The doctor told me that every month I need to take 7 days of sugar pills to let my period begin when I'm on birth control. That's a little confusing. How come I can't just take the regular pills all the way? And if I'm bleeding, then it's not safe against birth control right?

The 3 weeks on of the birth control pill/ one week of sugar pills is just to keep you in the habit of taking the pill all month long. If you start a new pack of pills without waiting that week or taking the sugar pills, you probably won't have a period. I always used to just toss the sugar pills out and start the new pills the following Sunday AFTER my period had started.

As far as pregnancy, if this is your first month on the pill, I'd wait another cycle before having unproted sex. Chances are it's fine, but I was always told to wait 2 cycles.

If your still unsure, I'd call your doctor's office and ask to talk to the nurse...she can explain it better to you.

You have 3 weeks of active pills then the 7 days of the sugar pills(non active pills) is during your menstral cycle. The reason why you take these pills is so you dont get out of context for taking a pill every day.
If you continued taking the active pills during the week of the non active pills, you will not get a period.
Some people dont even take the sugar non active pill during that week. They just wait till they have to start there new monthly pack on that sunday and start taking the actuive pills.
Which pill did your doc put you on??

She gave me Alesse 28 tablets per pack. So the sugar pills not are necessary? What if someone just keeps taking the regular pills without stopping? Then that person will never get their period?

supoosedly, no you dont get a period, but you can spot and you can have bleeding in between. I know it usualy depends on the person. How your body reacts.
I did the pill continuesly without the sugar pill and just kept taking the active pills and I did not have a period. I did it for a couple of months due to cyst problems. I know the BC Pill: Seasonale only give you 4 periods a year.

I would not take your pill continuesly unless directed by your doctor.

You should take the pill as directed by your doctor. The sugar pills are not nesessary to take, but you shouldn't start the next month unless your doctor says so. If you are looking to skip your period, you should try another b.c. Yasmin make me skip my period without the sugar pills, so did Depo Provera.

Good Luck.

I'm kind of confused. Each packet contains 28 pills total, including the sugar pills. But each month usually has 30 or 31 days. So for each month there will be 2 or 3 days that I will not take any pill at all. So which days should I not take any pills?

No...when it comes to your period, a month is 28 days. Take a pill every day. The sugar pills are there so you will remember to take one every day. People tend to forget to start back up on the Sunday if they aren't taking one every day up to that. So, start your pack on the appropriate Sunday and keep taking them until you are done and start the new pack the next day.

Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried to take the regular pill all the way through? What would happen?


Anyways, thanx for all of your help!!!!! :)

You won't have a period.

for me taking the pill all the way through was a problem. it made me spot for about 3 weeks. it just depends on your body what will happen but if your body is normal, you just won't get a period.

Is it safe to take the regular pill all the way through without stopping and having your period? If we could avoid our period, wouldn't that be better and more convenient for us?

stopping your body from doing what's natural is not healthy

I take Yasmin and it's okay to take the entire month and skip the sugar pills at the end OCCASIONALLY but not every month! The bad part about less periods is that if you do accidentally get pregnant, you won't know for a longer amount of time. I have skipped the sugar pills for a month before when I was going on vacation and didn't get any spotting, but I took I made sure to not skip them the next month, etc.

Yes, as explained, there are 28 days in a pack of pills, but you don't take them exactly as on a calendar. If you read the booklet that comes with pills, it will say how you can either start taking them right when your period ends, or on a sunday, but you don't really go by "each month" or anything like that. So you may have a pack of pills that runs halfway through one month and part of another.. you just go by the days of the week that are on your pack of pills and that's it. You have a pill every day. You take the sugar pills so you can get your period and to keep you in the habit. If during that week you don't take the sugar pills and just take none at all.. it's the same. It's just easier to remember to take them to keep you in the habit.

Did your doctor explain these things to you? I'm sure if they didn't it would be tricky to figure it out on your own!

