BC Question || Patch

[twigz72.livejournal.com]

I've been having great luck with the patch and have been on it for about 3 months now. My patch change day is Monday (I always do it in the morning when I wake up ... if this matters). However, two days before I would've changed my patch (Saturday evening), it was a little too loose for my liking, so I changed the patch early right then. I didn't put a new one on for my last week of the patch for the month that Monday two days later, but wore the one for Saturday until it was time to take it off this past Monday (this is my free week for menstruation) ... so in essence, I feel like I should have put on a new patch for this Saturday and Sunday ... but I didn't, I just used the too-soon-replacement-patch for 8/9 days instead of a week.

This coming weekend is a big one for my boyfriend and I and we have been planning it for sometime now, and it will be my first time having vaginal intercourse. Normally... it's like, if you forget to change your patch, just put a new one on when you remember and use backup for the next X days... But, since it was my free week, I can't put a new patch on... Am I still protected at all? Should I use a condom this weekend just in case? I'd rather not on a personal level... but neither my boyfriend nor I would put personal preference ahead of safety/security...

Sorry if my explanation seems a little cluttered; I'd be more than happy to give clarifications and any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks

Comments

[skeptictank.livejournal.com]

Each patch has enough hormone in it for 8 or 9 days, but they have you change them every 7 just to be safe (and because it's easier to judge when to change it if it's the same day every week). I always tell people that if they forgot to buy their patch or don't have it available and need an extra day, just leave the old patch on. It's better to suck that thing dry one more day than to take it off and let the hormones run out of your system too early.

So in short, you SHOULD be ok but... do you FEEL lucky? These days they make so many rad condoms that it shouldn't be a huge problem to employ some backup just to make you feel better. (And I know you didn't ask but I've always preferred Durex. They don't smell as horridly rubbery as Trojans and they don't break like Lifestyles do. And don't forget a water-based lube... that'll really make the condom thing less unfortunate if you choose to go that route).