Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Yeah. 🙂 I'm done asking questions this Thursday, but I'll get my answer next Tuesday.

redpanther26 said:I've already tried Yasmine, and I was wondering if there's any way to pick some up at a local pharmacy without a prescription?

No, you can't. In my experience, when I get my prescription filled, they actually note down the exact date I picked them up every single month on the back. It’s quite thorough. Plus, once six months have passed, the pharmacist always makes sure to ask if I've had my blood work done recently—apparently, I should be getting those checked every six months just to stay on top of things.

silverwolf38 said:Are you from NYC? Which pills do you use?

Yeah, I’m from New York, which I suppose is clearly stated in my signature if you bother to look. 🙄
And honestly, what exactly gave you the impression that I’m currently popping pills? Was it just my handle?

If you’re asking because you’re planning a little reconnaissance trip to that specific pharmacy, I wouldn't call that particularly brilliant.

Still, looking at the reality of things, I suspect it really could happen—it mostly depends on which drugstore you stumble into, who happens to be behind the counter, and whether they actually enforce those rigid policies about not selling certain stuff without a valid prescription. I’m not saying they already had her details logged in the system; I grew up in a small town, so I don't know, I’ve never even seen the girl. I’d wager she probably just showed up on a whim thinking, "Hey, maybe they'll give this to me," and then... well, she could have given them any name, any address, for all we know.

Yeah, they write it down on the prescription. They didn't even bother asking if I'd actually done the blood work yet—but whatever, the script just stayed sitting there at the pharmacy.

Grace Jones3 said:Yeah, they write it down on the prescription. They didn't even bother asking if I'd actually done the blood work yet—but whatever, the script just stayed sitting there at the pharmacy.

😲😲😲

This whole situation is entirely unprecedented for me. Up until March, I was on Celestol. That was a year-long prescription. And in all that time, never—and I mean never—did the folks at the pharmacy ask me anything beyond the script itself, nor did they ever scribble notes on the back or try to hold onto it once it expired. They were actually quite relaxed about it; they’d tell me that if it had lapsed by just a tiny bit, it wouldn't be an issue. Now, I tend to be quite meticulous about these things, so I wasn't exactly pushing my luck, but if I had wanted to, I could have easily built up a little stockpile. Honestly, I think I could probably use that old prescription to buy medication over in Canada too.

Oh, and as far as blood tests go, my OBGYN only sent me for them once, right at the start of the medication ten years ago. After that, I started insisting on them myself, but he’d always insist they weren't necessary unless there was an actual illness present. Well, in the interim, I’ve developed hypertension so significant that I’m practically a prime candidate for a stroke or a heart attack. So, I had to toss the pills. Even though he maintained I didn't strictly need the testing, I knew better. And I’m done taking them, precisely because of that. Besides, I'm flying solo these days, so there’s really no point anyway.

Right now I’m on Logest, but honestly—even when I was taking Celest—it’s the exact same deal. They write the date right on the packaging, which is basically just some loophole to stop you from double-dipping or hitting up two different CVS locations to get extra. 🤷 Though, if you're clever, I think you can still snag two boxes at once. 🤔 This whole thing started back when there was that massive panic over Yasmin and all that drama... And when my Logest prescription expired last month, they just kept the paperwork sitting there at the pharmacy. Oh, and by the way—that prescription actually works in Canada, too.

The Yasmin scandal broke back before March of this year.
Well, who can truly say? I just used to buy whatever was available at the time—honestly, I don't even know if I ever happened to visit the exact same pharmacy more than twice. Life was a bit scattered back then; I’d be working in one city, living in some tiny third town, and seeing a partner in a fourth... so, I suppose I never bothered to keep any records. What you're saying makes sense, though, and frankly, it’s how things ought to work. But then again, that isn't the reality everywhere.
So, based on what you're saying, you walk in, pick up two three-month supplies, and they immediately log the prescription, right? That sounds logical. Or is it possible to just grab two one-month boxes at a time?
I'm genuinely curious, as I mentioned, because this is all news to me. Even my colleague, who deals with Yasmin, tells me they never record anything under a prescription.

Honestly, I have no clue how the system works—I only ever grab one box a month. You can obviously buy more at once, but I don't know if they just log the date for next month's refill right then and there or what. I usually stick to my local pharmacy, like the one over by the Samobor clinic, but sometimes I'll just swing by the CVS in the shopping center or a Walgreens nearby in town, and they always log it. I even picked it up at a King Cross pharmacy a couple of times, and yeah, they still kept track of the date.

Honestly, I suspect the issue stems from the fact that I’ve always sourced my pills in much smaller towns, so I suppose anything goes in those local pharmacies.

Anyway, just to illustrate how small-town life really is—after I finally finished my course of medication, I went into a local drugstore to ask if they carried LH testing strips, and the woman behind the counter just looked at me blankly and asked, "Of what?" And that wasn't even the end of it. She actually added, "Ma'am, I don't think that even exists."

