What happens if I miss a pill?
We all get busy and sometimes remembering to take the pill is at the back of our minds - until it's 4am and that light goes off! "What do I do now?"
Panicking about missing a pill all depends on which one you forget to take. The "active" pills may not be as effective in preventing pregnancy if you miss the first few or last few pills in a pack. If you miss the "reminder" pills there's no need to worry because this is when you get your period - although, for peace of mind, don't be afraid to use a back-up method like a condom.
What to do if you miss your "active" birth control pills
- Take the pill as soon as you remember then take the next pill at your usual time. Unfortunately this means you may have to take 2 pills in 1 day and you may experience nausea.
- If you miss 2 active pills in a row in Week 1 or Week 2 take 2 pills on the day you remember and 2 pills the next day. Then follow through with 1 pill a day until the pack is finished. Pregnancy may not be prevented if you have sex during the 7 days after you restart your birth control pills. Use a condom or another method of non-hormonal birth control as a back-up for those 7 days.
- If you miss 2 active pills (in a row) in Week 3 there's two things you can do and those depend on when you started your pack. If you started on Day 1 of your period throw out the rest of the pack and start a fresh one that same day. If you started your pill pack on a Sunday keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day. You may not get your period this month. Here again the risk of pregnancy is high so use a condom or spermicide for the first 7 days after you start taking the new pill pack.
- If you miss 3 or more active pills in a row (during the first 3 weeks) and you started taking the pill on Day 1 of your period throw out the rest of your pack and start with a fresh one that same day. If you started your pill pack on a Sunday keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day. You may not get your period this month. Here again the risk of pregnancy is high so use a condom or spermicide for the first 7 days after you start taking the new pill pack.
- If you forget to take any of the reminder pills in Week 4 just throw out the pills you missed. Keep taking 1 pill each day until the pack is finished.
Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, birth control types (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase birth control on-line. For more information on types of birth control call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
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posted by BirthControlBuzz @ 9:24 AM
63 Comments:
Ok I have a question if anyone has an answer:
I am relatively new to the birth control thing. I have been taking Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for a month now. Well my period came 2 days before I was supposed to start the placebo pills, therefore it will end only a day into the placebo pills (my period is usually short)
So should I continue with the rest of the 6 placebo pills or start a new pack instead of even starting the placebo pills?
The reason for this is my boyfriend is coming in a few days and I want to make sure we are as protected as possible. So if I am done with my period but still on the placebo pills won't it be similar to skipping a pill therefore making me more susceptible to pregnancy??
Thanks!!
"So if I am done with my period but still on the placebo pills won't it be similar to skipping a pill therefore making me more susceptible to pregnancy??"
It's not similar to skipping a pill. If you are taking the Pill correctly and consistently everyday you are 99% protected. I think it would be best for you to keep taking your reminder (placebo) pills then start your new pack as usual.
If you don't feel confident about being protected use a secondary birth control method like a condom or spermicide.
Hopefully that helps!
i have a couple of questions. first, does cipro react with BCPs at all? also, i skipped 2 pills in my pack around the 14th day of the pack. i've read that that is around the time a woman ovulates. when i'm off the pill, i have the most irregular period. so when i'm on the pill do i ovulate regularly? i'm wondering if my odds are high of getting pregnant. i've had sex twice with no backup method during this week of the 14th day. thanks!
That did help thank you ! I just kept taking my placebo pills and voila.. I'm safe and baby free. hehehe. Thank you for your advice ! :)
Anonymous from Sept.06/07 - First off sorry it took so long to reply. There are certain antibiotics which doctors say can cause decreased effectiveness. Antibiotics that are listed as interfering include:
Rifampin
Penicillin
Amoxicillin
Sulfonamide
Ampicillin
Cotrimoxazole
Tetracycline
Griseofulvin
Minocycline
Phenobarbitol
Metronidazole
Nitrofurantoin
Cipro doesn't appear to be on the list but that doesn't mean it couldn't still affect your birth control. It's always better to be safe than sorry. Use a condom or spermicide during the run of your antibiotic and make sure to continue for one week afterwards.
I took the first grey "active pill" a few hours late, because i forgot to pick up a new pack. Later that week, after taking the pills at the correct time each day, i had sex. We were using a condom, but it broke ad we never finished. Later on, we went at it again, this time without a condom, but he pulled out before he came. The next morning, i woke up late and took the pill a few hours late. I was just wondering if this could cause me to get pregnant?
