Pill angst.

[havefaith]

Okay, I feel like I ask a lot of birth control questions, but here we go...

 

How the HELL do people deal with time changes. Daylight savings has caused me so much angst!! I've been so confused. I take my pill at 7:30 AM, and then we set the clocks ahead, and I'm thinking, okay... now 8:30 is really 7:30... so I started taking my pill every day at 8:30. Thinking back on it that was probably kind of stupid. People are telling me one hour off is fine anyways, but is it okay that I changed the time like that??? Is is this enough to mess up the pills?

 

Even if it does mess them up (which I hope it won't!!), my boyfriend and I use condoms every - single - time. Seriously, we are religious. So I was just wondering 1. If I did the right thing by moving my time to an hour ahead 2. If anyone thinks this will mess up my pills and 3. if anyone knows the real "time slot" that you have for taking your pill on time

 

THANKS ALL - much appreciated

[RayKay]

Daylight Savings Time has no effect, unless you are on the mini pill (progestin only). A combined pill is not technically considered missed until 12 hours later (but I do not recommend that!)

 

Generally you are fine taking it within 3 hours as a time window, 2 hours is better, 1 is best.

 

I was on pill for 10 years and would take it anywhere from 9 pm to 12 or 1. Generally they were at 10, but there were days they weren't.

 

So no, an hour won't mess up the pills at all. But it was not necessary to move it either in the first place

[michelemybell]

Hi havefaith,

I think that it is good that you are being overly cautious with birth control. I remember being the same way when I was younger and unmarried!

What kind of pill are you on? I'm on the low hormone pill (the name escapes me right now) where you have to take it at the same time every day. Even with this pill, you can be off within a couple hours. . There are other BC pills where you can take it with more flexibility.

With daylight savings time, the one hour difference wont affect it. If you travel to a different time zone, you will have to adjust the time you take it.

If you feel that it's a problem to take the pill at scheduled times, you should really look into other birth control methods (such as the patch).

[RayKay]

I will however speak against the patch, or switching too much if you find something that works for you. There have been new warnings about the patch as it releases 60% more estrogen into your system which is a higher risk for some women for clotting, hormone sensitivities and cancer risk. And honestly, I know some women whom had great emotional distress on it...

 

Switching too much can cause havoc on your body and endocrine system! I am coming off the pill now and realizing just what an impact it has!

 

It does not sound like you have a problem taking it on time, just you are worried you are not being vigilant enough...which you are

[Jorus Cbaoth]

You can adjust the pill an hour +/- whenever you want to. It won't mess them up. Just take it the same time every day. You can be up to two hours off depending on the brand. If you use condoms as well, then you have nothing to worry about. The pill is 95% - 97% effective, again, depending on the brand. Condoms are in the high 90's percentile as well. With both you won't get pregnant.

[annie24]

Doctors tell you to take it at the same time every day, not because an hour here or there will make a huge difference. They want you just to get into the habit of taking it at the same time every day. So it doesn't become, "yesterday I took the pill at 11 AM, the day before that at 7 PM, the day before that 1 AM, and the day before that at 11PM etc...." You're more likely to start forgetting it and getting the wrong dosage this way.

 

yes, as close to 24 hours is good, but a few hours here or there won't really matter in the long run.

[havefaith]

Wow guys, thanks for replying so fast. You are all so helpful!!

 

I am on Ortho-TricyclenLo. Is this a mini pill?? Anybody know what my window is for this particular pill? I don't plan on messing it up in the future, I'd just like to know for reference's sake.

 

Haha I know I'm overly cautious, but hey, it pays off when I stay preg-free at least till I'm married & such!! =)

[xmrth]

I was wondering the same thing about the time change. I just took it the hour later as it would have made it 24 hours, then gradually started taking it 10 minutes earlier. I think you can just take it at regular time by the full hour, but I'm not sure. I was thinking the easiest way to go earlier would be to wait until the inactive pills come. But I think as it doesn't matter on a combined pill, that taking it sooner would be better than later anyway.

[catgirl82]

chances are your pill is not so low dose that 1 hour will make a crucial difference. i think your doctor would tell you if it did. you should know that it always takes about a week for the pill to become effective once youve messed up or switched (for example, skipped a couple days, or if youve started a new type of pill). however, on the package, you should look for what to do if you miss a pill. if it says to take it as soon as you remember and then continue on as you were doing, withOUT needing to use backup protection, then you are probably covered for those 48 hours without consequences. so 1 hour off will be fine. (think about it, taking the pill 1 hour late is MUCH better than missing a whole day, and if missing a whole day is ok, then so is missing it by 1 hour)

 

if it makes you feel any better, i take my pill every night between the hours of 8-11 pm and i'm fairly certain it doesnt make much of a difference.

 

but cheers to you for being so careful and diligent and for using condoms as well. more people should be like you!!

[passions1]

You're on a combination estrogen/progestin pill that has more leeway if you did miss a pill to double up (for up to 2 days missed) when you do miss a dose or took it alittle late, it's more forgiving since it contains both hormones involved in the menstrual cycle/pregnancy. The "lo" part is of the estrogen, for those who are older than 35 & smoker, or get bloated/nauseated easily or have heart or clot related diseases/disorders, or experience early breakthrough bleeding on days 1-10, would benefit from the lower dose of estrogen.

 

However, the birth control pill that is not forgiving if you didn't take it in a timely manner are the progestin only pills w/o the estrogen. So if you took it 3 hrs late, then you would need to use another contraceptive or some form of back up method for the next 48 hrs. If you missed 2 doses of the progestin only birth control, then you do not take the missed doses & use another form of contraceptive.

As opposed to the combined estrogen-progestin pills, if there is missed 1 dose, alternative contraceptives aren't necessary. However, when there are 2 missed doses for either the combined or progestin only pills, you would need to use back up method (ie condoms) for the rest of the cycle.

 

If it does become more difficult for you to remember to take a pill, the other forms are the patch, Nuvaring, Depo-provera injection.

[havefaith]

Thanks, passions, for that thorough answer. The thing is though, I have not MISSED a pill - just merely started taking it one hour later to compensate for daylights savings time. Since i AM on a combined pill, does this mean I am just fine?

 

Thanks a lot

[catgirl82]

yes, havefaith,

 

i am 99.9999% sure that you are FINE and that this 1 hour time change had absolutely no effect. what passions is telling you is that the form of pill you are on (combined) is great b/c the estrogen inhibits ovulation (necessary to get pregnant) by inhibiting certain hormones, and the progesterone changes the lining of your uterus, making it much more difficult for sperm to migrate and for any fertilized egg to ever implant. its sort of like a triple whammy. in 1 hour, those things are not all going to be undone.

 

 

1 hour time change will certainly NOT make a difference. if you are really torn up about it, i would call your doctor, just to make yourself feel better