Scarleteen

So whenever I go on holiday and am due on my period I just carry on a new pack straight after I finished the old one so I don't have a period that month, it just means I'll be heavier the following month. This I have been advised by a doctor.

If I were to do this for another occasion, does it still mean that I am still as protected as I was before (if I were to have sex) or does it mess up any kind of routine?

You still have the full protection of your pill if you start another pack straight away.

The one thing you must do is to take all of the active pills in a pack, one day after another, without leaving any pills out or missing any days. It's important, too, to never leave a bigger gap between packs than you're supposed to.

Taking packs back-to-back can sometimes cause a bit of cycle disruption to some people: for example, you might get some mid-cycle bleeding or spotting. That doesn't make any difference to your contraceptive coverage: so long as you take all the active pills in a pack like you should, and you don't start a pack late, you'll have your pill's usual protection.