Lots of breakthrough bleeding on pill. still effective?

[rawrrr]

I've been on the birth control pill for a little over a year; had been on microgestin but started having problems with breakthrough bleeding during the last week of active pills so my gyn switched me to Kariva. First two months after the switch was fine and dandy--the mild breast tenderness I had been having also disappeared and my period was super light and done in two days. Then I moved and have been temporarily unemployed so no health insurance (I stocked up on pills before the move though). During the last week of active pills of the third month on Kariva, got heavy breakthrough bleeding again that then turned into the heaviest period I've had in a long time (I had a medical abortion last summer, I'd compare the bleeding to that but without the cramping) that lasted for 12 days. Started a new pack and things returned to normal for a week. A week in to the new pack, I started getting spotting again--more on and off than last month but my breasts have also been super sore. I take the pill first thing every morning after I brush my teeth--between 8 and 9am. Obviously, this isn't the pill for me but I can't do much about that until I get a new gyn which won't happen until my new health insurance kicks in.

Biggest concern is the pill's effectiveness right now. Logically, I feel like if the hormone dose isn't enough to stop breakthrough bleeding, it isn't going to be as effective as intended against pregnancy either. I know that even with perfect use it's not 100% but I've never missed a pill and always take it within an hour so the small risk is a reasonable one to my boyfriend and I (while we aren't in the position of wanting a pregnancy, we're in a good situation to figure out our options if one were to occur) so have not been practicing a back up method regularly. If the pills effectiveness is significantly diminished, we will add one.

Thanks!

[Heather]

Have you called into your prescribing GYN and taken the first step by asking them about this, as they are the ones with your health history to reference?

FYI, breakthrough bleeding isn't what it sounds like you're assuming: that it must be happening because there are not "enough" hormones. In truth, all combined BC pills have around the same amounts of hormones, with the differences being incredibly slight. Distinct enough that when someone is having certain side effects, a brand switch can sometimes fix things, but on the whole, still super-subtle. Breakthrough bleeding is one of the most common side effects of any pill, and while it can occur more rather than less due to the way a certain brand or kind of pill works with someone -- so this is one of those things where a brand switch can be the answer -- it's not something that tells us anything about effectiveness, or occurs because someone's pill isn't "strong" enough.

So, long story short: I see no reason to assume your pill may not be effective just because you're having side effects from it. In fact, when someone is having side effects, that all by itself makes clear they are obviously metabolizing a medication giving them those effects, as if they were not, they would not be having those effects. Make sense?