Birthcontrol

I would say I've been on Lutera for about 6 or more months. I was trying to do some research about skipping my period on Lutera since I know it doesn't always work. But, I guess I'd like to see what the odds are.

I couldn't find much on Lutera specifically but I found one or two places where people have said that since it's a low dose hormone BC that it doesn't effectively skip your period. Was wondering if that's true and/or if anyone has tried to skip their period on Lutera?

And I haven't had bad side effects so far with it, my periods are shorter and they don't hurt much and are lighter. But, I feel like my sex drive isn't there and I feel more depressed. I already had depression before so maybe that has to do with my libido too but I can't tell since I'm not longer on depression meds. Are these issues I should associate with my BC and should I talk to my doctor about switching even though those are the only problems?

I've been on yaz since september since then I've had no period but no serious side effects to report. For the past month i've been extremely dizzy and have had bad nausea. I called my dr this morning and he called in a new perscription for me, loestrin 24 fe. I started a new pack of pills Friday, took the pill Saturday and skipped yesterday cause I was extremely sick from the pill. So should I start the loestrin tonight as I was still taking yaz or should I take it was a Monday start since technically I stopped my period today? Hope that makes sense!

Hello everyone!
I had been taking Zovia 1/50 for about 3 months until I decided I wanted to take the lesser dosage, Zovia 1/35. I started the Zovia 1/35 last Sunday after my period week, by the time Saturday (the 7th day) rolled around I was unable to take my pill until 10 hours after my usual time, and then my boyfriend and I had unprotected sex and he did not pull out.
I know that when starting a new birth control you should use backup methods for 7 days, so now I am wondering if I should possibly buy Plan B or another emergency contraceptive.
Thank you very much!

Hello all,

For whatever reason, my birth control alarm did not go off last night at 10pm (when I regularly take my pill), and I did not remember to take it until 8 or 8:30 this morning.  I am on OTC-lo, and this was the second pill in the pack (an active white pill). 

I had condomless sex last night and this morning.  In the OTC-lo pamphlet, it says that I do not have to use a backup method if I missed only one pill (and I don't even think my pill was considered "missed"), but to ease my mind, I picked up Plan B from the pharmacy anyway.  Is it ill-advised to take the EC since I missed only one OTC-lo pill?  Is it just a matter of personal preference?

Thank you in advance for your help.  I really appreciate and am grateful for all the information this community provides. 

I've been reading the memories and searching Google, but I can't find anything quite the same.

I stopped taking Mircette sometime in November 2009. I had two normal cycles, with my period most recently starting Jan 29, 1010. I decided to try Mircette again for the next cycle to help with the horrible cramps I get, so I took a first pill (Sunday start) on Jan 31. Unfortunately, the side effects were more than I could handle so I only took the pill for two days. My period was tapering off at this point and ended somewhere around Feb 3rd. All good, right?

Well, this morning (Feb 7) I woke up to bloody underwear and am still bleeding pretty moderately. Is this normal after taking only 2 active pills? I was still bleeding the day after I took the last active one, it finished up and things have seemed normal since then until this morning. Anyone else have this experience?

I tried searching through the memories but nothing really solidly answered my question. I just switched last month from Loestrin 24fe to Trisprintec. So, the first pack of pills of Trinsprintec, my period came the last week of the pills normally and only lasted four days which was awesome. When I was on Loestrin, it would come the third week of the pills and usually last almost a week.

But this month (my second month on Trisprintec), my period started on the third week of the pills(this past Sunday). And it has yet to end. Theres been a few days here and there this month though that I didn't take my pill til in the early morning(like 7 or 8 in the morning). I normally take it at night between 10 and 11. Is this why? I'm just wondering why this is? 

And this morning I had all brown discharge...old blood. And then within the past few hours I've had deep red blood that seems to be fresh. I just basically need some answers here hah.

Thanks!

Hello all! Great community! I hope you can help me with a question...

So I've was taking Lutera (generic for Alesse) for several months, and I realized that my crazy mood swings and acne were related to this pill. I went to the gyno and she switched me to Microgestin 1/20. Somehow I got the idea that simply beginning the new brand 1 week and 4 days into the old Lutera pack would be perfectly ok. Now I'm just finishing up my second week of Microgestin, and I'm worried. My period isn't due for another week, but my breasts are sore and I have small bouts of nausea. This isn't completely out of the ordinary for me, but I'm still nervous.

