I was recently put on Loestrin to regulate my periods. (they were very heavy, irregular, and made me very sick.) Before Loestrin I was taking Yasmine. I had a lot of success with it, but I was then prescribed a blood pressure medication that is said to interact with Yasmine. (go figure!) I haven't been taking the Loestrin long enough to know if it's going to help. My question is, if I don't take the pill at the exact same time every day, how will that affect me? Also, sometimes I forget to take it completely. I know it's very stupid of me to forget, and I've got to get some kind of system for remembering. I just want to know how it will affect me if I don't take it consistently. Keep in mind that I am not having sex, so I'm not actually using it for birth control and don't care about that.

Well, I would say your periods won't ever be regular if you keep missing the pills. There is a reason you take them, and if you forget to take them, you won't get the desired outcome. Try and take them at the same time you do something everyday, like brush your teeth, or eat breakfast - something like that. Put them by your alarm clock or by your car keys. They will be in view that way, and it will be part of your daily routine. Or take them when you take your bp meds. You do take that daily, right?? Take it all at the same time. Its important.

I do have other medications (like the blood pressure medicine) that I take daily. But I don't always take that at the same time every day. I used to take all of my medicine when I got up in the morning, but since I don't always get up at the same time, that wasn't good for the BCP. But now I can't take all of my medicine in the morning, because my GI doc just added something for my stomach that has to be taken 1 hour after or 4 hours before any other medications, and I have to take it before breakfast. I eat breakfast as soon as I get up in the morning.

I thought about taking the BCP when I go to sleep, but I don't always go to sleep at the same time. I thought about taking it when I eat dinner, but every night I eat dinner at a different time, depending on my schedule. I carry it with me in my purse, so I can take it when I am out. Lately I've been trying to take it at 11:30am because I am always up then, and it's enough time after the other medicine. But I'm in class and sometimes I forget. With my other meds, it doesn't matter what time I take them. With this, it does. I've got to start leaving myself little reminder notes!

Why don't you talk to your doctor and see if NuvaRing or Ortho-Evra will work for you? That way you won't have to worry about taking a daily dose at the right time. Just a thought.

I had asked her about that when she first put me on the pill. She said that she thinks the pill is the best option, because according to her she has given me one with a small amount of side effects. I've gotten better with it the last few days. This cycle I started taking it at 11:30 am. I may not always take it at EXACTLY 11:30 (usually between 11:30 and 12), but I think that's good enough for me. I started taking it at that time because I am taking a summer class and that is usually about the time that we get out of class. So I remember that when I get out of class, I have to take my pill. That seems to be working for now. But on the weekends I am not in class! I think I am going to have to start setting an alarm or something. I am pretty happy taking the pill and since I am not really using it for birth control, I don't really want to go on the ortho-evra or the other thing. Thanks for the suggestion though.