Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Hey Cure, I really need some quick advice!
In a total moment of confusion, I thought I’d missed my pill, so I ended up taking two at once. To make things even weirder, it turns out I actually took the Sunday pill instead of Monday—I didn't even realize until today! Now I'm one pill short. Since that Sunday one was supposed to be the last one to wrap up my cycle, what should I do??
Should I just take that last remaining pill tomorrow and then wait for my period to start, or what? If anyone has dealt with this before, please help a girl out! 😁

What kind of regular checkups do you guys actually bother doing while you’re on the pill? I’m just trying to figure out if they’ve done any damage to me after five months of taking them—I did get my blood work done back in month seven and everything came back totally fine, but is it too early to go back in for another round of tests? Honestly, all those scary warnings about side effects and long-term consequences have me feeling pretty anxious about it.😢

Anyone actually drinking Jaz?? Just wondering... does anyone put on weight from them? I think I heard somewhere that they don't cause weight gain, but I’m taking that with a grain of salt... It’s not like I’m overeating or anything, but I feel like it’s sticking to me a little bit...
Thanks

Hi 🙂
I've been on QLaira for about a year now, and I was wondering if it's normal that instead of a period—maybe just some light bleeding for two or three days—it's mostly just this dark discharge for a couple of days? It looks more black than brown, which I guess is a bit worrying. Since my partner and I are sexually active, I'm wondering if this might affect how well it protects me? :S I take them pretty consistently, almost at the exact same time every single day.
Thanks in advance for any insight 🙂

So, I'm currently taking Logest—and right now, I’m also on a course of Amoxicillin. It completely slipped my mind to ask the pharmacist about how these two play together, though the fine print in the instructions mentions that Amoxicillin might lower the effectiveness of oral contraceptives... suggesting a different method of birth control during treatment.
Does that mean I can just take my pills as usual and simply use some extra protection while I'm finishing this antibiotic course?

granitepilot5 said:So, I'm currently taking Logest—and right now, I’m also on a course of Amoxicillin. It completely slipped my mind to ask the pharmacist about how these two play together, though the fine print in the instructions mentions that Amoxicillin might lower the effectiveness of oral contraceptives... suggesting a different method of birth control during treatment.
Does that mean I can just take my pills as usual and simply use some extra protection while I'm finishing this antibiotic course?

Just keep taking your pills normally—but please, make sure you use extra protection until you've started your next pack. It’s not just about the days you're on the antibiotics; you really should maintain that extra precaution for a little while even after you finish them.

I’ve been on Jasmin for several years now. But for the last two months—after taking anywhere from seven to ten pills—I’ve experienced bleeding. It’s dark and heavy, just like my period. Last month, it lasted for two days accompanied by intense pain. Right now, it started again yesterday; the pain isn't extreme this time. I haven't made it to the gynecologist yet, though I am planning to go very soon.
I’m wondering what could be causing this. Is it "normal"?

This happened to me on basically every pill I've ever been on. Everything’s fine for months—then suddenly, out of nowhere, the bleeding starts right when I’ve got maybe 5 or 3 pills left in the pack. It gets pretty unbearable :/
It was especially brutal when I was on Loestrin—honestly thought I was going to die from the cramps and how much blood there was. My doctor switches my prescription every single time this starts happening... I'm just terrified that one day we'll hit a point where there aren't any options left to try. If I were you, I'd go see your doctor ASAP; they'll probably just put you on something a bit milder.

Thanks for the reply!
I suppose somewhere in the middle of the day, I actually decided to try quitting the pills. 😉

Hey everyone, looking for some advice here.
I’ve been battling breakouts since my teens, and now at 23, they just won't quit. I saw a dermatologist who prescribed a bunch of stuff that was way too harsh—honestly, it felt like it was doing more damage than actually helping. The diagnosis was acne vulgaris with the occasional comedone popping up here and there.
It hits hardest about five days before my period starts, though let's be real, it’s never exactly "perfect" any other time of the month either.
The absolute worst part? The scarring. These spots leave marks that just refuse to fade.

I’m desperate to clear this up, so what do you all suggest?
Should I see a gynecologist and look into birth control? Is that actually a reliable fix for acne?

Or should I head back to the dermatologist and ask about oral medications?

Hi everyone, 😵
I recently started taking birth control pills because of some acne issues and really irregular periods... naturally, I’m also using them as my primary method of pregnancy prevention... so far, I’ve taken nine pills, and during that time, I’ve had intercourse where my boyfriend finished inside me every single time... the issue I’m facing is this... over these nine days of being on the pill, I’ve been dealing with constant nausea, to the point where food sometimes smells absolutely revolting to me... I tend to feel nauseous in the morning, but it happens in the evening too... quite often and all day long... I also have frequent headaches, and as for the fatigue, I don't even know where to start... I feel constantly exhausted, almost like I’ve been hit by a truck... I get regular abdominal pains as well, ranging from mild to somewhat intense... my mood fluctuates quite a bit too... and I frequently deal with heartburn and bloating... I should probably mention that I can be a bit careless sometimes, so on top of everything else, I still smoke... 🙄I also occasionally feel a certain pressure in my lungs, making it difficult to breathe, and I get occasional sharp pains in that area...
What’s bothering me most about this whole situation is the daily nausea, cramping, and stomach pain... so far, there hasn't been a single day where I haven't dealt with terrible nausea and frequent abdominal discomfort... my breasts have also become swollen and are tender to the touch...
Given all of this, I was wondering if it’s normal for the body to react this way to birth control, or specifically, if any of you experienced similar problems when you first started taking them? To be precise, I am taking Diane 35...
I suppose I’m unsure whether I should wait a little longer to see if these symptoms eventually subside, or if I should just reach out to my doctor to ask for a different prescription??
I’ve actually already considered the possibility of being pregnant after reading various accounts of pregnancies occurring despite being on the pill... truthfully, I have taken every pill exactly as scheduled so far, but I am starting to feel a little bit scared about it... this nausea, the pain, and the exhaustion are really starting to drive me crazy...
Thank you in advance for any advice you might have.

