Birth Control question

[ICantThink]

I'm currently on ortho tricyclen lo and it's been working perfectly up until recently. I first got on birth control to help with my PMS because I was constantly angry for no reason, and it really helped keep that all in check. Now I'm starting to feel more like I did when before I started on birth control. I'm moodier, more emotional and I have no actual reason for it, it just happens. So I'm wanting to get on a higher dosage that will maybe put all that back into check again.

My concern is, my boyfriend and I are wanting to try sex with relying on the pill instead of the pill and a condom like we've always done. We're still really sitting down to think about it and still talking about it/our options for if we get worried afterwards etc. and if we decide to, it won't be until March. I'm going to get my dosage changed in a week or two since that was the earliest I could get it. If I change my dosage, and still have roughly a month in between when I change and when (or if) we decide to rely on only the pill to prevent pregnancy, do I have to worry about waiting the three months like when changing to a different birth control or would it not take that long?

[Heather]

You know, since not using condoms really isn't that different than using them -- save that sometimes people get it into their heads that it is, or put some kind of strange emotional meaning on it, like it being somehow more meaningful to take bigger health risks together -- why not stick with them until you get this sorted out for yourself?

It just sounds like something that's making something complicated that otherwise wouldn't be, AND with you having a very recent history here of feeling scared about pregnancy even with two methods, taking away a backup method just seems counter to what is most likely to feel best for you.

Additionally, rather than asking for " a higher dosage" (which actually isn't really a thing, brand differences and formulations aren't really about high vs. low, but about very slightly different balances of the estrogen and the progestin in combination pills, or different synthetic versions of one or both hormones), why don't you instead just let your healthcare provider know what side effects are troubling you, and trust them to use their training and education to make suggestions for you? For instance, if it seems like combination pills are giving you big mood issues, they may even suggest a progestin-only method, like the implant, injection or minipill. Asking for a "higher dosage" simply is not only meaningless, that's you trying to be the doctor, rather than letting them do their job. Make sense?

[ICantThink]

My question is only if there is a waiting period like when you switch birth controls. I got put on ortho tricyclen instead of ortho tricyclen lo so i'm only wandering if I need to wait the usual month or two like if I went to a completely different form of birth control, or if it doesn't take as long and I'll be fine in a few weeks to a month since it just upped the dosage basically. That's my only question and that's the only thing I'm looking for an answer on right now.

[Karyn]

When you're switching pill brands, as long as you don't take any longer than the usual placebo week, the effectiveness should not be compromised.

[ICantThink]

So starting on ortho tricyclen as soon as I get it and going through at least a week or two of it, I should be fine to rely on it?

[Heather]

As Karyn made clear, unless you take longer than a seven day break between pill packs, it's just like it would have been when moving to a new pack when you hadn't switched brands, where you have the same effectiveness the pill can provide every day, without any days where it's lower, unless you make mistakes with how you take your pill, like forgetting to take them for a couple days.

[ICantThink]

I have a follow up question to the switching situation. I switched about three weeks ago and my period should be starting on the 17, going off of when I was on Ortho Tricyclen lo. But this is my first period being on ortho tricyclen. I think my period started tonight, but it's two days early. It's been a long time since I've switched to a different pill so I'm just wondering if it's because of the difference in hormones that it's screwing with when my period starts before it regulates again or if I should be slightly concerned it's something else? I had sex before this happened, and I ended up getting sick one night and left my pills at the house I had been staying at because I was too sick to leave his house, but took it later when I got to them but it was the placebo week. I'm not freaking out worrying that I'm pregnant. I'm honestly leaning more towards it being the switch in the pill, It's just been so long I don't remember if this is normal or not.

I started getting really bad period cramps a week before I was supposed to, so could it just be caused by me switching pills?

[Sam W]

Hi IcantThink,

We can't really say for sure why your period is a little early. You're right that it may be switching brands is a factor. There's also the fact that, even on the pill, your cycle may not always be perfectly regular, because bodies are not machines, so your period may come a little earlier or later than expected.

[ICantThink]

So I shouldn't freak out about it too much since in a way it's normal for some? I don't think I've ever had this happen before that I can remember but it seems like a normal period. I had really bad cramps before hand and it started off bright red but now it's darker, just two days early than usual. My boyfriends slightly worried about it since I missed my pill by a few hours but I always take it on time otherwise. I don't think it's a huge issue and am seriously leaning towards it being the change in hormones from the new pills. Just wanting other advice since I havent gone through this before that I know of. I appreciate your answer Sam W, thank you

[Redskies]

A couple of days' difference either way is really nothing to even blink at, as far as periods/withdrawal bleeds are concerned. If your bleed on the pill has so far always come on the same day of your cycle, it's actually that that's highly unusual! Even the most regular of people will have some variations at some point.

Also, taking a pill a few hours late isn't missing it: missing a pill is when someone doesn't take one at all until the Next time they're supposed to take it. A late pill, with combined pills, is a pill taken 12 hours or later after it was due. Shorter than 12 hours: not a late pill. (Although of course, it's never a good idea to get very erratic with pill-taking, because that makes mess-ups very easy.)

It sounds like maybe your boyfriend would be better off taking a step back from the details of what's going on with your body and pill-taking? It can be a bit stressful if someone's too invested in tiny details about our own body and taking on worry about it!

[ICantThink]

It's never been exact, but I can usually narrow it down to either the day it's supposed to start on the period app I have and it'll end up starting that night or the next morning. This was just something new that I don't remember if it's happened before when I started a new pill because I haven't switched to something new in a long time. It's been pretty normal honestly so I'm not really concerned about it. Having him step back would be great unless there's actually a chance we need to be worried about something. But I don't think there is. This was just more of a "hey, I don't know what's going on I'm going to ask other people who might" thing since asking him would get me nowhere having him not experience any of this personally.

[Redskies]

Would you like to ask your boyfriend to take a step back, and if so, do you need any help with how to have that conversation?

[Heather]

I want to add that if and when a sexual partner who is NOT themselves doing anything they can to prevent pregnancy -- as in, not using a birth control method, too, rather than putting all that on their partner -- them feeling worried should be a cue to them NOT to try and micro-manage the method their partner is using, but to step it up and also use a method (like condoms) they can themselves.

If and when they're unwilling to do that, and also unwilling not to have that kind of sex, then I think it's on them to manage their feelings themselves. After all, THEY are the reason they are having them, and they are the person who could be making different choices so they can feel differently, but they're not.