Starting Birth Control Pill

[ghostwriter13]

Hi, I've recently gone on the combination pill (Microgynon). I'm on my second week. Since starting the pill, I've noticed that I am hungry more often and that I have to pee a lot more. I am also fatigued and I have mild stomach cramps. Is this normal or should I bring this up with my doctor?

[Heather]

These all sound like pretty typical side effects to me. I'd just ride this out, and if they get more extreme, if you start feeling really bad, or if these go on for more than the next couple months, then I'd check in with your doctor.

[ghostwriter13]

Thank you for your quick response! I would also like to know if it's safe for me to have sex with a condom now that its been 2 weeks since Ive started the pill. Also I'm aware of the chance of pregnancy being extremely low with the pill but I would like to know if this chance is inclusive of the guy ejaculating inside me?

[Mo]

The insert that came with your pill pack should tell you how long it will take for the pill to be fully effective, so you can check that there (or on the manufacturer's website, most likely, if you threw away the insert). Many pills are fully effective at 7 days, although we tend to suggest people wait a full month before assuming full effectiveness, to be extra sure.

In terms of how safe you feel using a condom or not, or having your partner ejaculate in you, it's really down to how comfortable you are with various levels of risk. We have the effectiveness of the combination pill + condoms or withdrawal listed here: The Buddy System: Effectiveness Rates for Backing Up Your Birth Control With a Second Method, if having those stats helps you get a better sense of what you're comfortable with.