Full Answer
If you’ve been taking birth control pills for some time and have had no side effects, it’s likely that you can continue using them for as long as your doctor deems it’s still a safe choice.
According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, more then 11 million women across the world use birth control pills. And even though they are the most popular form of contraception in the United States, a lot of older women are asking "how long should I keep taking them?"
That depends on the type, too.If you take combination birth control pills, a pill that’s taken more than 24 hours after your last pill is considered late. With progestin-only pills (aka the ...
Likewise, if you accidentally skip a pill, you should use a back-up method for the next two days to ensure you’re fully protected against pregnancy.
If you get your first shot within five days of your period starting, you’ll be fully protected within 24 hours . If your first dose is administered after this time frame, you should continue to use a back-up barrier method for the next seven days.
Most gynecologists will wait to insert your IUD until the week of your expected period. If your IUD is inserted within seven days of the beginning of your period, you’re immediately protected against pregnancy. If your IUD is inserted at any other time of the month, you should use a back-up barrier method for the next seven days.
However, if you don’t begin your pill pack until after your period has started, you’ll need to wait seven days before having unprotected sex.
The implant is immediately effective if it’s inserted within the first five days of your period starting. If it’s inserted at any other time of the month, you won’t be fully protected against pregnancy until after the first seven days, and you will need to use a back-up barrier method.
A more common type of birth control pill contains both progestin and estrogen. This is called the combination pill.
Depending on the type of IUD you choose, it may last for anywhere from 3 to 10 years.
Depending on the type of birth control pill you use, you’re protected from pregnancy after 7 to 10 days of starting to take it.
Your regular menstrual cycle will probably return within a month or two after you stop taking your pills. Many people get pregnant within a few months of stopping birth control pills and have healthy, complication-free pregnancies. Last medically reviewed on December 11, 2018.
Birth control pills contain small doses of hormones for preventing pregnancy. There are two basic types of birth control pills.
The right birth control choice for you is the one that fits your lifestyle and health needs.
For most healthy people, birth control pills are safe for long-term use. There are exceptions, of course. Not everyone has the same experience with birth control pills.
Anti-diarrheal medications such as loperamide (Imodium) work by slowing down peristalsis, the wave-like contractions of the bowels. Bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol) works by changing the balance of fluid in the intestines. Send health questions to globeanswers@gmail.com.
But if the symptoms are not severe, there’s no harm in using anti-diarrheals to get relief.
So stick with the plan and take your pill daily. Lowering your blood pressure is a marathon, not a sprint. It doesn’t happen immediately - it takes a few weeks. So don’t be disappointed if you don’t see results within the first few days.
However, it may take several weeks for blood pressure to begin to improve. For some it may take less time and for some it may take longer. About 2 to 4 weeks.
Treatment. Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) begins working within a few hours of taking it. However, it may take several weeks for your blood pressure to begin to improve.
“Some people do get erratic cycling the first couple of cycles off the pill,” Dr. Minkin says, which is why she tells patients to wait two to three months before trying to get pregnant. By waiting, you’re giving your body time to readjust and start cycling regularly.
Another potential complication concerns the endometrial lining. One of the benefits of birth control is having a lighter period, but a lesser flow means a thinner lining, says Debra Wickman, MD, ob-gyn and director of female sexual medicine, menopause, and vulvar health at Banner University Medical Center in Arizona.
But for most women, that is going to reverse, and once you’re ovulating normally, the pill should have no long- term effect on fertility,” says Jennifer Wider, MD, women’s health specialist.
So is there a time limit for being on birth control, so you can avoid any possible pregnancy setbacks? No. “You can’t say there’s a set amount of months or years that’s too long, but women just need to be tapped into their own experience,” Dr. Wickman says, meaning that whether you're on the pill or not, you should always speak to your doctor if you notice any puzzling changes in your cycle.