How to Take Your Pills
Before You Start Taking Your Pills BE SURE TO READ THESE DIRECTIONS:
1. Before you start taking your pills and anytime you are not sure what to do, read the directions carefully.
2. The right way to take the pill is to take one pill at approximately the same time every day. If you miss pills you could get pregnant. This includes starting the pack late. The more tablets you miss, the more likely you are to get pregnant.
3. Many women have spotting or light bleeding, or you may feel sick to your stomach during the first 1-3 packs of pills. If you feel sick to your stomach or have spotting or light bleeding, do not stop taking the pill. These symptoms will usually go away. If they do not go away or seem to get worse contact your healthcare provider.
4. Missing pills can also cause spotting or light bleeding, even when you make up the missed pill. On the days you take 2 pills to make up for the missed pills you can also feel sick to your stomach.
5. If you have vomiting or diarrhea, or if you take some medications, including some antibiotic, your pills may not work as effectively. Use a back-up method (condoms and/or spermicide) until you check with your healthcare provider.
6. If you have trouble remembering to take your pill, talk with your healthcare provider about options on how to make pill-taking easier or about using another method of birth control.
7. If you have any questions or are unsure about the information provided call your doctor or pharmacist.
Before You Start Taking Your Pills:
1. Decide what time of day you want to start taking your pills. It is important to take it at approximately the same time every day.
2. Look at your pill pack. The pill pack has 21 white (MicrogestinFe ® 1/20) or green (Microgestin Fe ® 1.5/30) “active” pills and 7 brown “reminder” pills.
Also Find:
1. Where on the pack to start taking pills, and in what order to take the pills.
2. Be sure you have available at all times another form of birth control such as condoms and/or spermicide to use as a backup method and another full pack of pills on hand.
When to start the first pack of pills:
You have a choice of which day to start taking your first pack of pills. Microgestin Fe ® is available in a blister card with a tablet dispenser which is preset for a Sunday Start. Day 1 Start is also provided. Decide with your healthcare professional which the best day is for you. Pick a time of day that will be easy to remember.
Day-1 Start:
1. Pick the day label strip that starts with the first day of your period. Place this day label strip over the area that has the days of the week (starting with Sunday) pre-printed on the tablet dispenser. Note: if the first day of your period is a Sunday, you can skip step #1.
2. Take the first “active” white or green pill of the first pack during the first 24 hours of your period.
3. You will not need to use a back-up method of birth control, since you are starting the pill at the beginning of your period.
Sunday Start:
1. Take the first “active” white or green pill of the first pack on the Sunday after your period starts, even if you are still bleeding. If your period begins on Sunday, start the pack that same day.
2. Use another method of birth control as a back-up method if you have sex anytime from the Sunday you start your first pack until the next Sunday (7 days). Condoms or foam are good back-up methods of birth control.
What to do during the month:
1. Take one pill at approximately the same time each day until the pack is empty. Do not skip pills even if you are spotting or bleeding between monthly periods or feel sick to your stomach. Do not skip pills even if you do not have sex very often.
2. When you finish a pack or switch your brand of pills start the next pack on the day after your last “reminder” pill. Do not wait any days between packs.
What to do if you miss pills:
If you miss 1 white or green “active” pill:
1. Take it as soon as you remember. Take the next pill at your regular time. This means you may take 2 pills in 1 day.
2. You do not need to use a back-up birth control method if you have sex.
If you miss 2 white or green “active” pills in a row in WEEK 1 or WEEK 2 of your pack:
1. Take 2 pills on the day you remember and 2 pills the next day.
2. Then take 1 pill a day until you finish the pack.
3. You COULD GET PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms or foam) as a back-up method of birth control until you have taken a white “active” pill every day for 7 days.
If you miss 2 white or green “active” pills in a row in THE 3rd WEEK:
If you are a Day-1 Starter:
THROW OUT the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that same day.
If you are a Sunday Starter:
Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day.
You may not have your period this month, but this is expected. However, if you miss your period 2 months in a row, call your doctor or clinic because you might be pregnant.
You COULD GET PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms or foam) as a back-up method of birth control until you have taken a white “active” pill every day for 7 days.
If you miss 3 OR MORE white or green “active” pills in a row (during the first 3 weeks):
If you are a Day-1 Starter:
THROW OUT the rest of the pill pack and start a new pack that same day.
If you are a Sunday Starter:
Keep taking 1 pill every day until Sunday. On Sunday, THROW OUT the rest of the pack and start a new pack of pills that same day.
You may not have your period this month, but this is expected. However, if you miss your period 2 months in a row, call your doctor or clinic because you might be pregnant.
You COULD GET PREGNANT if you have sex in the 7 days after you miss pills. You MUST use another birth control method (such as condoms or foam) as a back-up method of birth control until you have taken a white “active” pill every day for 7 days.
Reminder Tablets:
If you forget any of the 7 brown “reminder” pills in Week 4: THROW AWAY the pills you missed.
Keep taking 1 pill each day until the pack is empty. You will not need a back-up method of contraception.
If you are still not sure what to do about any pills you have missed use a back-up method anytime you have sex and keep taking one “active” pill each day until you can notify your healthcare provider.
Even if spotting or light bleeding should occur, continue taking the pill according to the schedule. Should spotting or light bleeding persist, you should notify your doctor or clinic.
WARNING
Do not smoke while taking birth control pills. Cigarette smoking raises the chance of very bad heart and blood-related side effects. This chance is higher with age (older than 35 years of age) and with heavy smoking (15 or more cigarettes per day). Birth control pills do not stop the spread of diseases caused by having sex.
Sometimes drugs are not safe when you take them with certain other drugs. Taking them together can cause serious side effects. This is one of those drugs. Inform your doctor and pharmacist of of all drugs (over-the-counter, homeopathic, supplements and any prescription) you take.