Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

It’s possible... that’s what it says on my Dianas, anyway... but honestly, you should just decide for yourself. I remember stumbling upon some advice on WebMD a few days back suggesting that you use backup protection during the placebo week and also for the first ten days of a new pack, specifically if you missed a pill during that final week of the previous cycle. I suppose everyone has their own way of looking at it.

Look, if you feel like circling back to this later, please do; I know I once saw something on a manufacturer's site about a seven-day rule and overlapping packs, specifically for Cilest. I'll go hunting for it, though it might take me a little while, alright?

Edit: Okay, found it. It’s a bit of a mess to look at, but here it is:

http://mcs.open.ac.uk/nlg/old_projec...raceptive.html

"Missed Pill Guide:

What to do if you miss or forget to take your pill

When was your missed pill due?

Less than 12 hours ago.

Don't worry
Take the forgotten pill now
Take the rest of your pills at the usual times
That's all

More than 12 hours ago.

Take the latest pill now
Throw away any others you missed
Take the rest of your pills at the usual times
Use extra contraception for the next 7 days
Go to 2.

How many pills are left in your pack?

7 or more pills.

Use extra contraception for the next 7 days. When you finish your pack leave a break of 7 days before you take the first pill in your next pack.

Less than 7 pills

Use extra contraception for the next 7 days
Do not leave a break between packs i.e. start a new pack of Cilest the day after finishing the current pack. If you do not have a period following the end of this new pack discuss this with your doctor before starting another pack.

Use other contraception, such as a condom in the meantime.

Extra contraception: The 7 day rule

It is important that extra contraception is used in the following situations:

If a pill is missed or forgotten for more than 12 hours
If sickness or diarrhoea lasts for more than 12 hours
If you are taking any of the medicines e.g. antibiotics listed under the section "Are you taking other medicines?"

You should still take your Cilest pill each day but use other contraception as well for 7 days after any of these events.

If there are less than 7 pills left in your Cilest pack when any of the above events happens, you must start the next pack as soon as you have finished the one before without leaving a 7 day gap. If you do not have a period following the end of this new pack, discuss with your doctor before starting another pack ."

There, I've bolded the part that applies to you. So, if I understood correctly, since you have fewer than 7 pills left in your pack, you should just keep going without the break and use backup protection for 7 days—just like I originally thought.

I have a somewhat general question. I’m going to be prescribed medication for PCOS, and I was wondering how the decision-making process works regarding which specific pill is right for a patient? Does it follow a trial-and-error approach, or is there a more systematic way they determine the best fit? I just want to be informed before my doctor writes the prescription... Thank you. 🙂

When it comes to dealing with PCOS, there’s really only one definitive "cure" on the table—Diane35. Now, I’m sure some doctors will go ahead and prescribe other options, but quite frankly, I haven't the slightest clue what their reasoning would be, as I’ve never had the occasion to experience it myself.

Nathan Baker said:When it comes to dealing with PCOS, there’s really only one definitive "cure" on the table—Diane35. Now, I’m sure some doctors will go ahead and prescribe other options, but quite frankly, I haven't the slightest clue what their reasoning would be, as I’ve never had the occasion to experience it myself.

Thank you. My OBGYN mentioned she’s going to put me on Yaz... We shall see how that goes...

placidmarlin15 said:Thank you. My OBGYN mentioned she’s going to put me on Yaz... We shall see how that goes...

It’s most likely because you aren't showing those obvious "external" PCOS symptoms—you know, the stuff they usually target like excess hair growth, acne, or thinning hair. For those specific issues, Diane is pretty much the standard go-to. Most other types of birth control are really just designed to stop ovulation, though I suppose things like Cilest or Yasmin are supposed to help with those physical symptoms too, just perhaps not quite as effectively.

Thanks, Nathan Collins2. I suppose I can manage some level of competence, even if I did pay for your tablets. 😛

And just so we're clear, the items listed in my signature aren't meant to be used as contraception 😂. Unless, of course, you decide to tuck them away... somewhere else 🙂.

