Various brands and types of birth control pills are available to women. This form of pregnancy prevention is effective and convenient. Nearly every brand or type of pill has a set of potential side effects. Some women may experience the mild, tolerable symptoms, while others may develop significant or intolerable symptoms associated with the use of the pill. When this occurs, a woman has other options and can switch to a different brand, dose or type of pill. She can begin this process by contacting her health-care professional for guidance.
Step 1
Contact a health-care provider to discuss unwanted symptoms associated with the use of the birth control pill. While some may be normal but bothersome, other side effects can be serious and require medical treatment. Only a health-care professional can help a woman determine whether the symptoms she is wishing to avoid are serious.
Step 2
Discontinue the current birth control pill immediately when the adverse side effects begin. A back-up method of birth control, such as a condom or other barrier method, should be used until a new pill has been started.
Step 3
Purchase a new brand or type of birth control pill based on the recommendation of the health-care professional.
Step 4
Consult the health-care professional, pharmacist or directions that come with the pill before beginning.
Step 5
Take the first pill according to the directions. This typically means taking a combination hormone pill on the first day or the first Sunday after the woman's period begins. With progesterone-only pills, the pack can be started on any day.
Step 6
Take one birth control pill every day at the same time to maintain the pill's effectiveness.
Step 7
Use a back-up birth control method until at least seven pills have been taken, unless directed differently by a health-care professional. After seven days, the hormones from the pills will be stable enough to prevent pregnancy as they are intended.
Step 8
Continue the routine of one pill per day as directed by the pill pack. Combination hormone pill packs contain three weeks of active pills. During the last seven days of the pack, the pills will contain sugar and other inactive ingredients that serve the purpose of reminding the woman to stay on her routine. Progesterone-only pill packs contain 28 pills all containing hormones.
Step 9
Report any side effects to a health-care professional right away. It is possible for a woman to respond the same to two different types of birth control pills due to the similarities in their function.