Some caveats: I went back-to-back from two Lutera pill packs, so I skipped my last period. The first week of my last Lutera pack should have been my placebo week. I experienced a little "breakthough" bleeding during that week (Jan. 11-17), like my body was trying to get a period but couldn't because of the back-to-back pills. So I'm pretty sure I wasn't pregnant then. I began my Microgestin on Jan. 22, and I have taken all of my pills regularly and on time since then.

Are the pills different enough chemically for this move to be a problem? I can't find much information on this subject, except "to be completely sure, wait 7 days before starting every new pack." Unfortunately I had "unprotected" (no condom) sex Jan. 13, 14, 15, 17, 28, 29, 30, and Feb. 1. Normally I wouldn't worry, but the switch has me worried. Should I be worried?

Thank you!!

I've been on Ortho Cyclen for about 6 years now and I've never missed a pill. My boyfriend and I had sex last night without a condom and when I went to the bathroom to clean up afterward, I noticed I was wiping away a little bit of brownish/pinkish blood. I went pee and some fluids leaked out of me that also looked bloody. Later on that night I went to the bathroom and there was no blood that I could see, and there seems to be no trace of it today either so I'm confused if the blood was in the semen and not coming from me? Anyway like I said, I've been on the pill for 6 years and I've *never* had any type of breakthrough bleeding. Through stress or sickness, I never get breakthrough bleeding. My period is due in 5 days and my cycle has always been like clockwork. Does this sound like a reason to be worried? =/ Should I take a pregnancy test? I tend to overreact so I wanted some other opinions.

I haven't been under any unusual stress and I haven't started any new medications or anything.

Hello BC community, I have a question about the possibilities of combining BC pills.

I'm currently on aviane. I used to be on YAZ and really enjoyed the 24/4 cycle. Aviane has the normal 21/7 cycle. I have 2 left over packs of YAZ that are still good (sample packs from my old doctor). Can i take 4 of the yaz pills after my 21 days of aviane to keep the 24/4 cycle going? Im going on a trip and my pills will end on monday (the day i get back) and while i have auto refill on the aviane i haven't gotten a phone call from the pharmacy saying its done so i can pick it up tomorrow before i leave. I'm planning on skipping my period for this cycle or at least using the 24/4 to shorten it.

hi all,

is it safe to take tylenol while on birth control pills (i'm on generic of ortho tri cyclen, if it helps). i've googled here and there, and some people think that it would interfere with the bcp effects.
during the 3 months i've been on bcp, i've done my best to avoid taking any tylenol, but right now, i can't stand my horrible headache. please help!
thanks so much! :)

hi

i took my pill at 6.30 yesterday evening and had a soft bowel movement this morning at about 10.30. i had sex with my boyfriend this afternoon. am i still protected?

thanks

I just r switched from Ortho Tricyclen to Apri. After my seven inactive pills I took my first pill of Apri on Saturday. I've read previously that you're protected when you switch brands as long as you start your pack on time. Well for some reason I got paranoid and looked up a pill pamphlet online that said that i should've started Apri after the last ACTIVE pill of Ortho Tri Cyclen.  Idon't remember reading this in the  pamphlet from the Pharmacy ; but I threw it away so I can't check.

I need some reassurance, did i do everything ok? Or should I get Plan B?

Should I be nervous about condoms slipping down (it was still covering about two inches of penis and appeared to contain all fluids) but NOT off? Is this counted as a condom failure?

Is it obvious (to either or both parties) if a condom leaks?



I'd also like to double-check on the meaning of "perfect use" vs. "typical use" (read the tags for this, which mostly referred to HBC pills). If you use a condom right (and right away - before any intercourse/outercourse) every time, that's perfect use, right? Does the approximately 2% failure rate for perfect condom use come ONLY from condoms that break or slip, then? Will you know immediately that your condom 'coverage' has failed long before you miss your period or take a pregnancy test?



Thanks!

