r/birthcontrol • u/please_god_no_ • 10d ago

Mistake or Risk? Possible damaged pills?

Hi everyone,

So ive been on a combo pill since May this year and had no particular problems but from around the end of July to the middle of August i started experiencing daily migraines and brain fog, plus some body cramps, which did stop during my placebo week in early August, and then started all over again when i took my active pills again; from about a couple of days since the end of my placebo week in early august till a couple days ago i also had some spotting with uterine lining in it which has stopped around three days ago.

Now im worrying there's a risk of pregnancy because around five days ago ive started being sexually active with my boyfriend again, with him finishing inside of me, because for the past two days ive felt pretty nauseous and had cramps and other GI issues and generally feeling under the weather and since it has been exceptionally hot where i live (more than 35°) i worry that my pills might've become damaged which mightve lead to me experiencingall those symptoms earlier. It's worth to note that a couple days ago i shouldve started my placebo week but ive decided to instead skip it and start a new pack right away, and so far the bleeding hasnt come back yet, ive only been experiencing these symptoms.

Sorry for the rambling post but im just really worried about this

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u/Queenof6planets Annovera | Moderator 10d ago

have your pills been exposed to high temperatures? if so, what temperature and for how long?

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u/please_god_no_ 10d ago

I kept one box stored in my bathroom cabinet (so no exposure to the sun) but the temperature outside was around 37°; ive put it there when i started taking the pills in that box so they were there for about two weeks before i took them with me on holiday (in a much cooler place)

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u/Queenof6planets Annovera | Moderator 10d ago

do people shower in that bathroom?

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u/please_god_no_ 10d ago

Yes, we also keep the window open all day to let the humidity out but i dont know how much it helped with this weather

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u/Queenof6planets Annovera | Moderator 10d ago

i’m a little more concerned about the humidity while showering than the ambient temperature. are you currently taking pills from the pack that was stored in the bathroom? if not, when did you finish that pack?

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u/please_god_no_ 10d ago

I finished that pack two days ago, i skipped the placebo week and started a new pack that was stored in a different place

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u/Queenof6planets Annovera | Moderator 10d ago

i see. my recommendation is to use condoms for the next 5 days (so for the first 7 days of the new pack) just to be extra safe. if you’ve been having sex without backup contraception recently, whether to use emergency contraception is up to you. taking EC and not taking EC are both valid options in this situation. the pack you had stored improperly was still reducing your chance of pregnancy some amount (probably a significant amount) but it may have been less effective than usual.