How long do antibiotics affect the birth control pill?!
Question: Does it affect your whole cycle of pills for that month or just the days you were taking the antibiotic?
Specifically wondering about Amoxicillin.
Thanks :)
Answers: Does it affect your whole cycle of pills for that month or just the days you were taking the antibiotic?
Specifically wondering about Amoxicillin.
Thanks :)
As a safety rule of thumb, use backup contraception while you are taking the antibiotics and for a week afterwards. The problem with antibiotics is they disrupt the flora in your gut, altering the absorption of the pill. This does not necessarily indicate that the pill will not work... I've read a few studies that indicate that some antibiotics actually *increase* how much medicine gets into your system. And most large scale studies indicate that the cillin drugs like you are taking do not cause any more contraceptive failures than normal user error.
The Mayo Clinic sez you only need to use backup for the days you are taking the antibiotic. But since a few days of condom use is cheaper than a baby, I'd suggest you err on the side of caution.
I would say use protection for the whole cycle of the pills, because the anitbiotic is going to be in your system for a while even after you stop taking it.