hey so i was a bit stupid and i accidentally took two pills thinking i’d missed one but i hadn’t, so now i’m a pill short since my app says i have 5 days left but i only have 4 pills. What do i do? - Microgynon 30 pill

Start and end your break week a day earlier than usual.

i’ve shortened my break week to 4 days so should i just go on my break after my pill is up ? will i still be protected?

Don’t you keep a pack as spare? That’s what I used to do x

@Marj_066 i have 2 other packs but i don’t have one that i keep as spare, if i opened one of my other ones then each time i’d have to get one from a new pack if that makes sense? x

@bluey1234 Really you should never shorten your break week as it will mess with the synthetic hormones in your pill. Refer to your instruction leaflet on page 4 on what to do. I would suggest you take a pill from later in the pack and get your repeat pack slightly earlier so you are covered if that makes sense. Alternatively use condoms for 7 days and not have unprotected sex.

@Marj_066 okay thank you, but if i don’t have sex for 7 days can i shorten my break week? everyone says it is recommended to shorten your break week so i have 4 day breaks now

@bluey1234 You should always have a 7 day break week. If you wish to change contraception as it’s not suiting you then speak to your doctor.

4 day break weeks are now being recommended by doctors as it reduces human error, so yes you can do that. I would not recommend intentionally missing pills.

@bluerose9 so should i use a pill from my next pack of pills?

@bluey1234 When you say ‘everyone’ who do you refer to? Because I’m a retired contraceptive nurse. You are on a brand that has to have a 7 pill free break week for it to work correctly.

@Marj_066 everyone on this app and google.

@bluey1234 Yes that’s correct, open the next pack of pills. Go and see your doctor and explain what happened taking 2 pills accidentally and they will issue you with more packs.

@Marj_066 if you Google it you will see multiple websites stating 4 day break weeks are now recommended/the norm. I know you were a nurse but this information has been widespread since like 2020/2021 as far as I can remember.

@Marj_066 i’ve googled it and it says there is no harm done by accidentally taking 2 and after my 21 day of taking pills and either a 4 or 7 day break

@bluey1234 I’m sorry to say this but everyone on this app and google are not medical professionals. You may I knowingly be causing your body harm by pumping more synthetic hormones into it by not having the 7 pill free break week. Google is not a doctor, google doesn’t know your full medical history nor does any of the other people using this app.

@bluey1234 You need to stop googling and read your pamphlet thoroughly if you don’t understand anything ask your healthcare provider.

I am not concerned that you took 2 pills accidentally. I am concerned that you’ve shortened your break week by 3 days.

@Marj_066 i have read my pamphlet with states you can take 4 or 7 day break or even 9 weeks without a break and when my doctor prescribed me with the Microgynon 30 pill he said i can choose to have either a 4 or 7 day break.

@Marj_066 many users on this app have been instructed by their doctors to take a 4 day break week. Or skip breaks entirely. I obviously would not recommend anyone do anything that doctors aren’t instructing people to do. I was personally told by a nurse at my last pill appointment a few months ago that I can shorten or skip breaks if I want to. Anyone who is taking a prescription medication should obviously follow their pill’s pamphlet and professional medical advice, ie from their doctor or pharmacist. This forum is absolutely not a replacement for that.

You HAVE to take your pill exactly as it states on the instructions. If you do not give your body a full 7 day pill free break the high levels of synthetic hormones cause health issues in your body. You are taking your pill incorrectly.

@Marj_066 i am not taking my pill incorrectly if i have the option to shorten my break. my doctor would not tell me to do it if it was not safe for my health

@Marj_066 ?? You are suggesting you know better than the nurse who gave me my prescription and told me I can shorten the break because most people on the pill do that now?? As you said yourself you’re retired, obviously the guidelines have changed since you were working as nurse. The user who asked this question has said their pamphlet states they can take a 4 or 7 day break, so therefore taking a 4 day break *IS* following the instructions exactly.

@bluerose9 thank you very much, as i said i would not do something that my pamphlet does not recommend x

@bluey1234 you’ll just start and end your break one day earlier than normal; in your case you could have up to a 5 day break as your pill allows for a full week. Taking 2 pills on the same days might increase side effects but it’s more likely you won’t notice it at all. As for the shortening/skipping breaks: you can do this safely whenever. The pill was originally designed without a break week to begin with, it has no real purpose other than it mimicking a menstrual period so the Church would be accepting of birth control. Shortening or skipping breaks entirely rids of a lot of user error. There is no real reason to be having them, even the NHS says so, and the data on their website is backed up by research.

@Yi_eune okay thank you. so one my 4 pills have ran out should i just have a 5 day break? should i go onto a new pack like the user above me stated?

@bluey1234 whatever suits you best!

@bluey1234 since your pill allows for a break week up to 7 days it will be fine to have a 5 day break instead.

@bluerose9 will it decrease my protection at all?

@bluey1234 no it won’t decrease your protection whatsoever since your pill allows for a 7 day break x

@Yi_eune okay thank you so much!! xx

@bluey1234 You didn’t say your doctor advised this, you said everyone and google. I am not a granny, I just no longer work in that profession anymore as I wanted to start a family. The rules and regulations are exactly the same as they were before. As long as you are doing exactly as your healthcare provider has told you then you are fine. I was just pointing out the risks involved when one does not take their medication correctly as tested by the manufacturer.

@bluerose9 see above.

@Marj_066 i said everyone on this app and google advised it would be better to have a 4 day break, my doctor and pamphlet said i had the option of choosing eithe a 4 or 7 day break. i’m not trying to be rude and wish you the best with starting a family

@bluey1234 I understand what you are saying, my point was that google is not a doctor only a search engine, it also doesn’t know your full medical history. Google isn’t always correct sadly. Thank you, I have a young family. I just wanted to make sure that you understood what your putting into your body.

@Marj_066 i understand and i’m sorry if what i said came across as rude. sorry and thank you for helping x

The advice being followed here is as instructed by the medication’s pamphlet and doctor’s instructions, as we can all agree is the best and should be the only way to take any medication.

@Marj_066 she said it here: {Kghyg8NXy} you must have not seen it. X