Question:
When is a good time to start birth control?
SarahBB
16 years ago
I am getting married March 7th 2009. We are both virgins and of course plan on having sex on our wedding night. I am planning on starting birth control, most likely just the pill, but I don't know when the best time to start would be. Should I start a few months before to get my body use to it? And I've heard you can manipulate when your period is by taking the placebo instead or something? Could someone explain that to me. Thanks so much!
23 answers:
SuzyQ
16 years ago
Make an appt to visit with your Dr. and talk it over with him/her. It is best to start taking the pill a couple of months before you become sexually active. The pill will regulate your periods and they will likely be lighter and shorter when on the pill. There are other side effects that you will need to discuss before deciding if this is right for you.



Congratulations on the wedding and on your choice to save yourselves for marriage. That is truly rare. Just to let you know. Your wedding day will be very eventful, if you have a ceremony, dinner and dance, you may be too tired at the end of it all to make love, that's alright. The morning is a great time for love too. Have fun!
16 years ago
I would suggest starting at least 2-3 months before your actual wedding. You can manipulate when your period is by skipping the placebo, or last week of pills, and starting a new pack right away. This way you don't get your period at all that month. You just have to make sure not to do it too many times in a row as your cycle will get a little messed up. I used to skip a period using birth control here and there, especially if I was due to get it during a vacation or big event.



Good luck and congrats on your engagement!
learning_to_live_616
16 years ago
Start a month or 2 ahead of time because it may take a month to become fully effective. Yes, you can skip a period by skipping the last week of pills in the pack (placebo/sugar pills that do nothing) and starting a new pack when you would normally start the placebos. Then just continue with the new pack as usual, and you'll get your period when you get to the placebos in that pack. You should consult your dr. before trying this though because all birth control pills may not work exactly the same.
Linds
16 years ago
Talk to your gynecolegist several months before your wedding. She will be able to tell you the best time to start the pill. You will need a few months for it to be most effective (I think I remember 3 months? Don't quote me on that, though!). She will also be able to help you know when to start it so you won't have your period on your wedding day or honeymoon.



If, for some reason, a person is supposed to get their period and wants to "skip" it for a special day (like your wedding day), they would just skip the last week of pills in the current pack (which are just placebo pills, anyway) and move on to the next pack. There is a greater risk of "spotting" if you do this, though. Of course, you should talk to your doctor before doing this!
The one with the glasses
16 years ago
You might want to start it soon/now. It takes about a month or so to be effective, but I found when I started the pill the first kind my doctor put me on made me crazy-emotional and I couldn't stand being like that so I had to switch. Not every pill will work for every girl, so talk to your doctor about what you want, and consider starting it now so that if your first try isn't a good match, you have time to adjust to a second one.



Being on the pill a few months early won't hurt anything, if anything it will regulate and potentially lighten your periods and cramps (yay!) and some can even improve your skin tone.



The pill regulates your period because it works with your body on a strict 28 day cycle. So depending on when you start (what day) you start the pill you can adjust the day you start your period (like you can have it so your period is monday-friday so you don't have it on the weekend). The Placebo pill are just the 7 extra sugar pills you take while you are on your period/off week so you don't forget to start your next pack. Some pills come with 21 pills and you skip a week and some come with the extra 7 sugar pills. I personally take the 21 pill version because I am used to not forgetting to start my next package. Again, doing this can take a few months to control, depending on your body, so it's better to start sooner than later.



From my personal experience now would be a good time to start testing out how your body will handle being on the BC pill.



Good Luck!
truefirstedition
16 years ago
You'll want to start it at least several months in advance, to give your body a chance to adjust to the hormones. Also, the pill can make you gain weight, so you'll want a chance to adjust for that too.



There are many different brands of birth control pills. You may have a bad reaction to the first one you try (heavier bleeding, nausea, etc), so you'll want to have plenty of time before the wedding to make sure the prescription you're on is the right one for your body.



And yes, you can manipulate when your period starts (or skip it) by skipping the placebo pills and starting the next month's pack of active pills. You don't get a real period on the pill - the bleeding is from the withdrawal of the hormones during the placebo pill time. So you can skip that bleeding by not taking the placebos for a cycle. BUT you will want to have been on the pill for a couple of months before you do this. I tried to skip my period during my second round of placebos ever and ended up having pretty major breakthrough bleeding.



My advice is to visit your gynecologist now, while you still have plenty of time to adjust to the new medication.





And the person who said something about three months of blood building up, that's simply absurd. The blood does not build up in your body. When you withdraw the hormones (aka take the placebo pills), your uterus realizes "hey, I'm not pregnant" and sheds its lining. If you take the hormones continuously (skip the placebos), the uterus doesn't shed its lining - it doesn't need to. So please ignore that ignorant comment.
Christine
16 years ago
You need to start 6 months or so before hand, so the answer to "when" would be SOON. It takes about 3 months to determine if you can take a specific prescription, and you want to make sure you have time to switch prescriptions, because given that there are so many varieties of oral contraceptives out there (and then things like the Nueva ring), the odds of getting a prescription you can take on the first try is quite low.



And yes, I'm moving my period to not coincide with my wedding. I have real problems even with my "good" prescription, so I'm only moving it one a day. I have the variety without the placebos, and I just go one day longer without taking a pill between packs, and it is moving slowly. If your prescription is one that is designed to have you menstruate every month I would recommend against just taking the packs back-to-back, as I have a friend who will experience vaginal bleeding unexpectedly, because she does it for too long, and if it's developed to be taken with breaks, then it won't prevent problems like that.
11 years ago
I think its nice that you guys are waiting, first off

But I recommend a month or two earlier. The benefit is that you can influence your period date around it.

