Scarleteen

Hey guys,

I'm on the placebo pills of my second pack of birth control. In my first pack i got my period on the Tuesday of my placebo pills. It hasn't shown up yet in this pack. I don't know if these pills will suppress my period. The one I had in my first pack was maybe only a little lighter than the ones I had when I wasn't on birth control. I dont want to use birth control that will make me not have my period.

But should I expect irregularity when I first start taking birth control? It's not exactly late because today isn't over yet, (it could come tonight) but I just would like to know what to expect.

Some variation is normal, especially in the first few months (but even after that, you might find that you have a two or three day window in which your withdrawal bleed arrives). As long as you get your bleed at some point during the placebo week, you're all good.

Thanks! By "2 or 3 day window" do you mean between the active and placebo pills or do you mean variation from when I normally get withdrawal bleeds?

Sorry, I should have been clearer: I meant variation from when you normally get withdrawal bleeds. Even if you end up normally getting it on a Tuesday, you might sometimes get it on Monday or Wednesday or Thursday and it wouldn't be a cause for concern.

Thank you, Karyn, that's very helpful.

Another quick question, can external causes such as stress or sickness, etc. affect your period/withdrawal bleed even when you're on birth control and do not ovulate?

Yep. The same things that can affect your cycle off birth control can affect it on birth control.