Ok so I'm on the pill. In Nov of 08 I forgot to take it for 3 days in the 2nd week and got my period. On the first day I got my period I had unprotected sex. I have gotten my period every month since, and have take 1-2 HPT's every week (I know obessive) and they are all negative. I have also been to the doctor in Feb. Would I be in the cleaR?
If you've had your period every month since last November, and all the home pregnancy tests have come back negative (plus the test administered by your doctor), then it's probably safe to assume you're not pregnant.
Of course, if you still feel uncertain, make an appointment with your doctor for another test.
I take my pills in the morning when I wake up and I start each pack on Sunday. I forgot to take it Sunday, Monday, and then didn't remember Tuesday's until later in the day. So I took all 3 at once. This was the week right before I was supposed to start my sugar pills (week before my regular period). On Wednesday I got my period (a week early). I kept taking my pills for the rest of the week, and then on the following Sunday instead of taking the sugar pills I started a new pack. Today when I got home from work I bled and still am a bit now. Am I getting my period twice and is there anyway to stop it? What should I have done different? (not including missing the 2.5 pills)
It sounds like you did the right thing by continuing on with a new pack. If you are getting your period twice (although this "second" period may just be light spotting), I don't think there's a way to stop it. You'll have to let your body get back on course - which it will - by taking your pills everyday as usual.
If they don't resume, please don't hesitate to contact your doctor or a healthcare professional at your local walk-in clinic.
:-)
what happens if i dont have the pill with me and i have had sex and got cummed in. am i goin to get pregnant
There is a chance you could get pregnant. You may want to look into getting the morning after pill for your local Planned Parenthood clinic or pharmacy. Performing a pregnancy test will also give you an answer.
I've been taking Ortho-cyclone for about 2 months now. And all month I haven't missed a day. At the beginning of the month is was a little rocky, but other than that I've done fine, taking them every night at 11 to 11:30. Then the other day, I missed my very last pill, right before I'm supposed to start my sugar pills. I ended up taking my last pill on Sunday instead of Saturday. I was supposed to start Sunday, but I haven't started yet (the same thing happened to me last month, but I did terrible on taking them last month). Can missing one pill, even my last day, throw off my period a little? Or is there a high chance I'm pregnant?
That's a good question. If you've only been taking it for two months your body is probably still adjusting to the new hormones, so your period being a couple of days late may just be an outcome of this.
However (and this is not meant to scare you, just inform you), the pill is 99% effective only when taken correctly and consistently. If you had sex the same day you forgot to take your last active pill I would take a home pregnancy test just to be sure.
:)
Thank you. I have a friend who has been taking birth control for over a year and she said that she always starts her period three days after she ends her actual pills. So that made me feel a little better.
Ok, I have been on the pill for a few years now and very good about taking them. I am on my fifth day of my period, basically done with it, and I had sex with my bf today. Tonight was my night to start a new pack of pills. My mom was going to pick up the prescription with hers, but forgot to because she was babysitting for my niece. She is going to pick them up tomorrow. Will I be fine?? Should I take both pills tomorrow - the one I missed today as well?? Thanks!
Take the "forgotten" pill as soon as you can, then take the next pill at your usual time. You'll probably feel pretty ill seeing that you're having to double up, but by taking them on the same day you're getting your routine back on track.
hello i have a question
i have never missed taking my pill in the last 2 years. and then today i took it (and i rememeber taking it yesetrdau for sure) but i realised i must have forgotten to take it one day this week because the days are differnt. i should be at my monday pill but i'm at the sunday one. i can't remember which day i missed. should i just keep taking them regularly or take an extra one today???
I have been on birth control for about a year and a half now and I forgot to take the first pill in my new pack on Friday night. I realized it on Saturday night when it was time to take that one. I didn't make up that pill on Saturday because I didn't even think about having to do that. I have never missed a pill by a full 24hrs. It is now Monday and I didn't make up that pill because I am not sure about it now. What should I do? Take it now or just forget about that pill and go on with the pills as usual?
Hi, i missed two pills and then came on my period... is this normal?? as i only had my period last week!!
My pill question...I was on the pill less than a month. Stopped taking the pack when I got to the placebo pills and never started a new pack. Expected my period a week ago, and pregnancy tests are negative. Could skipping the placebos actually delay my period?
i took my pill on the satuday night.. had sex the sunday night then took another pill sunday night.. will i be protected.. please help..
