Help!

Hi everyone,

Have a few questions: but first here's a brief history for those of you who may have forgotten me...

I have had 2 m/c this year. One in April and again in August. I began taking the pill August 17 (Sunday start) and recently began AF October 6th and ended October 9th.  Couldn't tell about a period in September because of the spotting/bleeding from the m/c.The m/c completed Aug 2nd and around August 20th I had bad cramps again. Doc said this was most likely my cycle and the pill would soon regulate me. Next AF as stated above Oct. 6th.  Since it has ended there has been no more spotting so I think I'm done with that from the August m/c. Am I making any sense?

Questions:      

1.  Had sex with hubby last night used withdrawl (withdrawal) method. I have heard that pills are effective 1 month and also 3 months. So I don't know if mine are yet.
2.  Had a ovulation looking discharge today and from when we were testing for pregnancy hubby got OPK by accident once so I took one today and it gave me the +.  Could I be ovulating?
3.  Called local clinic on advice for morning after pill and to get these questions answered and she said to chill and the pill would mean no ovulation. Didn't explain why the surge was detected with OPK.
This happened before and that's how I got pregnant so fast after the first m/c.  I am not trying to coonceive because of the 2 m/c, finances, and I just has knee surgery...by the way..I WALKED NORMALLY YESTERDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2 YEARS! :  )
SOrry this is so long and if it seems I'm in a panic, but that woman won't let me have the

[hther]

Ran out of room...

the woman wont let me have the pill and nobody else around offers them. Called a local pregnancy place and they offer counseling and pro life issues. Has anyone had any experience with OPK giving false positives?  Funny I posted here months ago wondering if HPT gave false positives....hmmmm?  I just can't understand why that thing detected a surge. Someone just tell me those things are **** and are always wrong please.

Heather

CHLOE====where are you?

[nurse12hr]

Is there an 800# on the OPK box?  I would call and tell them exactly what you said here, that you have been on the pill since mid august, and the test detected a surge.  They can tell you exactly if it could have been a false positive.

Depending on the type of pill, they are usually effective within 7 days of starting.  You can call your docs office and the nurse should be able to tell you, or you can call your pharmacy and they can look it up for you, or you might still have a patient package insert that tells you how long it would take to be protected.  But it is usually 7 days.

Did you miss a pill?  Take them at the same time each day?  If you have been irregular about taking them and think you ovulated, you really need to call your own OB gyn and tell them exactly what happened, and make them aware of the urgency of getting advice from the doctor right away.  You have 72 hours or so.  All the morning after pill consists of is higher doses of certain BCP (but don't go playing around on your own!!). It is sometimes hard to light a fire under the nurse about this, so:

A sneaky way to get to talk directly to a doctor (I used to work in an OB office) is to page your OBGYN after hours (be courteous and call around 7pm).  Explain the whole situation, and ask if he/she thinks EC (emergency contraception or morning after pill) is appropriate.  If so, then you can have them call in the Script to your pharmacy.  If he/she seems angry, just explain that you realize time is of the essence, and you think you ovulated and simply called for advice.  Usually unless you call in the middle of the night to ask stuff like this, they are ok about it.  

If you are certain you took them all, took them at roughly the same time each day, didn't take any medications that might alter the effectiveness, didn't throw up or something that might have caused you to vomit up a pill, or anything else, I would just keep taking them as usual.  There is a certain amount of protection offered by the pill, if you DO ovulate and keep taking the pill, the uterine lining is less hospitable and the fertilized egg is less likely to implant.  If you ovulate and STOP taking the pill, you lose that extra protective effect.  

[nurse12hr]

Congrats on walking!

[hther]

Thanks for your reply.  I have been taking narcs for pain and some anti-anxiety meds.  I know I missed some here and there but always took it the morning after. The brand is Ortho-Tri_cyclen Lo.  I was thinking of stopping them just in case I happened to be in the process of pregnancy...but I wont because of your advice. I did call the clinic but they said no worries, but were NOT helpful.  I just feel it's odd to get a surge on one of those when you are spos to be protected. I will call the number on the box if I can find one. Thanks again for taking the time to respond. Your thoughts and comments are always a great help.

Heather

[hther]

Oh...walking with the brace unlocked to 30 and 40 degrees. ROM is only 60 so can't unlock it to 70 yet. I am weanign out of it and am excited to be getting better. Thanks for commenting on my new found skill. Funny how I used to take walking for granted. Everything we have and are able to do is a gift!

Heather

[hther]

I explained the whole thing to the 800 # people.They said if it's detecting then I'm ovulating regardless of the pill. Husband is Military and to get into OBGYN I have to have a referral and they don't do that anyhow. I would never get it in time even if they did. I'm scared now.

Heather

[nurse12hr]

In that case, is there any way you can go to an Urgent Care, or even an ER?  Or call back to PP and explain what the OPK people said?

The only reason I am NOT telling you to just out and out lie to PP or urgent care that you have had unprotected sex and need the morning after pill, is that you have been taking the OrthoTriCyclen up until now, and I don't know what the extra doses ON TOP of what you have already taken would do to you--It is nothing to mess around with.

Heather, I wish I could tell you what else to do, but without an OBGYN, there is really not much you CAN do.  Is PP providing you with the pills?  There must be an after hours # there for emergencies, but then again, maybe not.  

I think the only thing you can do is wait and see.  If you miss your period, get in and get a blood test.  Let me know.

