Birth control pill free interval!

[Alwaysasleep]

Hi everyone!

I would like some help.

So I'm on Levlen ED at the moment which is a low dose monophasic OCP. I have been on it for quite a few months.

This month I haven't been very good with taking my pill. I missed one pill earlier on without remembering when it was until I saw my pill packet days later and made up the missed pill. I was advised I didn't need to take the EC by my treating doctor. Anyway, so I became super paranoid about taking the pill and long story short went to a clinic to get information and book in for mirena IUD insertion the next month. They did take a pregnancy test (middle of 2nd week active pills) and that was negative.

Anyway I got my withdrawal bleed this month but I'm not too confident with it due to the anxiety surrounding what happened.

I am on day 4 of my sugar pills and wanted to know if I should try and start the whole LEvlen taking process again...because of my mess up last cycle. I read somewhere that if I shorten my pill free break it will help prevent ovulation. But also that if you start taking OCP within the first 5 days of a menstrual cycle you will be protected without requirement of additional contraceptive barriers.

I know that the withdrawal bleed isn't actually a period. So then I don't know if it works the same I.e this is the 4th day I'm on sugar pills will I begin taking Levlen active pills tomorrow? Or is this method not applicable to someone already on OCP and thus I shouldn't bother with shortening my pill free interval.

I know that sounds confusing but I just want to start fresh and know I'm in a good position next cycle even if it means shortening the pill free interval. Until I wait to get the mirena IUD.

I have had full 21 doses of active pills before the sugar ones

Note: I'm in a stable monogamous relationship and we don't use condoms. We are both clean (checked for STDs)

Thank you for any help

[Sam W]

Hi Alwaysleep,

In general, the way to insure the pill remains effective is to keep taking it like normal, since it sounds like the missed pills were a while in the past. You may want to consult your pharmacist or doctor again if you have more specific concerns about how to continue it in the most effective way.

If you're still anxious about pregnancy prevention in that time period, the easiest thing to do is to back up with condoms for another layer of protection.