From the sounds of things there were no pills missed - you should be ok.
I have been on the pill for about 2 years now. I decided to skip my period by not taking the placebo pills and starting my new pack. Well i still got my period when i started the new pack. I still continued to take the active pills even though i was having my period. After my period ended i had sex with my boyfriend and didn't use a condom. He didn't cum in me but i am sure there was pre-cum. When it came time for the placebo pills i took them but didn't get my period like i was supposed to. I took a test and it was negative. I had to stop taking birth control for insurance pourposes. i don't know what is wrong? I still haven't gotten my period. am i pregnant or beings i am not taking my pills anymore making me not have it. I have heard it takes a while sometimes to get your period after being on the pill. SOMEONE HELP PLEASE!
Okay a few questions,
I'm leaving to visit my boyfriend in a week and I am scheduled to have my period the first few days of my visit. What would happen if I didnt take my sugar inactive pills (I'm on YAZ) and just started a new pack? OR if I skipped taking, say, two sugar pills and began a new pack? Would any of this make my period come sooner? or skip? If not is there any way I can make it so that my period will come sooner? Please reply, i appreciate it!
I have just changed fors of birth control. From the nuva ring to the pill (microgestin). Usually with the nuva ring the off week your protected... and I guess I wasn't paying attention when the doctor was explaining it... but I took my last pill this past friday... and started placebo pills on saturday. i had unprotected sex on saturday and sunday. i took plan b yesterday night... Is it a high risk i could get pregnant???
Please help!
Ok i start my new pack of pills each month on a sunday. My period ended on friday so was waiting till sunday to start my new pack. i had sex with my boyfriend on saturday night which was fine as it was the last day of my 7 pill free day (and i no u cant get pregnant on those days if pill taken correctly which i have been).
However i had sex with my boyfriend on the sunday morning, the morning i was meant to start my new pack. I started the next pack as soon as i got home and will obviously carry on taking it everyday. But i am woried that i got pregnant in the morning just before i started my new pack of pills in the afternoon.
So my question is can i be pregannt if i had sex on the morning i was meant to start my new pack of pills, even if i started the pack later that day. is this possible pleease help
I start my new pack of pills on Sunday each month. I had sex with my boyfriend on the Sunday mornin before I started my next pack later that day. Could I have got pregnant ? My period ended on the friday so i was waiting till my seven pill free days were over , i no you cant get pregnant on these free days if he pill had been taken correctly which i had because i got my period, but sunday was like the 8 th day when i was meany to start the new pack but i started them after i had had sex that morning. Obviously I will carry on taking the pills every day just worried I got pregnant that morning so taking the pill later that day was pointless because I was already pregnant. Please help.
ok, so i have been on birth control for about 5 months now but i forgot to take my pills for like a week, or longer, and i had sex lasst night, it was for like 4 minutes, and he didnt cum.. but. im scared i could be pregnant!! help me!
Okay so I forgot to take an active pill last night and had sex the next day and took 2 tonight. I've been on birth control about a year. What are the chances of getting pregnant?
Ok so I start my birth control on Sunday's therefore when I couldn't get my birth control until Wednesday I waited until the next Sunday. Will a week without any birth control mess up my period. I don't take it for protection but acning so I am not concerned about that. Will I miss my period? I am almost half way through the placebo and it hasn't started.
i have a question
i have never missed taking my pill in the last 2 years. and then today i took it (and i rememeber taking it yesetrdau for sure) but i realized i must have forgotten to take it one day this week because the days are different. I should be at my Tuesday pill but I'm at the Monday one. i can't remember which day i missed.I started my period a week early also. I also had unprotected sex on Saturday, what are my chances of being pregnant? should i just keep taking them regularly or take an extra one today??
Anonymous said...
i have a question
i have never missed taking my pill in the last 2 years. and then today i took it (and i rememeber taking it yesetrdau for sure) but i realized i must have forgotten to take it one day this week because the days are different. I should be at my Tuesday pill but I'm at the Monday one. i can't remember which day i missed.I started my period a week early also. I also had unprotected sex on Saturday, what are my chances of being pregnant? should i just keep taking them regularly or take an extra one today??
Hey Annonymous,
You should be fine because you have been diligently taking the pill for two years. Just to be safe, you should take a pregnancy test.
