medicine counteraction

[xeetan]

Hi, I am taking the birth control pill Necon.  I had my regular menstrual cycle Nov 30-December 4.  On December 6 I went to a local clinic that is open on the weekends for a strep throat with a high fever.  The doctor prescribed Amoxy-Clav an antibiotic.  That Sunday the 7th I began my pill pack.  Two days later my menstrual cycle began again. It stopped three days later but I spotted.  Yesterday which was the 16th my cylce started again with heavy bleeding.  I stopped all medication when this first happened on the 9th including my birth control pills. I have not resumed taking them is this normal to happen when taking amoxy clav with necon? What can I do to get my cycle on line again?

[shelbert6]

I don't think that the antibiotic will have any affect on your cycle, but maybe the BCP that you are taking isn't a good fit for you.  I would check with your dr. about your cycle while taking Necon.

I am more concerned with the fact that after being diagnosed with strep throat, you have stopped taking the antibiotics that you were given.  Strep throat untreated can be very serious.  I would immediately start your course of antibiotics and follow up with the clinic.  Let them know what is happening, but don't just quit taking the meds and let the strep go untreated.

Regards,
Shelly

[Kristen26]

I looked up Amoxicillin/Clavulanate in one of my nursing drug guides and it can decrease the effectiveness of certain oral contraceptives. Anyone taking this antibiotic and using birth control pills for contraception, should use a backup method of birth control such as condoms that month. I think the bleeding you are experincing is withdrawal bleeding. Anytime you you stop the birth control pill you will have bleeding because you are no longer getting the hormones. Probably the first bleeding you experienced was because of the antibiotic, then the second time you bleed was because you stopped the pill. Are you still bleeding now? I would wait utill a Sunday, then start a new pill pack and use a back up method of birth control during that month. I'm not sure if you've heard much about antibiotic resistance, but it is when certain bugs become resistant to antibiotics because people do not finish the entire bottle prescribed. Instead of all the bacteria getting killed, some of it still survives and mutates into a stronger, more resistant to antibiotics bug. I'm not sure if you should take any more of the antibiotic now that you've stopped. If you are really confused about what to do now, call your doctor, that is what they are there for. I'm surprised they didn't tell you the antibiotic could affect the effectiveness of your birth control pill. Take care and I hope you are feeling better.

[shelbert6]

Kristen is right.  I looked up antibiotics and BCP in my search menu and found nothing really that said that antibiotics would decrease the effectiveness of BCP, but I typed in Augmentin (which is the trade name for that antibiotic) and there it was.  A list of antibiotics that, if you are taking, you should be using a 2nd form of birth control along with your BCP.  Augmentin is one of the antibiotics listed right on top.  

Regards,
Shelly