Antibiotics and Birth Control

A couple of weeks ago, I was on antibiotics for an ear infection.  It was just a standard Z-pack, two pills the first day and one pill every day after that. 

My boyfriend came to visit me for the weekend and then went back to Memphis, where he lives.  A couple of days later, I was sitting at my computer and I looked over on my desk to see the unfinished Z-pack and a sudden horrible realization came to me.

"I can’t rely on my birth control while I’m on antibiotics!!!  Oh my God, I have to take EC.  We had sex without a condom more than three days ago, it might not work.  Oh my God, I can’t believe I forgot that.  ShitgoddamnitfuckingA"

First I took the plan B I’ve had stashed in my closet since March.  Then I called my boyfriend, Chris.

"Hey, What’s up?"

"Hey, nothing much.  I’m having lunch with my family right now, can I call you back in a bit?"

"Yeah, sure.  I’ve gotta tell you about something."

"Is it serious?"

"Well, not REALLY.  I’m not hurt or anything."

"Hold on, I’m going into the next room……..Ok"

"I’m on antibiotics.  I forgot that it lowers the effectiveness of my birth control."

"I’ve taken the morning after pill, but I might have missed the time frame.  I’m going to call Hannah’s mom (Hannah’s my best friend, her mom is a gynocologist) after this to ask her questions about it."

"…Are you okay?"

"I’m a little freaked out"

"Don’t worry, we’ll figure this out."

"Okay, I’m going to call Lucy (Hannah’s mom) now."

"Okay, I love you"

"I love you, too"

So then I called Lucy and explained to her the situation.

"The antibiotic risk actually hasn’t been studied very much.  Unless you’re taking an antibiotic for Tuberculosis, there really isn’t a known risk."

"Why do pharmacists tell us to use another form of birth control while on antibiotics then?"

"I don’t know, it’s really an old wives tale."

Despite this, I was still scared.  I got my period this week, however, and am completely relieved.  It’s got me thinking, though, about how fortunate I am.

I have a boyfriend with whom I have previously discussed what we would do if I ever got pregnant.  He said the choice about whether to continue with the pregnancy or not was completely up to me, and if I wanted to get an abortion, he would pay for it (because I’m a broke college student).

I have a family friend who is a professional in dealing with this sort of thing, and who I can always trust.

I have wonderful pro-choice parents who would have supported me in my decision (I didn’t tell them, until I knew for sure).  They raised me as a feminist and informed me about birth control and plan B, and made me well aware that they are NOT abortifacients, and that having plan B handy is a good idea.

The only thing that bothered me is the fact that if the antibiotic-birth control thing is a non-issue, I really didn’t need that freak out.  Why is this being told to women by their pharmacists?  I don’t think the pharmacists are necessarily spreading this misinformation on purpose, they’re just trying to make sure we’re having safe sex. 

If there is this possible link, but it hasn’t been studied well, then why the fuck isn’t it being studied now?  If it is an old wives tale, then lets put it to rest so that our pharmacists are no longer spreading misinformation (no matter how well intentioned they are).  If it’s true, lets make sure that everybody knows about it.