BCPs & antibiotics

Allison1125 · 05-05-2005, 04:39 PM

my dr just gave me antibiotics for a sinus infection today...i'm supposed to take them for 5 days. i know that they say you should be careful because they cause the bcps to be less effective. this is the 1st time i'm using antibiotics while on the pill so i'm hoping i can get some help here. how long do i have to be careful for? is it just while taking the antibiotic or for a period after that as well?

punkrokchk2000 · 05-05-2005, 06:39 PM

Once you start taking antibiotics it decreases the effect of the birth control pill for the rest of the cycle (until you start the new packet). I'd be very cautious... If I were you, I'd definitely use a backup method...

Allison1125 · 05-05-2005, 06:59 PM

thank you punk.....i guess its good then that i'm on my last week of active pills. wont have to be concerned for too long...

so i'm guessing its probably a good idea to be careful through the 1st week of my next pack as well then...like as if it were my 1st pack...just to be cautious. we use condoms sometimes anyways so its really not a big deal for me. thanks for clearing that up for me though....i wouldnt have thought it would be the whole cycle!

GLSheridan · 05-05-2005, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allison1125

my dr just gave me antibiotics for a sinus infection today...i'm supposed to take them for 5 days. i know that they say you should be careful because they cause the bcps to be less effective. this is the 1st time i'm using antibiotics while on the pill so i'm hoping i can get some help here. how long do i have to be careful for? is it just while taking the antibiotic or for a period after that as well?

First of all, not all antibiotics affect the pill. It's not even proven that any antibiotics affect the pill.

The majority of the medical community recommends abstaining/using a back up method for AT LEAST 7 days after taking the last pill. However, it certainly isn't going to hurt to wait a little longer.

Daisies4monkeys · 05-05-2005, 09:06 PM

Ditto what GLSheridan said.

Ciprofloaxin and Macrobid have been studied and proven to not effect the pill at all. Also, the only antibiotic that has been PROVEN to effect the pill is rifampin, an antibiotic used for treating TB.