I'm kind of confused. I know that you start taking your regular pills the Sunday following your period. So when do you start taking the sugar pills? What is your period comes a little sooner and you're still on your regular pills when it comes? When do you stop taking the regular pills and switch to your sugar pills?

Whether you start spotting or flowing before you have finished the actual birth control pill, keep taking them. I really think you should sit down and talk this over with a nurse at your doctors or the doctor himself. I think you would benefit from some first-hand information.

You just continuessly take a pill every day. It is if I remmember 3 weeks of the active pills then 1 week of the non active sugar pills.
It is realy not confusing as long as you take a pill every day.

You just continuessly take a pill every day. It is if I remmember 3 weeks of the active pills then 1 week of the non active sugar pills.
It is realy not confusing as long as you take a pill every day.


Let's say my period starts on a Monday. So I don't take the active pills until 6 days later, which is the following Sunday. So if it's already the 28th day of that cycle and I'm still on the active pills, will my period start? Or will it start only after I stop taking the active pills and take the sugar pills?

Your period will start after you stop the active pills and start taking the sugar pills. You need to stop the active pills so you can have your period. The sugar pills are for taking during your period, like just a reminder to take a pill every day. The first day of your period is day 1 of your cycle, but around day 22 of your pill pack, is when your period will start. Your next period should start (approximately) after 28 days again, when you start the sugar pills the next month. Your period might not actually start the first day of sugar pills, but will occur within that week you are supposed to be taking the sugar pills. Then, you begin the active pills on that Sunday, even if you are still on your period. If you keep taking the pills as directed, after a month or two your cycle should become very predictable. I know this is confusing. Did I answer your question?

Your period will start after you stop the active pills and start taking the sugar pills. You need to stop the active pills so you can have your period. The sugar pills are for taking during your period, like just a reminder to take a pill every day. The first day of your period is day 1 of your cycle, but around day 22 of your pill pack, is when your period will start. Your next period should start (approximately) after 28 days again, when you start the sugar pills the next month. Your period might not actually start the first day of sugar pills, but will occur within that week you are supposed to be taking the sugar pills. Then, you begin the active pills on that Sunday, even if you are still on your period. If you keep taking the pills as directed, after a month or two your cycle should become very predictable. I know this is confusing. Did I answer your question?


Yeah, thanks for your detailed answer! I have one more question. Let's say it's around day 28 and I still haven't finished the active pills, should I stop taking the rest and start taking the sugar pills and let my period start?

Now I'm getting confused...lol :) Are you saying you are at day 28 of your cycle (28 days since the first day of your last period) and you are still taking active pills? How many active pills are left? Today is Thursday...are you due to start the sugar pills on Sunday? If so, finish taking all the active pills and then start the sugar pills on schedule and your period should come next week. Is anyone else confused?

Confused is an understatement. :rolleyes: I give up on this thread. I don't know what else can be said really. :yawn:

NO
You HAVE to finish your active pills !!! You must take it as prescribed !! You must take your active pill once a day as prescribed.

Now I'm getting confused...lol :) Are you saying you are at day 28 of your cycle (28 days since the first day of your last period) and you are still taking active pills? How many active pills are left? Today is Thursday...are you due to start the sugar pills on Sunday? If so, finish taking all the active pills and then start the sugar pills on schedule and your period should come next week. Is anyone else confused?

I guess my question is that, the doctor gave me 28 pills to take. But what if my period cycle is sometimes a couple of days longer? Or a couple of days shorter? On the longer days I will have no pills to take and the shorter days I will end up with extra pills. If my period comes before I finish taking the 7 sugar pills, do I need to start taking the active pills immediately?

Okay. Just take the pills for each day....3 weeks of real birth control pills; 1 week of the sugar pills. You may spot, bleed, whatever, along the way...just disregard it because bc pills will make you spot...just stick to the schedule of a pill a day whether it's the bc pill or the sugar pill and you should be fine.

Why haven't you called your doctor for some info? Certainly a nurse or the doctor will explain this to you. Please do so, so that you don't end up pregnant unexpectedly.

