Urgent!

[thatgirl117]

Hello, I am on oral contraceptives and recently went on vacation, during which time I wished to skip my period. I talked to my OBGYN and was instructed on how to do so. The last four pills in my pack were placebo, and I was told to take the first placebo pill and start my new pack the following day. I did not receive my period, as planned. I continued to have unprotected sex with my boyfriend, as my doctor had told me that skipping my period would not affect the accuracy of my birth control. For the past few days I have been experiencing an upset stomach, having to make frequent trips to the bathroom. Often times I also feel like I'm going to vomit, however I have not yet. I still have about two weeks until my next period. Is there any possibility I could be pregnant??

[Chima7]

That's the strangest thing I've ever heard, to take a placebo before starting a new pack to skip! Are you sure she's a licensed doctor? Yikes. I'd consider looking for a new doctor cause that seems shady to me.

Anyways, skipping placebos at the end of a pack will not affect the protection of your pill. There's nothing to worry about there. The people who do have to worry are those that randomly skip a week in the middle of their pack in an effort to change the date of their period. Because the dosing of the hormones is such that it must be a minimum of at least 3 full weeks of active pills to be effective against pregnancy. Anyone who takes less than 3 weeks of active pills runs the risk of birth control failure. But in your case you are taking over 3 weeks of active pills then you're still covered. And that one day of placebo doesn't make much difference but is completely bizarre for her to tell you to do that cause it would be more likely to cause you to have spotting or breakthrough bleeding. And who wants to deal with that?

[thatgirl117]

Okay, that's a relief to hear. I was a little unsure too why she told me to take the first placebo pill that's why I started to worry a bit. Thank you!

[thatquietgirl]

You should have been just fine since even if you had had your week off for your period, you would have been protected.  Sometimes taking birth control back to back like that can affect women like this.  It happened to me a while back even though I take mine back to back to have a period every few months.  I wouldn't worry.  I'm a little confused why she told you to take one placebo pill, though.  That was risking you starting your period because it gave you one day without any hormones.