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Can I stop taking the pill mid-packet?

I have been on Microgynon 30 for about 2 years now. I always run 3 months back-to-back,my GP confirmed this is safe and I have had no problems.

However, currently on my 3rd month with 13 pills left, I've noticed that if I carry on with the packet, I'll be on my period for my holiday in August. So I wanted to know: is it safe for me to stop my packet now,with 13 pills left? And after my week break,continue as normal?

By safe, i mean safe for my body,not safe as a contraceptive.

Sorry if this is in the wrong section & thanks for any help.

Reply 1

Skwee

I think it'd be safer to carry on and if you don't want to have a period - just continue with a new (4th) pack straight away, without the 7-day break. If, however, the contraceptive effect isn't something you're concerned about (and ONLY if the contraceptive effect isn't something you need!!!) then I suppose you could stop it and then restart after the 7-day break. Still, I think it'd be more appropriate to just run a 4th pack straight.

I hope that helped. :smile:

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

I wondered this. I mean there's an equal amount of hormones in each pill so I can't see how there's any way for your body to tell if you're taken 10 or 21. I run packs together all the time and then when I get a good week for my period I'll just stop no matter how many pills I've used. I then continue where I left off running packs together. I've never had a problem.

Reply 3

Skwee

I'm afraid I can't comment with 100% certainty on that. I do know that, so far, there's no scientific evidence that clearly shows that running packs together affects your body negatively. As it currently stands, menstrual periods serve a sole purpose - to allow the female to become pregnant and thus bear children (ie. a purely reproductive purpose, not any "cleaning of the uterus", "shedding of bad blood", etc). There's not even evidence that running packs together could affect future fertility, etc (other contraceptive methods such as Nexplanon or some IUDs basically work on the premise of a long-term, constant dose of hormone). (Obviously, some women do feel a psychological need to have periods (or withdrawal bleeding, if they're using hormonal-based contraception) - either for female-ness sake, or to reassure they're not pregnant...) :smile:

Reply 4

llessur123

Yeah you can. Or you could just continue the packet straight through for a fourth month, it's one month over the recommended but nothing will happen.

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 5

diamondsky99

Your body doesn't know how many pills you've taken... have the break now if you like and as long as you've taken at least 21 pills (which you have if you've been using it for 2 months) then you're protected from pregnancy too during your 7 day break.

Reply 6

Juno

If you carry on and take a 4th packet, you're more likely to suffer breakthrough bleeding. And since the whole point of it would be to avoid bleeding at inconvenient times, well, that's a stupid idea.

As long as you take 21 pills or more in a row it's fine. So you can take 2.5 packs and be fine. But when you restart after the break, you need another 21 (or more) to be covered against pregnancy - so you can't take the remaining half pack and have another break.

Reply 7

taylorg292

I would carry on and take a fourth packet personally, don't see the harm in stopping now and continuing on your holiday though. Would check with your dr first however.

Reply 8

Mimi135

I've ran 3 packs in a row of the combined pill and I've started bleeding with 14 pills left, would i still be protected if I didn't take the pill for 5 days then just starte back?

Reply 9

Juno

Original post by Mimi135

I've ran 3 packs in a row of the combined pill and I've started bleeding with 14 pills left, would i still be protected if I didn't take the pill for 5 days then just starte back?

If you're going to drag up a thread from 2012, at least have the courtesy to read the information on that thread.

Original post by diamondsky99

Original post by Juno

As long as you take 21 pills or more in a row it's fine. So you can take 2.5 packs and be fine. But when you restart after the break, you need another 21 (or more) to be covered against pregnancy - so you can't take the remaining half pack and have another break.