Questions on contraceptive pill

[Berry124]

Ok thanks ok yeah I had done that for my other periods for the past four cycles before going on the pill. I was wondering if the pill could have caused my bleed to be seven days long, as I have recorded the past four and they were all four to five days and I had variousamounts of stress and weight change (due to ibs) and those periods were still four to five days, they haven't been seven in about six months, would this be the pill making it last longer, if so is it due to the extra synthetic hormones being put into my body as this is the second month I am taking the pills and started Friday.
The again.

[Berry124]

Oh another thing I wondered, was that what would the effectiveness rate of th pill be when someone takes antibiotics for ten days until the end of the pill strip, I just wonder because they say it 'lowers' the effectiveness but was told it stops it completely and I am just generally wondering this as there's misinformation out there, only trust you guys. Does it stop the hormones from getting to your pituitary gland to work because I only started the pill last month then I got scarlet fever bad and had to take two lots of antibiotics one lot of which I finished the same day as I took the last pill in the pack. Then I had to take antibiotics again as it hadn't quite gone and this was Monday, day four of my pill free week and my bleed started the same day. I don't want the antibiotics to have mucked up the hormones that get to my pituitary gland as I've just started and don't want trouble with my body adjusting to the pill.

[Berry124]

I am having bad headaches since last wednesday should I keep taking the pill I am also getting burst blood vessels under my skin and last night woke up with very painful stomach pain and upset, could this be the pill? I am also having sharp pains like ones I get before a period, although I do get them other times randomly. What should I do? I dont want to make myself ill and im on the second strip, taking the fourth pill tomorrow, I didnt have any headaches this bad last month and these headaches start when I get up and move around and drinking doesnt help or extra sleep or eating. Could it be my blood pressure?

[Mo]

We really can't know what's causing any of these symptoms because we can't diagnose or examine you over the internet, but if you're concerned about it you could give your doctor a call. They'd be the ones to call with any questions about medications or medication interactions as well.

[Berry124]

Ok thankyou, ive just realised that im seeing my doctor thursday to check on how I am doing with the pill and to arrange things for my anxiety(had to wait a month for it :/ )

[Mo]

Since you've had to wait a while for this appointment, and there's a lot that you've brought up between when you made the appointment and now, maybe you'd find it helpful to take some time in the next day or two to physically write down all the questions you have for the doctor. That way it's less likely you'll get back afterwards and realize you forgot to ask something important.

[Berry124]

Ok thank you thats a good idea

[Berry124]

Hi, since Wednesday last week my breasts have been hurting in the same place where they used to on my past birth-control-free-cycles and its got worse since starting my second strip of pills. Today they are really painful especially my left and im getting sharp pains in them the same time I did last month after taking the pill for roughly five days which didnt stop till I got to my pill free week, is this my body still adjusting to the hormones? If so wouldnt my body be used to it by now as its more painful this time than when I first started? My question is how long would it take to get used to the extra hormones being put into my body? Its really painful and I have a bad cold that makes my whole body ache so that may be making it feel worse.
thx

[Heather]

Again, Berry, the best place to START with questions about any medication you are using is with whoever has prescribed them to you. Same goes with who to take reports of sharp pains to.

In general, however, it often takes people a few cycles of pills for them to get in the groove of them, and for any side effects that came up from the start to simmer down. But severe pain of any part of your body is always something to bring to a healthcare provider, rather than to the internet.

[Berry124]

Ok I said to my doctor last week and she said it was normal but like alwaysgI felt worse after seeing the doctor.

Ok so would that be after say the thirdor fourth strip?

I just want to add that I have been given forms to fill in and hand in about councelling for my anxiety so im not far from getting help.

[Heather]

If you don't trust your healthcare provider, I'd suggest asking if they can refer you to someone else. Truly, it's great you like and trust us, but we can't be anyone's doctor, and what a doctor has to say about severe pain is pretty much the only sound word on it. So, if you feel like you need to ask us because you don't feel good with them, that's a cue you probably should try and seek out a different doctor.

I don't know what you mean by "strip." A cycle of pills is usually 28 days long. So, a few of those cycles.

(I thought your anxiety intake appointment was this Thursday?)

[Berry124]

Well I guess I don't but she didnt seem bothered and I mean my pack of pills, I have a 21 day cycle one its called Gederel. My cycles are hardly ever 28 days and last year were only that two or three times and have been as long as just 21 days before before I started the pill.