I dealt with those same nasty waves of nausea while I was at Bellari, but mine cleared up after two months, so I can't really tell you how long yours might hang around.🙂

They say it takes about three months for your body to fully adjust.

Hey ladies, I’m super unsure if I’m posting this in the right spot—so if I totally missed the mark, could someone please move this for me? No biggie!

So, I was wondering if any of you have managed to lose some weight while still being on birth control? I’ve been taking Novynette for about two years now, but—between my appetite going through the roof and just being kind of lazy with working out lately—I’ve ended up gaining maybe 5 or 6 pounds. I’d really love to shed it, though... do you think that's even possible?

Hey there! I have a bit of a dilemma—a question, really—and if any of you could offer some advice, I’d truly appreciate it. 🙂

I stopped taking birth control pills a few months ago since I didn't need them then, but now I'm looking to start back up as soon as possible. 😁
My period should arrive in about a week, and I actually have an old pack sitting at home from before... I have an appointment scheduled with my OB-GYN in two and a half weeks, where I planned to ask for a prescription and discuss whether I should stick with the same brand or switch things up. But if I wait until then, I'll essentially be waiting another month or so before I can actually get started again...

So, here's the thing: if I go ahead and start this current pack now, would it be okay to just switch to a different brand once the doctor writes a new prescription after this pack is finished? Or is that a bad idea? Has anyone dealt with something similar?

Elizabeth Fowler46 said:I dealt with those same nasty waves of nausea while I was at Bellari, but mine cleared up after two months, so I can't really tell you how long yours might hang around.🙂

They say it takes about three months for your body to fully adjust.

I don't suppose I'll be able to keep going like this for another two or three months... it's becoming quite unbearable... it seems like there isn't a single day where I'm not feeling nauseous or dealing with pain...🙂

driftingtinker45 said:Hey there! I have a bit of a dilemma—a question, really—and if any of you could offer some advice, I’d truly appreciate it. 🙂

I stopped taking birth control pills a few months ago since I didn't need them then, but now I'm looking to start back up as soon as possible. 😁
My period should arrive in about a week, and I actually have an old pack sitting at home from before... I have an appointment scheduled with my OB-GYN in two and a half weeks, where I planned to ask for a prescription and discuss whether I should stick with the same brand or switch things up. But if I wait until then, I'll essentially be waiting another month or so before I can actually get started again...

So, here's the thing: if I go ahead and start this current pack now, would it be okay to just switch to a different brand once the doctor writes a new prescription after this pack is finished? Or is that a bad idea? Has anyone dealt with something similar?

Your gynecologist will likely want to run some tests anyway—just to make sure everything is looking healthy—regardless of the fact that you've taken them in the past.
If you decide to start with those pills now, you can absolutely switch to a different brand later once she gives you the new prescription. It shouldn't be an issue—the instructions usually explain exactly how to handle that transition.
The only real complication would be if things get messy—say, if there's a delay with the doctor and you don't get your new prescription immediately. Having to skip a cycle and then restart can be pretty hard on your system, which isn't ideal. Ultimately, though, it's your call to make.

quietfox384 said:Your gynecologist will likely want to run some tests anyway—just to make sure everything is looking healthy—regardless of the fact that you've taken them in the past.
If you decide to start with those pills now, you can absolutely switch to a different brand later once she gives you the new prescription. It shouldn't be an issue—the instructions usually explain exactly how to handle that transition.
The only real complication would be if things get messy—say, if there's a delay with the doctor and you don't get your new prescription immediately. Having to skip a cycle and then restart can be pretty hard on your system, which isn't ideal. Ultimately, though, it's your call to make.

Yeah, I'm really hoping there won't be any complications.
Thanks for the input. 🙂

Hey, how many boxes can you actually get per prescription?

I’m getting back on these pills after a five-year break so I’m a bit out of the loop😁, and my doctor just sent over a script for only one single box, which means I have to call them every month just to get a new one approved😕.

It definitely wasn't like this before, because I used to have the same paper prescription for years and could just grab those three-month supplies without any hassle🤷.

Kenneth Brown5 said:Hey, how many boxes can you actually get per prescription?

I’m getting back on these pills after a five-year break so I’m a bit out of the loop😁, and my doctor just sent over a script for only one single box, which means I have to call them every month just to get a new one approved😕.

It definitely wasn't like this before, because I used to have the same paper prescription for years and could just grab those three-month supplies without any hassle🤷.

It’s been six months, but all I got was this paper prescription. 🤷

Elizabeth Fowler46 said:It’s been six months, but all I got was this paper prescription. 🤷

Maybe it’s just because I’ve got this recipe for Logest that kind of hits all those spots, sort of like having a cheat code for a difficult level in a video game.🤷

So, my doctor finally gave me the green light for two boxes yesterday after I checked in with the pharmacist, and they told me that’s pretty much the limit. Well, at least I got two!🙄