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| I am taking my pills continuously and want to avoid my period during vacation. Am I still protected? #638/12 |
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Hi, I stay on my birth control pills (Ocella) 3 packs at a time (with my doctor’s approval), as I get bad PMS. During the second week of my second pack, I started spotting. Generally once this starts, I wait until I finish a pack of pills and then stop taking the pills for a week, so I can have a period or the spotting will just continue on. However, because I'm going on vacation next week, I decided to stop at the end of the current week so I would have my period before vacation. I took my last pill Saturday (pack 2), end of week 2. My boyfriend and I had sex the next day (Sunday AM). Am I still protected, or should I start taking pills again today (Monday)? I've been on this continuous usage schedule for over 5 years (3 packs on, 1 week off). So it seems like I would be, but still feel nervous for some reason.
Thanks for any insight you can give.
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What you are doing makes lots of sense.
And good news, YES sex that Sunday was protected. |
Please do us a favor and keep us posted and have a nice vacation!
Her email reply on 6-22: “Thank you! That’s reassuring.”
Did you have a nice vacation? What happened about the spotting?
Her email reply on 7-14: “Hi! Thanks for checking in. Everything is fine. I stopped the pills for a week and had my period, then resumed with a Sunday start. No more spotting and everything is going well.
Thank you so much for your help and insight! Regards.”
To learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of all birth control pills, go to our website: www.managingcontraception.com and click on
Choices. You can also order this wonderful new educational book from our website or by calling 404-875-5001. Do you have your copy yet?
Key Words: birth control pills, Ocella, bad PMS, spotting, period, vacation, continuous, sex, nervous, sense. protected
Posted 6-25-2012, Updated 7-10-2012, Updated 7-14-2012
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Robert A. Hatcher MD, MPH
Professor of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Emory University School of Medicine
Atlanta, GA
---2012-07-15
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The directors and owners of this website and any publications and information concerning health matters offered here advise a person with a particular problem to consult a primary-care clinician or a specialist in obstetrics, gynecology, or urology (depending on the problem or the contraceptive) as well as the product package insert and other references before diagnosing, managing, or treating the problem. |
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Suggestions, recommendations, questions, comments, data from the literature, interpretation of laboratory tests and other information provided on this site are for informational purposes only and are not intended to be relied upon as advice from or implied to be a substitute for the professional advice of a physician, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, counselor or other healthcare professional. Always seek the advice of your clinician or other professional for any questions you may have regarding your health, medical condition, method of birth control and other family planning or personal/social issues. Periodic references to costs of birth control methods on this website are estimates only and your actual cost for any specific method of birth control may be more or less than the stated amount. Emory University School of Medicine, Bridging the Gap Foundation, and Bridging the Gap Communications Inc are not responsible for any damage or loss you may incur as a result of your use of or reliance on any material or information provided through this website.
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