Using Contraceptives Successfully
College of the Canyons
Student Health and Wellness Center
26455 Rockwell Canyon Road
Santa Clarita California 91355
661-362-3259
Using contraceptives:
 Take your pill on the first Sunday after your period starts. If your period begins on a Sunday,
take your first pill on the same day. If your clinician gives you instructions, which are different,
follow those. (quick start/same day or on day 3 of period)
 Take your pills at approximately the same time every day. SET YOUR CELLPHONE ALARM!
 When you have taken all 21-24 pills, begin taking the placebo or 'fake' pills for seven days.
During this week, you will get your period. You are still protected from pregnancy this week.
When all the placebos are taken, begin your next pill pack. (some pills have 24 active and 4
placebo pills)
 If you forget to take your pill at the regular time, take it as soon as you remember. If you
remember the next day, take it as soon as you remember and the pill for that day. Use condoms
if you miss any pills. PREGNANCY CAN OCCUR
 If you forget two pills in a row, take two the day you remember and two the next day. It is
necessary to use another form of contraception the rest of the cycle until you get your period
(condoms, foam, and abstinence).
 Although any birth control pill manufacturer states that full protection begins seven days after
the pill is started, the Student Health Center recommends using condoms for the first two weeks
of taking the pill.
 If you are having vomiting or diarrhea, you are not absorbing the pill, and need to use condoms
during the whole cycle. Also if you are taking antibiotics (Ampicillin, Doxycyline etc), use
condoms during that cycle.
 Antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of the patch and nuvaring. Use condoms as a
backup method when taking antibiotics.
DANGER SIGNS
Severe abdominal pain
Severe chest pain or shortness of breath
Severe headaches
Eye problems, blurred vision
Sever leg pain, or one sided leg pain
IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS, SEEK MEDICAL CARE IMMEDIATELY!
**THERE IS A GREATER RISK OF ALL THESE SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS IF YOU SMOKE
BLEEDING OR SPOTTING
Bleeding is not unusual if you have missed one or more pills or if you have been taking the pill
less than two months. If bleeding is still a problem after two months, talk to your clinician, switching
to another brand of pill may solve this problem.
In most cases, bleeding is not serious and will stop after a few days, but if the bleeding is very
heavy, you have cramps, pain or fever, call your clinician. These may be signs of pelvic infection.
MISSED PERIODS
Updated March 26, 2013
If you miss or skip a menstrual period, and you have taken all pills from your last pack
correctly, you can start your next pack on schedule anyway. If you have skipped 2 periods in a row or
think you may have missed one or more pills, you should arrange to see your clinician for a pregnancy
test. Also pay attention to the signs of pregnancy:
 Breast tenderness or swelling
 Fatigue
 Nausea and sensitivity to smells or vomiting
 Frequent urination
 If you have any of these signs of pregnancy, and have missed a period, you need to have
a pregnancy test.
HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL AND OTHER DRUGS
When ever you take other medications in addition to the pill, patch or nuvaring, you should
check with your clinician. Some drugs can be affected by hormones (insulin, certain tranquilizers, and
anti-coagulants) and hormonal birth control may be less affective in combination with some drugs
(certain antibiotics, anti-seizure medications, and tranquilizers) USE CONDOMS DURING THAT
CYCLE!
Always tell your clinician that you are taking the pill, patch or nuvaring, when you are treated
for any medical problems, even if the problems seem unrelated and list it as a medication on Health
History Forms!
Updated March 26, 2013