***@**** if you want to email privately.

[nurse12hr]

And heather or anyone else:

Each dose of the pill is supposed to be taken WITHIN 4 HOURS of the same time each day.  If you are not taking it like that, YOU ARE NOT PROTECTED FULLY AGAINS PREGNANCY.  

Very important, and that is how a lot of "pill pregnancies" happen.

[HopeinAl]

Hi christie I was just wondering of you could help me understand something. i am not familiar with the morning after pill. How does this pill work and when is it recommended? I of course, won't ever need it, as I am ttc. BUt i was just curios about it. My belief is that life begins the moment of conception. So would this pill be considered an abortion pill? thanks for the info!

[HopeinAl]

Hey yeah DH is sweet, and it did work somewhat. She is a puppy. She very small, she'll wiegh about 5 lbs full grown!! and she's already such a mama's baby! She loves to be held and I let her sleep with me too. She's a mini yorkie and they're not recommmend fo families with small children b/c of there small size, but my brother also has one and has a baby and it worked out fine. Anyway, I'm just waiting on the Doc. to call me. he gave my MRI test to another Doc, who specializes in fertility problems. I just hope they will do metroplasty, but i'm still just waiting and trusting God with this. I'm sure you know about that as well. Hope

[hther]

Although the abortion pill and morning after pill are very different medications, they are often confused. Below, two medical experts discuss the critical differences between these two new developments. (excerpt from the link).

(Here is a link that may help you understand the difference.)

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/Healthology/HO_morning_after_pill.html

Hope this helps some.


Heather

[hther]

Also the morning after has to be taken within 72 hours so there is no way implantation could even happen.  I do have my reservations about it being like an abortion, so I may just have to chance fate. I protected myself the best I could with the BCP and because we were out of condoms (which we use as back up regardless) we did withdrawl (withdrawal).  I would love to be a mommy to his baby, he's a wonderful man, but has other children and a nasty ex wife who is very very money hungry. If we could afford a lawyer we'd fix it all! lol! I have also lost 2 this year and am scared of that still. Actually was going to get depression meds tomorrow if my PCP will let me have them....

KellieD,

Did you take antidepressants after your loss? Did it help you at all?

Hope,

I hope you conceive soon and I'm sorry you had to read about someone who doesn't want to be pregnant right now when you are trying so hard. Please forgive me if I have insulted or hurt you. I only came here because I get great advice and have been here through both of my losses.

Thanks to all for your non condemning support!

Hugs,
Heather

[HopeinAl]

Hi hthr, no you didn't insult me or hurt me at all!! thanks though for being so sensitive. Actually i don't want to be pregnant right now, i should have clarified. I  do want a baby, but I have a uterine anomaly and i am currently waiting on a surgery. So I'm not actually ttc right now. thank you though.

Hi KellieD!! i was wondering about you and I hope all is well with you. Things are okay here, i'm just waiting on the Doctor!!My Dh bought me the cutest little dog to help my feelings. I got a mini yorkie and her name is Zoe'. Just something to love and take care of in the meantime!! Love ya!

[hther]

You can get this stuff online by filling out a questionaire and by paying a small fee. They fax it in to your Pharmacy....simple as that. My prob now is I am on birth control but ovulated. The pharmacist didnt say anything about stopping the birth control I am on. Is it safe to combine?  What a mess I am.

Heather

[hther]

Called the pharmacist and asked. He advised me to stop my regular BCP and do these then start the BCP next cycle. Great! Then I have to wait for them to be effective again....lol. So much drama with me : )

Heather

[JustME9]

Hey you! I feel the same way.  I was thinking the same thing about the implantation..I don't see how it could possibly take place before taking the morning after.  My doc had it in her hands for me and I think the only reason I didn't take it at the time is because I pretty much knew I couldn't get pregnant that soon.  My friend took the morning after pill and she said that it just made her nautious because it was so much at once.  That's funny you asked about the anti depressants.  I DID go on them and honestly they have helped me SO SO much! I was talking to my OB's nurse yesterday and told her I was thinking of weaning myself because they make me a little sleepy and I feel so much better and she told me to stay on them - I was probably feeling better because of them LOL! So, i'm going to stay on them and hope I just get used to how they make me a little more tired than usual.  I had two losses this year too and I SO understand what you're saying.  I would LOVE to have another baby, but I am a little opposite...I'm the one with the Ex LOL and he's livin the high life while we live like normal people trying to make ends meet.  Anyhow! =) Let me know how things go for ya ok? (((((((HUGS))))))) Kellie! =)

[JustME9]

Hey!! That is SO sweet that your hubby got you a dog! =) Is it a puppy?? I would love to have a puppy ~ but i'm kind of scared LOL! When do you go back to your doctor? I'm glad you're still here too! =)(((((HUGS())))))

[JustME9]

From what I've been told if you've already concieved and implanted the morning after pill wouldn't work.  If not, I think it can prevent it from implanting..it's basically a super high dosage of birth control pills...my doc offered it to me after my first miscarriage when the condom broke but i decided to take my chances (it was within weeks of the m/c) and I didn't end up pregnant anyways! (((((Hugs to you Hope!)))))

[cat.997]

Hi there.  I was already on antidepressants, had several deaths in my family, then had a m/c.  I got down and couldn't get up.  They added another Rx to what I was already taking and now I feel 110% better now.  It's strange that your brain chemistry gets just a little out of whack and suddenly you feel awful.  If you need them take them.  They really make a big difference once you find the one that works.   Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth...  ;-)