Birth Control Pill + Other Medications Posted: 02-04-05 10:44am
Hiya,
i was wondering if ordinary over the
counter medications like sudafed or cough
syrups, etc. Interfere with the
effectiveness of the birth control pill?
Thanks!
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steen
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 1797 Location: Upper Midwest
Posted: 02-04-05 20:53pm
There isn't a lot of information of
over-the counter medications, as they
generally are to old to fall under the
requirements for thorough research. And
when you look at supplements and herbal
products, there often is never any
research done. Sometimes your ob/gyn has
that information available.
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l2at24
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Nov 2004 Posts: 1509
Re: Birth Control Pill + Other Medications Posted: 02-04-05 21:00pm
applefan2006
wrote:
hiya,
i was wondering if ordinary over the
counter medications like sudafed or cough
syrups, etc. Interfere with the
effectiveness of the birth control pill?
Thanks!
i think some do. I know that robitussin
has been known to help women ttc because
it thins the cervical mucus or something.
So, I assumed it may counteract or at
least make the bc less effective. Sorry,
don't know exactly. Whenever in doubt
use another form of bc, like condoms or
something.
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AppleFan2006
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 3
Posted: 02-04-05 21:57pm
Hehe well its kind of an interesting
situation, one that has since changed
since I posted that.
My girlfriend and I had sex exactly one
week ago (last friday). Her pill has
been taken at the same time every morning
for as long as she has been on it. She
is religious about this.
Thursday (yesterday) she started to get a
cough and began taking robitussin and
sudafed. Today it got substantially
worse that I took her into be seen. They
took a throat culture and are thinking
strep throat. They now have put her on
an antibiotic which I am positive will
interfere with the bcp, but thats not an
issue since I will know in the future.
My *new* question is: does the reduced
effectiveness these medications will have
on the pill from here on forwad have
serious implications for the act of last
week? Basically, are there viable sperm
still there from a week ago that might
"get lucky" as a result of this weakening
of the pill now?
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l2at24
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Nov 2004 Posts: 1509
Posted: 02-04-05 22:08pm
Nope. Sperm can live (if they get past
the cervix) for up to 5 days. And the
antibiotics will def counteract. So,
use a backup method during and a few days
after she's done with those.
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AppleFan2006
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 04 Feb 2005 Posts: 3
Posted: 02-04-05 22:21pm
Thanks for your help
i had read that they can last as long as a
week, and so of course my obsessive
worrying mind went through the:
-she started taking robitussin on
thursday, 6 days after.
- 6 days is (obviously) less than a
week.
-now she is on antibiotics
-what if this medication caused her to
ovulate either today or tomorrow, there
could still possibly be sperm in there.
But... If I am reading you correctly,
this would be a highly improbable
scenario, correct?
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l2at24
Extremely EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Nov 2004 Posts: 1509
Posted: 02-04-05 22:26pm
Yep, they can only live for *up to* five
days. They may not have lasted that
long. And no otc or rx drugs can cause
ovulation unless that is what the drug is
intended for.
