Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Justin Gomez2 said:Hey 👋

I have a quick question... and please, if anyone can answer as soon as possible, I'd really appreciate it 🙂
So, I've been on birth control for six months now. I need to get a new prescription because my last one was only valid for six months (and even if it wasn't expired, I'd still need a new one since someone actually stole my wallet, which had my prescription in it along with everything else -.-).
My question is, can I just show up at the clinic door to pick up a new script without an appointment, or do I have to go through a full check-up again?
I'm taking Yaz, by the way.

Thanks to whoever (if anyone) decides to reply 😬

You don't need an exam 😉
I've always been able to get mine without one 🙂

Alright, thanks a lot! 🙂

So, I’ve just started taking birth control pills for the very first time—specifically Lindynette 20. According to the instructions, I should begin the pack on the very first day of my period. My period actually showed up on Friday morning, so I took my first pill on Friday evening. The thing that’s really bothering me, though, is that I noticed a tiny bit of spotting during the day on Thursday—not much at all, honestly, just a few drops. Now I'm second-guessing everything—was Thursday actually the true first day of my cycle? And if so, did I take my pill too late? Most importantly, do I need to use backup protection for the next week, or am I already protected even like this?

Totally forgot I took my pill last night 🤦

Just took it now—about 13.5 hours late. There are exactly 7 pills left in the pack, and according to the instructions—I need extra protection for the next seven days, then take the usual seven-day break before starting a new pack.

But here’s what’s messing with my head—the fine print says if there are fewer than 7 pills left at the end of the pack, you start the new one immediately without a break. Does that mean I won't get my period this time or something? 🤷

Since this is my first time dealing with this—I guess I just carry on normally if I understood correctly 😬

Now I'm just completely lost 🙂

I took the Diane 35 pill at 8:20 PM, and by about 9:15 PM, I experienced some soft stools—kind of like diarrhea—but it seemed to settle down by 9:20 PM. Now I’m wondering if I need to take an extra dose. If I decide not to take another one and just stick to my regular schedule tomorrow, will I need to use backup protection for the next two weeks?

I’ve been taking Novynette. I started them exactly a week ago, specifically on day 5 of my cycle, just like my doctor told me to. I'm wondering—am I actually protected from pregnancy even though I started on day 5 instead of day 1?

Donna Parker4 said:I’ve been taking Novynette. I started them exactly a week ago, specifically on day 5 of my cycle, just like my doctor told me to. I'm wondering—am I actually protected from pregnancy even though I started on day 5 instead of day 1?

Are you switching brands or is this your first pack? It makes zero sense why your doctor told you to wait until day five. 🤔 If these are your very first pills, you aren't fully protected yet. That's what almost every instruction manual says...

mellowcobra82 said:Are you switching brands or is this your first pack? It makes zero sense why your doctor told you to wait until day five. 🤔 If these are your very first pills, you aren't fully protected yet. That's what almost every instruction manual says...

Nope, I haven't switched. These are my first ones... that's just what the doctor told me, and I followed orders, so there I go. :S
Plus, they didn't warn me about any of this, and I couldn't find anything in the pamphlet either. I just stumbled upon an article online and realized what might be happening.
We've had sex a few times without protection since I started taking them, though he hasn't finished inside me. Man, I really hope I'm not pregnant...

Donna Parker4 said:Nope, I haven't switched. These are my first ones... that's just what the doctor told me, and I followed orders, so there I go. :S
Plus, they didn't warn me about any of this, and I couldn't find anything in the pamphlet either. I just stumbled upon an article online and realized what might be happening.
We've had sex a few times without protection since I started taking them, though he hasn't finished inside me. Man, I really hope I'm not pregnant...

I don't take Novynette—I used them last year—so I can't check my own box. I have no idea what kind of instructions you're looking at, but here is what I found online regarding the directions...

How to start taking Novynette

When starting the first pack, it's best to begin on the very first day of your period. If you do that, you don't need any extra backup protection.

If your period has already started (say, 2, 3, or 4 days ago), you should wait until the 5th day of your cycle to start the pills. In that case, you MUST use additional contraceptive methods for the first 7 days of taking the pills.

If it has been more than 5 days since your period started, you shouldn't start the pills yet; you should wait until your next period begins.

I hope you aren't pregnant. 🤷

Hey there! Just popping in to say hello. Hope everyone’s having a fantastic day so far! It’s feeling like one of those perfect, breezy afternoons, you know? Like when you finally get that one tricky puzzle piece to fit after staring at it for an hour. Total win. Anyway, just sending some good vibes your way! Catch you later! kaže:
I don't actually take Novynette, to be honest. I had some last year, so I can't exactly look at the instructions for you. I have no clue what kind of manual you're staring at right now, but here—I just copied what I found online from the official directions...

How do you even get started with Novynette?

If you start taking your birth control pills straight from the first day of your period, you’re pretty much good to go. You won't even need to worry about using extra backup methods like condoms or anything else right away. It’s like starting a new job on a Monday—you just jump right in and get moving!

If you’ve already started your period—say, like two, three, or four days ago—you should wait until the fifth day of your cycle to actually start taking the pills. Just a heads-up though: if you go that route, you’ll need to use some extra backup protection for those first seven days while the hormones get up to speed. It’s kind of like waiting for a car engine to warm up before you hit the highway; you wouldn't want to rush it and risk a breakdown!

If you’re already five days past the start of your period, just hold off. It's better to wait until your next cycle kicks in before you actually start taking Novynette.

