Totally skipped a pill...

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2005
Totally skipped a pill...
3
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 9:10am
I accidently dropped one of my birth control pills ( I am on ortho tricyclen lo) down the sink drain (smart I know) it was one of the third week ones (the week right before the inactive pills begin) I only have one more pill in that week, should I just continue the pack and start another like normal?




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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 11:44am

Hi Kelly, welcome!

If I were you I would use back-up and go ahead and take your last active pill in the current pack at the normal time, then take your hormone free week and then begin a new pack of OTC-Lo on your regular schedule. You should continue to use back-up until you have taken at least 7 active pills in a row from the new pack while any decrease in your protection is corrected.

With a triphasic pill like OTC-Lo (one that has increasing levels of hormones in each of the three phases) many women can't take two packs back-to-back in the normal weekly order: 1-2-3, 1-2-3, and skip their periods successfully. That's because your body may see the drop in the progestin level between weeks 3 and 1 as its signal to have your period and you will bleed even though you are on the active pills.

Thanks for stopping by to post. If you have more questions, please ask. Let us know how you're doing, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2005
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 12:01pm
So would




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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 12:38pm

>>So would I start my next pack of pills on my normal start date (Tuesday) or continue taking it when I finish this pack which would make a one day earlier start (Monday).<<

Did you skip a day (no active pill) on the day you dropped the pill? If so, then If I were you I would use back-up and go ahead and take your last active pill in the current pack at the normal time, then take your hormone free week and then begin a new pack of OTC-Lo on your regular schedule. You should continue to use back-up until you have taken at least 7 active pills in a row from the new pack while any decrease in your protection is corrected.

If you took another active pill (on the same day) to replace the one you lost so that you have (or will have) taken 20 active pills in a row with no skipped days then you can take your regular 7 day hormone free interval for your period and begin your new pack a day early which will move your start day. Or, if you want to retain your present start day then you could take 8 hormone free days and you should use back up until you have taken at least 7 active pills from the new pack. Ok?

Take care,

      Jill