Had to be off the pill for a week-am I still protected?

**Millania** · 12-29-2009 09:36 AM

Ok so I just finished my last pack of pills on 12/26
My doctor just refilled the pills today(Tuesday)
I am on my last day of my period
Technically I should have started my new pack on 12/27 to stay protected however there was an issue in getting my refill
I asked the nurse when I should start my new pack since I still have my period(very last day of my period-its very light)
She told me to start this coming Sunday 1/3
However this means I will be an entire week without pills/protection
No protection from 12/27-1/3(no pills this week)
My husband will not use a condom

I am worried about getting pregnant, we are not ready to start a family yet.
Should I just start my new pack asap(today) to prevent pregnancy?
I found it odd that the nurse told me to wait until Sunday since I still have my period anyways
Generally pills are on a Sunday start cycle so you can get your period during the week during the last pack , instead of getting your period on the weekends(I gues thats why the nurse told me to start on Sunday)
I dont think she realizes that I will be one entire week without any pill protection, I am afraid I will ovulate etc.
However I have been on the pill for about 10 years never missing an entire week so I am worried about what will happen
She said I only have to use condoms for this week, then next week I will be protected? I dont know, that seems fishy
Any advice? Should I just start the pills immediatley to prevent pregnancy?

The most my husband will do is the withdrawl method, I figured we could do that for this week if I start on Sunday?
confused
Thank you for any advice

**LanaBear** · 12-29-2009 11:02 AM

This has happened to me....

Personally this is what I did. Refill today. Take two pills today, two pills tomorrow, then on Thursday you will be back to one a day. In fact, your pill pack will even have those instructions for missing two pills.

**Millania** · 12-29-2009 12:12 PM

Thx Lanabear for your reply, I was thinking of doing this, ugh, so afraid of the extreme nausea I will experience. I get nauseas if I take 2 pills in a day let alone 4 in 2 days, BUT I gues a little nausea for a few days is better than a baby right now because I am not ready for a family quite yet, maybe in a couple years

thanks again! going to try this out..

**LanaBear** · 12-29-2009 12:56 PM

Ah - yeah, I never had experience with nausea and BC pills... I was like you though and did not want to wait until the following Sunday to start the new pack.

**Millania** · 12-29-2009 01:29 PM

yes I dont think I want to listen to that nurse, wait til Sunday, then next month I find out I am pregos bc I listened to her
I am going to double up today and tomorrow, then I will be bak on track, I will try eating before I take the pills -this usually helps me with the bouts of nausea
thankfully I dont miss too many pills so hopefully all works out ok
and If I get pregnant, then we will have no choice but to get ready for baby
but lets hope not

I am still trying to finish school before kids

**kira** · 12-29-2009 02:51 PM

Are you meaning you finished the inactive pills at the end of the pack and then didn't get a new pack for 2 more days? Technically you aren't on pills for those last few that cause your period. There's nothing in them. So you've gone 9 days (or 6 if you have something with only 4 instead of 7 pills) without an active pill. That's different than if you ran out of pills while taking an extended cycle version or if you normally skip the inactive pills in other types.

If you did take the inactive pills and then didn't get a new pack for 2 days you should read the instructions in the pill pack for missing 2 days of pills in the first week. Not all of them have the same directions for missing certain numbers of pills and they are usually different depending what week you missed. Another problem is since your prescription started on the day you filled it instead of the day you needed to take the pills if you take extra your insurance may not pay for the next pack in time. You may have to get a sample pack from your doctor or pay out of pocket for a pack if that happens. It's often suggested to use a backup method of birth control or abstain for a week after you've missed pills. The instructions with your pack will specify that.

**Millania** · 12-30-2009 06:43 AM

hi Kira,thanks for your advice, well yes I was completley done with my last pack as of 12/26 so ur right, I have been 9 days(as of yest) without an active pill, I read the instructions in the packet when i got my refill and per Lana Bear(above) and my instructions it said to double up yesterday(which I did) and double up today(took one going to take one more 2nite) which will catch me back up
then on Thursday I will be back to taking one per day
The nausea sucks so bad today, I have a headache and feel like I have morning sickness but thats normal because I doubled up yesterday and today..(eating crackers drinking water to help it)

I am so glad I started them back up yesterday because if I would have waited til 1/4 that would have been 16 days without an "active" pill and I think I would have ovulated(maybe) so there would have been a much bigger risk of me getting pregos
I adore kids but want to wait at least 2-3 more years to have one so the nausea is not so bad of a tradeoff to being pregnant

thanks again ladies for all of your wonderful advice
hopefully doubling up per the instructions on the pill pack will get me back on track will keep me protected
for now we are using the withdrawl method as well just to be extra precautious