I really hope you didn't end up pregnant. 🤷

Oh man, did I totally miss that? Shoot... I really hope it’s nothing serious. 😢

Donna Parker4 said:

Hey there! Just popping in to say hello. Hope everyone’s having a fantastic day so far! It’s feeling like one of those perfect, breezy afternoons, you know? Like when you finally get that one tricky puzzle piece to fit after staring at it for an hour. Total win. Anyway, just sending some good vibes your way! Catch you later! kaže:
I don't actually take Novynette, to be honest. I had some last year, so I can't exactly look at the instructions for you. I have no clue what kind of manual you're staring at right now, but here—I just copied what I found online from the official directions...

How do you even get started with Novynette?

If you start taking your birth control pills straight from the first day of your period, you’re pretty much good to go. You won't even need to worry about using extra backup methods like condoms or anything else right away. It’s like starting a new job on a Monday—you just jump right in and get moving!

If you’ve already started your period—say, like two, three, or four days ago—you should wait until the fifth day of your cycle to actually start taking the pills. Just a heads-up though: if you go that route, you’ll need to use some extra backup protection for those first seven days while the hormones get up to speed. It’s kind of like waiting for a car engine to warm up before you hit the highway; you wouldn't want to rush it and risk a breakdown!

If you’re already five days past the start of your period, just hold off. It's better to wait until your next cycle kicks in before you actually start taking Novynette.

I really hope you didn't end up pregnant. 🤷

Oh man, did I totally miss that? Shoot... I really hope it’s nothing serious. 😢

Look, it’ll probably be fine! 😉 Next time, study the instructions from cover to cover—read them three times if you have to. I’ve been on the pill for 13 years and I still crack open the manual whenever things get weird, like when I’m on antibiotics or notice some strange discharge. Fingers crossed your next cycle stays on schedule. Good luck! 👋

Thanks! Fingers crossed she actually shows up :-)

So, since there isn't much info online about this—and if there is, people can't seem to agree on anything—I'm wondering what your experiences are with taking birth control—pills, patches, shots, whatever—while also using teas known to affect your cycle.

Specifically, I was Googling stuff about St. John's Wort essential oils, mugwort, tansy, and calendula (by the way, does anyone know where I can actually find calendula? Like, where's the best place to grab it? 😁). I see that both types are listed as emmenagogues and all that, so I did some digging and realized they can trigger menstruation. It seems to me that combining them with the pill could cause some kind of countereffect for one or the other—like sending confusing signals to my hormones—which might mean my protection fails.

Basically, which teas or essential oils should you absolutely NOT use alongside hormonal contraceptives?
🙂

I know St. John's Wort can interfere with birth control effectiveness. It says so on the pill packaging, and you can find it on the web, too.
As for the rest, I haven't a clue, though I suspect maybe only the St. John's Wort is truly critical 🤷

Regarding chamomile tea, I think someone like Dr. Suban might have recommended it 🤔

Can anyone help? I started a new pack on Sunday, May 6th. Then the day before yesterday (Saturday, May 12th), I missed one. I got back on track yesterday and today, but now I’ve started some spotting. What should I do? From what I understand, I just need to keep taking them as usual but use extra protection for the next seven days, right? And what about this bleeding? Thanks!

I just read that when I realized I missed one on Sunday, I was supposed to take both the missed pill and my regular one at the same time, but I didn't. Should I take two today? I still have that one from Saturday sitting in the pack.

brightmoose6 said:Can anyone help? I started a new pack on Sunday, May 6th. Then the day before yesterday (Saturday, May 12th), I missed one. I got back on track yesterday and today, but now I’ve started some spotting. What should I do? From what I understand, I just need to keep taking them as usual but use extra protection for the next seven days, right? And what about this bleeding? Thanks!

I just read that when I realized I missed one on Sunday, I was supposed to take both the missed pill and my regular one at the same time, but I didn't. Should I take two today? I still have that one from Saturday sitting in the pack.

Not gonna lie, I doubt anyone here is gonna give you a straight answer. I had a similar question recently and nobody seemed to know what they were talking about—or at least tried...

Honestly, your best bet is just calling your OB-GYN. They'll actually have the right info for you. 😉

brightmoose6 said:Can anyone help? I started a new pack on Sunday, May 6th. Then the day before yesterday (Saturday, May 12th), I missed one. I got back on track yesterday and today, but now I’ve started some spotting. What should I do? From what I understand, I just need to keep taking them as usual but use extra protection for the next seven days, right? And what about this bleeding? Thanks!

I just read that when I realized I missed one on Sunday, I was supposed to take both the missed pill and my regular one at the same time, but I didn't. Should I take two today? I still have that one from Saturday sitting in the pack.

Which pills are we talking about?

Generally, the rule is that if it’s been more than 12 hours since you were supposed to take it, you take the missed one plus the current one. And yeah, you'll probably need backup protection for a week.😉

Since it's been a few days now, I guess you should do what oola suggested and just call your doctor to be safe.🤷

My period showed up seven days early, which is weird because I'm on the pill and usually stay right on schedule... I’m feeling a little anxious about it, even though I know I've been under a ton of stress lately. Everyone keeps telling me that’s probably the culprit. Has anyone else dealt with something like this?
I'm definitely planning to head to my gynecologist next week just to get some clarity.🙄

So, this is my very first month on the pill. I’m currently in that seven-day break, but my period actually showed up today, even though it wasn't supposed to hit until Tuesday when I was meant to start the next pack.
I gave my OB-GYN a call, but he’s out on a business trip or something, so the nurse took the call instead. She told me this kind of thing is totally normal when you're just starting out. Her advice was to just stick to the plan and start the new pack whenever I was originally scheduled to—so not today, but after the full seven-day break is up. I asked her point-blank if I’m still 100% protected against pregnancy, and she said yes, I am.
Can I actually take her word for it?? 😁

So, I’m making the switch from Yaz to Yasmin—which feels like a big step!—and I was wondering if I should start my first pack of Yasmin right after finishing my last active pill, or if I need to follow up with the last placebo pill first?