Can I use pain relievers for headaches while I'm on birth control?
By Wonju @ Planned Parenthood | March 3, 2023, 12:45 a.m.
Category: Ask the Experts, Birth Control
Someone asked us: Can I use pain relievers for headaches while I'm on the birth control implant? I have looked everywhere online but cannot seem to find an answer. Can you take acetaminophen, aspirin and caffeine pills for headache relief while on Nexplanon?
Yes, you can take pain relievers if you’re on birth control.
Over the counter pain medicines like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and aspirin don’t affect the Nexplanon birth control implant, or any other types of birth control. It’s totally safe to take them as long as you don’t have health issues that may cause problems with these medicines.
It’s also fine to drink caffeine on birth control, and you can use caffeine pills as long as your doctor says it’s safe.
Most medicines are OK to use when you’re on birth control, but everyone’s body and personal medical history are different. If you ever have questions about what’s safe to take, you can ask the nurse or doctor who gave you your birth control method. You can also reach out to the nurses and doctors at your local Planned Parenthood health center.
There are a few medicines that can lower the effectiveness of certain birth control methods — the pill, patch, ring, and implant. Those medicines are:
• The antibiotic Rifampin (other antibiotics don’t make the pill less effective)
• The antifungal Griseofulvin (other antifungals are fine)
• Certain HIV medicines
• Certain anti-seizure medicines (these are sometimes also used to treat psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder)
• The herb St. John’s Wort
If you’re on the pill, patch, ring, or implant and you take any of these medicines, use condoms as a backup method. Switch to a different method of birth control if you’ll be on them for a long time.
Learn more about the birth control implant.