pill time-change

[spunkyme.livejournal.com]

this is my 1st time ever being on the pill, and for the 1st month i decided i'd take my pill at 3pm. i found this to be a really bad decision and wanted to change the time of day i take my pill.

when i started on the green hormone-free pills, i decided to take them at 9pm instead of 3pm. i figured that would be the safest time to change time. yesterday (sunday) i followed suit and took my pill at 9pm.

so, i am wondering whether or not this changed the effectiveness of the pill at all since you're supposed to take it at the same time daily. i'm not sure if i have anything to worry about or not, but i just want to be 100 percent on this due to my actions tonight.

also! the pill i'm on is Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo.

thank you so much.

Comments

[myfavouritescar.livejournal.com]

It depends on what type of pill you are on. A POP is considered missed after 3 hours, so, changing your time to 6 hours later would effectively make it a missed pill, potentially requiring back-up for 7 days. For a combined pill, it depends on particular brands when it is classed missed and requires back up. Personally I'd use a barrier method for the first 7 days into your new packet.

[spunkyme.livejournal.com]

i'm using ortho tri-cyclen lo. is this completely retarded of me: what's a POP?

[myfavouritescar.livejournal.com]

A POP is a progesterone only pill, Ortho-Tri-Cyclen is a combined pill (ie. it has progesterone and estrogen in it)

[spunkyme.livejournal.com]

ohhh. ok. thank you.

[myfavouritescar.livejournal.com]

You don't really get told when effectiveness starts to decrease. Some doctors will say anything from 15 minutes to 3 hours. However pill manufactuers don't publish that kind of info, just when it is considered missed. I would think that 6 hours is a fairly big change to when you take it, so personally I would use back up for 7 days.

Safe Space Warning-"Retarded"

[geminigirl]

Hi, spunkyme. In the future, it's important to avoid making comments in VP that use the word "retarded" to mean "stupid." We ask that you refrain from using "retarded" in a negative context in VP since it promotes stereotypes and alienates many members of the community. We realize you can't edit comments, so we simply ask that you keep this note in mind for the future.

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(My apoogies though, that I posted the comment twice; I hadn't finished typing all the info in, and hit the return key, instead of the " key, so I deleted and reposted the corrected comment.)

Re: Safe Space Warning-"Retarded"

[spunkyme.livejournal.com]

eep! i'm real sorry!

[cathubodva.livejournal.com]

A POP wouldn't have placebo pills, though.

[myfavouritescar.livejournal.com]

Ah okay, thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't aware of that.

[cathubodva.livejournal.com]

:)

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

Right, but she changed her time when she was taking placebo pills, therefore there was no hormone to take properly or improperly, and therefore she is (and has been) protected.

[mandaryn.livejournal.com]

I actually think you'd be ok, being that you did the time change on your placebo week (which is actually a good idea, getting yourself used to a new time during placebos). Of course, if you'd feel better using back-up or just waiting the 7 days, by all means, it's better to be safe than sorry.

[betterbebalboa.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure, but I think the green pills are the placebo pills? In that case, you should still be protected, because it's safe to change the time you take the pill at the beginning of a new pack (starting with the first active pill), and placebo pills don't factor into the effectiveness of the BC.
In the future, you can also change the time you take the pill by an hour each day until you have it where you want it.

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

You did totally the right thing - the best time to change your pill-taking-time is at the beginning of a new pack (or during the placebos, which have no hormones in them).

Good luck with your 2nd month of pills! :)

[spunkyme.livejournal.com]

thank you! (all of you!)

[br0ken_dolly]

i used to do that all the time, with no oopses :)

i could never find a good time to take them... mornings one month, evenings the next, after work the next.... i was bad. but consistent.

i'm sure youre fine :)