Birth Control Questions

Slapstick · 03-02-2006, 09:37 AM

Hello! I am new to the world of birth control... infact very new, and not that i'm taking it, but rather my girlfriend is and i have a few questions, that maybe you nice folks could answer for me! I will ask them all here so as not to spam the board...

my first question is can birth control ever wear off? For instance my girlfriend has been taking (i belive it is trycycene or something along those lines) for quite some time now... about 4 years... is there a point when birth control becomes ineffective and your body becomse immune to it?

Secondly, she first began taking birth control because she suffered from irregular periods, and when she did have her period they were very random and very debilitating for her, leaving her in bed all week... is taking birth control a good fix for this? or even a common one? hearing that was new to me as i didn't hink birth control would regulate your menstral cycle...

Thirdly, what makes the pill ineffective? i mean like... if you are taking a certain medication... like say you take an advil... does it make your birth control ineffective?

Also is it still effective when you are on your week of sugar pills?

And finally waht is the protection rate? because we both don't want to use condoms all the time, especiallly if she is on birth control... but at the same time dont want to get pregnant... are you very safe with just birth control pills? If you do ejaculate inside, is there a large risk with that? or is the risk still very minimal? (i'm assuming the risk gets a little bigger).

Thank you for taking the time to read this!!! and answer these questions

there may be more to come... i am trying to educate myself... i have talked to my girlfriend about these questions too, but i would like to hear the opinions and knowledgs of other women who are currently, or have taken birth control pills. Thank you!!

ace8484 · 03-02-2006, 10:39 AM

1. It does not wear off over time.
2. Yes, it is useful for regulating periods.
3. Advil will not interact with birth control. Some drugs that will decrease the contraceptive effect: Antibiotics (especially ampicillin and tetracycline), St. John's wort, Anti-convulsants (to treat seizures, phenytoin, topiramate, carbamazepine), Griseofulvin, rifampin, Troglitazone.
4. Yes, It is still effective during the week of sugar pills.
5. If taken PERFECTLY, it is 99% effective against preventing pregnancy. Usual effectiveness is 95%. It is 0% effective at preventing STDs. Use two forms of birth control if you absolutely do not want to get pregnant. Taking the pill perfectly means taking it at the same time every day and not missing pills. Do your part and remind her how important it is that she takes it every day, call her. My suggestion: If she has a cell phone she carries with her all the time, have her set the alarm on it to ring every day at the same time to remind her.

skittles42 · 03-02-2006, 01:02 PM

It is not completely true that BC pills can't wear off. Over a longer period of time on the same brand of BC pills, a womens body can become to immune to the hormones. Most doctors suggest switching brand every 2 years. But if your girlfriend is still having regular periods during the sugar pill week, her periods have been the same and they are not getting heavier or coming in the other 3 weeks.. then she can continue to take the pill she is on.

For the question about the sugar pill week- there is no estrogen in the sugar pills.. which is why they are sugar pills. Because there is no estrogen in teh pill, it makes her start her period. During this time, there is a slightly higher risk of getting pregnant during this time.

Always use condoms no matter what, if you don't want a baby. My best friend was on birth control.. her and her boyfriend had unprotected sex.. and now she has a 2 year old. She's in college. I know many other people with this same situation.

Good luck!