Taking Birth Control Pills out of the Blister Pack

[celticswan]

Hi again everyone!
I just had a quick question about the birth control pill. I've been on the pill for about 7 months now and have always made sure to take it about the same time each day (never varying more than 2 hours) so I think I'm pretty close to a perfect user in the regard. However sometime I take the pill out of the blister pack and put it into a plastic bag to take with me when I have to go out during the time I normally take my pill. I've done this a few times during the time I've been on the pill and never gotten pregnant or had a scare or anything like that. However recently it's become very inconvenient to take my pill at my usual time (6pm) and I almost always have to take the pill out of the pack to take with me ( I want to change the time I take it to 7am but I'm waiting for the end of my cycle which is in 2 weeks) and I was wondering if taking the pill out of the pack makes it less effective? If it does I will definitely look in to another back up method. My partner and I are already using 2 but I want to be extra sure I wont get pregnant. Thank you in advance!

[Heather]

The issue with that would be about bits of the pill getting rubbed off: that's what the blister pack prevents. But if you do that with two bags, winding the first around a pill to really cushion it, then put it in a second bag, you should be all good.

One backup method, btw, is really all that's ever needed, because two methods do the most methods can do. Adding a third or fourth just isn't likely to increase protection in any real way.

[celticswan]

So as long as i make sure the pill isn't getting rubbed off too much I should be good? Would a pill box work better?

To clarify because I think I worded it incorrectly before, we are using one back up; the pill and then withdrawal. If me taking the pill out of the blister pack was really affecting the effectiveness I would have asked my partner to wear a condom for the rest of the cycle (or at least 7 days) as well.

[Heather]

The point is that if it's rolling around in a baggie (and then what's the baggie rolling around in? A purse or pocket?), it is going to be. So yes, a pill box would work better.

Again, one backup is fine. Withdrawal is one of the two least effective and most easy to mess up, so personally, I'd suggest switching to something more effective and less prone to messups like condoms, but any backup is still going to amp up your effectiveness a lot.

[celticswan]

Okay doke, I will adjust my packaging of the pill accordingly. Thank you!