Why haven't you called your doctor for some info? Certainly a nurse or the doctor will explain this to you. Please do so, so that you don't end up pregnant unexpectedly.

That's a good idea. You could take your pill pack to the pharmacy, and ask a pharmacist to explain too. Maybe having the pack will give you the visual to help you understand.

These active pills have to all be taken, regardless of whether your period seems too long or short. I think what has you confused is someone said you don't need to take the sugar pills, but in this situation, I recommend that you take them and forget they are placebos...just take them on schedule like you would the active pills, at the same time every day (that will help cut down on spotting).

I agree with SR MOM,
Take your pills as directed. DO NOT SKIP A DOSE !!
If you realy have any concerns ask your doctor.

My understanding is that you take the sugar pills to keep yourself on a daily schedule so that taking a pill each and every day becomes something that is almost automatic behavior. It makes the dosing schedule as easy and thoughtless as possible. Some women already have trouble remembering to take something each day, and for some, if they had to remember to take three weeks of pills, then go seven days without taking anything, then begin taking active pills again, that would only add another thing that they would have trouble remembering. All this increases the chances of birth control failure and unwanted pregnancies. You would think that remembering to start taking pills on the day your period starts would be enough of a reminder, right? Those seven sugar pills are there for the sake of ease and simplifying your schedule, that is all.

It is a fact that there are no birth control ingredients in those last seven pills, so I would say that you do have a choice not to take those pills, but that choice would put more personal responsibility in your hands. If you know yourself and feel that you are a person who would have no problem with remembering which day you should start a new pack of active pills, then you could go that route. The only question I would ask myself is, am I willing to deal with the consequences if I slip up and don't start a new pack of pills when I am supposed to?

But it all depends on when your period starts, right? If my period starts on a monday, I would take the active pills on the following sunday, which is day 7 of my period cycle. Then I wouldn't be finished with my active pills until day 27 of my cycle. Then I would start taking the sugar pills on day 28. But since I didn't stop taking the active pills until day 27, my period might be delayed until day 30 or 31 or even later.

But if my period starts on a saturday, I would take the active pills the next day, which is sunday. I would finish taking all the active pills by day 22 of my cycle. Since I finished all the active pills early in my cycle, my period would most likely come around day 28, which is my normal period cycle.

So what if the active pills do delay my period as in scenario one? Would it cause a problem since it is extending my cycle? And what if I didn't finish all 7 of the sugar pills yet but my period already started, and it's a sunday? Then will I stop taking the sugar pills and start the active pills?

You really need to call your doctor or nurse practioner. If you are this unsure of how to take your pills, you will more than likely take them incorrectly and become pregnant. Didn't you ask questions when you were given them by your doctor?

Well, I never took pills before. When I was there the doctor just told me to take a pill every day without skipping any days. She said that the sugar pills are optional. But after I got back home I started thinking about all these questions. I went through planned parenthood so I can't get a hold of her over the phone. And if I make an appointment I would have to wait around 2 hrs to see her. I can't take that time away from work. So I guess I'm just asking my questions here, hoping to get a good answer. =)

You can look up how to use birth control pills on the internet. Maybe there is a website for the pills you are taking and they would be able to explain it better than we have. I know this can be a little confusing and I'm surprised Planned Parenthood didn't explain it better. I used to go there when I was young and I remember they had a bunch of pamphlets with all kinds of info there. Maybe you could just ask for the drug info there without having to wait for anyone.

Just so you know, the sugar pills are optional, but you don't take any pills that week instead, you don't just skip to the next pack of active pills. I wish I could just show you. Keep asking your questions and we'll keep trying to help you. It's okay to be confused, I remember being young and confused about this too.

Well, it all depends on the pill you take! I take Kariva and only two pills on the last row are inactive. The rest have a lower estrogen content. And like Loestrin Fe, the last row of those pills are iron tablets for extra iron during your period. But most pills do have inactive ones on the last week just to remind you to take them everyday!

