Pills are one of the most modern contraceptives. At the same time, the pill helps against menstrual cramps, especially without the pill break.

If you want to take the pill, however, you should pay attention to a few things. We tell you what you should not do.

Take The Pill All The Way Or Take A Pill Break?

21 days on the pill, 7 days off with menstruation is the usual pattern for contraception with pills. However, you can take the pill all the way through if, for example, you are on vacation when you get your period or if your period is unwelcome for other reasons at the original time.

In principle, you should only take the pill after you have talked to your gynecologist about it and had yourself examined. Remember that birth control pills are hormonal and can upset your hormone levels.

The Pill: A Contraceptive With Many Myths

That the pill makes you prettier, makes your breasts grow and your hair shinier is information you hear from many friends. Advertising also plays its part, showing women with clear skin and a shiny lion’s mane.

So it is obvious not to interrupt the effect and to underline your beauty by taking the pill. But beware, even though estrogens can actually make your skin clearer and your hair thicker, they affect your female hormones and can cause a whole range of side effects.

How Do Hormone Levels Change?

Your hormone levels change because this is exactly where hormonal contraception works. This can cause you to gain weight more quickly or be moody. Headaches, nausea, and more hair on the body can occur, especially in women who take the pill. This sounds logical. Why should only your head hair become thicker?

After A Forgotten Pill Day: Take The Pill To Be On The Safe Side?

A common reason for taking the pill is a forgotten day. In fact, you do not need to think about it if none of the numerous contraceptive pills work.

If you are specifically interested in safe contraception, you should in this case rather build in additional security and not assume that double helps and you only need to take the pill through. Neither the double dose on the following day nor the change in the cycle compensates for forgetting to take the pill.

Why Many Women Want To Take The Pill All The Way Through

There is a whole range of reasons that are directly related to long-term or continuous use of the pill. For example, you can use absolutely safe contraception, protect yourself from heavy menstrual bleeding and the pain associated with it.

In the case of PMS or anemia in the course of menstruation, the gynecologist will often even advise you against taking a pill break. The same applies to taking the pill: take it every day at the same time and create a ritual so that you don’t forget to take it.

Absolute Safety In Contraception

This reason is of course controversial, because even in the break you can not get pregnant (you have your menstruation). But especially young women tend to feel safer when taking the pill continuously and do not get pregnant under 20.

Important: Even if you take the pill consistently, it will not reliably protect you if you take antibiotics or other medications that block its effects. This safety awareness is therefore not an argument for taking the pill all the time.

Menstrual Cramps And Heavy Bleeding

Very heavy bleeding can cause temporary anemia with all its consequences. Pain during menstruation leads to cramps, which bring severe nausea and diarrhea, as well as headaches.

If you suffer from such a strong monthly stress, your decision to take the pill can provide you with a better quality of life. In these and similar cases, your gynecologist will prescribe you a pill with a lighter dose, which is suitable for long-term treatment.

The Period Exactly In The Vacation Period

Vacation is just around the corner and this is exactly when your period comes. This is not only unpleasant, but in the case of a painful period, it can even cause you to cancel your trip and spoil your well-deserved rest.

If you want to take the pill on vacation to avoid your period, it is sufficient if you simply do without the usual pill break one month before the trip. Your gynecologist will not give any contraindications and you can travel in peace and have a good time without menstruation.

Endometriosis: Pain-free Thanks To Taking The Pill All The Time

Up to 12 percent of all women suffer from a benign growth of the uterine lining. Women affected by endometriosis have such severe menstrual pain that menstruation is accompanied by a week off work on sick leave.

Gynecologists recommend that you put this pain on hold and feel more comfortable by deciding to take the pill. In perspective, endometriosis should be treated not only hormonally, but with removal of the proliferating tissue if necessary.

What Speaks In Favor Of The Pill Break?

The hormone-free time, during which your body can recover and normalize, speaks in favor of the pill break. The dose of artificially supplied hormones decreases and you, therefore, do not affect your hormone level as much as when you take pills continuously without a break.

Why Do You Not Need To Take A Break?

If you have severe menstrual pain, acne or even endometriosis, you can safely do without the break. Discuss the intervals between pills with your gynecologist and get advice on which pill you should take and why you should switch to a lower-dose preparation.

If you stop menstruating once, you can decide (see vacations) without a prior appointment with your gynecologist.

Taking The Pill – What Can Happen?

In connection with the risks of taking the pill, you usually hear about thrombosis. The risk of blood clots increases in women who take the pill all the time and do not give their hormones a break.

However, although thrombosis is the most dangerous side effect of contraception, it is not the only one. Here you can find out what other risks are associated with continuous use. If you are a smoker, you should not take the pill, as your risk of thrombosis is increased.

