Questions about the birth control pill

[Fender909]

My doctor prescribed me last Friday with a birth control pill. She told me to start taking it the Sunday after my next period. I don't know much about what exactly she prescribed me, except that it is the lowest hormone dosage.

Anyway, I have a few questions/worries.


• Will it hurt the process of puberty (as I am 15)?

• What is the likeliness of increased anxiety and depression? I've already been putting up with a lot of it on my own and really don't want more.

• Will withdrawal bleeds be missed just like periods would if you become pregnant?

• Are there any long-term effects or harm done by birth control pills?

[Fender909]

Thanks in advance.

[Sam W]

Hi fender,

So, the best person to direct those questions to is the doctor themselves. However, you may want to check out this piece as a starting point for basic info about the pill (it also has links to content with more detailed info):
Combined Oral Contraceptives (The Pill)

[Fender909]

Hi guys,

I've been taking the pill for almost five days now. I just have a couple questions about storage.

I've been storing my pills in my bedside drawer. That's okay, right? I know you are not supposed to store them in a very damp, hot or humid environment and that they should be stored at around room temperature. But is there anything very important and specific I need to know?

Another quick question: When I'm out/busy at the time I need to take my pill, is it okay to take them with you? And if you are carrying them with you, in a purse or backpack per-say, is there a specific or smart way to do that? Or should you be taking them with you at all?

[Fender909]

Also, I have my bedroom window's open 95% of the time. Is this an issue if they are outside of my drawer for a long amount of time?

[Johanna]

Your bedside drawer sounds like a good place for your birth control. You really only need to be concerned with temperatures in situations where the pill would be exposed to extreme tremperatures for long amounts of time, such as leaving your pills in the car in the summer for a long time when it is really hot out.

As for taking the pills with you - that is perfectly fine also. You just want to be sure to store them in such a way that the package does not get damaged.

[Fender909]

Thanks Johanna! That answers everything perfectly. : )

[Fender909]

Couple more questions. These are still pertaining to my birth control but if you guys would like me to start a new topic just say so. : )

So, should I definitely expect my period as soon as I'm on the sugar pills? What should I expect in terms of periods or withdrawal bleeding? I have a little over one week until I start the sugar pills and I just want to have an idea. Would it be normal to not a have a period this time because my body is getting used to the hormones?

Also, with water retention, what can I do to limit that or prevent it while still taking birth control? Any tips?

Thanks once again.

[Karyn]

No need for a new topic, these are related questions so no worries.

Your period should arrive at some point during the sugar pills, but most people find that it doesn't arrive immediately - it often takes a few days for your hormone levels to drop enough to trigger that bleed. And it's normal for it to take a few months to get regular with that; you may not have a withdrawal bleed but there's no way to know for sure. If you don't have a withdrawal bleed for a couple of months in a row though then it's a good idea to check in with your doctor. After a few months, your body will settle into a pattern and you'll have an idea of when in the placebo week you can expect your withdrawal bleed, what your flow will be like, that kind of thing.

Per managing water retention, most people find that if they do have any issue with that it's very minor and temporary. But if you experience it, you'd want to deal with it the same way you would with water retention caused by anything else: making sure to drink plenty of water and making sure you're not consuming excessive amounts of salt.

[Fender909]

Thanks so much Karyn. : )
Have a great day/night!

[Fender909]

So my step mom told me that the horomones in birth control taper off towards the end of the pack to mimic a regular cycle, so your body can tell when your period is about to come. Is this true, and if so, where can I get more information on it?

[Johanna]

Have we given you this link yet, Fender? How do birth control pills really work, even during the placebo period?

[Fender909]

I just read through it. It was very informative, but I'm still wondering if each pill contains a slightly different amount of hormones. Because getting a lot of PMS symptoms, but I'm just wondering how my body knows my period is coming if I never even ovulated.

[Heather]

It depends on the kind of pill you are using.

Some pills are monophasic, meaning the pill is the same every day. Others are tri-phasic, meaning that there are three different formulations with your pills, cyclically, that all contain slightly different combinations of hormones. Most combined oral contraceptives (versus minipills/progestin-only pills) are tri-phasic.

Again, too, remember that the pill influences cycles: it does not completely override them. Too, don't forget that even for people who are not on the pill, people can still have menstrual periods even when they skip ovulation sometimes.

[Fender909]

Oh! Thanks, that helped a lot. You're rad, heather.

I'm on the combination pill named "Falmina." I took my second placebo pill today and still no period. My belly is bloated and keeps doing weird twitching nonstop. It's not painful. Just a bit unnerving. It's very noticeable, but I'm trying to ignore it. It happened right before my last period too.

I got with my old therapist again! I'm seeing her on Wednesday.

[Fender909]

What should I do if I don't get my period at all when I'm on the placebo pills?

[Sam W]

Hi Fender,

Keep taking the next pack as directed and see what happens. Although it sounds like you're having symptoms that tend to come before your period, so it might arrive soon.

(also yay! on being able to see you old therapist )

[Fender909]

I know! I was pretty excited about seeing her again.