Can't believe I took 2 in one night!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2005
Can't believe I took 2 in one night!!
7
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 5:15am

2:00am and I'm feeling a little stupid (and my boyfriend now thinks he's moved in with a crazy person. ;) )

It's not uncommon for women to sometimes miss a pill, but has anyone else ever taken 2 in one night? I'm *so* good about taking my pill around the same time every night, but this is the first time I've screwed up. I just woke up around 1:30am in a panic, thinking I'd forgotten to take my pill around 8:30pm last night (Friday). It appears I *didn't* forget to take it, and in my half-asleep stupor, I took my Saturday night pill.

I immediately jumped onto the phone with a pharmacist as all I could find were instructions about what to do if I missed a pill, not doubled up. She said (and I'd appreciate knowing if others have been told the same thing) that there should be no ill effect other than some nausea this morning, and that I could finish the pack a day early and move my period up a day. I really don't want to switch my start date as I've had a Thursday night finish with a Sunday start for *years*, so she said it should be fine to take the Saturday pill out of a new pack (and then put it aside for possible screw ups in the future, rather than wasting the entire pack), and then finish up my pack per usual.

She also said it shouldn't affect the effectiveness of my birth control. Does this sound about right?

Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

B.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 10:58am

Hi bcbeamer, welcome back!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2005
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 11:23am

Thanks, Jill.

I'm not worried about setting aside a pack - I pay for them myself, and while I hate to waste a package, they're not super expensive where I live (withe pharmacist's filling fee and tax, about $15/pack or so).

I'd really rather not change my start date, so to confirm: if I take my extra pack pill tonight, finish off the regular pack per usual (taking my last one this coming Thursday night), and start again on the following Friday night as I've always done, there will be no change in effectiveness to my pills?

Gosh, if I had to screw up, I'm glad I took an extra rather than missing!! ;) Definitely feeling the nausea this morning, but it's starting to wear off.

Thanks!

Brenda

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 12:30pm

Hi Brenda,


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2005
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 2:29pm

Yep, not too painful to the wallet... of course I'd love it if my extended health would cover it, but sadly it never has. Ah well, you can't win 'em all.

Thanks so much for the confirmation that I'm correcting my actions properly! Fortunately I'm near the end of the pack anyways, so I'll finish this week, feel enormous relief when AF arrives on Sunday evening, and will get back on track the following week. And hopefully never scare myself again! ;)

Thanks for your help, Jill.

Brenda

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2004
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 6:06pm

Hi Brenda,

Just thought I would share in letting you know that you are not alone. LOL!
I took 2 mini-pills during my breastfeeding days and did the same thing around 3 a.m.!! I figured it was 'mom brain', lack of sleep, and that old anxiety attack in the middle of the night!

I figured I would just carry on as usual...the insert says that if you miss a pill take it as soon as you remember even if it means taking 2 pills on the same day, so I reasoned I was doing the same thing! I DID keep the extra pack also just in case it happened again!

HTH!

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2005
Sat, 07-29-2006 - 10:39pm

Glad to know I'm not alone! :) I'm not sure how to prevent those early morning "Oh my god did I forget to take my pill?" panic attacks. I've had a few of them now and almost took an extra pill a couple of times before (fortunately fully waking up in time). Maybe a double check before I go to bed? Suggestions are welcome! :)

Brenda

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-25-2004
Sun, 07-30-2006 - 9:38am

Once I switched back to the regular BCPs I changed the time I take them to in the morning. So that I have them with my first glass of water when I come downstairs for breakfast. I leave the empty glass on the counter 'ready' for the next morning the night before. I see the glass waiting for me and I know that's my signal to take the pill.

Maybe it sounds silly now that I describe it, but hey!, it works for me!

Maybe you could do something similar for before you go to bed?

HTH!