Late withdrawal bleed....

[Leia1997]

I am so worried now. On August 31st I started my birth control pills (tri sprintec). It is the first pill I've ever been on. A few days after I had protected sex with a condom and he withdrew way in advance. I had my period at the end of September on a Wednesday and all was fine.

I had sex again on the 3rd and 15th of October using the same protection of condoms and withdrawal. Nothing I know of went wrong and I've been taking my pills everyday perfectly. My period has not come yet and it is Wednesday of my placebo week. I'm so scared...I've been feeling slight period cramps for the last week and a half but now they're so slight and almost non existent. I sometimes feel like I'm going to start soon but I haven't...please help!

[Sam W]

Hi Leia,

So, even when someone is on hormonal BC (like the pill) their period will not always arrive at the exact same time (we're not machines, after all). And, since you started the pill fairly recently, your body may still be in a period of adjusting its cycle.

It looks like, from your last thread, that you said you're planning on getting a period test. I would stick with that plan, if only because it will give you a definite answer. But, as the other volunteers mentioned in your last thread, your odds of being pregnant are very, very, very, very slim.

For now, I think some self-care might be good for you to try out, since it sounds like you're feeling pretty stressed:

Self-Care a La Carte

[Leia1997]

Hi! Yes last month when I went to my doctor I was going to ask to get tested but since I got my period, I didn't. So I since then had safe sex two more times and now this month I'm nervously waiting for my 2nd withdrawal bleed.

I know I shouldn't be worried because we used 3 methods and normally I wouldnt be. I just thought that since I'm on the pill my periods would be regulated already..I guess not haha

What's weird is that I've been cramping a little for the past week but now I'm not...just very slightly...also there is some brown discharge so I think it may be starting! Thank you so much for helping!

[Johanna]

Hi Leia, people to usually experience fairly regular bleeds on the pill. However, you have not been on the pill all that long yet, and it does take the body a few months to get used to the hormones. Around three months is pretty average, and during that time, one of the most common side effects is irregular bleeding.

[Leia1997]

Okay, thank you! I have started my withdrawal bleed bow! Phew! I do have one more question though about my pills.

So I've been on tri sprintec for 2 months but today the pharmacy switched me to tri-previfem which is basically the same thing. They're both generic for trinessa so they have the same ingredients...my question is, when I start these new pills in a couple of days, should I wait 7 days to have sex or use a backup method since technically it's a new pill? Sort of confused! Thanks

[Johanna]

Nope, as long as you are taking the pills consistently with no breaks in between, the switch should not compromise your protection.

[Leia1997]

Okay, thank you all so much!!