Antibiotics, Birth control pill, and late period?

[jc84]

Here's the situation. My girlfriend switched her birth control to Yaz (I'm not sure what the first one was but I know she switched to Yaz) at the beginning of this month. And let me say that no matter what, we always use a condom, her birth control pill, and I also use the withdrawal method. Now, at the end of the month, she came down with a case of strep throat and had to go on an antibiotic. Then we found out that she was allergic to the antibiotic midway through her treatment, so she had to go on a different antibiotic, but had to do a full course of this one as well. She started the second antibiotics last friday and will not be done with them until Sunday of this week. However, Wednesday of this week, she started her inactive pills and should be having her period anytime before Sunday. What I'm wondering is if she is still on the antibiotics and she has been under the stresses of being sick, what are the chances that she may not even have a period this cycle? Is there any need in buying an HPT?

ANYTIME we had sex this month, we always always used a condom and I did pull out. I checked each condom and none of them broke or slipped off. And yes, we did this even when she was starting the new pills and also when she was starting the antibiotics.

[Hope2OneDay]

I doubt she's pregnant. Sounds to me like you covered every detail (literally!).
The stress and sickness COULD cause her to start her period late, but if anything does, it could be that she started new pills. I don't think it will cause a problem though, because pills usually keep you on a very predictable schedule as far as when your period starts. If anything, she may start on a different day than she normally does, but still during the inactive pill week. Make sense?

[Avanaar]

I agree with Hope on this one.  There's a very infinitesimally small chance she could have gotten pregnant.  Because she's got so many things going on (new birth control, being sick, stress of the allergic reaction) her body is responding by not letting her have her period yet.  I know many times that happened to me ...on and off birth control.  

BTW, I applaud you for being so careful when it comes to sex!  Just give your girlfriend's body time to adjust ...it's being pumped full of so many drugs that it's just a little 'off'.

[Inuyashalover]

I don't think she's pregnant, but there are things to be careful of. Antibiotics can lessen or even wipe out the effectiveness of BC pills. And a new BC Pill can take 3 months to start working. In both cases it's highly recomended that you always wear a condom. Since she is both, then thats pretty cement, condoms, condoms. But since you guys did use them, I think you're good to go =)

[jc84]

Thank you very much for the advice! I worry alot so it makes me feel better to hear someone else's point of view, and to know that I'm "covered". One question though, Hope, could the combination of everything cause her period not to come at all? Technically, I guess it isn't late yet, but I'm just trying to figure out if stress/new pills/sickness could cause her to not have one at all?

And Avanaar, I appreciate that. We are very careful and we always always will be! Like I said, if we don't have condoms, we don't have sex. Period. (plus her pills and withdrawal! LOL).

[jc84]

Thank you. I hadn't heard that about the 3 month thing. Shes been on BC for like 3 years and when she switched to Yaz, we read the leaflet which said that when you start a new pack, it takes 7 days for the pills to become effective (it also said that if you were switching to Yaz from another BC, then you needed to start yaz like you would the other bc as normal; however, I assumed that it still took a week to become effective).  However, this could be wrong, I really am not sure. But thank you for the advice!

[Hope2OneDay]

I would assume that the medications won't interfere with her starting her period. It's my understanding that antibiotics can counteract the birth control pills so that she can actually can pregnant while on them. I've taken antibiotics while on the pill and I always started like clockwork. The only thing that would possibly make her start on a later day would be that she started a "new" birth control pill this month. Her body will have to adjust to the new pill, which could make her start on a Friday instead of her usual Wednesday (as an example).

This is just my opinion and what I've encountered from personal experience with BC pills, antibiotics and even changing to a new pill. If you're terribly concerned, I'd call and talk to a nurse at her dr's office. But I'm fairly certain she has nothing to worry about this month if you are as diligent as you seem to be. Sounds like the two of you are being very cautious, which is really nice to see! :-)

[jc84]

Thank you, that makes sense. She actually used to start on a Saturday/Sunday. But with the Yaz, instead of having three weeks of active pills and a week of inactives, she has three full weeks of active, then three extra days of active pills that she didnt have before. Then her period is supposed to come sometime between wednesday and sunday of that week and could last into the next pack of pills (according to the leaflet). So I'm guessing that having the extra three active pills is going to take some getting used to for her body. I'm trying my best not to worry that she's pregnant (after all, I don't see how its possible and thats what she keeps telling me), but it is always in the back of my mind