Hello! So I've read through a lot of old posts but I still don't feel completely assured about my specific situation. I was late taking my pill saturday by exactly one hour and had sex without a condom later that night. I talked to a pharmacist who said that I had nothing to worry about. However he also assured me that I can take my pill just generally "at night" and that one or two hours wouldn't make a difference. The only time he said I would have to worry is if I didn't take it until the next morning. This seems to contradict all the info I've read about perfect vs. typical use. So I would like to know whether I should believe the pharmacist and also whether I should get ec or not.
Thank you!

Hullo ladies! I have been on Yaz for about a year and I started my bleeding on the 23rd of this month and it appeared to stop on the 27 or 28th. Now I have dark brown, but very light discharge. This has happened before, when I was in my 5th or 6th month of Yaz, but I'm concerned if I need to change birth control. I had a normal period last month. Thank you!

Ok, I'm anal about my pill and take it the same time everyday. Just so happens I had a
late night last night, and went 3 hours over my window of taking it. I'm still spotting from period, and me and my boyfriend had sex last night and this morning. So, I'm kinda panicking. Am I ok? Or is it worth taking plan b?

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I woke up this morning with a stomach virus and nothing really wants to stay down.  I'm not sexually active or anything, so I'm not worried about getting pregnant, but I'd rather not waste a pill.  If I'll probably throw it up anyway, should I just double up on my pills tomorrow?  I'm afraid that if I throw it up, it would be like missing a pill and I might either have breakthrough bleeding (which I'd rather not have with a stomach virus) or it might throw my period out of wack. 

I'm on OTC Lo, by the way.

hi! I've been on Marvelon for about 4 years now and never had any side effects, and always take my pill at the same time every night/never miss them. I've always been able to skip periods for several packs without any spotting, but suddenly that isn't happening anymore. Last time I took three packs in a row and started spotting during the third pack, so I finished that pack and had an off week/had my period before starting again. I'm on my second pack now and the spotting has started again.

Is there a reason for this, does this sometimes happen after taking the pill for a long time? Does this mean that it isn't working as well as it used to?

Hi everyone!
I'm switching from Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo to Linessa. As long as I don't go longer than 7 days in between packs to I need backup? I thoroughly read the pamphlet and it doesn't mention anything about switching brands, just says you need to use backup if it's your first time on the pill. I'm probably OK then, right? They would mention it if it was important?
Thanks!

i can't find the answer on the crappy fda website..
..but does anyone know why the fda regulates the pill so much? is there seriously a black market for this?! a safety issue..hard to believe when it seems like other medicine is handed out like candy.
i can only get one pack at a time if i go to the drug store and only up to 3 months if i do my insurance's mail order program. this makes it really hard to stack my pills so i can skip my period for my wedding/honeymoon in the spring.
ugh

I have been on birth control for 6 years non-stop. I have typical use, meaning I take it AROUND the same time every night. I had sex without a condom on Sunday night (it's not Wednesday night) and again last night. I know I should be totally fine, but of course my nerves are getting the best of me. The ONLY reasons I'm second-guessing myself is because I had sex at the end of my period, meaning I was off the active pills, but of course since it was the end of my period it's highly unlikely anyway because it's not the usual time for ovulation (or at least that's what Planned Parenthood told me). Also, I randomly had a tiny bit of spotting today but this could be because a. I hadn't had sex in almost a year and it could be tearing etc., or b. because my period was just ending this weekend and it could just be leftover spotting. In addition, when I got home from studying abroad on December 20th I had pretty bad diarrhea for about a week and I spotted a little bit, perhaps because I wasn't absorbing the birth control? But this happened just over a month ago, and I can't remember if it was at the end of my last pack or the beginning of this pack... Regardless, if there was a lapse in my protection, it wasn't any time in recent weeks. Out of curiosity, does it put you more at risk if you miss pills in the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of the month?

I am not typically paranoid and I am leaning towards not taking it, but I wanted to get some real advice.

As a side note, does the fact that I've been on birth control for so long mean anything in terms of my protection? Like does it mean that my body is not used to ovulating, so it therefore probably doesn't?

Lastly, what do you do when you are on birth control and you have to take EC? How does your bc regimen go/are there anymore implications of being on bc and taking EC?

Thank you! Just trying to educate myself.

