Are you still bleeding or experiencing spotting while on the pill? If this is the first time you started using birth control pills, it is normal for new users to bleed during the first three months while on the pill. If you continue to bleed while on the pill, speak with your doctor to see if you should come off the pill for a week or a month for withdrawal bleeding. Once you get back on the pill, there should not be anymore bleeding or spotting.
Bleeding or spotting while you are currently using birth control pills is known is breakthrough bleeding. If you are still bleeding or spotting, try switching to a different pill. Let your doctor know that you are still bleeding and he/she will recommend you a higher strength birth control pill. Bleeding or spotting usually indicates that your pills are not as effective as they should be (additional methods of birth control when you are bleeding or spotting are recommended). Spotting is also a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease known as Chlamydia. Contact your doctor if you think you are at risk for an STD.
Can I be pregnant if I missed more than one or two pills a month?
If you have no bleeding in between pills, you may be pregnant and should see your doctor for a pregnancy test (or use a home pregnancy test). If you have a light period, you are most likely not pregnant. Just to be sure, you can take a home pregnancy test for reassurance.
What does it mean if I am bleeding after sex and am on the pill?
If you are bleeding after sex, check with your doctor immediately. Vaginal bleeding after sex can indicate the following:
- Cervical Dysplasia (precancerous changes of the epithelial cells that line the cervix)
- Chlamydia (bacterial infection transmitted through sexual activity or contact with semen, vaginal fluid, or blood)
- Gonorrhea (an STD caused by bacteria. Pharmaceutical treatments available)
- Vaginitis/Cervicitis (inflammation, swelling, and/or infection of the vagina or cervix)
- Cervical Polyps (smooth, red or purple, finger-like growths grown from mucus layer of the cervix or the cervical canal)
- Trichomoniasis (STD caused by protozoan)
- Vaginal Yeast Infection (overgrowth of the normal fungi in the vaginal area)
- Endometritis (inflammation of the endometrium)
- Adenomyosis (when an endometrial tissue attaches itself to the uterus, or another organ, and grows outside of the uterus)
- Uterine Polyps (overgrowth of the endometrium causing protrusions into the uterus)
- Fibroid Tumors (a benign tumor)
Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line.
For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
I am currently on the ortho evra patch and when I am off the patch for the week before I start my new pack of patches, my period is crazy. It is heavy all the time. I use the overnight pads and the heavy super tampons and i still have to change within the hour. Is my period supposed to be this heavy all the time?!
Comment by Anonymous — January 30, 2009 @ 3:25 pm
I have been on microgestin Fe 1/20 for about 7-8 weeks and I have experienced a full blown period that lasted 4 days longer than my normal periods about 2 weeks after I had just finished my previous one. Now I have just started again and it has only been about a week and a half since I finished the a fore mentioned period. Both these period occurrences have happened almost immediately after I have missed a pill why is this happening?
Comment by Anonymous — March 13, 2009 @ 8:41 pm
Dear Anonymous,The patch works differently with all girls. If you just started using the patch, you should stay on it for 3 more months to see if it stays the same. If you have been on the patch for a long while, and it's always been heavy then that's just how the patch is for you. If it bothers you, try another type of birth control, for example the NuvaRing. It's also a monthly birth control.
Comment by Janine — June 4, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Dear Anonymous,When you miss a pill, your body thinks that it is time for your period, so that is why your period came back. Because you have just started the pills you may experience spotting, which is also normal.
Comment by Janine — June 4, 2009 @ 2:00 pm
I've been on Microgestin fe 1/20 for one year i've always been okay when it came to getting my period, once or twice it came a little early or a little late. Im two weeks into my months supply and i spotted discharge yesterday and today it turned into blood. pretty moderate cramping especially when i lay down. took a pregnacny test and it came out negative.. should i be worried?
Comment by Anonymous — October 28, 2009 @ 12:35 am
Dear Anonymous,Are you on any antibiotics? Some antibiotics do make the pill less effective and will make you start bleeding again. If you are not on any antibiotics, did you miss any pills in the past two weeks?
Comment by Janine — October 28, 2009 @ 7:40 am
I was on Desogen for probably six months (not taking the inactive pills). I had a pretty difficult week (I went on a trip and was having a lot of stress from school) and missed probably every other pills (I took two pills when I remembered to, some days I spaced it and just took one the day after I missed one). I didn’t have any problem with spotting or break-through bleeding because of this. However, about a week later, I started spotting. After two weeks of just about constant spotting, I took a HPT, which was negative. The spotting continued for another week, at which point I called my OB/GYN and got switched on to Lutera. After about a week of being on that (in which, I was still spotting) it went to straight bleeding.
I normally have REALLY heavy periods (to the point wear I cannot use tampons), and this is not quite that bad, but it has gone from not needing anything other than a panty liner here and there to needing a tampon or two in a day.
I have been on the Lutera for two weeks now and this is still going on. I have no clue what’s going on and am starting to worry because it hasn’t stopped… and has actually gotten worse.
My OB/GYN told me that it was just the birth control when I went in to get switched… but I have been on several different birth controls before (two or three different pills (including Ortho-Overa, the path, and the nuva ring) and I have NEVER had ANY break-through bleeding or spotting at all… not even in the beginning of starting a BC. I suppose this may be because of my incredibly irregular periods (I have been known to go six months without having a period) as well as the fact that right before I got back on BC, I had probably four-six regular periods in a row.
Is there something wrong that I should see a doctor about or should I just wait it out?
I haven’t been taking asprin because everything I’ve read has said that it will make it worse. Instead I’m taking Tylonol for the cramps that I keep getting on and off (noting: it’s not uncommon for me to have cramps between cycles)
Comment by Quin — June 16, 2010 @ 11:22 pm
Dear Quin,
How long have you been on Lutera now? Are you still forgetting to take pills? Are you on any antibiotics? After a month of continuous spotting/bleeding, you should see your OB/GYN again and try another pill, because it looks like Lutera is not working for you. If your spotting/bleeding continues the following month with you on the new pill, there might be something else wrong. Make sure you keep your OB/GYN up to date with everything that is going on so they know when to start running tests to see what else could be causing the bleeding.
Janine
Comment by Janine — June 25, 2010 @ 10:24 pm