Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Hey everyone, I could really use some advice here.
So, I just took my fourth dose of Yasmin (it's the same thing as Diane 35), and now I’m sitting here feeling super dizzy and a little nauseous. I'm wondering if this is actually linked to the pill, especially since I just started the pack! Honestly, I’m getting a bit spooked because I’ve been falling down a total rabbit hole reading scary stuff about them online. Has anyone else dealt with these kinds of side effects? Maybe my body is just trying to adjust to the new routine? Thanks so much!

ps. I’m also feeling this dull ache in my left leg, and I can't tell if I'm just overthinking things or if something is actually up.

Nausea is a pretty common side effect when you're first getting used to 🙂—for me, during my first attempt with pills, it lasted about two months, whereas the second time it was only about ten days.

Thanks so much! I'm really hoping this passes quickly because I've been feeling absolutely terrible all day long, just totally wiped out 😢

Hey,
I just popped my second pack of Advil—well, birth control—and my period started right before I finished it. Now I’ve got a 7-day break coming up—so, am I actually protected or what?

Hey,

I took my first pill after a 6-day break instead of 7—totally slipped up there. What’s the deal now? Am I still protected from day one of starting up again, or how does this work? Thanks.

I'm not entirely certain if we're talking about a combination therapy here, but if that's the case, don't sweat it—you're covered. Just keep taking them exactly as you normally would.

Hi there! 🙂 I’m feeling a bit panicked and would really appreciate some help from anyone who knows: how does herbal laxative tea affect the absorption of birth control pills in the digestive system?

I deal with really sluggish digestion, so I had some tea last night and took my pill at the same time, but the tea didn't do anything. Today, I took the tea in the afternoon and the pill in the evening. This time, the tea kicked in just an hour after I swallowed the pill. The instructions for my specific brand (Naelia) don't explicitly mention laxatives, though they do warn about reduced absorption if you have diarrhea or vomiting, which is standard for most brands. Last night the tea had no effect, and today my bowel movements were totally normal, so it wasn't diarrhea. It doesn't seem logical to me that today's pill wouldn't be absorbed, since I used the bathroom an hour after taking it—the contents in my system are from today, not yesterday. Does anyone actually understand the mechanics behind how this works?

Hey there! So, I’ve been taking Rosanelle for the last three months, but my doctor actually just discontinued my prescription because of a bad Pap smear result... given that change, when should I realistically expect my period to show up?

Hey everyone! I wanted to start a thread about birth control pills, mostly because a friend of mine who’s on them keeps insisting that what she’s taking isn't really the same thing as the standard stuff, which honestly sounds a little suspicious to me ☕ ...

So, basically, just yesterday I heard for the very first time that there are actually pills out there where you don't even get a period at all. I mean, I knew you could manipulate things with hormones, obviously, but I didn't realize that was actually considered a recommended way to go...

She’s from out of town—not from here in the States—so maybe this hasn't really become a common thing in our neck of the woods yet, or maybe I'm just totally out of the loop and uninformed 😁 ...

Hey there, ladies!
I’ve finally jumped back on the pill after taking a break for several months. To be absolutely certain I wasn't just dealing with some random spotting, I waited until the second day of my period to take the first one. Now that I'm looking back at it—honestly, I probably could have just taken it the day before since the bleeding was definitely the real deal, but I didn't go for it...
My strict schedule is to take them at 9:00 PM every night, but let's be real, life happens, and sometimes they end up going down an hour, two hours, or even three hours later than planned.
Do both of these things affect how well they actually protect me?

Hey everyone, quick question—does anyone know if it actually works to delay your period using pills? I’m currently on day 7 of my break and waiting for it to start. The problem is I have this massive trip coming up soon, and it looks like it's going to hit right during the last week of my travels 🤦
I was thinking, if I don't start the next pack this Monday like I usually do, but wait until the following week instead, will that push my period back?!?! My doctor is out on vacation right now, so I'm kind of stuck...

crimsoneagle50 said:Hey everyone, quick question—does anyone know if it actually works to delay your period using pills? I’m currently on day 7 of my break and waiting for it to start. The problem is I have this massive trip coming up soon, and it looks like it's going to hit right during the last week of my travels 🤦
I was thinking, if I don't start the next pack this Monday like I usually do, but wait until the following week instead, will that push my period back?!?! My doctor is out on vacation right now, so I'm kind of stuck...