Hi I have been on the pills for the last 3 years and rarely missed pills. I usually start my packs on a saturday and the last month has been more stressful that I forgot 2 pills in a row in the second week of active pills and only realized it on the day after. I didn't take 3 pills but I just continued with the rest of the pack. Me and my partner did have unprotected sex once in the following week. My period was suppose to start every monday on the 7 day pill free week but it didn't. I tried a HPT on the 2nd day of missed period and both the tests are negative. Could I still be pregnant? what should I do now? I haven't got my periods yet!
hey everyone!
i had unprotected sex friday night and he came inside me. i missed my pill the next day, saturday, at 5pm. i can't take my missed pill until around 2pm on sunday, and then take my regular pill at 5pm. so im taking two pills in one day.
should i be worried about pregnancy??? should i take an emergency contraception??
I HAVE A QUESTION!!!
CAN SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE???
so i just started taking birth control so i wouldnt have my period on my vacation to miami 2 months later. so i am finishing up my 1st month of taking them but on one of the days i dropped 1 of my pills so i skiped that day with no pill and continued taking them the next day. a week before my placebo pills i got my period and it has continued for 7 days straight (which is abnormal cuz its usually 4-5 days max) should i take the placebo pills or start another pack???
THANK YOUU
I take Ortho tricyclin Lo and have been taking it for about a year now. I went on spring break saturday back to my parents house and realized that I left my birth control at my house at school! my boyfriend was going to bring it up for me tonight and i just got my period again.
I was just about to finish up my first week of pills. my starting days are sunday which is the end of my period. I had taken the first 6 pills and now have missed 2 in a row. Now it is monday and i am waiting for the pack. Should i just take the 2 pills right away when i get it or do i have to start a new pack since i got my period? i am soo confused please let me know! thanks!
i lost my birth control pills and my other pack is at school. I had been having sex with my boyfriend while i was taking the birth control then i lost it and we havent had unprotected sex since... am i protected from the times we did have sex because i was taking the pill then or because i stopped is there a chance i could get pregnant from having sex the day before i lost my pills?
i am taking the pill yasmin and i had run out of packets but wanted to skip my period, so i continued on with the pills left over in the 'green row' (the ones at the very beginning) then when i ran out it took me 2 days to get another packet,
i got my new packet and took one as soon as i got it (because i'd missed 2 days..i wasnt sure if i should take 2 at once cos i wasnt sure of the effects.. that would of meant 3 in one day) and another at my usual time that night,
its been about 3 days now of taking them usually and for the first time im getting 'spotting' like what u get at the begging or very end of ur period.
what does this mean? should i continue taking the pill and how long will this light period last:(
So I've been taking YAZ for a long time now and quite regularly. I forgot to take my pill on Monday and took two on Tuesday but my boyfriend and I had sex without a condom so we decided to take the morning after pill just in case which I took on Wednesday morning. But then we had sex without a condom again on Thursday night (early Friday AM) and I was wondering if I could get pregnant from that night? I finished my pack for the month and I'm just wondering because Friday starts my placebo week and I didn't know if that does anything to me. Thank you!
Dear Annonymous,
If your period does come on the Friday or Saturday, then you should be safe. Just to be sure you can take a pregnancy test three to four weeks later.
Remember, if you do forget to take a pill, take it as soon as you remember that day. If you don't remember until the next day, skip that pill and continue taking the pill as per your daily dosing schedule.
I just started taking Aleese. I am finishing my first week and I accidently took one of my placebo pills instead of a regular one. I took a regular birth control pill right after to stay on track. Was this the right thing to do? Please help!!
i have a question..
i have been taking birth control for about three months now and i have been taking them everyday but i was supposed to start my active pill today (sunday april 12) but i didn't because i forgot to get it refilled... i ended up having unprotected sex and wonder if there is a chance i could get pregnant?
Dear Anonymous,
There is a chance that you could get pregnant. Make sure you fill your prescription before the last week of your current set of pills to make sure you won't miss a pill.
At the moment, you can wait and see if your period comes next month, and if it doesn't, take a pregnancy test. Or to be safe, you can take a morning after pill today.
Dear Anonymous,
As long as you have taken the regular birth control pill you are fine. Just make sure you skip a day when you are on your placebo pills so you are back on track when you start your new pack.
