Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

I don't quite follow—did your gynecologist not clarify whether you need to start them on day one of your period or sometime between days one and five? They definitely should have mentioned that your protection level is reduced. Honestly, it’s a bit irresponsible not to have read the instructions before starting them. Of course there's now a chance you could be pregnant.

So, I went ahead and asked the pharmacist at CVS, and here’s the deal—those pills actually start working from the very first day you take them, regardless of when you start... the only catch is that you really need to kick them off on day one of your period just to make sure your cycle stays on track. At least, that's what she told me...
Now my period isn't due for another 21 days... I'm just praying there's absolutely no chance I'm pregnant, since I did take them!

copperranger4 said:So, I went ahead and asked the pharmacist at CVS, and here’s the deal—those pills actually start working from the very first day you take them, regardless of when you start... the only catch is that you really need to kick them off on day one of your period just to make sure your cycle stays on track. At least, that's what she told me...
Now my period isn't due for another 21 days... I'm just praying there's absolutely no chance I'm pregnant, since I did take them!

They do work starting from the first day, provided you take them on day one of your cycle.
All of these types of pills function that way.

By the way, I hope you aren't pregnant.

What pills actually work if it isn't Viagra?

CILEST

copperranger4 said:CILEST

I take it, and honestly, you have to wait at least a full day after starting them before drinking anything else. Besides, you really ought to be using extra protection.

How did you miss that in the instructions?

Well, my gynecologist didn't actually say that...😢

copperranger4 said:Well, my gynecologist didn't actually say that...😢

That’s exactly why they include instructions with the pills.

Problem. I always take my Cilest between 10:20 PM and 10:40 PM, but I just took it now (11:30 PM). Tell me it'll still work; I'm totally spacey even though my alarm went off earlier to remind me. Does that hour difference actually matter?

Benjamin Robinson3 said:Problem. I always take my Cilest between 10:20 PM and 10:40 PM, but I just took it now (11:30 PM). Tell me it'll still work; I'm totally spacey even though my alarm went off earlier to remind me. Does that hour difference actually matter?

It works. You don't need to be precise down to the second.
As long as you're within a six-hour window, you should be fine. 🙂

Oh, thanks so much. I already caused quite a panic earlier 😬

Does anyone here actually drink Triquilar? And can I get away with lighting up two cigarettes a day alongside it? (I'm 36)...

Technically, you can smoke while taking birth control, but it’s definitely not recommended. You might not feel any immediate effects, but because smoking significantly ramps up the risk of blood clots, doctors advise women on the pill to stay away from cigarettes. Even if it's just two a day, it's not nothing; at the end of the day, you know your own body best. If you decide to smoke, you'll be the one to notice if any changes occur—or if they don't.

I’m 24, and I’ve been on the pill for several years now. At one point, I was also smoking about half a pack a day. I didn't experience any major issues, and honestly, I haven't noticed a massive difference in how I feel since I quit, either. But still, it’s just not a good idea.

She probably didn't mention that I should start taking the pill on the first day of my period since I had an abortion
but—she did tell me I wouldn't need any extra protection, nothing at all... and then I come on here and read all your posts that do nothing but scare me!

I don't get you, seriously. 🤷

How old are you? Your gynecologist doesn't need to explain every single little thing to you; there are things you should just go out and research on your own.

So, you didn't even bother reading the instructions? Do you realize it's standard practice to read the fine print before taking any medication? It tells you what not to mix it with and what the side effects are. That way, if something actually happens, you aren't left guessing what caused it.

You really should have started taking those pills the moment your doctor prescribed them—like, that very same day.
There are basically two ways you can play this.
1) You wait until your next period starts and take the first pill on day one of your cycle (that first day of bleeding).
Until then, just abstain or make sure you're using a condom.
2) Or, you could just start taking them today, but even then, keep using condoms until your period arrives.

If you’re worried about being pregnant, go grab a test from a local pharmacy first to be sure.

Look, you're seventeen. Take a breath, try to stay calm, and approach intimacy with a bit more maturity. Once you do that, just focus on being responsible.

Honestly, looking back, I know it was pretty irresponsible of me—and it’s not even that I didn't check the instructions, it's just that I didn't read them all through because my gynecologist told me I could start the pill right away and that my period would show up after about 21 days... I even asked her if I needed to use extra protection in the meantime, and she said no. So, anyway, I don't know... what are the actual chances of me being pregnant if I took the pill on Thursday and Friday, then had sex on Saturday—and he didn't even finish inside me? Also, if I go out and buy a test now, I have no idea if it will even be accurate since it's only been three days...

A pregnancy test isn't going to tell you much right now. Even if you were pregnant—which, let’s be real, is unlikely—those tests look for a specific hormone produced by the placenta. It usually takes about two weeks into a pregnancy before there’s enough of that hormone floating around in your urine for a test to actually pick up on it.
Since it's a bit fuzzy where you are in your cycle, there's another factor to consider. If you were in your ovulation phase about two weeks after taking the abortion pill, even if conception happened, the fertilized egg wouldn't be able to implant in the uterus. The medication you took changes the uterine lining, making it pretty much an inhospitable environment for implantation to take place.
If I were you, and just speaking totally candidly, I’d strongly recommend that you just ABSTAIN from anything until you get your period.😁

copperranger4 said:Honestly, looking back, I know it was pretty irresponsible of me—and it’s not even that I didn't check the instructions, it's just that I didn't read them all through because my gynecologist told me I could start the pill right away and that my period would show up after about 21 days... I even asked her if I needed to use extra protection in the meantime, and she said no. So, anyway, I don't know... what are the actual chances of me being pregnant if I took the pill on Thursday and Friday, then had sex on Saturday—and he didn't even finish inside me? Also, if I go out and buy a test now, I have no idea if it will even be accurate since it's only been three days...

I'll tell you one thing: there are all kinds of gynecologists out there, and you shouldn't treat their word like gospel.

My advice is to actually go educate yourself. An abortion should be a hell of a lesson; don't put yourself in a position where you make the exact same mistake twice.

Between the internet, libraries, news... it's honestly depressing that someone doesn't know the basics regarding contraception, sex, cycles, and stuff like that. And I don't just mean this specific topic—I mean in general. You have way more access to information than most of us did at your age, so go learn something.

Laura Mendoza said:Technically, you can smoke while taking birth control, but it’s definitely not recommended. You might not feel any immediate effects, but because smoking significantly ramps up the risk of blood clots, doctors advise women on the pill to stay away from cigarettes. Even if it's just two a day, it's not nothing; at the end of the day, you know your own body best. If you decide to smoke, you'll be the one to notice if any changes occur—or if they don't.

I’m 24, and I’ve been on the pill for several years now. At one point, I was also smoking about half a pack a day. I didn't experience any major issues, and honestly, I haven't noticed a massive difference in how I feel since I quit, either. But still, it’s just not a good idea.

Thanks!!!
Got high FSH levels and have to be on meds for three months. I'm a smoker too, and honestly, quitting cold turkey feels like a massive uphill battle... but I know I have to do it.