It doesn't matter when your period starts the first time around. The pills will get you on the right cycle eventually. So, if you were told to start them the Sunday after your period begins, then do so. If she did not explain that, then just call PP and tell whoever answers the phone you have a question about the directions you were given. You don't have to wait on the doc to call you back. Someone there can help you.

Have you even started the pill yet??
If you have dont stop taking it just continue to take 1 pill a day as directed.
If you havent started taking the pill then as you said if you start your period on a monday then you dont start the pill till that sunday after.
If you start your period on sunday(dont qote me it has been a while) then I THINK you start your active pill on that sunday. THIS IS ONLY IF YOU HAVE NOT STATRD THE PILL YET.
But like I said, if you are already on the pill then continue to take the pill every day do not skip. It is 3 weeks of active and 1 week of non active.

Honestly, if you have any questions you realy need to speak with your doc.

Are you even serious???????? Use common sense - You take a pill everyday, starting today, unless you have your period right now, this very second, than wait until it is over. When it's over, START THE PILLS. Sorry for being so blunt, but it's really not that confusing. 1 Pill a Day, no more no less, just 1 pill.

That's not exactly correct, you always start on a Sunday.
When you first start taking birth control you wait until you have a period. You start your first pill on the first Sunday after you've started your period. If your period starts on a Sunday, you take your first pill that same day. Not a sugar pill, a "real" pill. You will still have a normal period, maybe ending a little sooner than normal.

You're period is likely to change from what you are used to. Usually it will be lighter flow and less amount of time. You are overthinking this. It's very simple once you start taking them you no longer have to count cycles and pay attention to dates. You just take your pill everyday. that's it. I don't take my sugar pills but I do still go through the motions of popping the pill out and then I throw it away instead of taking it. That just keeps you in the habit so come Sunday, you won't forget to start back on the normal pills. The pills will put your body on a new schedule so your current cycle patterns won't really apply anymore.

As far as skipping sugar pills and continuing on with the next month's pills in order to skip having a period. There is nothing wrong with it IF you are healthy and you do not go longer than 3 months without a period (4 periods a year). BUT BUT BUT!!!! You run the risk of having complications getting pregnant when you DO want to have a baby. You sound young - If you are then I would discourage you from using this method. You may not be concerned about it right now as obviously you don't want to have a baby but it could be HEARTBREAKING to you somewhere down the road when you might want to conceive and you can't. You really should take to a gynocologist about it first anyway. Not at a planned parenthood clinic or even a GP, but with a gyno after a full exam.

Not exactly true either. You can start any day. My pack has stickers, so if I don't want to start on a Sunday, I change the stickers to match the first day I started. You can start any day, just so you are not on your period.

Thanks for all of your help. One more questions. The doctor said to take the pill the same time every day. How precise do you have to be? If I take it at 12 noon, do I need to take it at 12 noon all the time? Or can I take it a few hours earlier or later? Sometimes when I'm busy at work or talking to a customer, I cannot pause what I'm doing to take the pill.

I would try to take it within an hour of the same time every day...within half an hour would be better. These low-dose pills people take nowadays are great, but if you don't take them at the same time every day, the chance of breakthrough bleeding/spotting is much greater.

The doctor gave me Allese. Are those low-dose pills? When you mention bleeding/spotting, are you talking about my period or spotting in between my period?

I'm on Alesse too, and they are a low dose pill. The spotting is probably bleeding that isnt during the sugar pill week. I've never experienced any spotting or bleeding that wasnt my period.

I read the previous posts and taking Alesse isn't complicated as you're making it. Just take a pill everyday. It doesnt matter how many days are in the month or if your period isn't over yet. Once the green sugar pills are gone just start to take the pink ones in a new pack the very next day. There should be a little sticker that says the days of the week across them. You can put the sticker across the top of the pill pack and that will help you keep track of the days. And all of my pill packs come with little booklets that help explain the pills, if yours came with that too it might be helpful to read it if you have any more questions. You can also just call the Planned Parenthood you went to, the receptionists should be able to answer any of your questions, they are all very informed.

