Dear Reader,

Actually, it's okay to take any of these medications while on the Pill. However, its effectiveness may be compromised. When you take tetracycline, penicillin, or any other drug that interacts with the Pill, a backup method of birth control (e.g., condoms, diaphragm, spermicidal creams) will ensure maximum protection. It is best to do this while you are taking the other medication and for the remainder of that pill packet cycle. (For more information, see Antibiotics and the pill in Alice's Sexual Health archive.) If you're not sure about a certain medication, ask your doctor if what s/he is prescribing will change or interfere with the effectiveness of your oral contraceptive.

While most drugs that interact with birth control pills tend to decrease pill effectiveness, be aware that vitamin C has the opposite effect. This is interesting to note because many people take "megadoses" of vitamin C when they have a cold, or feel an illness coming on. Taking one gram (1000 milligrams) of vitamin C a day will increase the amount of ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen absorbed by the digestive system) by 50 percent. Most women who are on the pill will not notice any adverse effects from megadosing with vitamin C; some women, however, may experience spotting. If you take more than 100 milligrams of vitamin C daily, it is recommended that you take the vitamin at least four hours before or after taking your birth control pills.

Alice

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