Vomiting after contraceptive pill

[Csx99]

Hi all, this might be a little long so bare with me.

I had a surgical abortion on Tuesday 6th July at 10 weeks pregnant. I started taking the contraceptive pill again the following day (so Wednesday 7th).

I was told that within 48 hours of taking the pills that I would be protected against pregnancy. I've now read that it can up to one cycle of getting it into your system before you're protected, so I'm confused?

I had sex on the both Saturday 10th and Monday 12th July. So 4 days and 6 days post-abortion.

On the Saturday I took my pill at 6pm as normal and began being sick multiple times around 10pm. I read that as long as it wasn't within 1-2 hours of taking the pill that it wouldn't make a difference, so I didn't think much of it.

I ended up missing a pill that week, a few days after the sex, and I took that pill the following morning and carried on my packet as normal as stated in the instructions.

However it's now over 2 weeks since having sex and I'm now being sick every morning, breast pain etc (all the symptoms I had in previous pregnancies) and I am now very worried that I wasn't protected against pregnancy like I initially thought, despite following the instructions etc?

I'm not sure whether it's even possible to ovulate so soon after the abortion. When I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks I didn't get my cycles back for 3 months.

I'm currently self-isolating (I don't personally have Covid) so cannot get a test until the morning and I'm feeling increasingly anxious now about the entire situation and unsure whether I could be pregnant 😞

I've been on the same pill since I was 16 and have never got pregnant (unless I haven't been taking the pill obviously).

Thankyou in advance

That was very long I guess my question is - would be sick multiple times after the pill 4+ hours after class it as a 'missed pill' hence that pill I did actually miss may have been classed as 'second missed pill' and allowed ovulation to occur. And would ovulation occur so soon after an abortion?

I'm sorry to hear about everything that has been going on for you

Honestly if I were you I would be more worried about retained tissue than a new pregnancy. At this point it would be unlikely that you would have any symptoms as even if you ovulated really early you would be unlikely to be having any symptoms - and after surgical management it can take a while for your cycle to stabilise enough for you to ovulate.

Have you taken any tests since the abortion that have been negative? As it wasn't too long ago even if you do take a test now it is still likely to show as positive from your last pregnancy - Personally I didn't get a negative test after surgical management of a miscarriage until 6 weeks after.

I think you really need to go back to the EPU / talk to your doctor to get scanned as there is likely something else going on and you need to find out as soon as you can so that you can get it sorted

Sorry I can't be of more help!

In short, yes, vomiting after taking the pill means it's a missed pill. I've not taken it in years but sure I remember it being a 24 hour rule.

The sickness on the Saturday was due to consuming too much alcohol I know that I wouldn't have had pregnancy symptoms the same night of the sex - I'm having them now 2+ weeks afterwards.

I managed to get a test dropped off and there's a faint line. I've rang my GP to see if they can do some blood tests to determine whether or not it's a new pregnancy.

Unsure whether to ring BPAS for advice too. Ugh what a mess. The reason I had the abortion in the first place is because my 1 year old is disabled and has his leg amputation coming up and I couldn't deal with the mental load of it all. I genuinely thought I was protected against pregnancy 😞

And no I haven't taken any tests previously since the abortion as they told me it wasn't needed as if they had any concerns about not removing all the tissue then they would have said. But obviously these things can definitely happen so I will definitely get it checked out, just unsure what the next step is they didn't really give me much advice!

In short, yes, vomiting after taking the pill means it's a missed pill. I've not taken it in years but sure I remember it being a 24 hour rule.

Yeah; this is my understanding too. Have you got your pill packet, still? I’m sure mine used to say that if you vomited within 24 hours, to class it as a missed pill and take precautions.

But I suppose if there’s a line, that’s a moot point for now! I’d call BPAS and see what they say.

I’m sorry you’re going through so much right now

Yes it’s possible you’re pregnant. You missed a pill and then were sick after taking it on another occasion.

Any pill I’ve ever taken has said you’re protected straight away if it’s taken on the first day of your period. If not it takes 7days and you should use protection for 7days after sickness or an upset stomach. It would have told you this in the instructions.

You seem surprisingly laid back about contraception for someone who doesn’t want a baby.

I would imagine the odds are against you having ovulated but there’s no guarantee.

I read on the NHS website that it's if the sickness is within 2 hours then that's when it hasn't been absorbed and you should take another one, so I genuinely thought 4+ hours would have been completely fine.

I missed a pill in the packet days after the sex and that's because I was in hospital, I took the pill as soon as I could and then carried on with the packet as normal as stated in the instructions.

I haven't been laid back at all, I just genuinely thought I was following the correct instructions and was protected and didn't think anything of it until I started having symptoms / faint positives.

Hopefully it is just the remaining hormones or even retained tissue. Doctors won't do anything for a few days so going to ring BPAS for advice today.

I’m really sorry about your situation. It sounds really stressful. The golden rule is 24 hours is a missed pill - I myself am product of mum being sick out of nerves on her wedding day and so pill losing effectiveness.

I think it is very unlikely that you're pregnant as you had a surgical abortion, there would have been a lot of hcg in your body and your levels won't have gone down to normal so your body wouldn't have adjusted back to pre pregnancy levels for you to start the whole process of ovulation