TAKING MY CONTRACEPTIVE PILL?!

So I had my pre op on Monday and my op is the very beginning of January. I’ve been on the pill since I was 15 due to irregular and horrendous periods. The pill I’m on now is great and keeps everything normal however the nurse advised to stop taking it 1 month before which is now. I’m so stuck as I really don’t want to stop taking is especially with Xmas coming up and knocking everything to pot. Has anyone else on here kept taking their pills up until the op and been fine? It’s really stressing me out. Im also in a relationship and then you get pregnancy tested on the day so it’s totally contradicting itself. Thanks girls x

Hey Paige, I’m in the same boat! 4 weeks before I was told too which was the other day! I only have till Tuesday on this packet so I’ve carried on as don’t want an extra painful period around xmas as I’m self employed and can’t afford to cancel anyone especially this time of year and when I’m not on the pill I’m really bad on my period to the point where the pain makes me physically sick! So when I come off the pill I’ll be 3 weeks before surgery so should be ok.. I’ve seen a few women carry on taking them anyway cos refused to stop and they just had to sign something to say they weren’t stopping and many other women are told 2 weeks before to come off and 2 weeks after to start it’s so confusing!! My op is January 4th, are you coming to the end of a pack soon? If so it may be worth trying to come off them then but totally up to you, they want you to come off to reduce the risk of blood cots as some pills are more risky than others, Yasmin is a risky one apparently (that’s what I’m on) xxx

Try and contact the nurse at the surgery prior to your post op to have a chat. Blood clots are really serious and life threatening in surgery. I had a suspected one after a long haul flight that was due because of my pill (loestrin 20) and it’s a really low dose. That was three years ago and it freaked me out. Since then I only take my pill if period overlaps onto my holidays I ended up under observation in hospital I couldn’t breathe. IIf

they say you have to stop at some point and your in relationship it’s obviously a pain but what can you do apart from use a condom or abstain or just take a risk and continue taking it.

Your not supposed to have sex for six weeks after the op also, it’s all states in the paperwork at pre op there’s a thread about that also u may want to read.

Best to talk to your GP and the surgery nurse and ur fella to help with ur decision.

I know what u mean about seriously bad periods because I suffer also. My doctor put me on some painkillers can’t even remember what they’re called now but they have acid in them and are given to people post op for some surgery. I had that when I want on the pill. So you could always see what alternatives there are to reduce the pain. Fx

The reason they tell you to not take the pill is because of the risk of deep vein thrombosis (i.e. Blood clots), which as said above is REALLY serious. When you have surgery your body is already put at a risk of blood clots, but having the pill in your system increases the risk as the pill is already associated with blood clots. My surgeon was really strict about not taking the pill for 4 weeks prior to surgery, and I was told by him and staff at the hospital that they wouldn’t operate if I didn’t stop it 4 weeks before. The advice is really given for a good reason and I’d 100% recommend following it. At the end of the day painful periods are really nothing in comparison to a potentially life threatening condition. It’s not contradicting that they do a pregnancy test, as they’re not saying you can’t use any contraception just not the pill due to the blood clot risk. Your nurse should have explained the reasoning thoroughly to you though, which it sounds like they haven’t. Hope this helps xx

Also I know what a pain it is… I’d been on the pill since I was 16 and without it I get awful skin and really bad periods etc, but the risk for me just wasn’t worth it! X

Thanks girls I wont take any more then just to be safe xx

Thank you girls. This has really shook me up. I expected people to say they were fine etc as you do but this has made my mind up!!contacting gp Monday to discuss options. Then boobies will be worth it… hopefully ???????? xxx

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Hi pAige I was put into a cancellation for my
Op and was told to stop taking my pill 2 weeks before the op which I did…. speak with Mya ….. at the end of the day dvt is serious so best to stop the pill xx

Not only are you told to stop taking it 4 weeks before your op but your also advised not to take it for two weeks afterwards. Xx

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