Hey everyone... I really need some advice here.

So, I was supposed to start on birth control pills this month. Usually, my cycle is pretty predictable—exactly 28 days—but I always get this light brown spotting about three days before my period actually hits (which is totally normal for me). This month, though, the spotting started way early, around day 20. I’ve been traveling a ton lately, so I'm guessing the constant movement just threw my hormones for a loop. By day 24, it felt like the bleeding was getting heavier, so I honestly thought my period had finally arrived. I went ahead and took my first pill, but now, a day later, I realized it’s still just spotting. Should I just keep going with the pack, or did I mess everything up by starting too soon?

If anyone has dealt with something similar, please let me know what you did!!

Thanks

wiredlynx66 said:Hey everyone... I really need some advice here.

So, I was supposed to start on birth control pills this month. Usually, my cycle is pretty predictable—exactly 28 days—but I always get this light brown spotting about three days before my period actually hits (which is totally normal for me). This month, though, the spotting started way early, around day 20. I’ve been traveling a ton lately, so I'm guessing the constant movement just threw my hormones for a loop. By day 24, it felt like the bleeding was getting heavier, so I honestly thought my period had finally arrived. I went ahead and took my first pill, but now, a day later, I realized it’s still just spotting. Should I just keep going with the pack, or did I mess everything up by starting too soon?

If anyone has dealt with something similar, please let me know what you did!!

Thanks

Keep taking them, but just so you know, you aren't protected right now. I'm not 100% sure how long, but if you don't start on the very first day of your actual period, you definitely need backup protection for a while.

Honestly, just call your OBGYN and ask exactly how many days you need to use condoms. 😉

Kimberly Castillo2 said:Keep taking them, but just so you know, you aren't protected right now. I'm not 100% sure how long, but if you don't start on the very first day of your actual period, you definitely need backup protection for a while.

Honestly, just call your OBGYN and ask exactly how many days you need to use condoms. 😉

It’s fourteen days.

So, I’ve got PCOS.
For months now, my cycle’s been totally MIA...
It just skips a month, then shows up, then skips again—total chaos.
Last one was October 12th, and I missed this month entirely. My OB-GYN put me on Duphaston...
Hormone levels are mostly fine, except my progesterone is through the roof....
Even the doctor is basically winging it at this point (told me to come back once my period actually starts). He’ll probably suggest birth control if I'm down, but honestly, I have no clue if I even want to go that route...
The weight issues and hair growth are driving me crazy—would the pill actually help with that, or just make everything worse???

Personally, I think they should pull or at least dial back the weight gain concerns regarding Diane—though I certainly haven't experienced it myself—and as for actual weight, well, that’s entirely subjective. But please, don't fall for those endless horror stories about women gaining thirty pounds strictly because of the pill; this forum is absolutely saturated with that particular myth, and frankly, it's just not true. The pill doesn't make you fat. You might see a few extra pounds due to water retention or perhaps a slight uptick in appetite, but then there are girls who swear they actually lose weight, maybe because they’re more 🙂😁.... if you're struggling with your weight, it's far more likely that you developed PCOS because of the excess, rather than the other way around....

I’ve been on Cilest for years now. During the first five months, my weight stayed perfectly steady, but then I hit a phase where I was eating like a maniac—just gorging myself constantly. I tried dieting, lost some weight, started eating again, gained it back... it was a cycle. My period even vanished during my heaviest stretch. Currently, I've transitioned to Diane, but it's only been a short while, and I haven't noticed any changes at all, almost as if I'm not even taking them. I truly hope it stays that way, because when I first made the switch, I dealt with these unbearable headaches, though in my case, that could easily be attributed to other underlying issues, so... well, what I'm trying to say is, despite being on the heavier side, the pills didn't cause my weight gain. Honestly, reading through all these posts, I find it hard to wrap my head around how, out of every woman I actually know, not a single one has gained weight from birth control, yet this forum is overflowing with claims to the contrary. It’s a curious thing, isn't it?