That would just shock your system, and honestly, you wouldn't even be protected, so it isn't really worth it. You're better off just starting the new pack without taking a break at all.

Brenda Hughes2 thanks for getting back to me 🙏 ... so basically, I start a 21-day cycle on Monday, then immediately jump into a new pack on the 22nd... honestly, I don't even use birth control for pregnancy prevention, it's more for other stuff, but still... what does that actually mean? Like, does that mean I won't get my period at all that month or what?! I'm asking because I have to go in for a Pap smear in two months, and I need to book the appointment ahead of time, so naturally, I need to know when my period is coming 🕺

crimsoneagle50 said:Brenda Hughes2 thanks for getting back to me 🙏 ... so basically, I start a 21-day cycle on Monday, then immediately jump into a new pack on the 22nd... honestly, I don't even use birth control for pregnancy prevention, it's more for other stuff, but still... what does that actually mean? Like, does that mean I won't get my period at all that month or what?! I'm asking because I have to go in for a Pap smear in two months, and I need to book the appointment ahead of time, so naturally, I need to know when my period is coming 🕺

That's right 🙂 I didn't get mine at all that month—just some occasional spotting—and then after the second pack, my period came back totally normally during the break.

Querencia thanks a ton for the answer and all the info 🙏😘

Yeah, they’ve actually developed these continuous birth control pills you take every single day of the year—though I’m not entirely certain if they’ve cleared the regulatory hurdles over here in the States yet—alongside the more standard cycle where you take them for twelve weeks and then have a seven-day break, which basically works out to four cycles a year. That second option has been available in the US since about 2016.

If my memory serves, the formula is a combination of estradiol and levonorgestrel.

Hey everyone! 🙂 Quick question about birth control. Can I get all those tests done at a private OB-GYN clinic? I’m assuming it would be way faster than going through the public health system, and I was wondering if they could also write my first prescription, or would I still need to see a doctor at a state facility for that? Honestly, I just want to use them for protection. A condom has broken on me twice in the last two years or so, and I really don't want to take any more risks with that.

Robin Morgan2 said:Hey everyone! 🙂 Quick question about birth control. Can I get all those tests done at a private OB-GYN clinic? I’m assuming it would be way faster than going through the public health system, and I was wondering if they could also write my first prescription, or would I still need to see a doctor at a state facility for that? Honestly, I just want to use them for protection. A condom has broken on me twice in the last two years or so, and I really don't want to take any more risks with that.

You should probably stick to the public clinic to get your referrals—private testing can get pretty pricey 🙂

Last week I was on Belara, which caused all sorts of side effects and just wasn't working for me. Yesterday my doctor switched me over to Claxi—these new liquid pills. It’s impossible to find anything about them online besides the ingredients list. Has anyone here actually tried them or have an opinion? 🙄 🙂

Richard Martinez25 said:Same question here... I was handed those last week too. I spent years on Triquilar, and after taking a break for about a year or so, my doctor switched me over to Softinelle P. He mentioned they’re relatively new to the market—which explains why there isn't much chatter about them online, I suppose. Cheers.

I’ve actually been on these for almost a year now. During my first two cycles, I dealt with some spotting right around when I’d expect ovulation, but everything settled down after that. Lately, though, things have gotten a bit confusing because I missed my period this last cycle. It felt like it was coming—you know that sensation—but then nothing happened, just a tiny bit of brownish discharge one day. I was reading through some threads on the forum saying you might skip a period up to three times a year, and honestly, the fine print on the pill instructions mentions it as a possible side effect too. I don't think I'm pregnant since I take them religiously and haven't touched any other meds, but still... I'd definitely prefer it if my period actually showed up, just so I know for sure.🤣