I started taking yaz birth control pills three weeks and three days ago (so tonight will be my first white pill.)

According to the yaz pamphlet, it's ok to have sex without a condom seven days after you start your pills. My gynecologist, however, told me to wait two weeks, and a doctor at my school's student health center told me to wait until I'd finished a pack. I had intended to wait two weeks, but seven days after I started the pills we were having sex and the condom broke. Since according to the pill pamphlet we should have been good in theory, I decided to not take plan B and just continue with my pills. Since then we've been having sex with out a condom.

Problem is, about a week ago I got a small sharp yet mild cramp like exactly where my ovary is. Then I've gotten a few more random mild sharp cramps, then today I've had normal really uncomfortable menstrual cramps.

Also, maybe nine days after I started taking the pills (2 days after we started having unprotected sex) I took my pill like four hours late.

Obviously, I'm worried if I'm pregnant. What do y'all think? I figure my cramps are probably menstrual, but I'm worried. Does anyone know of someone getting pregnant after having sex after a week of pills? Why would the pill pamphlet say one thing, and my gynecologist say another? Any advice at all on the subject would be helpful, I'm going crazy with worry.

Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone. I recently went off my Yaz birth control and went a few months with no hormonal birth control method. A few weeks back, I took some emergency birth control (Plan B) and my period started soon after. Unfortunately I cannot remember the day, but I approximate it was roughly Jan 8 that I started my period.

This morning I have some blood, which I assume to be the start of my period, although a little earlier than I expected (I'm chocking this up to the Plan B throwing a wrench in my system). Problem is, I'm supposed to start my new hormonal BC pills (Lo Estrin, if it matters) the first 24hrs of my next period. Do I take the BC pill tonight, and act as if this bleeding (lighter than usual, but its only the first day) is the start of my period?

Thanks :]

A little backstory - I started Depo Provera in January of 08. The first three month cycle was a little rough (lots of mood swings and a period the lasted nearly 3 weeks) but after that everything was peachy, until a few months ago. I don't know if the side effects came on very suddenly or if it was something I just started noticing, but I started getting really bad headaches around once a week and just felt really angry all the time.

So, last week (Jan 19th) I had an appointment at "The Clinic" to get my Depo Shot and talked to my doctor about going off of it and she suggested NuvaRing. She explained how to insert it, side effects, all of that good stuff, and I inserted it last Thursday at 8am (Jan 20th). I really hate it. It never feels like it's in right. It hasn't actually fallen out but there have been a few times where the one side is poking out of my vagina and I feel like it's going to fall out so I either have to push it back in or take it out and re-insert it all together. I can't ever seem to get it pushed back behind my pubic bone like the doctor explained to me. I know as long as it's in my vagina it's working but it's really uncomfortable for me and I don't like it. Not to mention the DISCHARGE. I suppose it's nothing horrible, not funny colored or bad smelling but it's more than I've ever had before and I don't like that either. I don't know if maybe I'm just too small for it, I'm only about 4'10 3/4" and just from experience I'm guessing my equipment might be a little smaller than most women's'.

I'm not a good pill taker. Honestly, no birth control would be preferrable to me struggling to take a pill at the same time every day. I find the whole Estrogen vs. Progestin thing a little confusing, after some light reading it looks to me like Progestin-only is the better choice on paper, but I just came off of a Progestin-only method because it didn't work for me. I have to go back next Wednesday for my yearly exam and then I can decide if I want to continue with NuvaRing or not (I don't). I guess what I'm hoping for here is some advice from other women who have used these methods of birth control and some suggestions as to what I could try out next, I want to go into my appointment next week with some idea of what I'd like to switch to rather than walking in and saying "NuvaRing isn't working for me, what should I do now?" like I did last time.

Hi,
I took my second-last pill in my pack of Alesse on Wednesday about 20 minutes late, whereas I have always been right on time every other day. I took my last pill on time on Thursday. Then I had sex without a condom on Friday. My question is whether being potentially late taking a pill right before the placebo week would have compromised my protection at all. I know if you miss the last pill of the pack you need to use backup for a week. Is it similar if you are only late? And is 20 minutes even late enough to put me into the "typical use" category?

Thank you!