A question for our resident health care professionals

[MaggieTheCat]

So, I probably have a UTI. I have all the classic symptoms. I called the hospital and talked to a nurse who asked me a series of questions, then said she would call in an RX for an antibiotic called Bactrim for me. Great! Especially since I'm between insurances right now so I don't want to be seen if I don't have to.

Here's my question. I know antibiotics can interfered with the contraceptive properties of birth control pills. The pharmacist I talked to said we should use backup methods of contraceptive "for the rest of the month." Does that mean until the end of my current pill packet, until the end of August, or for the next 30 days?

[Camry178]

I'd call back and have it clarified just to be safe.

[crazylegs]

Not knowing how long your course of antibiotics is, it's a little different. Your pharmacist however will know, ask them.

[monolayth]

Take the longest time to be sure.

Trust me pregnancy is not fun lol.

[Amina516]

Id call the pharmacist to be sure, but Id say a safe bet is the course of ur abx script plus a week.

And no, pregnancy is not fun. LOL. I wholeheartedly agree.

[TTAZ]

What Anima said, only I'd go 2 weeks after the scrip is done. Be vigilant! I third the statement that pregnancy can, in fact, suck. The reason I say be vigilant is that my son was conceived in an antibiotic/birth control fiasco.

Fun!

[MaggieTheCat]

Oh man. We SO do not want to get pregnant. Boyfriend talked to the pharmacist when he went to get the RX (he picked it up for me on his way home from work) and she said to give it 30 days, so we will. I'm going back to Wisconsin in a couple weeks anyway for 11 days.