to take them.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2004
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 7:00pm
Hi Happy,

Thanks for responding to my post. To answer your question, I don't want to take them because I set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. every morning and jump out of bed to take them. I am the paranoid type and must take them every day at the exact same time. If I don't absolutely have to take them, I can just stay in bed a little longer and not worry about it. I won't forget to toss them because they are right next to my toothbrush and I see them first thing every morning. If I could take a break 7 days out of the month, I would really enjoy that. Thanks again.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2004
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 7:05pm
Thank you Kas for your reply... I was hoping to hear I can trash them. If there is no need to take them I don't want to have to jump out of bed every morning to do it. I will not forget to go back on the actives on Sunday because I will toss them every day on the day I am scheduled to take them but maybe not right at 5:30 a.m. As they are next to my toothbrush, I won't forget about them. thanks again.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2004
Thu, 07-22-2004 - 7:09pm
Hi Dani,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I agree, that can be my week of freedom. I don't think my pills have any iron in them, my doctor never mentioned them and I am taking the generic of Loestrin. What you stated is exactly what I want to do... give myself a little break once a month and not freak out if I don't take that fourth week at 5:30 a.m. For one week I can hit my snooze button on my radio and know I will still be okay. Thanks again... I greatly appreciate the reply.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-04-2003
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 5:26pm
FYI - If i'm not mistaken, the generic should contain the iron/placebo pills. If they are brown, they have iron in them, if they are white then they are just plain sugar pills. Any pill that has the name "FE" after the name (ie. Estrostep FE, Loestrin FE, Microgestin Fe, Junel FE etc.) contains iron. The symbol on the periodic chart of elements for iron is FE, so that is where they get the FE from. Just thought i'd mention this so you could possibly know more about your pill. And it just may be that yours do not contain iron, but if they are brown, then they are iron pills. But you still don't have to take them! Enjoy that week.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-05-2004
Fri, 07-23-2004 - 6:31pm
Dani,

Thanks again for the information. My reminder pills are brown.. I had no idea they had iron! Well, I think it might be best if I do take them. I don't want to be deficient in iron especially since that might be one of the reasons my doctor prescribed those particular ones to me. Best to you.