No I went to discuss it with the doctor back in December and she sent me away with a leaflet when I already expressed to her I dont want to use drugs, I then had to wait till after Christmas and the New Year to go back topsee her to 'discuss' what I would need and this week she gave me the forms to get me into the system. Sorry if what I said didnt make sense but Ipdid say somewhere on here that I had to go back to discuss options. Also I had a bad bacterial virus (scarlet fever) so couldnt see the doctor before Christmas as I was like a walking, burning tomato and in pain.

[Berry124]

If you took EC would you still continue taking the pill the new day on wards?

[Heather]

Those using the pill properly would have no need to take EC, as the pill is more effective, and already does what EC does and then some (EC only contains one of the hormones combined oral contraceptives do, which is a big part of why it is less effective).

But in the event someone missed pills and used EC, yes, they would continue taking their oral contraceptives as directed.

[Berry124]

Ah ok, oh really? I read on my pill leaflet that it says to double up, is that because it i more effective at preventing ovulation compared to ec? If ec contains less hormones to prevent ovulation than the pill, then someone who was on the pill, would only need to take it if say they missed one or more pills,threw up or had stomach upset before the pill could have been absorbed? I didn't know that, that's really interesting (im such a geek, apologies).

[Heather]

Your pill leaflet would not advise someone using the pill properly a) use EC or b) take more than one pill per day. Perhaps what you are looking at are the instructions when someone misses pills?

Really, someone using combined oral contraceptives would have no need to use separate EC just because of missing one pill, or throwing one up. Instead, what that person would do is instead make up the pill they missed.

[Berry124]

Oh no sorry I worded that wrong, I meant when someone needs to double up because of the pill, I don't take two a day. I meant what you put about doubling up when missing a pill, sorry. Oh yeah, sorry I kind of didn't realise an had a dumb moment :/ So the combined pill and ec both prevent ovulation? And as they both do prevent it, the combined is actually more effective, because of the hormones, I et it now.

[Keda]

I'm a bit late here, but my experience is that feeling like your doctor is really listening to you and taking on board what you have to say can make a big difference to how well cared-for you feel, regardless of whether you actually think they're wrong or not doing a good job medically. So if you're not feeling like that with your current doc, I'd totally agree with Heather that it'd be a good idea to try seeing someone else. You can even call the same surgery and ask for an appointment with anyone except Dr X - the receptionists should understand that sometimes a doctor and patient just don't gel that well together.

[Berry124]

I haven't had the need to see a doctor in a while, however I will ask to see another if they are in when I get to the doctors, which doesn't really happen.

[Berry124]

Just a general query here: Is it normal to get PMS still when your on the pill? I thought it kept your cycle in a certain stage so you wouldn't get PMS as you haven't ovulated? I started getting PMS Saturday (when I would have taken my sixth pill earlier that morning) with slight breast pain and still have it and now have two more pills left to take. I don't understand how you can get PMS when your cycles stopped? (im guessing its PMS and nothing else like injury etc as I havent injured myself and have just two pills left to take before my pill free week)

[Snorkmaiden]

I believe we talked about that before, right here http://www.scarleteen.com/bb/viewtopic. ... t=25#p5973.

[Berry124]

Oh you did yeah, I searched through this post and scanned through it as I was looking for that answer and I must have missed it silly me. -"The pill does not overwrite your normal cycle completely, so PMS symptoms can happen when you're taking it. That stays the same no matter how long you've been on the pill."-so is this why they say the pill is a 'effective, irreversible method', as it influences your cycle instead of overwrites it?

[Berry124]

Also with the overriding bit, would that explain why every few weeks I get more discharge like I used to before I started the pill? I just wondered as its weird as today the amount of discharge was increased.

[Snorkmaiden]

No one says the pill is irreversible. It can be reversed easily: you stop taking it, you become fertile again. Maybe you misread?
People say it's effective. That's because it is.

The changes in your discharge could very well be because your body is getting used to the pill, and settling in, so to speak.

[Berry124]

Oh yh reversable I meant sorry. I always used to get heavier discharge few days before I had periods and bleeds tho so I dont think its the pill :/ also with the pms its stopped now so thats odd with one more pill left, is that normal like for people who are and arent taking the pill?