How to take Loestrin – if you are using Loestrin 20 or 30, you will take one pill every day for 21 days. You will then have a 7-day break so no pills for 7 days. During this time, you may experience a withdrawal bleed. Once the 7 days is over, you begin taking the next cycle of 21-day pills.
You should aim to take your pill at the same time each day – it helps if you pick a time when you are most likely to remember. For example, if you go to bed at 10pm every night you may find it easy to remember to take your pill at 10pm. By taking your pill at the same time each day, you are increasing its effectiveness. If you are not good at remembering to take the pill, you could try setting an alarm on your phone as a reminder or download a pill reminder app.
You can start taking Loestrin at anytime throughout your cycle – if you are not already pregnant. If this is your first time taking Loestrin, it is probably best to take your first pill on the first day of your period. By doing this, you will be protected from pregnancy immediately. If you begin taking Loestrin at any other time during your cycle, you should use condoms for the first seven days to prevent pregnancy as well as taking your pill.
What should I do if I forget to take my pill?
- If you are up to 24 hours late taking your pill then don’t worry, just take the pill as soon as you remember. You will still be protected from pregnancy. Once you have remembered to take the pill, carry on taking it as usual.
- If you are over 24 hours late taking your pill, you will still be protected from pregnancy. Take your pill as soon as you remember even if that means taking 2 pills in one day, but from then on continue taking your pill as normal.
- If you forget more than one pill, then you have lost your contraceptive cover for the next 7 days and so should use condoms as well as a precaution.
What if I am ill after taking my pill? – if you have sickness or diarrhoea within 4 hours of taking your Loestrin pill then this can be a problem because it may not have been absorbed by your body yet. Therefore, you could be at risk of becoming pregnant. Take another pill from a spare strip as soon as you can and continue taking them as normal. You should use condoms when you have sex during this time and for seven days after you have recovered from your illness.
Some medications can affect the effectiveness of Loestrin – you should let your doctor know if you are taking:
- Epilepsy medicines such as:
- Infection medications like:
- Herbal medicines – St John’s Wort
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