Side Effects Of Long-term Pill Use

You may experience spotting and headaches, nausea with vomiting, and unpredictable intermittent bleeding. In principle, you should only continue taking the pill if you do not notice any of the side effects when taking the pill “normally” with a break.

Risk Of Intermittent Bleeding And Spotting

The interruption of the normal cycle does not generally protect against bleeding. Excess tissue is also shed when you take the pill, which can result in prolonged spotting or bleeding between periods.

Intermittent bleeding does not necessarily occur during the original period. Especially if you have always tended to have irregular periods, the risk of intermenstrual bleeding increases significantly.

Headaches And Nausea Are Not Uncommon When Taking The Pill

The pill can help with migraines. But it can also cause headaches and nausea. If you experience these side effects, you should stop taking the pill. If such symptoms are already noticeable in the original cycle with a break, it is generally not advisable to continue taking the pill.

Long-term Use And Then Getting Pregnant, Is That Possible?

The longer you use hormonal contraception, the longer your body needs to restore hormonal balance. Although some women become pregnant immediately after stopping the pills, this is not the rule.

Your fertility planning should be done in perspective and not be limited to the first few weeks after taking the pills.

Not All Preparations Are Suitable For Continuous Use

High-dose pills are unsuitable if you want to take the pill continuously and do without the regular pill break. You generally supply your body with a larger amount of hormones, which means that your gynecologist will prescribe a weaker preparation – a so-called micro pill.

The lower the dose of hormones, the lower the risk of side effects and undesirable side effects.

Changes In Hormone Balance Have Many Side Effects

Nature has adjusted your hormone balance. Any form of change can have an effect on your mood, your well-being, and your attitude to life. Whether you can take the pill and use contraception without side effects, without a break, and without menstruation, depends on various factors.

It is important that you attend all check-ups with your gynecologist in the case of long-term treatment and continuous use and report any problems to him honestly. In most cases, it is helpful to switch to another preparation if you experience any side effects while taking the pill.

The Reason For Taking The Pill As A Decision Criterion

You should not take a hormone preparation such as the pill for aesthetic reasons alone (thicker hair, smoother skin, larger breasts). If, on the other hand, there is a medical indication, your gynecologist will talk to you about continuous use and the much less frequent breaks between pills.

For example, in the case of anemia after menstruation and endometriosis, you can assume that these problems will be regulated by taking the pill. Talk to your doctor and explain why you want to take the pill and what expectations are related to it.

The Gynecologist Recommends On A Case-by-case Basis And According To The Diagnosis

The gynecologist will not always advise you to take the pill and follow your wishes. You should not resist the instructions, because if the gynecologist advises against it, it is not without reason.

After a detailed examination, a smear test and a long conversation with you, the doctor will make a decision that fits your life and the circumstances of the diagnosis. For example, women with an increased risk of thrombosis and blood clotting disorders are generally not treated with the pill.

If it is possible to take a micropill, you should still not take it and assume that side effects can only affect others and not you.

Do Not Take The Pill Because Of Beautiful Hair Growth

The pill contains a large amount of the female sex hormone estrogen. It is known that estrogen has a positive effect on hair density and growth. Many women with naturally thin hair notice a significant improvement in hair growth after taking the pill.

This leads to the desire to further strengthen the hair or, for example, to combat hair loss by taking the pill. In individual cases, the gynecologist may agree to this wish. However, you should never underestimate the fact that all pills are hormone preparations and not hair growth products.

How Long Can You Take The Pill?

As modern and helpful as the pill is, there are also risks associated with taking it. Not all women tolerate the birth control pill equally well. It becomes even more problematic if you want to take the pill all the way through and deny your body the seven-day hormone normalization break.

The longest period of use without a pill break is 12 weeks for micro pills. More common are 6 to 9 weeks, during which you must take the pill and after which you must initiate menstruation by taking a break of one week.

Special Case Of Endometriosis – Permanent Therapy Possible

A very strong proliferation of the uterine lining can promote cramps up to fainting. To counteract this problem, you can take the pill for a longer period of time after your gynecologist has examined the individual case.

In this case, we are talking about a permanent therapy, which is used, for example, when postponing the prospectively necessary surgery. The pill can also be prescribed for a longer period of time as an attempt at tissue regression in the case of a desired pregnancy, which is rarely feasible in the case of endometriosis.

Pay attention to every sign your body is showing when you go off the pill and lower the risks associated with it.

Going Off The Pill: A Consideration Beforehand

If there is no contraindication in the medical sector, you can take the pill. However, you should consider whether you really want to do this and which intervals you should choose for pill breaks.

The fact is that you cannot stop menstruation permanently. In practice, many women report intermediate bleeding and spotting if they take a pill for longer than 6 weeks.

If you have severe pain during menstruation, this can still be a relief for you. If you only suffer from cramps and anemia every two to three months, this is a significant increase in your quality of life.