Taking birth control out of the package

[nokatprotested]

Okay so this morning I couldn't get my Mononessa BCP out of the plastic package, so I removed the insert (the part that holds all my pills) and popped the pill out. After breaking the blister seal, I realized it was a pill from Saturday of my week 3, not Wednesday of week 1. After realizing this, I put the pill back into its spot and took my pill for today. Is it okay for me to take the pill tomorrow that I accidentally removed today? Also, if I choose not to do that for the sake of keeping my pills labeled by day so I keep them straight, could I leave the week 3 pill in its spot, even though it's not sealed, until it's time to take it? I mean, does the fact the pill is sealed/unsealed affect anything? Thank you!

[Sam W]

Hi nokatprotested,

I believe you should be okay taking the unsealed pill tomorrow (I wouldn't leave it until week three mostly because that increases the chances of it getting squished.) However, if you're concerned, you can call your pharmacist to make sure.

[nokatprotested]

Thank you! I ended up just taping a piece of an index card to the part of my pack that I accidentally opened, just so the week 3 pill wouldn't fall out. I really didn't want to get my days out of order (for the sake of remembering if I took my pill, ya know?)
For future reference, could I take all of my pills out and put them in a different container for easier carrying starting with my next pack? Not that I'm ashamed of taking BCPs, but it does start a lot of trouble when I pull out the little package EVERYONE thinks is a sign of me sleeping around (when in reality it's just to regulate my hormones. Ugh!) So, is it okay to take the pills out of their package or do they need to be in their sealed blister package?

[Redskies]

It's always better to leave medication in its original packaging, both so that you can be sure it's in its proper condition and there's no chance of anyone mixing up one medication for another, and - with a one-a-day like the pill - you can see easily what you have and haven't taken for any particular day.

There is another good option that's especially useful for people who have to take a lot of medications: there are plastic compartmentalised medication storage containers, with one little compartment for each day or for each morning, afternoon and evening. That sounds like it wouldn't be helpful for you, though, because those things are bigger than a pill pack. If you're needing to take your pill in private, you can probably figure out a way to do that pretty easily in nearly all situations - for example, you could go to the bathroom and take your bag with you, and take your pill there in private. You could also store your pill pack in another small container or fabric pouch, so that if people see your belongings, they're not immediately seeing your pill pack.

I'm sorry that you've faced assumptions and judgement about taking the pill - that's not okay of people It's never okay to make assumptions or judgements about anyone else's medications or medical needs! Do you need any help with what to say to those people or how to handle those situations?

[nokatprotested]

Thank you so much for your help, and yes, what are some ways to reply when people freak out about seeing me with my pills?

[al]

One example of a response that comes to my mind is to be straightforward about it - if they ask you about it or make a comment, you could say something like, "People take contraceptives/birth control for a lot of different reasons, and I don't think it's appropriate for you to comment on my medical choices". Something like that (worded in whatever way you'd feel comfortable with) could make it clear that what they're doing is invasive and pretty rude. It's absolutely something that you shouldn't have to go through - no matter the reason for which someone is taking birth control, their personal choices shouldn't be up for debate. I'm sorry you've experienced that!

[Stephanie]

Also know, it's okay to let people know they should not make assumptions about anyone's medical needs or reasons for taking any medication. In addition to what Al said (which I think is great) you can let them know that they can research reasons (including things like acne, period length, heaviness of periods, missing periods, etc.) But for sure, if you wanted to use a compartmentalized container as Redskies was talking about (you can get them at the drug stores) that is marked Monday through Friday and you can pre-set the pills to their days so you know for sure you took each one on the right days, that's perfectly okay too- may make less questions.