I missed the first 4 pills in my pack. on the 5th day I took all the missed pills. Then I missed a pill in week 3. I have had unprotected sex. are my risks high for pregnancy?
Dear Anonymous,
It is best to speak to your doctor about this situation and get a pregnancy test to make sure.
I've been out of the country for the past month, and forget tofill my perscription. i am supposed to sart a new pack today(sunday)
I will be able to fill it tomorrow. if i double up my pills tomorrow, will i be safe for this month?
Dear Anonymous,
Taking two pills and then continuing with the pack should be ok. Just to make sure, consult with your doctor about it and take a pregnancy test.
I have been on yasmine like 7 years ok I didn't take it tues and had sex Mon and tues and didn't pull out so I took two pills on wed for ties and wed suppsed to start period Sunday? My stomach hurts am I pregnant ?
I have a question. Ive been on birth control for just over a week. 8 days to be exact but I missed one two days ago and started my period today but its not due for another two-three weeks. Is that normal?
Hey, I have been taking the pill for 4 months now and when I went back to my GP I had to wait another 5 days on top of the 7 day break off the pills I'm suppose to have.. I then had sex the day after I started again, but now I stopped my packet 4 pills early and still havnt 'come on' after 4 days from the last pill I took,
Could I be pregnant or is it just because I stopped takin them early so my body is 'confused'?!?
Any answers would be a great help, thanks x
Dear Amanda,
Because you just started to take birth control pills, you need to diligently take the pills more or less the same time every day. When you stop taking the pills your body thinks that it is time to menstruate. Just try to remember to take your birth control pills everyday so you won't get your period. Every time you miss your pill you increase the risk of pregnancy so it is very important to take your pills everyday.
Dear Annonymous,
It sounds like your body is confused. When one or more pills are missed, the risk of pregnancy is high. Every time you stop using the pill, make sure you use back up contraception (ie.condom). Also, whenever you have sex and then miss several pills afterwards, it is usually recommended by your doctor to use emergency contraception. Speak to your GP and let him/her know your situation and he/she would be able to tell you what to do.
i just started the ortho tri-cyclen pill to regulate my periods so i can get pregnant. so is it true that if im taking the pill and miss one day i will get pregnant? and how long do i have to take it before that happens?
Dear Anonymous,
Majority of the girls taking birth control is to prevent themselves from getting pregnant, so if she does miss a pill there is a chance that she will get pregnant. She might be lucky and not get pregnant.
If you are trying to get pregnant, being on the birth control might not be a good method. Please speak to your doctor for alternative methods to help you get pregnant.
If you are on birth control to regulate your periods so that in the future you can become pregnant, being on birth control is the right method.
For more information, please speak to your doctor so you can be informed of the methods to regulate periods, to become pregnant and to prevent pregnancy.
I have a question i started taking this pill last month so after i finished my first pack i changed time because iwas taking them at 11 and i usually forget so npw i moved to eight is that going to affect me in anyway.
I have another question after changing time i slept with my husbenb 3 days after is it safe or is it possible that i can be pregnent
Dear Anonymous,
Moving the time is fine. As long as you are still taking it everyday around the same time.
My 16 year old daughter is on the pill because of heavy bleeding and irregularity. She started a new pack last Sunday (10 days ago), she took 1 pill and "forgot" to take the last 9. What should we do???
so during the school year, i had been taking my pills at around 7:30am everyday, but once summer came around i began taking my pills at around 10:30 each day, now my bf is pannicing because he read that if i switch times, then the pill will not work becasue it lowered my hormone level, even tho i am now taking it at the same time everyday. Am i highly likely to become prego?
Anonymous said...
My 16 year old daughter is on the pill because of heavy bleeding and irregularity. She started a new pack last Sunday (10 days ago), she took 1 pill and "forgot" to take the last 9. What should we do???
02 June, 2009 12:15
Dear Anonymous,
Throw away the pack and start all over again.
Anonymous said...
so during the school year, i had been taking my pills at around 7:30am everyday, but once summer came around i began taking my pills at around 10:30 each day, now my bf is pannicing because he read that if i switch times, then the pill will not work becasue it lowered my hormone level, even tho i am now taking it at the same time everyday. Am i highly likely to become prego?
Dear Anonymous,
You are very diligent with taking the pill everyday and at the same time everyday, you will not get pregnant. Changing from 0730 to 1030 will not make a difference at all.
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