Many/most pills plan your period to start on a Monday. And often make your period shorter at least when you first start taking them. So pretty much whenever you're going to start,you aaaren't likely to have your period on your wedding night (I assume your wedding is on the weekend)

But you married in 2009 so I'll assume also that you already made up your mind :P
fizzygurrl1980
16 years ago
In order to be fully protected, you'll want to start your pills at least one week before. It's better if you can start a full month before, though, because the Pill sometimes causes spotting, breakthrough bleeding, and slight nausea when you first start taking it, and it would be a shame to ruin your wedding day with a "surprise" period or not feel your best on the big day. Starting the Pill three months before would be ideal, because it gives you time to adjust to your new cycle and work through any side effects you may experience. Plus, some women report significant weight gain (like 10 lbs.) or breast size increase during the first three months, so it would give you enough time to alter your dress if need be. Most women don't have very severe side effects at all, though, but it's good to be on the safe side. See your doctor for a physical and he/she will discuss birth control options with you.



As for the whole thing with controlling your periods, the way that works is to skip the placebo week and go straight into the first week of the new pack. This will continue to trick your body into thinking you're pregnant (which is how the Pill works anyway) and you'll skip your period entirely. They say it's perfectly safe, but you shouldn't monkey around with it if you're not an experienced Pill user, because the first couple times you do it, you're going to get some light spotting- not good for a wedding!
mrs. bookworm
16 years ago
I was in the same situation, and started taking the pill six month before my wedding. My doctor recommended at least three months in advance but in my situation she wanted to see how I would react to it due to family health problems, so I started earlier.

If you find that your period is going to be at the same time as your wedding, you can skip the placebo pills and go straight to the new pack of pills. I don't recommend doing this often as I'm not sure what kind of effect it would have on your body in the long run.

Talk to your doctor about what is best for you. :)

Congrats!! :)

It's great to see that there are other young people who wait until marriage!
miabella
16 years ago
Check with your doctor about this as I have never heard of a placebo doing this, and why would you want to do it ??

Anyway if you are marrying in March then your doctor will know the right time for you to go on the pill, he will probably arrange for an internal exam or may not, I had this when I was on the pill so be prepared.

Good luck with your wedding, mine is in June.
♪♫ ßr0wn Eyǝd G!rl ツ ♥
16 years ago
It takes about 3 months for the BC pill to be fully effective. I would start taking it about 3 months or more prior to your wedding night. You don't want to do it right after getting married because most BC pills have side effects when you first start taking them until your body becomes used to the hormones in the pills. You want to enjoy the first few months of marriage. :)
PugMom
16 years ago
My suggestion is to talk to your doctor. It is medically proven that you do not need a monthly period if you are preventing pregnancy (to dispel what that person said about not wanting 3 months of blood buildup, that doesn't happen). Ask your doctor for the pill that allows you to not have a period. Most likely you should start it a few months prior to your wedding. usually you start it the sunday after your period.
September morning
16 years ago
Choose a backup method of birth control (such as condoms, diaphragm, or foam) to use with your first pack of pills because the pill may not fully protect you from pregnancy during the first week that you start taking them. Keep this backup method handy and use it in case you:

Run out of pills

Forget to take your pill

Discontinue pill use

Need protection from transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, particularly the virus that causes AIDS (the condom is recommended)

There are several ways to start taking your pills. Use one of the following approaches:

First approach: Start your first pack of pills on the day your period begins.

Second approach: Start your first pack on the first Sunday after your period begins. This will result in your menses almost always beginning on a Tuesday or Wednesday every 4 weeks

Third approach: Start your first pack on the fifth day after your period begins.

Fourth approach: Start your pill today if there is absolutely no chance that you could be pregnant. Use a backup method of contraception until your first period.

Take one pill a day until you finish the pack. Then:

If you are using a 28-day pack, begin a new pack immediately. Skip no days between packages.

If you are using a 21-day pack, stop taking pills for 1 week and then start your new pack.

Try to associate taking your pill with something you do at about the same time every day, like brushing your teeth in the morning, eating a meal, or going to bed. Keep the pill near the place where you engage in the selected activity. Establishing a routine will make it easier for you to remember. The pills work best if you take one at about the same time every day. Check your pack of pills each morning to make sure you took your pill the day before.
*Miss_Autumn*
16 years ago
At least a month before you start planning to have sex so that your body has time to get used to the hormones that are being added to your system.
dietcoke
16 years ago
Yes, I would start it about a month or two before just to make sure you feel alright on it and don't get any bad side effects. You also want to be on it for a bit before your wedding night so it is in your system.
16 years ago
Yes,start about 6 months before only because you could gain weight and it would give you rime to get it off and get used to it.



Plus you need to consider your cycle and when it will give you your period so you wont have it on you wedding day and honeymoon
Jake's Mommy
16 years ago
Yes, you should start a few months before to give your body time to adjust.
Katrina H
16 years ago
I'd start it now. Sometimes it takes a while for you to find the right pill. I had trouble finding one that worked for me.
JAJ
16 years ago
I would start taking it as soon as possible to make sure you are not going to have any problems with it and to give your body time to adjust to it.
16 years ago
Why not start it now so you know if it works for you or not? DO NOT ever skip your placebos to postpone your period, it will bleed out when you least expect it and it's a mess. Nobody should accumulate 3 months worth of blood, that's disgusting and it smells like a dead body.
Anna.. xx
16 years ago
i would try a few weeks before your wedding. As i had to change to a different pill as it made me sick a lot. Its best to know before your big day/night just so you can be sure you wont be ill. Hope it all goes ok. xx
cameltoelover601
16 years ago
before you make Whoopee!!


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
Loading...