posted
So the other day I dropped my pill, much to my chagrin. Those little suckers are tiny and hard to find, and I couldn't find mine, so I progressed on to the next one.
Just wondering, though, what do I do now? Continue with the whole cycle shifted over one? (It was one of the first week's pills.) Can I take an extra day on the sugar pill week to even it out again so the days synced up to before? Or should I be substituting in one from a new pack and be forever one behind?
Admittedly a small part of the problem is that I'm a little OCD sometimes and I'd been all pleased that I landed a Sunday start when I first began, and now it's off-kilter and I don't like it. :C I like things being orderly. xD
Posts: 86 | From: Canada | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
Any time you lose a pill like that (or throw up just after taking it, or your pill is otherwise compromised) you need to make it up by taking a replacement one as soon as possible. (It's handy to keep a spare pack around for that reason, if you can.) You do need to make up that lost one, but since it's been a few days, you might want to check in with a pharmacist about the best way to do that.
In terms of maintaining your effectiveness, though, it's important to remember that you can't extend the placebo week and still be fully protected.
-------------------- "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." -Arundhati Roy Posts: 5347 | From: Canada/Australia | Registered: Sep 2004
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It was Wednesday night that I lost my pill, so I went ahead and took Thursday's. I've been taking Friday's pill on Thursday, Sat's pill on Fri, and so on and so forth. Does that not constitute as a replacement?
Also because the amount of hormone is different in the pills and I just started a new week's, it means I'll only have had six of the .18 mg norgestimate instead of seven. Essentially every day I'm taking tomorrow's pill instead of today's. Should this be perpetuated?
That all said, if I decided I wanted to completely skip a day of pills to get the schedule to match up again at the cost of complete protection, when during the month would be least detrimental?
Posts: 86 | From: Canada | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
Skipping ANY active pills, at any time, puts the effectiveness of your pill at risk. So, if you're sexually active and are taking the pill to prevent pregnancy, in any cycle where you miss a pill and can't make it up -- where NO pill winds up being missed that's an active, not a placebo, pill -- then for that cycle, ideally, you want to use a backup method.
To my knowledge, while there are times in a pill pack it's worse to take a pill LATE than others, it's equally problematic on any day to miss an active pill entirely.
-------------------- Heather Corinna, Executive Director & Founder, Scarleteen About Me • Get our book! Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. - Margaret Mead Posts: 63699 | From: An island near Seattle | Registered: May 2000
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posted
And if I take eight days for my placebo period instead of seven, that would be effectively missing the first active pill of the new week, I suppose?
I use backup methods anyway and am still paranoid about that anyhow, ha, so. It may be that I'll just skip a day and then be particularly careful or abstain for the next few weeks or something...?
It's not detrimental, protection aside, to skip a dose of hormones like that, is it?
Posts: 86 | From: Canada | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
Extending the placebo period by a day is essentially missing the last dose of your current pack, or the first day of the new pack, yes. If you're going to do that, or skip a day at some point in this pack, you'll want to use a backup method of protection for the rest of this pack of pills (including the placebo week). Or, obviously, you can avoid the kinds of sex that can result in pregnancy entirely until you're back on track with your pills, whatever you're more comfortable with.
It won't have any impact on your health to skip a pill.
-------------------- "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." -Arundhati Roy Posts: 5347 | From: Canada/Australia | Registered: Sep 2004
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-------------------- "Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing." -Arundhati Roy Posts: 5347 | From: Canada/Australia | Registered: Sep 2004
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