Nathan Baker said:Personally, I think they should pull or at least dial back the weight gain concerns regarding Diane—though I certainly haven't experienced it myself—and as for actual weight, well, that’s entirely subjective. But please, don't fall for those endless horror stories about women gaining thirty pounds strictly because of the pill; this forum is absolutely saturated with that particular myth, and frankly, it's just not true. The pill doesn't make you fat. You might see a few extra pounds due to water retention or perhaps a slight uptick in appetite, but then there are girls who swear they actually lose weight, maybe because they’re more 🙂😁.... if you're struggling with your weight, it's far more likely that you developed PCOS because of the excess, rather than the other way around....

I’ve been on Cilest for years now. During the first five months, my weight stayed perfectly steady, but then I hit a phase where I was eating like a maniac—just gorging myself constantly. I tried dieting, lost some weight, started eating again, gained it back... it was a cycle. My period even vanished during my heaviest stretch. Currently, I've transitioned to Diane, but it's only been a short while, and I haven't noticed any changes at all, almost as if I'm not even taking them. I truly hope it stays that way, because when I first made the switch, I dealt with these unbearable headaches, though in my case, that could easily be attributed to other underlying issues, so... well, what I'm trying to say is, despite being on the heavier side, the pills didn't cause my weight gain. Honestly, reading through all these posts, I find it hard to wrap my head around how, out of every woman I actually know, not a single one has gained weight from birth control, yet this forum is overflowing with claims to the contrary. It’s a curious thing, isn't it?

Thanks for the quick and detailed reply...
Basically, I've got nothing to lose, so I might as well give it a shot and see...
I've never actually taken birth control before...
At least I can argue without being scared! 🙂

So, I managed to miss my Yasmin pill during week three—just my luck, really. Looking at the instructions, it says that once I finish this last pack, I shouldn't take a break but instead jump straight into the next one, which I assume is meant to prevent my period from actually showing up. My big question is: do I need to bother with extra protection, and if so, for how long?
It’s actually the first time in several years that I’ve been careless enough to skip a pill, so I’m feeling a bit out of the loop here—honestly, the manual isn't saying a single thing about needing backup protection. 🤷

Melissa Martinez5 said:Thanks for the quick and detailed reply...
Basically, I've got nothing to lose, so I might as well give it a shot and see...
I've never actually taken birth control before...
At least I can argue without being scared! 🙂

I suppose that’s about all there is to say, isn't it? Just a sort of resigned, "it is what it is" shrug at the state of things. We drift along, making our little efforts, watching the clock tick through another day in this chaotic stretch of existence, and somehow, we just keep moving. It’s not exactly a victory march, but then again, maybe just getting through the day without losing one's mind is enough. So, yeah. That's how it goes. 🤣.

It’s funny, isn't it, how we all sit here in these digital corridors, typing away at our little glowing rectangles, convinced that if we just find the right combination of syllables, someone, somewhere, will finally understand the specific, heavy weight of our Tuesday afternoons. I was sitting by the window this morning—watching the rain hit the glass in a way that felt uncomfortably much like a slow-motion car crash, though far less dramatic in practice—and I found myself thinking about the sheer, exhausting effort it takes to maintain a persona online. We curate these versions of ourselves, don't we? Polished, coherent, perhaps even witty, while the reality is usually just us, staring blankly at a half-eaten bagel, wondering why the concept of "productivity" feels like such a cruel joke played by the universe. I suppose I’m just rambling now, which is my default state when the coffee wears off and the cynicism starts to settle in like a fine layer of dust on an old bookshelf. But then again, maybe that's the only honest way to exist, isn't it? Just drifting through the noise, hoping to catch a glimpse of something that doesn't feel entirely manufactured. Anyway, I'm probably overthinking the whole thing. It's a chronic condition, I'm afraid. kaže:
I completely forgot to take my Yasmin pill during the third week, and now the instructions are making my head spin—they’re saying that instead of taking a break after the last active pill, I should just jump straight into the next pack. From what I can gather, the whole point is to prevent my period from showing up at all. I’m feeling a bit lost here, though; do I still need to use backup protection, and if so, for how long?
It’s been quite a few years since I last found myself reaching for birth control pills—I'd completely forgotten how this whole thing works—so I'm feeling a bit lost on the protocol here. I've been pouring over the instructions provided in the packaging, but strangely enough, there isn't a single word mentioned about using additional protection. It’s one of those little gaps in information that leaves you feeling a bit unsettled, isn't it? 🤷

