That’s it, you’ll take the pill for the first time. Whether you got it from your general doctor, gynecologist, midwife or planning center, you’ve probably been given a lot of information at once, and you may not have dared to ask the ′′ beasts ′′ questions. ′′ You had on your mind… Don’t panic, our instructions will help you!
Different pills
There are two families of pills: estro-progestatives (also called combined, they can be normo-dosed or mini-dosed, they have 21 or 28 tablets) and progestatives (also called micro dosed, they have 28 tablets). The best thing is to refer to our pills board to find out what yours is.
Pills that include 21 tablets
Some of these pills have tablets of different colors (different hormonal dosages, they say bi or three phases) and others have all tablets of the same color (identical hormonal dosage, they say monophasic).
They plan 7 days break between two pads. During this stop, your rules will come (usually they are less abundant than the natural rules and they arrive on the 3th day of stopping). After the 7 days off, even if your period isn’t over, you have to start a new brochure (day 8).
For example: if you started your 1st pad on a Tuesday, you’ll stop it on a Monday. Then for 7 days: no tablets. Finally, you’ll have a new brochure again the next Tuesday. In other words, you take 3 weeks of pills and stop a week and so on.
Pills with 28 tablets
They are taken without interruption (they have the advantage of avoiding forgetting after the week off).
If the pill is estro-progestative, the last tablets are placebo (different color) and in this case the rules arrive during this time.
If the pill is progestive, all tablets are the same, they are all active. The rules may be absent. That’s normal.
When to start the pill?
The very first time you take the pill, you have to start it on the first day of your period and note this day (e.g. Tuesday) since there will always be the day to take a new pad again. One tablet should be taken daily, on a regular hour for the whole life of the pad. The majority of pills tolerate 12 hours of lag (check on the instructions).
For estro-progestive pills, you are protected from the 1st tablet.
For progestive pills, you’re protected on the 7th tablet.
If you don’t start the 1st day of your period then you’re making a quick start, which means taking some precautions.
To make sure you don’t forget it, choose a schedule to take it, where you have a marker (lift, bed, brushing teeth, etc…) or even use a ringtone (your cellphone for example ) to get used to it.
Once your first booklet is finished, it’s the day of recovery (Tuesday example) that you have to start a second one, even if your period isn’t over.
What happens during the stopping week?
If no oblivion occurred during the pad you just finished and start your new pad again on the expected day, then you are protected during the 7 days off. If you have forgotten before or after the week off, there are also some precautions to take.
Is there a time when I’m not protected?
If you start your first booklet on the 1st day of your period, if you don’t forget, if you start a new booklet again on the 8th day of stopping, then you’re protected all the time!
Generally speaking
• Read very carefully the instructions
• Doctor or midwife prescribes the pill for 3, 6 or 12 months: make an appointment early enough to not be out of the pill in the process of taking!
• Never stop the pill without taking the doctor’s or midwife’s advice because they have tips to give you
• If you go on vacation, take your prescription (even expired) with you, it can serve you in case of loss or forgetting your pad