Scarleteen

I had a bit of an upset stomach so I took Rennies (antacids) about an hour and a half a after I took my birth control pill (microgynon 30 - 21 pills) and continued to take them when needed for rest of day, will this affect the effectiveness of my protection? I read my microgynon leaflet and it doesn't say anything about antacids and my Rennies leaflet doesn't say anything about birth control pills but I've heard from another source that antacids can affect birth control pills, is this true?

Hi Allybannsiders,

You can read all about the things that do (and do not) affect your birth control here: Something You Can Worry About Less: Interference and Hormonal Birth Control
A handy rule when trying to figure this out is that, if you do not see an item listed, that generally means it does not pose a risk of compromising your birth control.

Drugs that affect gastric pH: Antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and H2 antagonists, used to treat GERD, interfere with ella, a particular brand of emergency contraception. Another kind of EC should be used for people who take these drugs.


Does this mean it only affects Ella? Or antacids affect birth control pills

[quote="Sam W"]Hi Allybannsiders,

You can read all about the things that do (and do not) affect your birth control here: Something You Can Worry About Less: Interference and Hormonal Birth Control
A handy rule when trying to figure this out is that, if you do not see an item listed, that generally means it does not pose a risk of compromising your birth control.[/quote

Drugs that affect gastric pH: Antacids, proton pump inhibitors, and H2 antagonists, used to treat GERD, interfere with ella, a particular brand of emergency contraception. Another kind of EC should be used for people who take these drugs.


Does this mean it only affects Ella? Or antacids affect birth control pills

Ella is a specific type of emergency contraception, and not the same as regular birth control pills. When looking up information about medication, you want to look for information that's about the specific type of medication you're taking, not other types of medication that may be similar. And as Sam said, if you don't see an item listed in the piece she linked (and your pill leaflet doesn't say anything about antacids) then you can assume that it isn't a problem.

Karyn wrote:Ella is a specific type of emergency contraception, and not the same as regular birth control pills. When looking up information about medication, you want to look for information that's about the specific type of medication you're taking, not other types of medication that may be similar. And as Sam said, if you don't see an item listed in the piece she linked (and your pill leaflet doesn't say anything about antacids) then you can assume that it isn't a problem.

Sorry, I was just wondering from the wording of the link, does that mean that Ella EC is affected by antacids and not normal birth control pills? My leaflet doesn't say anything about antacids nor does the antacids leaflet say anything about hormonal birth control.

Yes, that means that Ella EC is affected by antacids. Normal birth control pills are not affected by antacids. (Would it help if we made that clearer in the article?)

Karyn wrote:Yes, that means that Ella EC is affected by antacids. Normal birth control pills are not affected by antacids. (Would it help if we made that clearer in the article?)

Thank you!
Yeah I think if it started off with Ella EC is affected by etc etc it would be more clearer.
I read antacids first and automatic panic strikes

I can see how that would be confusing! We'll figure out a clearer wording and make that change.