Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Pretty sure this pill is basically a one-way ticket to cancer.

I’m a bit late with my 7-day break—it’s been about 3 days since I was supposed to stop :/ can I actually start back up on the pills (Lyndette) now, and am I basically unprotected for this whole cycle?

Huh, pretty weird—some gynecologist site says you shouldn't take a break after that pack, but my niece is telling me I should...

I would have told you the exact same thing—that skipping a break is just strange to me🤷
—and honestly, I think you should just use backup contraception for about a week.

edit: I didn't quite catch that correctly.
Wait, did you start your new pack three days late?

quietfox384 said:I would have told you the exact same thing—that skipping a break is just strange to me🤷
—and honestly, I think you should just use backup contraception for about a week.

edit: I didn't quite catch that correctly.
Wait, did you start your new pack three days late?

He told me to be careful for a week—not that it matters since I'm not even having sex 🤣).

The break was supposed to be seven days, but I waited an extra three before starting again. And I changed the time too—switched from 2 PM to 8 PM because that works better for me during the summer.

Some girl online who went through the exact same thing said her OB-GYN advised skipping the break this time and just starting the next pack immediately.🤷 It doesn't really matter for this month, but I want to be fully protected by September... I don't want to be sitting there thinking I'm safe when I'm actually not.

How much earlier should I have actually stopped taking these pills before heading in for knee surgery? Would it be enough to just wrap things up at the start of the month—since I figured out that’s when I’d finish my current blister pack—given that the surgery isn't until the end of the month?
I'm honestly spiraling about DVT because I've always been prone to varicose veins, plus I bruise way too easily (like, if I scratch myself even a little bit too hard... you know how it is)
Otherwise, my platelet counts and prothrombin time have always been perfectly normal

quietbison86 said:How much earlier should I have actually stopped taking these pills before heading in for knee surgery? Would it be enough to just wrap things up at the start of the month—since I figured out that’s when I’d finish my current blister pack—given that the surgery isn't until the end of the month?
I'm honestly spiraling about DVT because I've always been prone to varicose veins, plus I bruise way too easily (like, if I scratch myself even a little bit too hard... you know how it is)
Otherwise, my platelet counts and prothrombin time have always been perfectly normal

I can't give you a definitive answer on that, but have you checked in with your doctor or gynecologist to see what their specific recommendation is?

Jesse Evans85 said:I can't give you a definitive answer on that, but have you checked in with your doctor or gynecologist to see what their specific recommendation is?

Nah, I haven't—the doc is on vacation right now, so that’s just how it goes.
I guess things should settle down by early September, though once he's back I'll definitely ask him. I honestly just wanted to see if anyone else out there was dealing with something similar.
Plus, I'm low-key terrified that my period won't even come back properly. Right now, towards the end of this pack, my ovaries are already starting to ache—so imagine how much worse it's going to feel without 👎

I truly am sorry that I can't be of more assistance to you. How long have you been taking these pills? Are you on them specifically because of the cysts on your ovaries? Do you plan on continuing the medication after your surgery, or are you looking to stop for good now?

Hey, I’m starting the pill today. I took my dose around noon. Is it too late if I grab them tonight around 9, or should I just wait until tomorrow morning? Am I already cutting it too close?

Christian Johnson19 said:Hey, I’m starting the pill today. I took my dose around noon. Is it too late if I grab them tonight around 9, or should I just wait until tomorrow morning? Am I already cutting it too close?

should be fine...

Just some random stuff. Alcohol and hookah. I enjoy them, but not all the time. Honestly, I’m a little worried about my blood pressure spiking. I don't smoke cigarettes, though. Am I just being paranoid or what?
How long does it take before thrombosis shows up in lab results? Or even just assessing the risk? I'm planning on getting my bloodwork done in about two months to see where things stand. I'm 25 and really wouldn't want to kick the bucket just yet, haha.

Christian Johnson19 said:Just some random stuff. Alcohol and hookah. I enjoy them, but not all the time. Honestly, I’m a little worried about my blood pressure spiking. I don't smoke cigarettes, though. Am I just being paranoid or what?
How long does it take before thrombosis shows up in lab results? Or even just assessing the risk? I'm planning on getting my bloodwork done in about two months to see where things stand. I'm 25 and really wouldn't want to kick the bucket just yet, haha.

nothing ever happened to me after doing stuff like that—been on pills for a long time... (and alcohol too)

but a blood test won't hurt

jadeharbor81 said:nothing ever happened to me after doing stuff like that—been on pills for a long time... (and alcohol too)

but a blood test won't hurt

Alright. I'm a little freaked out, but honestly, I'm kind of a hypochondriac. Sometimes I totally blow things out of proportion and think I'm actually dying, then a while later I realize I was just overreacting. Right now, my left calf feels like it's tingling. When I focus on it, it "really" tingles. When I don't think about it, nothing happens. It's summer, so I'm having a beer here and there or smoking hookah, but I'm terrified I might be forming clots. Man.

