Helenia's big thread of contraception questions.

For every 100 women that take it, one will get pregnant.


Je pense.

I'm on the pill and i've been on my week off scince monday its now thursday and i'm still not on my period. *worried face*

i just gone on cilest, r der any side effects

don't want to sound stupid but have only been taking my pill for 1 and a half months so am kinda new to it all... just wondering how safe it is to have sex without a condom whilst on the pill? my bf didn't come inside me though.

also sometimes i've taken my pill a couple of hours late (never more than 12) - will i still be protected? the info in the box says it's ok but is it best to take at the same hour everytime?

sorry if my questions have already been asked before! thanks everyone xx

its always best to take it at the same time, and always have your pills with you if theres a chance you might be...stopping over somewhere.
the best advice is to make taking your pill part of your routine. take your pill, brushg your teeth, wash. (etc).
Yes, its fine to take a pill a few hours late - so long as it is either an oestrogen containing pill (commonly reffered to as 'the pill', or the 'Combined oral pill/COP'). With the 'mini-pills' aka the 'progesterone only pill/POP' you really aught take it within a very fine time period - try never to take it more than 1 or 2 hours either side of your 'time'. the exception is the newest POP cerazette which is more like a normal pill.

hope that helps
jam

thanks jam! mine says you can take it up to 12 hrs late but i'm sure this isn't recommended. the only other thing i was worried about was using the pill as the only form of contraception, as i did the other day - how reliable is the pill by itself if the guy comes outside of you?

well its about 97-99% effective as is - meaning that 1 woman out of 100 will find herself pregnant having used it as a contraceptive method for a year. i always think thats a touch low, probably to cover their own backs.
if he coems outside, that will go up a few smidges. if you use condoms as well it will go up even more smidges.
but if this a regular partner for whom you don't need to worry about STDs, then don't worry about it so long as you follow the pill instructions.

condoms- strange devices they are. I got a question, qoute me would be nice.
But, do you need to have like a little pocket at the tip of the condom?

Becasue when i do it, its normally just smooth, no pocket.
Then i read a few weeks ago that they say that you need to have a pocket.
when putting it on, grap the end with your thumb or something, so that when your wearing it, it has like a flag or something on the end, which is like meant to get the sperms.

pocket or no?

Help? cause will this pocket thing kinda slow down, stop, or anyway annoy my lovemaking life?

You're meant to squeeze the end when you put it on so that you don't have a bubble of air at the end of the condom, which could cause it to burst. So you're basically just squeezing the air out and yes the 'pocket' should be there but it shouldn't have air in.

i just gone on cilest, r der any side effects

condoms- strange devices they are. I got a question, qoute me would be nice.
But, do you need to have like a little pocket at the tip of the condom?

Becasue when i do it, its normally just smooth, no pocket.
Then i read a few weeks ago that they say that you need to have a pocket.
when putting it on, grap the end with your thumb or something, so that when your wearing it, it has like a flag or something on the end, which is like meant to get the sperms.

pocket or no?

Help? cause will this pocket thing kinda slow down, stop, or anyway annoy my lovemaking life?

Anyway, ive just gone on the mini pill - I had probs with microgynon, where i had a possible allergic reaction, so ive been put on a progesterone only pill. Does anyone have any advice or experience?