Hope this helps :)

Sometimes BC pills are prescribed for women with irregular periods, so it doensn't matter at all how long your cycle is. Birth control pills will keep you on a typical 28 day cycle. When you start sugar pills, your period should start a couple of days later. Take a pill every single day. Do not go past one hour max when taking BC pills. I got pregnant doing that. I thought doubling up would be ok, but with low-dose BC pills, it is NOT. Unfortunately, I miscarried & I didn't even know I was pregnant until I had the 'tissue' literally in my hand. It was very shocking & I don't wish that kind of trauma on anyone. So, to make sure you don't get pregnant, take a pill every single day, same time EVERY single day.

I Agree, try to take it as close as possible to the same time evey day.

I think the point your missing Hollandlop is that you don't use your current cycle to work out anything other than your initial start date. Over the first few months your body will prob change to suit the new cycle of your pill- eg i start my period on the 2nd day of my inactive pills each month. You don't have to take the sugar pills, it's just easiest in the beginning cos you dont forget and it's easier to get into your routine. Once your confident that your used to it then you can stop and most gps will give you a 21 day pack instead if you ask. This will just save you having to waste the sugar pills. You can run two packs together if needed, like if your period will come on holiday etc. Some people still get spotting but it's normally quite effective. It's not good to do it too often though. Your body needs a rest and your periods are actually kinda good for you (they cleanse your uterus and wash away any build up of bacteria and can help prevent infection)

hollandlop
u get the pack. the very first period u get before starting ur pack (which im assuming u have already) u take it that following sunday.

u take the 3 weeks of active pills at the same time every day (8, 8, even 9 one day. just within 2 at least 2 hrs of the time on the previous day)

once u get thru with the active pills, even if u began ur period while ur on them, take the sugar pills.

once that week is over, begin taking ur active pills U DO NOT BREAK IN BETWEEN THEM! even if ur still bleeding that sunday, take ur active pills anyway. so EVERYDAY, u take a pill.

ur body will time it so u'l get ur period the moday or tuesday of ur sugar pills
and will stop around that saturday. just give it time. BUT ALWAYS CONTINUE TAKING THEM. if u dont take ur sugar pills and take nothing for that week, thats ok... just remember to start up again sunday.



think of the pills as heart medication. u would never stop taking heart medication, would u?

Ok. It's more clear now. Thanks for all your help.

By the way, are there any medications I can't have while I'm on birth control pills? Can I drink alcohol? Can I take cold medications?

Yes you can drink, and you can take most medications. Anything that will react badly will state so on the info leaflet. You do need to watch about being sick if your drinking though... being sick within 4hours of taking your pill means it's prob not been absorbed and you might not be protected.

Be careful with any herbal supplements. If it has the ingredient ST JOHN'S WORT do not take it. It will decrease the effectiveness of the pill (=risk of pregnancy). Prescription drugs that will decrease the effectiveness of the pill include ANTIBIOTICS, anti-convulsants (for seizures), Anti-fungals and Rifampin.

If your doctor gives you a prescription for anything. Tell the pharmacy that you take birth control pills when you go to get it filled! Especially if you get your pills at a clinic such as planned parenthood. If you don't refill them every month at the same pharmacy, the pharmacy has no way of knowing that you take birth control pills unless you tell them!

Another reminder--Refill your prescription before the last day of the pack!

You do need to watch about being sick if your drinking though... being sick within 4hours of taking your pill means it's prob not been absorbed and you might not be protected.


So if I'm sick then the bc pills won't work?

well when you think about it, you swallow it and it goes into your stomach..... if your sick before it's passed into the blood stream then you will bring it up along with whatever is in your stomach. If you are someone who is sick alot, then you can take your pill at at time when it won't be as risky. Like maybe before bed???

Oh..... are you talking about getting sick from drinking alcohol and then throwing up? I thought you were talking about being sick, like having the flu or something.

If you vomit or have diarrhea within 4 hours of taking the pill, it may not have been absorbed into your bloodstream and it will be less effective. It doesn't matter why you are vomiting (alcohol or flu).