silly Qs on the Pill...

Questions questions...


other than taking two packs back to back is there another way of avoiding your period on a particular week? E.g. instead of taking all 21 pills, can I say, take 14 and take a break of 7 days and continue (I know that sounds totally unscientific...)...?


I've also always been puzzled over the 7 day break period...so we've been told if we missed a pill during the 21 day period we might be at risk, then are we at risk during the 7 day break? Should my BF be wearing a condom? The Pill's supposed to work all thru the time you take it properly yes? I'm sooooo lost...


Thanks all...

Basically the pill makes your body think it is pregnant.


The pill supplies the hormones which normally occur during pregnancy and this stops ovulation. This means that if you stop taking the pill after 14 days your hormones drop and you may ovulate - and so could get pregnant.


You are protected from pregnancy during the seven-day break if you have taken all the pills correctly (in order and on time), you start the next packet on time and nothing else has happened that might make the pill less effective (e.g. severe diarrhoea).


There is usually no problem in taking two packs back to back. Many women do this all the time and have just a few "periods" a year.

Claire is right. It is better to take them back to back rather than break and start over. I have done that as well and had no problem, but everyone is different.

I don't know of any other way to manipulate your periods other than through timing it with your Pill dosage. However, the normal Pill is worthless for birth control purposes if you take the active Pills (non-placebo) for less than 21 days and then take a "break." You must take it for the full 21 days (or 21 + 21 + 21).


In fact they now have a no-period BCP called Lybrel. Not sure where it is sold.


http://www.webmd.com/content/article/113/110894.htm


On new BC options (in the US): http://www.webmd.com/content/chat_transcripts/1/100769.htm


A good friend is an ob-gyn. I know she does (3) 21-day Pill packs in a row, before taking a week off to have her period.


Ladies (now for a little soapbox): please be careful about this. If you're not prepared to have a baby, please consider using additional BC, especially if you're younger. Women tend to be more fertile the younger they are. And of course, be absolutely sure that both of you are STD/ HIV-free (and continue to be) before using just the Pill.

You gals are reeeeally helpful, thanks a lotttt...yea I'll try back to back but I've heard breakthru bleeding is unavoidable anyway, or is this another myth?