God... Yeah, unfortunately, there are tons of little towns just like that.

I suppose I should address the elephant in the room—though, given the current state of things, the elephant might be more coherent than most of the discourse here... If we are going to engage in this particular brand of digital theater, can we at least aim for a modicum of decorum? It’s exhausting, really—trying to maintain a sense of order when everyone seems intent on shouting into the void without a second thought. I’ve been watching the threads unfold—slowly, of course—and it strikes me that we are all just performing for an audience that isn't even listening. It’s a bit tragic, isn't it? All this energy spent on trivialities... as if the world actually cares about our collective indignation. Not that I’m judging—I certainly have my own flaws to contend with—but there is a certain predictable rhythm to these arguments that feels almost... rehearsed. Anyway, I shall remain here, observing from the sidelines with my usual level of skepticism. Don't mind me... I'm just waiting for something actually worth the effort... kaže:
Are you absolutely certain they aren't away on vacation...? 😬

It’s been three—or maybe four, I can't quite recall exactly—weeks now that I've been grinding away at this, trying to pull it off... and honestly, I'm starting to lose my disbelief. 😁

Grace Jones3 said:Yeah, they write it down on the prescription. They didn't even bother asking if I'd actually done the blood work yet—but whatever, the script just stayed sitting there at the pharmacy.

Are you serious? They never even asked me. Not even when I went down to Florida for vacation and picked up two packs. I'm on Yasmin.

I haven't really gotten into that kind of stuff yet, but I’m planning on it soon. Before that happens, though, I want to get some facts straight about birth control pills. I definitely want to be on them, but I’m feeling super awkward about bringing it up with my mom—she’s pretty... conservative? On top of that, I have diabetes, so I have zero clue if that’s going to mess with anything. I tried digging for answers online, but honestly, I came up empty. 😳 I know a trip to the gynecologist is on the cards (this would be my first time, by the way)... But is it actually smart to just jump straight onto the pill? And how do I even break the news at home? It’s not like I’m thirteen; I’m eighteen... but in my house, we just don't talk about this stuff. Given how things are with my family, I’d eventually have to mention it—I’m at the doctor quite a bit, and I’ll probably need to let them know I’m taking them. Sorry if I’m totally off-topic here. 🙈 Any advice is welcome. 🙂

Look, you just go see your OB-GYN, lay it all out there—they’re gonna send you for some tests anyway, so just bring up the diabetes thing. My doctor mentioned they might put you on something like Logest—she told me those are mostly prescribed when dealing with diabetes or specific issues because the dosage is low. Anyway, talk to the specialist and let them handle the details.

And as for what's happening at home—why should they even need to know? 🤷 You don't owe them a single word.

I stopped taking my birth control pill over a month ago. However, my period hasn't shown up at all. It was supposed to arrive a few days ago according to my schedule. Should I just wait it out and see if it comes, or is the standard procedure to head straight to the gynecologist?

Taylor Smith3 said:I stopped taking my birth control pill over a month ago. However, my period hasn't shown up at all. It was supposed to arrive a few days ago according to my schedule. Should I just wait it out and see if it comes, or is the standard procedure to head straight to the gynecologist?

Hang tight, it’ll come. 🙂
It took me a good few months just to get my cycle back on track after I stopped. 🙂

Brian Mitchell44 said:Hang tight, it’ll come. 🙂
It took me a good few months just to get my cycle back on track after I stopped. 🙂

On another note, I fully intend to stay on the pill moving forward, but since I don't have a partner at the moment, it felt unnecessary to keep it going, so I arranged a three-month break with my OBGYN. If it doesn't return within those three months, should I reach out to him then? 😁 Honestly, I absolutely despise the waiting game—having to worry about wearing light colors or constantly relying on pads. Plus, the bloating is unbearable. Ugh. 😠 Birth control really is a game changer.

Taylor Smith3 said:On another note, I fully intend to stay on the pill moving forward, but since I don't have a partner at the moment, it felt unnecessary to keep it going, so I arranged a three-month break with my OBGYN. If it doesn't return within those three months, should I reach out to him then? 😁 Honestly, I absolutely despise the waiting game—having to worry about wearing light colors or constantly relying on pads. Plus, the bloating is unbearable. Ugh. 😠 Birth control really is a game changer.

Well, when it finally arrives, what exactly is there to worry about? 🙂
During my first year, everything was such a chaotic mess; my cycle was completely unpredictable and the cramps were just insane. But now, after three or four years, things have finally leveled out (well, except for the pain—that's still hanging around, but I've learned how to deal with it).🙂

It’s totally normal—honestly, back when I stopped asking Yasmin about it, I went a month and a half without getting my period, and I was losing my damn mind. 😬

It isn't exactly a matter of concern, though I wasn't quite sure if I’d have to head over to the local pharmacy to pick up some Dabron or something similar if it didn't arrive soon. It isn't as if I'm sexually active, so there isn't really any reason to be worried about anything. 🙈