pills effectivity

[neurogirldc]

Hello! I recently started on Diane-35 pills last October 27 (LMP Oct 10) I started it asap because me and my bf were long distance hence I felt like we could have sex anytime soon, but I was able to prevent sex from happening (except give him oral sex) during the first week of my pills. and when we had sex I made sure to put condom first before penetration.

since It was mentioned here that pills cannot fully protect me from pregnancy since I have not been able to finish the first pack, I'm kinda worried apt precum since we used to rub each other for him to get hard before putting on a condom. kinda scared that the pills might not work and I even bought a pregnancy test because im paranoid

[Sofi]

Hi neurogirldc, I see you posted a similar scare just about a week ago, and we explained and reassured you already, so I won't be doing that again. Instead, I can help you manage the anxiety around this. In your other thread, the last response from a fellow volunteer here contained some helpful links for anxiety management. Did you get a chance to read those, or should I send them again?

[neurogirldc]

I've read about them and I keep telling myself I'm fine but I am still anxious. I'm on my pill free week and I still do not have a withdrawal bleed, which is making me more anxious

[mikky]

neurogirldc,
When we're in a really anxious state, telling ourselves "It's fine" usually doesn't help a lot. I think it's okay to acknowledge that you're feeling really scared! And even though the situations you are describing aren't conducive to pregnancy, I can tell that pregnancy is a huge worry for you. You said in another post that you feel like that's likely due to pressure from your parents to be abstinent. I hope you know that not being abstinent is okay. It is normal. We are allowed to feel good and want to feel pleasure and connection.

Are there any particular reasons that pregnancy feels so threatening to you that you'd like us to know?

[neurogirldc]

It was my first time having sex, and I made sure to be safe (pills + condom). plus I am still looking for a job, and I feel anxious as pregnancy is not something in my life goals right now. I have always been afraid of pregnancy due to my upbringing, but I didn't think even after using pills and condom , I would still feel this way. Now I'm freaking out because I don't have a withdrawal bleed yet (tho many sites said it's normal because of the hormones), I can't help feeling I'm always the exception to the norm.

[mikky]

That makes a lot of sense of why this feels like an overwhelming fear. What did you enjoy about having sex? Are there other positives you can hold on to now to help you manage this anxiety? What kind of support do you have around anxiety in general?

[neurogirldc]

I only have my friends to reassure me. For my anxiety, I was thinking of getting help, but I still need to look for a job to support that. I really think I need to get professional help

[Anya]

Hi neurogirldc,

I think that finding a professional to help you manage this anxiety is a great idea. It is unfortunate that services like that often do cost some money, but if you can access the means, therapy or counseling can be quite helpful in this area. Do you feel equipped to find someone yourself or would you like some support from us in identifying search terms and therapy preferences if this is something you'd like to try?