Birth Control Options

[treschicgeek]

So, I got birth control pills for the first time today that were called Alesse or something. But my question is, when are you supposed to start it? Do you start the "Active" pills the day your period is finished? Or just start them on the first Sunday? Thanks for the help.

[karmakiller]

Your doctor should've talked to you about this (did the doctor skip asking you questions about your health history and not discuss side effects with you either?). And if your doctor didn't then you should've talked to your pharmacist about it. There's also a packet of information that comes with the pills.

But..

You will take your first pill on the first day of your period or on the first Sunday after your period begins (follow your doctor's instructions).

[hypnotique]

There are several ways to begin taking The Pill. One common way is to start on the first day of your period or the first day after an abortion. Some women prefer to start on the first Sunday after they begin their period or the first Sunday after an abortion.

http://www.fwhc.org/birth-control/thepill.htm

[iDecay]

^ Abortion? Lol wut?

You can really start them anytime. The Sunday thing is just there so you can easily keep track of them. (I found that to be very helpful since I don't have to worry about starting a new pack in the middle of the week and getting confused.) It's recommended that you either start them the Sunday after your period ends or the day it starts. And remember it doesn't kick in until a week after you start taking the pill.

Oh and word of advice, make sure you take it at a time that is convenient since you're going to have to do it everyday at the same time.

[karmakiller]

^ There are some types of BC pills that contain different amounts of hormones as the month progresses. I'm not sure if her BC does that, but I just thought I'd throw that out there.

[FizzyMilk]

your doctor should have told you.
my doctor told me to wait until the sunday after my period.
it could be different with the different kinds of birth controls.
i'm on quesense or something like that which is the one where you only have your period once every three months. but you should definitely call up your doctor and assssk.


also.
doctors and stuff are super anal about taking it at the same time every day.
don't be too worried about it. I take mine a couple of hours early sometimes so i don't have to take it to the movies or a concert or something. a few hours isn't going to make a difference, but it's good to be on a schedule. i've been on mine for 2 1/2 years or so and automatically at 9:30pm I take it. :)

[Just_Dream]

Dang, I was never good with timing (always on Asian time, ya'know). I used the NuvaRing for about 6 months because I was bad at remembering when to take stuff, lol. I ended up quitting BC usage because it messed me up in a bad way ;/


You're just supposed to take it around the same time because if you don't, you may be unprotected. Those pills usually only have a 24-hour protection on them, so if you're sexually active, then it's important that you stay on schedule.

As for starting when you want - eh, it's different for different BCs, it depends on the dosage. If you're using the combo pill, your body will be used to it after a week, so you should be fine. For me, I was told to wait ~2-2.5 weeks before actually dismissing usage of a condom. Definitely contact your doctor about it - better safe than sorry! ;D

[*makeup-teddy*]

I found it easier to start the first sunday after, much easier imo :) x