I’ve been on Loest for three years now, and while the first year felt perfectly fine, the subsequent years have been marked by these brutal depressive episodes that hit at least once annually—and right now, I’m right in the thick of one. Honestly, I’m incredibly lucky to have the absolute best boyfriend in the world; he knows everything, he listens, and he truly gets it, but these depressive waves are so overwhelming that my brain just shuts down. I can't think straight, I can't enjoy being around people, and I can't even enjoy my own boyfriend's company, which honestly feels soul-crushing. It’s so frustrating because, on paper, everything is great—I’m healthy, life is stable, my studies aren't causing any stress, and my family situation is wonderful. So, I’m left completely baffled when this sudden wave of depression and anxiety crashes over me out of nowhere, leaving me stuck in a loop of heavy thoughts that makes it feel impossible to climb back out. Ugh! To make matters worse, my gynecologist is absolutely useless—she’s so overworked that she literally never has a spare second, meaning I can only manage to squeeze in an appointment once every eighteen months, which is just ridiculous. I’m actually heading to the urgent care clinic tomorrow because I feel like I’m hitting a breaking point.👎
And don't even get me started on my libido—it is absolutely non-existent!

I’m currently on Diane and honestly, I’m vibing with it. I actually toyed with the idea of switching to something with a lower hormone dose, but after getting burned once before, I’m staying put. Those low-hormone pills hit me like a freight train—nausea, vomiting, even full-on mood swings and depression. One taste of that was enough for me to say, "Yeah, thanks, but absolutely not."
Even with all those hormones in the mix, I haven't seen a single change in my weight or breast size—nothing at all. My appetite hasn't budged, and my libido is doing just fine 😁 though I wouldn't mind picking up a few extra pounds myself...

Joshua Smith10 said:I’ve been on Loest for three years now, and while the first year felt perfectly fine, the subsequent years have been marked by these brutal depressive episodes that hit at least once annually—and right now, I’m right in the thick of one. Honestly, I’m incredibly lucky to have the absolute best boyfriend in the world; he knows everything, he listens, and he truly gets it, but these depressive waves are so overwhelming that my brain just shuts down. I can't think straight, I can't enjoy being around people, and I can't even enjoy my own boyfriend's company, which honestly feels soul-crushing. It’s so frustrating because, on paper, everything is great—I’m healthy, life is stable, my studies aren't causing any stress, and my family situation is wonderful. So, I’m left completely baffled when this sudden wave of depression and anxiety crashes over me out of nowhere, leaving me stuck in a loop of heavy thoughts that makes it feel impossible to climb back out. Ugh! To make matters worse, my gynecologist is absolutely useless—she’s so overworked that she literally never has a spare second, meaning I can only manage to squeeze in an appointment once every eighteen months, which is just ridiculous. I’m actually heading to the urgent care clinic tomorrow because I feel like I’m hitting a breaking point.👎
And don't even get me started on my libido—it is absolutely non-existent!

Libido is terrible how? Like it's gone, or it's too much?

jadeharbor81 said:Libido is terrible how? Like it's gone, or it's too much?

It shows up every once in a blue moon, but most days, it’s basically a ghost town.😠

Jessica Cook64, welcome to the club! 🎉 😂

So... did all these symptoms—like the mood swings—start right when you began taking the pill, or...? It sounds a little heavy, honestly—maybe it’s not just the hormones from the pill talking. 🤔

neonstag63 said:Jessica Cook64, welcome to the club! 🎉 😂

So... did all these symptoms—like the mood swings—start right when you began taking the pill, or...? It sounds a little heavy, honestly—maybe it’s not just the hormones from the pill talking. 🤔

To give you some context, I’m 22, and throughout my life, I’ve always been just a tiny bit anxious—nothing major, just those quick little bursts of panic that last a few minutes and then vanish into thin air. But about a year after I started taking contraception, things really shifted. It would flare up, subside, then come back again, and now here we are, right back in the thick of it. I don't know; maybe it's just all this stuff bubbling up from something deeper within, but all I know for sure is that I'm feeling pretty miserable lately. 😢