You probably won't experience actual bleeding, but don't be caught off guard if you start seeing some spotting on your next pack of birth control; it can linger for a while. It’s one of those things that just happens—it doesn't happen to everyone, obviously. Personally, I dealt with it while I was on Estaryll, and I saw it happen with people on Yaz, too. Just so we're clear, the spotting doesn't mean your protection level has dropped at all. Now, regarding the extra backup method, you should use it for the next seven days—though for something like Yaz, it might be closer to fourteen. For Estaryll, the instructions usually say seven, and I suspect the same applies to Yaz. To be honest, I haven't really bothered looking up the specifics for Yasmin, but if you're going to go down the rabbit hole of searching online, please, for the love of everything, stay away from these forums. You're much better off heading straight to the manufacturer's official website; they'll actually have the definitive answer written right there.😉

Kimberly Castillo2 said:Keep taking them, but just so you know, you aren't protected right now. I'm not 100% sure how long, but if you don't start on the very first day of your actual period, you definitely need backup protection for a while.

Honestly, just call your OBGYN and ask exactly how many days you need to use condoms. 😉

Thanks everyone... I mean, I already thought of that... I was planning on using a condom for the first month anyway. I'm such a klutz, honestly... But wait, will I actually get my period this month, or does that only happen after I finish the whole pack?

wiredlynx66 said:Thanks everyone... I mean, I already thought of that... I was planning on using a condom for the first month anyway. I'm such a klutz, honestly... But wait, will I actually get my period this month, or does that only happen after I finish the whole pack?

I think I already touched on this earlier... basically, you probably won't experience actual bleeding just yet. You might get some spotting that lasts a day, a few days, or it could even stretch until you're finishing the next pack. Honestly, it varies so much from person to person that it’s hard to say for sure; sometimes nothing happens at all. Usually, the withdrawal bleeding doesn't really kick in until that break after your second pack. Every scenario is on the table, so just let us know how it goes... though, I'm not quite sure why you're asking if it happens only after the full pack—you'll be taking that break between the second and third packs, so there's no need to run them back-to-back. That’s when the bleeding typically occurs.

Sigurna, how much are you even drinking, Diane? What was it about those others that just didn't work for you? We've got similar side effects from PCOS—so yeah, I’m stalking you here on Women's Health sometimes, don't catch me 🙂

I suppose I should express some regret... though I did stop taking them because the headaches became simply unbearable... still, I’ve decided to give it another shot since I deal with other underlying conditions that could be triggering these migraines, so now I'm just observing, trying to figure out if the culprit is the condition itself or the medication—that was the advice from both my specialist and my primary care physician back at the clinic. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't even consider using them if I weren't planning on becoming intimate again, but here we are... I'll just have to see how it unfolds. During my first three months on them, I didn't notice any real improvement regarding the unwanted hair growth... maybe a tiny bit... but I certainly didn't have the issues I've described until now, aside from those headaches...

Thanks 🙂. Anyway, regarding the hair loss—my dermatologist told me it takes about a year to see any real improvement, and two years to actually get things back to normal. That’s what he says based on his experience with patients on Diane. So yeah, still got plenty of time.