The Student Room Group

The Pill - What time of day to take it?

I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow to go on the pill for my first time and have been reading up lots about it on the internet and I know how important it is to take it at roughly the same time each day. The problem is, my day's are so varied and being at Uni I never get up or go to bed at the same time each day, so taking it first thing when I get up or last thing before I go to bed isn't going to work. I was thinking about trying to take it every night at around 6pm since I generally eat in college "hall" 6nights a week which is just after 6pm, but I'm still not sure this is a good idea.

I was just wondering if any other girls out there have a similar problem and what sort of time you take it to avoid this dilemna? Thanks :smile:
Reply 1
i take it every day after my tea, usually between 6 and 7.

it depends what pill you get put on. if for some reason you cant take the combined pill, then mini pills only have a 3 hour window so you need to be quite strict with yourself.

with the combined pill,you dont need to be exact to the minute or anything. just roughly the same time. if you forget you have 12 hours to remember to take it. i say your after tea idea sounds like a good one. I would also say as soon as you get up is a good idea, say after brushing your teeth (have it next to your toothbrush). surely your getting up times arent that varied?
Reply 2
I take it "around midnight", but as I'm on the combined, I don't worry about it if I'm out during the evening and have to take it later - the same if I have an early night and need to take it slightly earlier.

(I do however feel obliged to point out that I'm not sexually active, so the only consequence I could get from not taking pills properly is breakthrough bleeding)
Reply 3
Princess Ana
I take it "around midnight", but as I'm on the combined, I don't worry about it if I'm out during the evening and have to take it later - the same if I have an early night and need to take it slightly earlier.

(I do however feel obliged to point out that I'm not sexually active, so the only consequence I could get from not taking pills properly is breakthrough bleeding)

I take mine at ten..............basically it doesn't matter when you take it as long as its within the 12 (or 3) hour time frame....................I'm on the POP so have to be slightly less flexible. Over xmas I was abit late a few times so I've taken to setting a recurrent alarm on my phone for 10pm.........that way I can't forget as I always have my phone with me.......and if I'm going out and I won't be home by then, then I just stick my pills in my pocket......................i do carry aorund a spare set in my back pack though - just incase I forget to bring them with me, or I go to my boyfriends at the last minute
Reply 4
When I was on it the doctor told me to take it before breakfast so I took it at about 7.30 am, but maybe that's just coz of the type of Pill it was. I don't think it really matters; whenever it's most convenient for you.
Reply 5
I had a mate who had a separate alarm clock so she took it at 7.30 every morning :eek: which I thought slightly obsessive. I take mine in the morning. before 10. when i remember that is.
Reply 6
I dont think it really matters that much, well I take mine usually anytime before 12 (basically i take it once I get up n hav a shower & then back into m room where i,moisturise i keep my pills next to my moisturiser so remember to take it). Obviously on college days i take it much earlier.

I suppose if you are using it purely as a contraceptive, you may want to make sure u keep the time you take it constant.
Reply 7
I know this isent solving your problem but did anyone see corrie and sally making her daughter take the pill :0
Reply 8
Jenna999
surely your getting up times arent that varied?


Sadly they are. I do rowing at University which involves me getting up at 5:30/6am sometimes to do an outing before lectures at 9. Other days I get up at 8am and then the weekends when I'm not rowing I may get up as late as 10am...so there's quite a wide variation.


Thanks for all your replies guys. I would be using it primarily as a method of contraception, so I obviously want to make sure I'm properly covered. I suppose I'll talk to my doctor tomorrow and get his advice on how long a "window" there is of taking it at roughly the same time each day.
Reply 9
Anonymous
Sadly they are. I do rowing at University which involves me getting up at 5:30/6am sometimes to do an outing before lectures at 9. Other days I get up at 8am and then the weekends when I'm not rowing I may get up as late as 10am...so there's quite a wide variation.


Thanks for all your replies guys. I would be using it primarily as a method of contraception, so I obviously want to make sure I'm properly covered. I suppose I'll talk to my doctor tomorrow and get his advice on how long a "window" there is of taking it at roughly the same time each day.


Well, I've been on it and rowing for nearly a year now :wink:

If you're on the COCP, then there should be no problem with those variations - up to 12 hours is fine as long as you are taking it every day. I always take mine in the morning, either as soon as I get up, if it's a normal day, or on my way back through on the way to lectures after rowing. If you don't go home between rowing and lectures then you could take your pack in your bag with you.

Alternatively, after dinner would be an equally ok time as long as you remember every day.
Reply 10
I think the best thing is to put it in your purse and set an an alarm on your phone(as suggested above); personally I never go ot without purse, phone and keys and im sure alomost everyone is the same; Im not on the pill anymore but my boyfs mum is and thats what she does. Admittedly me, my boyf and boyfs mums boyf all know what it means as well but we just have a laugh about it! (realises how weird knowing so much about boyfs mums contraception is!).
i have mine at bedtime....or if i no im gonna be reli late in bed i take it a 10pm
I take mine at 6 at night, or around that time if I forget.
~Bambi~
I know this isent solving your problem but did anyone see corrie and sally making her daughter take the pill :0

Yes! Extra mean of her, felt so sorry for Rosie getting dragged down the street to the doctors :frown:
Reply 14
flikkydoodles
Yes! Extra mean of her, felt so sorry for Rosie getting dragged down the street to the doctors :frown:
not that I saw it, but sureley it's a good thing that her mum is looking out for her welfare?