What You Should Know About Birth Control Pills
Are you thinking about taking birth control pills? Here is some information you should know. If you have any questions, ask your provider.
Key warnings you should know:
- You should not smoke while taking birth control pills. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious heart and blood-related side effects. This risk increases with age (older than 35 years of age) and with heavy smoking (15 or more cigarettes per day).
- Birth control pills do not prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
- This medicine does not mix well with some medicines. Serious reactions may occur. Tell your provider about all medicines you are taking. You will need to use backup contraception if you take an antibiotic or seizure medication during a cycle while you are on birth control pills.
Tell your provider:
- If you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash, hives, itching, shortness of breath, wheezing, cough, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat, or any other symptoms involved.
- If you become pregnant.
Possible side effects:
- Typical side effects include weight gain, headache, swelling, breast enlargement, and belly pain.
- Any nausea or vomiting is usually temporary. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking on sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help. Taking the medication at night will also help.
- Menstrual changes, including lots of bleeding, spotting, or bleeding between cycles, which are usually temporary.
- Rarely, gallbladder disease, blood clots, heart attacks, and other vascular problems can occur.
You should not take birth control pills
- If you have any of the following conditions:
- Blood clots
- Breast cancer
- Diseased arteries in the brain
- Disease of a heart valve with complications
- Endometrial cancer
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Liver disease
- Liver tumor
- Severe headache
- Tumor where estrogen makes it grow
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding
- If you have had major surgery and need bedrest.
- If you are a heavy smoker (more than 15 cigarettes per day).
- If you are older than 35 years of age and smoke.
- If you turned yellow during pregnancy or with estrogen-based or hormone contraceptive use.
How are birth control pills best taken?
- Take each pill at a similar time each day.
- Take with or without food. Take with food if it causes an upset stomach.
If you miss a pill:
- Take a missed pill as soon as possible the same day and return to your regular schedule.
- If you miss one day, take two pills the following day, one in the morning and one in the evening. If you miss two days, take one pill twice a day for two days. If you miss three days, you will likely have some irregular bleeding. Use backup protection until you start your next pill cycle.
Precautions you should take:
- Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
- Do not take St. John’s Wort with this medicine. It may make the pills less effective.
- If you are taking birth control pills and have high blood pressure, talk with your provider before using over-the-counter products that may increase your blood pressure, such as:
- Cough or cold remedies
- Diet pills
- Stimulants
- Ibuprofen or similar products
- Certain natural products or supplements
If you have any questions about what to eat or what to avoid while you are pregnant, ask your doctor.
Reasons to call Cheyenne Women’s Clinic immediately:
- Signs of a life-threatening reaction:
- Wheezing
- Chest tightness
- Fever
- Itching
- Bad cough
- Bluish skin tone
- Swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Chest pain or pressure, fast heartbeat, or difficulty breathing
- Change in strength on one side of your body, difficulty speaking or thinking, change in balance, or blurred vision
- Swelling of or pain in a leg or arm
- Dark urine or yellow skin or eyes
- Rash
After going to another clinic in Cheyenne that didn’t treat me as a priority, it was a breath of fresh air stepping into Cheyenne Women’s Clinic. The entire staff was amazing, but Dr. Dozier was exceptional. She was kind, patient & answered any questions I had with great detail. I will never not recommend her. I am so pleased with my experience here.
I feel so lucky to have had the doctors at the Women’s Clinic for all three of my deliveries and GYN care. They provide high quality, compassionate, evidenced based care and Cheyenne is lucky to have such a great group!
I absolutely have loved it here! We just finished having our second kiddo and have worked with the vast majority of doctors here and they are all excellent!
Had an absolute amazing experience with the Cheyenne Woman’s Clinic during my first pregnancy. They did their best to accommodate my labor desires and made me feel as comfortable as can be. My husband appreciated how they took care of me, and now we’re going back with our second pregnancy! Highly recommend.
All of my appointments I’ve attended through the Women’s Clinic have been amazing the nurses and doctors have been lots of help throughout my whole pregnancy with lots of advice and support, I love every person from there they definitely are a welcoming and loving place!
Previous
Next
